Christmas Charity from Dive Choice Mexico

Karen Bloemhoff and Ricardo Garcia buy new toys all year from the money they make from selling donated items. They work tirelessly so the less fortunate children of Cozumel each have a new toy for the holiday season. From the above You Tube video, you can see just how appreciative the children are. Karen and Ricardo run Dive Choice Mexico, a dive operation. For more information on their personalized dive services, click on Dive Choice Mexico.

Karen also runs a very successful property management service and works for one of the local real estate companies. They are married and also have a baby. Just thinking of all they do makes me tired! They are an inspiration to us all here. Hailing from The Netherlands, Karen is a warm and kind hardworking entrepreneur.  Thanks, Karen and Ricardo, for all you do for these children.

Happy New Year! We know a bunch of children in Cozumel will be celebrating 2012 with their spanking new toys!

Christmas Cozumel Style

Cozumel the island of the Golondrinas, or swallows

Dinner with friends on Christmas Eve was a great event, the food fabulous and the company even better. Sorrisi's offered two menus ... one a fixed price of $49 usd and the other $39 usd. The more expensive option included surf and turf, a lobster ravioli and tuna tartare and dessert. We were a party of 5. I don't eat desserts but everybody, especially the guys, loved both desserts, lovingly made by the owner from family recipes from Sicily. I was the only taker of the less expensive option, as I really wanted the cabrese salad with tomato and fresh mozzarella. They drizzle a dressing over the cheese that is amazing, and their fresh mozzarella is really fresh and tasty. It also came with a pasta of spinach with a red sauce. The sauce was extremely good. I couldn't really appreciate the chicken with mushroom sauce and potatoes, as after eating the rest, I was just too full. Great night with great friends, new and not so new! We had a wonderful time. The owner happens to be a really charming guy from Sicily and always goes out of his way to give me great service with a smile. Many thanks!

Christmas tree on Melgar at Cozumel

The photos are all compliments of This is Cozumel. Merry Christmas, everyone!

Taken at Cozumel Museum

Cozumel clock tower decorated for Christmas

The Meaning of Christmas in Cozumel

Artwork by Sarah Williams Pritchett

Cozumel is a small town. We have a group of people, both Mexican and foreigner, who look out for and care about each other. There is a flurry of activity now. The tourists have begun to arrive. For us locals, that is a mixed blessing. The roads become more congested and a lot of people who have no idea how to drive here are on the roads. But business is up. People are selling. Diamonds are being purchased, along with souvenirs and booze. 

Through the car window on east side of Cozumel

The weather is amazing, and I thank God every day that I live in such a beautiful place. It isn't perfect. We know that. Unfortunately petty crime tends to go up this time of year. As the island grows, we get the warts that go along with being just a little bigger small town.


I am looking forward to dinner with friends for Christmas Eve, brunch with a group of ladies I know for Christmas morning ... and dinner with more friends Christmas evening. Thank you to all of you who have come in to my life here in Cozumel. Thank you to my husband, this Christmas season.


I feel a sense of gratitude. Business is picking up and we all have the Humane Society Christmas party to look forward to on the 28th. Don't forget to buy tickets and head on down to the Money Bar! More information on the Humane Society in Cozumel can be found here. You can also find them on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/HumaneCozumel

Photo courtesy of Humane Society of Cozumel Island

Merry Christmas, Cozumel!

Ironman a Big Success in Cozumel

Dailene Erickson (photo courtesy of Scuba Tony Anschutz)

Ironman Cozumel is now over for 2011. A good time was had by all. The winner of the Triathalon event was Michael Levato, who is a professional triathlete. More information on Michael can be found here.

Mike & Amanda Lovato (photo courtesy of Madeleine Mason)

It is so exciting that we now have Ironman in Cozumel, and next year we will have two Ironman competitions, including a 70.3 Ironman in September and the full event again in November.


The women's competition winner was a woman from Switzerland. Ironic as I have been reporting on Switzerland this week on my Gargoyles & Graffiti blog. 

Simone Benz, winner of Female Ironman 2011 with Luisa Prieto, our mayor's wife

Congratulations again to Dailene who keeps up with the pros. She placed very well again this year. Go, Dailene! Dailene has a shop, Cabrilla's Cozumel, that repairs bikes, sell sportswear (great shirts and shoes) and other items. They even have Ironman T-shirts. Her shop is located on 11 between 10 and 5. And if you have any questions, you can reach Dailene on her facebook page at http://facebook.com/cabrilla.cozumel

Love the sombrero (photo courtesy of Amber Hightower)

Tony Anschutz was too busy this year to compete, with his dive business and getting married!! But he was still there cheering the contestants on, and taking photos and video. And if you would like to get in the water and dive with Tony, his website is:
http://www.scubatony.com

Everyone I know who dives with Tony has nothing but great things to say!

Ironman swimmers

Thanksgiving Cozumel Style

We just got back from our fourth year eating at Rock 'n Java for our Thanksgiving Day feast. Turkey, ham, green bean casserole, both sweet and mashed potatoes and pecan pie for dessert. I took my dessert to go; I was so full. More information on all the great things at Rock 'n Java can be found here.


I don't call Cozumel Mexican Mayberry for nothing. As we arrived at the restaurant, one of my friends Nancy was outside with her husband, son and some friends. I already knew she would be there as we spoke in the afternoon. While eating, we saw at least ten people we know ... from good friends to acquaintances and I even got to meet someone new on my way out. So great to live in a small town!


I remember Thanksgivings from my childhood at my grandmother's house. Her furniture, inherited from Uncle Joe, was too big for the room so we had to squeeze around the heavy antique chairs to get in them. Once seated, you were there for the duration. The only one getting up was my grandmother and maybe one of her friends. My grandmother had a habit of asking someone she knew (usually from her Church) with nowhere else to go to spend Thanksgiving with us. They always volunteered to help and since they were seated next to Grandma, they were the only two who could get out of the room until it was over. 


I remember the smell of the turkey, sage stuffing, spaghetti and cheese (nobody has ever made it better than my grandmother.) It was the one day every year that I ate too much.


Now most everyone is gone - my grandmother, my parents, and all my grandmother's friends. My brother is in Florida. My nieces are in California and England. 


But this year, like the last four, I spent with my husband and a good friend, DeLea.  My husband's niece joined us for the second year running. For me, Thanksgiving is a day of remembrance and giving thanks (and enjoying friends and family!) 

me after Thanksgiving dinner

P.S. Happy Thanksgiving from Cozumel!

Ironman Coming to Cozumel Next Sunday

The test run for the roads of Ironman will be tomorrow. For about two hours, all the roads that will be closed for the event will be closed to see how we can do a better job of traffic flow. There will be some people that will need to leave the island that day on flights and by ferry, and last year proved especially challenging. A few renters in the south were desperate enough to try to get a boat to get to the airport.


After the test run, my husband says there will be a parade in honor of 20 de Noviembre, which is Revolution Day, so it should be interesting. Then next Sunday we will actually have Ironman, at the tail end of the Thanksgiving weekend.


Our very own Dailene Erickson will be competing in the women's competitions. We wish her all the luck in the world, not that she will need it. She has trained all year and is in tip top shape. Go Dailene!!!

Dailene Erickson from Cozumel on the right

My New Lenovo Desktop Computer

 

So psyched! Just bought a new Lenovo desktop computer for my home office. I do at least 50% of my work at home and I've been struggling with an old HP desktop that I bought at the beginning of 2007. Good when I bought it, but really not up to the task these days. I knew when I couldn't even download one disc of Fringe Season 3 for my husband, it was time for a new one.


I found it at the new Sam's Club and I love it. It is cream and white and goes so well with the decor. Has 500 GB and I have figured out how to make Lenovo's fast. Use Google Chrome or Firefox as your browser, instead of Internet Explorer. Now I can post twice as much! Guess what? It is wireless to boot and I bought it for under $7,000 pesos. What a great deal!