Living and Loving the Costa Maya and Mahahual

What brought you here to Mahahual? (about us)

Sat, 03 Jun 2023 01:11:29 GMT

Turning the jungle into a paradise and learning to love it

When we first came to this part of Mexico, all we saw was jungle and sea. And beautiful beach. The name Mayan Beach Garden came from our passions. We both love Mayan Ruins, Marcia loves gardening and both love the Caribbean (Marcia likes to be IN the Caribbean and Kim likes to LOOK at it!)

All of the structures at Mayan Beach Garden have been constructed by owner and builder by trade -- Kim Bales, using tradesmen from local towns. Originally from Seattle, Washington, Kim built a hotel and restaurant from a jungle lot. He knew what he was doing, having built multi-unit complexes for many years before coming to Mexico. Marcia used to be a software art director at Sierra On-line (the gaming company) and you will find artwork scattered around the hotel in the form of mosaics, mexican art and handicrafts.

But what brought the two of you to this jungle in the first place, you might ask?

In the early 1990s, Marcia took one of those team building courses that many companies force on their employees. The purpose of the course was to see how many goals the members of the team shared. When Marcia and Kim tried it as a couple, despite Marcia completing 100 goals, they still only shared one goal -- and that was to visit Mayan Ruins. Sp off they went.

In 1995 we visited Tulum and considered the idea of buying a piece of property. We stayed at Camp Peter Pan located north of Tulum. We slept in a rustic palapa that was elevated on stilts. I felt like staying in a treehouse. It was magical. We returned the following year to find that electricity had changed everything and rapid grown had set in. Learning about a place called Mahahual, we found our beach -- remote, secluded tranquil and exactly what we were looking for.

Introduction to My Friend Jim Conrad

Sat, 03 Jun 2023 01:11:25 GMT

Cataloging flora and fauna of Yucatan peninsula

Excerpts from Backyard Nature.net

It seems like yesterday, but several years ago, Jim Conrad showed up at Mayan Beach Garden. I had seen his website, Backyardnature.net newsletter was written from Mayan Beach Garden as Jim Conrad discovered and cataloged the plants of the area on his web page, Backyardnature.net . It felt like I was back in school with him as my teacher - be it teaching me how to SEE nature, teaching Spanish for gringos or English to my staff. I've included excerpts from newsletters that were written here at Mayan Beach Garden so you can get a taste of what he had in mind during his time with us. I've edited some of his texts, only so that what you read applies to the coastal area where Mayan Beach Garden is locat. Jim kindly has given me permission to use his images and text. For the wanna-be botanists out there, I've supplied links to individual pages on Backyardnature.net so that you can read more from Jim who stayed with us twice, between December 1, 2008 and January 5, 2009 and again for six months during 2011. As soon as you start seeing latin names, you can rest assure that it isn't coming from me, but from Jim!

Everyone loves Tamales (or how to learn to love them if you don't)

Tue, 10 Jan 2023 19:58:42 GMT

Tamales may be the most popular food in all of Latin America, but in Mexico -- its the National food

Legitimately, it isn't tacos, but Tamales that can be considered the national food of Mexico, although its popularity extends throughout Latin America where there are more than 400 varieties. I try to sample tamales wherever I find them. I've become a Tamale "snob" and find that I don't usually care for dry ones, and for that reason, I love Tamales Coladas. I also love it when the mix herbs with the masa -- something done commonly here in the Yucatan penninsula.

Wikipedia describes Tamales as having been traced back before the Ancient Maya people, who prepared them for feasts. Aztec and Maya civilizations, as well as the Olmeca and Tolteca before them, used tamales as portable food, often to support their armies, but also for hunters and travelers. Tamale use in the Inca Empire had been reported long before the Spanish visited the New World.

In Mexico, tamales begin with a dough made from Maiz, a large white corn that is soaked in lime and then ground with some water to make a masa (or dough). Its then mixed with lard or vegetable shortening. Tamales are generally wrapped in corn husks or banana leaves before being steamed, depending on the region from which they come. Here in the Yucatan peninsula, they are usually wrapped in Banana leaves. They can have a sweet or savory filling and are usually steamed until firm. Here in the Yucatan Peninsula you can find them sold on the sides of the road, wrapped in their Banana leaves. They can be sweet corn, pineapple or coconut and chicken or pork. They can be steamed, baked, grilled over open fire or precooked in an open pan before assembling (Tomale coladas).

Tamales are a favorite comfort food in Mexico, eaten for both breakfast and dinner, and often accompanied by a variety of salsas, most commonly tomato, or in this area, a sauce made from masa. Street vendors can be seen serving them from huge, steaming, covered pots. The most common fillings are pork and chicken, in either red or green salsa or mole.

The cooking of tamales is traditionally done in large batches of tens if not hundreds, and the ratio of filling to dough (and the coarseness of the filling) is a matter of preference. While most tamales are rather square in shape, they can also often be very small almost bite sized or large— 15 inches (40 cm) or more— and thick; a local name for these in Veracruz is zacahuil, and these larger tamales are commonly known as "pibs" in the Yucatán Peninsula.

Varieties of Tamales are endless. It isn't uncommon to use chaya, hoja santa or avocado leaves, which can be eaten along with the filling. Tamales represent gatherings good times and Fiestas. Because they are made in such large batches they are often a group effort where several women and children gather together to make them. Tamales are usually eaten during festivities, such as Christmas, the Day of the Dead, Las Posadas, La Candelaria Day (February 2) and Mexican Independence Day. They can instantly make a party.

Learning to Love the MIni-Super

Tue, 10 Jan 2023 16:31:59 GMT

Tips for a successful Mexican mini-super shopping excursion

It is no secret -- shopping in a town like Mahahual can be a challenge. There are no large grocery stores with beautiful produce and all the things you need in one place (such as a Chedraui's). The nearest Chedraui's is 128 km away. Most visitors to Mahahual have no idea that they can get most of the things they need in a mini-super, which at first glance, only appear to have chips and soda coolers full of drinks.

But all little towns in Mexico have little mini-supers and the average Mexican manages just fine shopping there. However, If one is not accustomed to buying their groceries in mini-supers, one might think there isn't anything they could possibly cook with there. However, those who like an adventure, will find the challenge of shopping in a mini-super to be fun when they are empowered with the help of a few tips (which in the end all come down to Rule #1):

Rule #1 - think like a Mexican, if you want something, ASK FOR IT
The good stuff is seldom where you can see it
No one is going to say "can I help you" unless they know that you are a big spender (Most of them know I own Mayan Beach Garden restaurant and they sometimes ask me if I want help, but don't think they are rude if they don't ask you), ASK FOR IT
They all carry more or less the same items

Mini Super mysteries

Few of the vendors speak English. Learn as many food words in Spanish as possible or bring a translator on your smart phone so you can ASK FOR IT.
Ask for anything you can't find (hence the need to learn the words for foods). In a mini-super, you would normally need to ask for Avocados (Aguacates) . They may not be out in one of the bins.
Don't feel afraid to rummage through coolers piled with unidentifiable gray plastic bags and some kind of herb (usually cilantro) rolled in paper Maseca bags. Good things are hiding in there like mushrooms, red bell peppers, poblano chilies, carrots and spinach.
The secret to buying Cilantro out of one of the rolls of brown paper is to either take the rolled up cilantro to the counter, or pull a handful of it out of the paper bag.
Don't assume that a store only has poor looking produce. Simply ask "Hay algo mejor?" (is there anything better?) and point to the bad produce. 75% of the time it works - they disappear into a back room and show up with beautiful produce.
Don't offend the store owner by going into the back room without asking. That would be rude. He would much rather that you ASK FOR WHAT YOU WANT
Because most of the stores are family owned and operated, you seldom receive a "NO HAY" (we don't have it), unless they really don't have it. But it never hurts to ask if they are sure. "La Verdad" (the truth?). Sometimes they go and check.
Always be nice. If you are rude, they will ignore your request. They hate a mad foreigner (we must remember that we are foreigners).
On the Yucatan peninsula stores are often owned by Mayan families and they don't really like to shake your hand and they certainly don't like to look you in the eye. If they look away when you say "Buenas Dias" they are just being polite in their culture. It isn't being unfriendly either.
If you see a freezer chest in the store, open it. If not sometimes there is a freezer in the back with frozen meats. Ask for something "out there" and you might be surprised.
Most mini-supers carry fresher eggs than the super markets and you can buy just one egg if you want.
Enjoy the experience. You may even gain a new friend in the store owner, especially if you frequent that mini-super.

Art Club at Mayan Beach Garden

Tue, 12 Apr 2022 21:35:56 GMT

Art Retreat every Wednesday at Mayan Beach Garden

Six years ago, I had an idea to create a community mosaic where children and adults would each create a 4x4 inch square and then when put all together, it would create a mural that the people in the town could call their own.

After the work was over, there was a void. One of my dear volunteers suggested we keep on doing art as a group. Thanks to that wonderful suggestion, we created "Art Club" which has its zenith on art day. The artwork that comes out of this is varied and worthy of gallery pieces.

This lovely piece was created on Art Day by Elizabeth Swanson. Elizabeth writes a blog "Beyond the Rabbit hole" where she shares not only her artwork, but also her poetry and quirky thought processes.

Mosaic and Art at Mayan Beach Garden

Mon, 28 Mar 2022 13:44:46 GMT

Behind the Mosaics at Mayan Beach Garden

Those who pass through the door of Mayan Beach Garden usually come for the beach, but once they are here, they find many pieces of native art and original mosaics created from both tile and flip-flops found on the beach. I'm happy that people like the work that comes out of here. It isn't all mine. I couldn't do it without the craftsmanship of Rafael Palafox, who has worked here at Mayan Beach Garden for 14 years and now he can take my drawings and turn them into fabulous floors and tile work. I can't even claim all of the flip-flop work because all my guests bring me flip-flops and as I write this, Doris, my cook, is cutting flip-flop bands into tiny pieces.

I never started out to be an artist, but after many years of working in art, I feel defined by art, pulled to create and fulfilled when I do. I remember as a child doodling over my homework, and later as a college student drawing people laying on the beach. My friends were mostly artistic spirits, so I think it was no surprise to anyone when I majored in art and began defining my self through paintings that were segmented in many pieces, much like mosaics. One of my favorites is pictured below.

Life and children got in the way of painting and I was fortunate enough to make a living creating art for the likes of Marvel and later for Sierra On-Line's computer games where I was the designer for a short series of computer games entitled Shivers. When I finally made the decision to move to a Mexican beach I thought I would pick up painting again, but running a beachfront hotel in an out-of-the way place in Mexico didn't allow much time or inclination to paint palm trees and turquoise seas. However, while the scenery was stunning, I was more inspired by the artistry of Mexico and the many colored fish swimming under the sea. At the same time I was disturbed by the amount of plastic and fishing garbage that washed up on the beaches and vowed to make a statement.

I had never created "real" mosaics before I arrived in Mexico, but was determined to use as much of the beautiful talavera tile as I could throughout the hotel. Since I couldn't speak Spanish back then and didn't know how to ask for help, I decided to start on some stairs that led up to one of the rooms here at Mayan Beach Garden. But I'm not a strait line person, so one of the first things I did was to make a fish climbing up the stairs, followed by a flying carpet at the landing.

As much as I loved making mosaics out of tile, it is not a task that is kind to getting interrupted because the grout will dry in your bucket. By the time I started on the 2nd flight of stairs, I realized I would never finish it as we were getting busier all the time. It was at this time I started having Rafael grout my work and he did such a good job, before long I challenged him with a bathroom sink and mirror. He followed instructions perfectly. So I gave him a couple of patios to lay mosaic tile and taught him to fit the pieces together. It wasn't long before I did the detail work and he was filling in the backgrounds. I learned how valuable a good craftsman could be when I did the headboard mosaic over #6 - Tonina. He did many of the palm fronds and most of the background tile

One of the most ambitious projects we tackled at the hotel were the floors of the large patios. The reason we have these large patios is that they are cisterns that hold rain water that is collected at the roof. It is then used for showering for guests staying at Mayan Beach Garden. The hard part was getting the slope right to that rain water doesn't puddle and we didn't always get it right.

Beachfront Suite (#3)

Making art out of discarded flip-flops came later. I knew I wanted to create art from the plastic on the beach and for over a year I scoured the internet for ideas but none of them seemed right for me. So much of the plastic breaks in your hand as you pick them up, so I was at a loss. Then about 9 years ago, one of my guests left me a message on the beach. It was a rainbow of abandoned flip-flops that had carefully arranged on the beach. I knew immediately that it was for me. What I didn't know was how limited the colors were. There were about 6 blues, 3 blacks 3 greys, 2 oranges 3 yellows. . . you get my point.

Below are images with information about the location in the hotel and the medium. You can tell I like fish and am inspired by the fish in the sea.