04-30-2009
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#31 (permalink) | |
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añejo
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: on an island in the sea.....
Posts: 6,041
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Quote:
 I don't know what they changed (corn syrup?), but it's just not the same.......Now the taco carts are my idea of a gourmet meal  Yum! FYI- they were out late this year- into the evening. Beth and Scott- great report! Loving it! |
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04-30-2009
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#32 (permalink) | |
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añejo
 Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: The Gem State
Posts: 14,213
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Quote:
Last January, when I was in Playa, I ate at the taco stands that face that taxi stop. These were soooo goood! At these stands, you could get either beef or chicken tacos. I had dinner for around 4 bucks. I was stuffed. I could barely consume my nightly quota of Modelo.
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05-01-2009
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#33 (permalink) |
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reposado
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Jackson, MI USA
Posts: 1,063
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Hola all!
Beth has been on me to get the fishing segment of the report done. Working full time, schoolwork, and final exams have been keeping me busy (I’m also in nursing school)- but at last I have found time to sit and finish this report! First of all I guess I should admit that I have become a saltwater fly-fishing junky, since our first trip to Playa (2005) where I had my first guided trip in Punta Allen. However, prices for guides have increased and it currently runs $500 USD to fish in Punta Allen w/ transportation from Playa and I just couldn’t swing it. Our last trip to Playa I had heard about some fly-fishing opportunities around Playa so I thought I would give it a shot.  I heard about Edy Pena on several forums and read an article about him in a Yucatan publication so I emailed him and he was more than willing to take me fly-fishing up and down the coast and promised me that I would catch some fish. The price for a whole day ended up costing an affordable $270 USD, which included lunch, drinks and really good service as well as quite few fish. We met Edy by the Playa lighthouse at 7am on the beach and he greeted us by saying “I been waiting since 6”…yet I was positive the email said 7…Edy gets help from someone else with his email and wasn’t mad, he just hoped we would have got an earlier start. Immediately I was impressed, first that he waited (1 hr) for me, second I rarely hear of guide in the area starting off so early. This confirmed to me that he was a real fisherman. Anyway.. from there we headed out on his Panga the Mayte with his first mate Chino. Both of them spoke good English and were friendly and courteous. Best of all they were ready to go get some fish. I haven’t mentioned Beth yet, but she went along for the trip: to get some sun, see the sights, take pictures and hopefully not get too seasick  . Taking Dramamine at 7am can put anyone right back to sleep , but she was a trooper. We headed south and got to experience a sea view of Playa, then Playacar, Xcaret and all of the beautiful beaches in between. There was one small ruin you could see on the beach in-between, which was notable as well. I mentioned sea sickness before and it was pretty rough, 4-5 foot swells, yet his boat handled them well. The wind however had me worried as I was most likely going to be casting directly into the wind the whole time. Just the thought of it already made my shoulder hurt.  We boated all the way down to an area right around Paamul, got out and started fishing. Our first spot we tried for Snook or Rabalo in Spanish, but no luck.   Then we started walking down the beach to a small point and I started casting. The surf was mildly rough even with the reef protecting us so sight fishing, which is looking for fish and then casting to them was out of the question. So blind casting it was… directly into a 10 –15 mile an hour wind. After about 45 minutes and the frustration building, I hooked my first fish… a bonefish, and he charged me and I lost him. I saw him and he was a very nice fish maybe 4 pounds, which would have been my biggest to date. Not too much longer I caught this one which was beautiful fish.   I had cast in this area for a while longer…I may have had one or two more bites, but with no time to waste-we headed to another spot on the way back to Playa. When we got to the area we had a problem. We couldn’t come into land on the beach close to the area we wanted to fish because the passage through the reef was skinny and with the waves it was dangerous. We had to land much further down the beach, which meant a pretty long walk to the prime fishing spot. Chino walked Beth and I up to the spot because Edy’s ankle began acting up- (he said he ankle has become weak from past experiences of walking on some of the rockier beaches in the area) so Edy stayed behind and cleaned the boat. Beth, Chino and I took a long, lengthy walk on the beach to a point that ended up being a prime fishing spot.    Beth and Chino hung out on the beach while I fished…catching another nice bonefish, some Pargo(snapper) and Blue Runner (a type of Jacks). These fish may look small, but one thing I especially enjoy about salt-water fishing is the fish seem to fight 2 times as hard as freshwater fish the same size. Here’s some photos of the fish:        
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05-01-2009
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#34 (permalink) |
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reposado
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Jackson, MI USA
Posts: 1,063
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While I was fishing Chino kept Beth entertained by demonstrating how to make authentic coconut drinks.
He gathered some coconuts; broke them open w/ a conch shell to give us a taste of coconut milk/water. We also sampled eating fresh coconut. After 6 hours in the sun this was about as refreshing as the Sols on the boat ride between spots.      We had this weird experience on our way out from the beach. This woman who was with a tour group snorkeling swam out to the boat, about 300 yards off shore just to ask Edy for a phone number of another fisherman in Playa. He wrote it on a scrap piece of paper and then she asked for a plastic baggy to put the number in, which he provided, and then swam away……  I guess you never know what to expect. We then headed back to Playa taking in the scenery and Beth was taking in the wave action. She had already taken 2 Dramamine and was still kind of queasy….maybe it was also the combination of the waves and the tuna fish sandwiches Chino made. On a side note… I saw Edy on the beach the next day and he invited me down to try some conch Ceviche that he was making with some conch a friend had given him. It was really superb! As the local fisherman scooped it into their mouths with chips a few exclaimed to me, “ Better than viagra” That old shellfish thing I guess.Edy was a great guide, friendly, accommodating and he definitely knows his fish. He said he takes at least one person fly-fishing a week, as well as spin fishing from shore for bonefish. He is also completely set up for deep-sea fishing for marlin, sailfish and dorado and whatever else and also does bottom fishing. All in all this was a great experience. With no reservation, I highly recommend Eddy to anyone and next time I’m down in Playa hopefully I can go out with him again.  
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05-01-2009
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#35 (permalink) | |
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reposado
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Jackson, MI USA
Posts: 1,063
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05-04-2009
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#37 (permalink) |
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reposado
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Jackson, MI USA
Posts: 1,063
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Hello everyone…hope someone is still tuning in…
I know the Swine flu threads are getting lots of attention…After the fishing trip, I was extremely exhausted considering the mix of sun & Dramamine doses I took to calm my queasiness, I needed a nap. Scott went about exploring and showing off photos on his fish while I took a good 2-3 hour nap. He awoke me later with some much-needed caffeine, a cappuccino from Starbucks, which was delicious and did its job of giving me energy to get ready for another night in Playa.  Before dinner, we strolled around taking in the night life scenery… Love these lights- during a visit in 2007, we purchased 2 sets.  Walked passed the Hacidenda del Caribe. This place looks remarkable online, very colorful, vibrant and artistically decorated with its Diego Riveria styled art. We both have always wanted to stay here and should have in our earlier trips when it was in our price range, since its now priced over our limited budget.  Took a photo of Maria Sabina. Its funny, for this trip we originally reserved a private room here thru hostelbookers.com – which for about $40 USD a night, high season it included a private room, a/c, private bath and a basic breakfast of eggs, toast, juice and milk, but we opted out and cancelled our reservation after much hesitation on my part. I figured it was Spring Break season and given it was a hostel, I was worried the younger college crowd may interrupt my sleep. I’ve heard very good things about Maria Sabina and someday I should give them a try. They offer a good deal for what they offer… private rooms w/ balconies of 5th/8th and view that shows a glimpse of the sea!  We decided to stop in a pharmacia to stock up on motrin 800 and amoxicillin! Upon my purchase, little did I know this purchase will save me a trip to the doctor when I come down with a sinus infection a week after we return!   For dinnertime, we decided to eat at La Palapa Heminway on 5th Ave, across from the textile shop. Scott insisted that we ate here on a subsequent trip on the second level, yet I had no recollection. We grabbed a table facing 5th, to people watch and enjoy the magnificent weather.   We ordered duplicate meals- no originality that night- we both wanted shrimp tacos! The chips, salsa and guacamole were also scrumptious. The taco dinners also came with beans and scrumptious garlic mashed potatoes. I’m unsure how many drinks we ordered, yet our bill totaled $480 pesos and we rated the place a 4 out of 5, since it was a bit costly for a basic fare, yet the server, Carlos was excellent as well as the service, very swift to bring us things right away.    The walls also have some alluring artwork.   As we dined, I was facing the textile shop that I have visited in previous trips. I believe its called Chiapas Rosalia ( but don’t quote me). I adore the items they have for sale: purses, bags, cases, clothing…. all in Mexican style textiles. So… without hesitation, I gave into my temptation and not only looked but purchased some items. I now own a very unique zippered case for my sunglasses! I also couldn’t resist the little stuffed animals, so I picked one up for my nephew!   
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05-04-2009
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#38 (permalink) |
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reposado
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Jackson, MI USA
Posts: 1,063
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After we strolled the areas of 5th, we went back to the Yebo, sat outside, sipped on Modelos in a can near the pool, while we viewed the full moon….ahhh, I thought…, no place I’d rather be!
 Here is the only photo of me that day….I was too busy snapping pictures of Scott and his attractive fish.  The moon reflection gave us positive insight of our beautiful, glorious day and we looked forward to our next day- planned for a day on Playa Palms beach! Be sure to tune in later for more of our trip! |
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05-04-2009
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#40 (permalink) | |
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añejo
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: The Gem State
Posts: 14,213
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Quote:
I agree, a value meal in Mexico beats the one at any fast food restaurant.
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05-05-2009
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#41 (permalink) |
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reposado
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Jackson, MI USA
Posts: 1,063
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Day 4: Our last day in Playa
We booked the day to relax on the shores of Playa del Carmen…where else, but Playa Palms. We were Club Yebo guests with free reign of the Playa Palms facilities, quite a perk given the attractive, gorgeous property that sits on the beach. It’s a very short walk from the Yebo to Playa Palms, just around the corner…   I especially loved the infamous winding pool Playa Palms has! We wanted to make the most of our last day in Playa del Carmen and this beachfront property made it effortless to sit back and unwind!     We made ourselves cozy on the beach nice and early! Scott made himself comfortable, on a nearby hammock, and I later hear the hammock is not even owned by Playa Palms…opps….good thing he didn’t get caught dozing…   A kitty was also found sleeping on the neighboring property…   It was a beautiful day…   
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05-05-2009
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#42 (permalink) |
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reposado
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Jackson, MI USA
Posts: 1,063
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More of that beautiful day...
  Some men were found bringing in some nice immense, huge fish, following an excursion.      We took a walk; it was a very busy day, lots of beach activity…   Looks like a local couple got married!   Drummers were inspired by the striking weather.  Others were just took in the scenery…   Wow, those birds are used to people!  We normally don’t order drinks on the beach, (remember we are cheap!  ) we usually carry our little cooler wherever we go, and purchase a 6 pack (cans) of Modelo, yet this day, we felt like splurging and we ordered a bucket of beer from the bar next door to the Playa Palms. (facing the ocean it is on your left) Beach Club Maya?, I’m not sure, but a bucket cost $10, would’ve been much cheaper with the six-pack….but oh well, it was tasty and refreshing! We were getting hungry too and also ordered some chips, salsa and fish tacos. I didn’t record the cost, but do remember that the fish tacos were splendid, yet the salsa was way too hot; it continued to flame up my lips for hours after eating it!    After our lunch, we rested some more in the sun... Said goodbye to our new friends, neighbors at the Yebo… Goodbye “Yucatanner/KimfromMich’s” husband… (This man was one of the tannest people I’ve ever seen; yet this photo doesn’t do his tan justice…) It was nice meeting him and his wife; since we found out they lived less than an hour away from our hometown in Michigan. Small world…  Goodbye the crew that traveled with “Kathy.web”…a very friendly bunch that was very hospitable and welcoming to us!…  Goodbye Playa cart vendors…  Goodbye Playa fruit stands…  Goodbye Playa men at the colectivo station…  Goodbye Playa, until next time…were off to our next destination- Puerto Morelos, a town we usually sleep in the night before catching a flight back home. Not only do we love the town for a variety of reasons, but we also love the short ride to the airport (15 minutes)- and we were expecting to catch a flight the next morning. But before we go….we spent a little time in Puerto Morelos! Stay tuned….
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05-05-2009
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#43 (permalink) |
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añejo
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 4,947
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Very nice report, and looking forward to the Puerto Morelos installment.
We often stop there for lunch on our way back to the airport as we usually try to schedule as late a return flight as possible. We like that little town.I like your fishing story and pics, too- Brian would love to do that. |
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05-05-2009
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#44 (permalink) |
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añejo
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: North of Boston, Mass
Posts: 6,832
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Thanks Beth-n-Scott for the very entertaining trip report so far! It's great to have something else to think about other than the flu that's been grabbing all the attention here. Now that we've made our decision to go through with our plans, (arriving less than 2 weeks!), I can't get enough of your report! Note to self: Tacos Gomez! Looking froward to the Puerto Moreles installment!
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Hold on...a vacation is not too far away.
