Yesterday, I wrote an essay in honor of the commemoration of the arrival of the first Europeans to Isla Mujeres 500 years ago.
Today I wrote an essay about Juana Inez de la Cruz in honor of National Women's Day.
Here they are, and yesterday & today's news translations & the events are below them:
1517-2017 Celebrating 500 Years of History
#1. 1841 Drawing by Catherwood, Punta Sur. .
#2. 1877 Downtown First photos of Isla by le Plongeons
#3 1930's Town Square & East Coast
#4 Mid to late 1960's Zazil Ha (now Mia),
#5 1984 Playa Norte, from El Presidente (now Mia)
500 years ago this week, the first Europeans visited Isla Mujeres, when
it was part the Mayan township "Ekab'. The Spaniards found no people or
settlements on the island. They broke the female idols in the temple
& replaced them with an icon of the Virgin Mary. By the time they
finished interacting with the Yucatan Maya & returned to Cuba, all
but one were dead or injured, and he had disappeared in Florida.
In the 1590's the Spanish Governor of the Yucatan had soldiers remove every human from the islands of Isla Mujeres, Contoy, and Cozumel, which included Mayan rebels and Negroes fleeing slavery. For centuries the isle was a haven for pirates & smugglers, until the Lafitte brothers & their cohorts were ousted in the 1820's, leaving their observation towers behind.
In the early 1840's, Stephens & Catherwood, an American & a Brit, wrote about the deserted isle, where they found a few Cuban fishing shacks & made drawings of the temple. Between 1847 and 1855, the Caste war reduced the population of the Yucatan by half, and Isla Mujeres was founded by refugees in 1850 (as "Pueblo de Dolores").
Around this time, isle's most famous pirate (and slave trader), Fermin Mundaca purchased about 40 percent of the island, where he built a hacienda, which had over 200 head of cattle in 1866. He called himself the Spanish Consul & when he was in his 50's, he became infatuated with a young teen, who rejected him.
In March 1877, Cuban hero Jose Marti was visiting, as were archeologists Alice & Augustus le Plongeon. Alice said Mundaca had an abundance of crops, which he let rot rather than share or sell, and that his cattle ran loose, trampling the villagers' gardens. She characterized him as lonely, austere, and egotistical, and said the islanders feared him.
In recent years, excavations on the Mundaca Hacienda have revealed the foundations of a Mayan temple, with offerings and human remains. It is theorized that stones from those ruins were used in the construction of the Hacienda.
In the 1930's, amphibious planes brought tourists to Isla Mujeres & the runway was built in the 1940's, facilitating the delivery (and smuggling) of cargo from Belize & other areas. In 1955, the road between Valladolid & Puerto Juarez was completed, & a fire signaled the ferry when passengers would arrive by bus.
In 1963, Isla Mujeres was featured in the travel book "A Yank in the Yucatan", and in 1964, tourism promoter Jose Lima opened Zazil Ha, now known as "Mia". In 1970, Isla Mujeres had 2663 residents, 8100 foreign visitors, and 139 hotel rooms. Only ~200 people lived in Puerto Juarez, and the first hotels in Cancun didn't open until 1974.
Tourism in Isla Mujeres has grown much more dramatically than the population. In 2010, annual arrivals began exceeding one million, and now they are over two million. The record for the number of arrivals in a single day was broken in 2015, with over 20,000 passengers.
Population & Tourism Statistics
1842 No settlers, just a couple Cuban fishing shacks
1850 ~250 war refugees founded the village of Dolores
1900 651 residents
1960 1071
1970 2663 (8100 foreign visitors)
1980 3164
1990 10,448
2000 10,666
2010 12,642 (1,051,877 arrivals)
2011 ............ (1.3 million+ arrivals)
2012 ............. (1.5 million+ arrivals)
2014 .............. (1.7 million+ arrivals)
2015 ............... (2.2 million+ arrivals).
2016 Arrivals & departures combined as 4.3+million movements
#1. 1841 Drawing by Catherwood, Punta Sur. .
#2. 1877 Downtown First photos of Isla by le Plongeons
#3 1930's Town Square & East Coast
#4 Mid to late 1960's Zazil Ha (now Mia),
#5 1984 Playa Norte, from El Presidente (now Mia)
In the 1590's the Spanish Governor of the Yucatan had soldiers remove every human from the islands of Isla Mujeres, Contoy, and Cozumel, which included Mayan rebels and Negroes fleeing slavery. For centuries the isle was a haven for pirates & smugglers, until the Lafitte brothers & their cohorts were ousted in the 1820's, leaving their observation towers behind.
In the early 1840's, Stephens & Catherwood, an American & a Brit, wrote about the deserted isle, where they found a few Cuban fishing shacks & made drawings of the temple. Between 1847 and 1855, the Caste war reduced the population of the Yucatan by half, and Isla Mujeres was founded by refugees in 1850 (as "Pueblo de Dolores").
Around this time, isle's most famous pirate (and slave trader), Fermin Mundaca purchased about 40 percent of the island, where he built a hacienda, which had over 200 head of cattle in 1866. He called himself the Spanish Consul & when he was in his 50's, he became infatuated with a young teen, who rejected him.
In March 1877, Cuban hero Jose Marti was visiting, as were archeologists Alice & Augustus le Plongeon. Alice said Mundaca had an abundance of crops, which he let rot rather than share or sell, and that his cattle ran loose, trampling the villagers' gardens. She characterized him as lonely, austere, and egotistical, and said the islanders feared him.
In recent years, excavations on the Mundaca Hacienda have revealed the foundations of a Mayan temple, with offerings and human remains. It is theorized that stones from those ruins were used in the construction of the Hacienda.
In the 1930's, amphibious planes brought tourists to Isla Mujeres & the runway was built in the 1940's, facilitating the delivery (and smuggling) of cargo from Belize & other areas. In 1955, the road between Valladolid & Puerto Juarez was completed, & a fire signaled the ferry when passengers would arrive by bus.
In 1963, Isla Mujeres was featured in the travel book "A Yank in the Yucatan", and in 1964, tourism promoter Jose Lima opened Zazil Ha, now known as "Mia". In 1970, Isla Mujeres had 2663 residents, 8100 foreign visitors, and 139 hotel rooms. Only ~200 people lived in Puerto Juarez, and the first hotels in Cancun didn't open until 1974.
Tourism in Isla Mujeres has grown much more dramatically than the population. In 2010, annual arrivals began exceeding one million, and now they are over two million. The record for the number of arrivals in a single day was broken in 2015, with over 20,000 passengers.
Population & Tourism Statistics
1842 No settlers, just a couple Cuban fishing shacks
1850 ~250 war refugees founded the village of Dolores
1900 651 residents
1960 1071
1970 2663 (8100 foreign visitors)
1980 3164
1990 10,448
2000 10,666
2010 12,642 (1,051,877 arrivals)
2011 ............ (1.3 million+ arrivals)
2012 ............. (1.5 million+ arrivals)
2014 .............. (1.7 million+ arrivals)
2015 ............... (2.2 million+ arrivals).
2016 Arrivals & departures combined as 4.3+million movements
Happy International Women's Day!! A good day to remember some of the amazing women who blazed trails!
She composed her first poem at age 8, studied Greek logic by adolescence, and was teaching Latin to young children at age 13. She learned the Aztec language Nahuatl and wrote short poems in that language. She gained the patronage of the Viceroy of New Spain, who requested that a panel of scholars test her intelligence and knowledge when she was 17, and her skills became widely known throughout Mexico.
Although her beauty and reputation attracted a great deal of
attention, she opted to become a nun, "to have no fixed occupation which
might curtail my freedom to study". She entered a convent at 21, where
she remained until she died of the plague in her mid 40's, after caring
for her fellow sisters.
She amassed a library at the convent, where her room was filled with scientific instruments, books and maps. She was often able to talk with scholars from the Court and University, and her studies included the natural sciences, music, and philosophy. She read tirelessly, and wrote poems and plays that often challenged societal values. She became an early proponent of women's rights and was often criticized by her political and religious superiors.
She is renown for her mastery of the full range of poetic forms and themes of the Spanish Golden age, unlimited by genre, including dramatic, comedic, and scholarly works, both secular and non secular, which display wit, inventiveness, and a wide range of knowledge
She is well known for defending women's rights to educational access in "Respuesta a Sor Filotea", where she justified her study of secular topics as necessary for understanding theology, and noted, "One can perfectly well philosophize while cooking supper".
......and for being on the $200 peso bill.
She amassed a library at the convent, where her room was filled with scientific instruments, books and maps. She was often able to talk with scholars from the Court and University, and her studies included the natural sciences, music, and philosophy. She read tirelessly, and wrote poems and plays that often challenged societal values. She became an early proponent of women's rights and was often criticized by her political and religious superiors.
She is renown for her mastery of the full range of poetic forms and themes of the Spanish Golden age, unlimited by genre, including dramatic, comedic, and scholarly works, both secular and non secular, which display wit, inventiveness, and a wide range of knowledge
She is well known for defending women's rights to educational access in "Respuesta a Sor Filotea", where she justified her study of secular topics as necessary for understanding theology, and noted, "One can perfectly well philosophize while cooking supper".
......and for being on the $200 peso bill.
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| This is the live webcam at North Beach / Playa Norte. HERE is a timelapse version, that you can set to slow or fast (fps-frames per second). It takes a few seconds to load. |
Follow Isla Mujeres News & Events on Facebook for highlights of news & events, and more photos & videos
Both issues of The Isla Mujeres Magazine are here,
featuring a variety of talented writers and photographers!
featuring a variety of talented writers and photographers!
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From Noticias de Diario de Quintana Roo ....
link to their Isla articles & photos
Mayor Juan Carrillo signed a productive agreement with the IEEA
Fructífero convenio
Signa Juan Carrillo con titular del IEEA
Cecilia SOLIS
ISLA MUJERES, 6 de marzo. -
ISLA MUJERES, 6 de marzo. -
- With a firm commitment of continuing to provide more and better services to the population, the municipal president, Juan Carrillo Soberanis, signed a collaboration agreement with the Director of the State Institute for Youth and Adult Education (IEEA) Rafael Quintanar González. This agreement aims to improve the preparation of civil servants who make up his administration, through the program “El Buen Juez por su Casa Empieza”, / A good judge for your new house". Half of the cost will be assumed by the City and the other half by the IEEA.
This project gives civil servants the opportunity to complete their primary and middle school educations, giving them the opportunity to grow in their professional fields and improve their work as public servants.
At the end of the event, the attendees moved to the headquarters of the Taxi union to place "flags with microperforations" (? this probably means those big decals you can see thru, on the rear window) on the taxis to mark the occasion of the First Conference for Education, Incorporation, Labor and Occupation to detect people with educational backwardness (this usually means illiteracy or a lack of education.) The state official said the state government is committed to working with the municipal government to help citizens prepare and obtain their certificates.
Island's attractions will be represented the Tianguis Tourism Convention
Presente en Tianguis Turístico
Difundirán inigualables atractivos
Lanrry PARRA
ISLA MUJERES, 6 de marzo.-
ISLA MUJERES, 6 de marzo.-
The Tianguis Tourism Convention will be held in Acapulco March 27-30, where the attractions of Isla Mujeres as a Pueblo Magico will be promoted. The Director of Tourism, Jose Castillo Magana, said that growing interest from national and international tourists is reflected in the 17% increase in visitors thru the Maritime Terminal at the beginning of this year.
He said that Isla Mujeres restaurateurs, hoteliers, officials, and tourism service providers in general will attend. They will seek to make contacts with travel agents and tour operators to create strategic and commercial alliances so that the number of visitors continues to grow.
He noted that Playa Norte was recognized by Traveler's Choice (of Trip Advisor) as 7th in the list of top 25 beaches preferred by tourists around the world this year.
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From the Municipal Facebook site..... ( FB page link)
Islenas participated actively in the One Billion Standing against violence against women and children.
More than a hundred women from Isla Mujeres participated in the Town Square in a mass choreography organized by municipal Institute for Women and led by the honorary president of the DIF, Mrs. Paola Orrinco de Carrillo. She and the Director of the Institute for Women, Mirian Trejo Leon offered thanks the Zumba teachers for their participation, as well as to the Alderwomen, the members of educational institutions, and the City Directors and members of other municipal agencies and offices.
The event seeks to raise awareness and take action to eradicate gender-based violence that exists against women and girls, so that the call to participate was open to the general public, in addition to what was done within the framework of activities to commemorate International Women's Day.
In honor of Family Day, on Sunday at 4:30, there were games, events, competitions, sports, activities, bouncy houses, and snacks at the north end of the airfield, sponsored by the DIF family services agency.
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From Tvisla Mujeres ( link to photos & articles)
Agreement signed with the IEEA program
Pone en marcha el IEEA su programa "El buen juez por su casa empieza" - http://www.tvislamujeres.com.mx/pone-en-marcha-el-ieea-su-…/
Isla Mujeres will participate in the Tourism convention Tianguis Turistico of Mexico March 27-30
Isla Mujeres presente en el Tianguis Turístico de México del 27 al 30 de marzo - http://www.tvislamujeres.com.mx/isla-mujeres-presente-en-e…/
City gives CFE an ultimatum about the unfinished work
Ayuntamiento dará ultimatum a CFE por obra inconclusa en #IslaMujeres - http://www.tvislamujeres.com.mx/ayuntamiento-dara-ultimatu…/
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From por esto Link to their Isla Mujeres articles & photos
Presentation of the program "We travel through Quintana Roo"
Presentan el programa “Viajemos por Quintana Roo”+] Ver mas
An informal meeting was held between tour operators and the municipal Tourism Department, in coordination with SEDETUR, to present the details of this program whose objective is for state residents to have opportunities to get to know about other destinations in Quintana Roo. During the first year of this program, 30,000 families were mobilized.
With this new program, two weeks ago the first visit took place when when families from Kantunilkin, in the municipality of Lazaro Cardenas, visited the tourist attractions of Isla Mujeres for the first time.
In the near future, it is planned that islanders could get to know Puerto Morales, with a trip that could include some of the cenotes in the area. There are 18 tours that are subject to registration, which include registration by travel agencies, comprehensive service agencies, water parks, theme parks, tour operators, timeshares, agents for motorcycles, golf carts, and bicycles, lifeguards, and others. These procedures can be done by computer, and service providers have a deadline to register voluntarily by March 31, and then the mandatory requirement begins April 1st.
The issue of the National Tourism Registry was touched upon, which is a process that will be mandatory as of April 1st.
Critical situation
Crítica situación [+] Ver mas
This is another article about the fishermen being unable to go out to work due to the weather, which is making things difficult for them economically and causing a lack of fresh fish for sale to restaurants and individuals. Some islanders are wondering what they will eat on Friday if the weather does not improve and the port is still closed for small boats. Many will have no choice but to substitute fried fish for eggs with chaya, or to cross over to Cancun to buy fish.
Yesterday....
Community Hospital lacks medications
Hospital Comunitario, sin medicamentos[+] Ver mas
Residents with Seguro Popular insurance are complaining that they are unable to fill their prescriptions at the Community Hospital, which is often out of the medication they need, or they are told that they medicine is not covered by the insurance. There are also complaints about the lack of specialists, including the lack of a pediatrician.
One patient said, "It is no use to have a hospital with such good facilities and equipment if there is no one to operate it." S/he said that when the hospital was downtown, the excuse was that the X Ray machine didn't work, but that there would be a new hospital with new equipment. "Now it has been inaugurated for a long time, but the radiologist is never there."
Sra Isabel Tun, mother of two children, said that her child with a terrible sore throat saw a general practitioner, in the absence of a pediatrician, who prescribed paracetamol (acetaminophen..Tylenol) in syrup, but the medicine was unavailable, so she had to go purchase it at a pharmacy. She said, "It seems incredible that they would not have something as basic as this syrup, and even more incredible that we have to pay for it out of pocket, when the Seguro Popular was created to help those who do not have very much. There is a shortage of almost all medications, from the most expensive to the most common, which affects many people, because we have to buy them elsewhere, which makes our budget impossible. Everything has gone up too much; electricity, gas, water, and especially food. The prices of things are scandalous."
Lack of fish
El pescado, por las nubesli.. [+] Ver mas
According to the administrators at the Social Justicia cooperative, they have been out of seafood for nearly a week, except for a bit of frozen sierra, which has already been sold. One of the managers said, "There are no fish, and when any are caught, it is very little, and insufficient to supply the island. In fact, since Lent has started, people have been coming but we have not been able to supply them. The restaurants have been buying products from Puerto Juarez, Cancun,and other places." He added that weather conditions do not allow them to do out to work, and more poor weather is expected, and he commented that once the port opens for is still no guarantee for the fishermen who usually must wait another two or three days for the waters to clear.
The situation is also complicated by the fact that grouper and lobster are in ban right now. Wives of the fishermen are trying to bring in some income by selling desserts or items out of catalogs, among other options. Some fishermen are accusing others of selling at exaggerated costs.
The reporter toured the cooperatives and found the situation to be similar in all of them, since those that have some fish in stock, do not have enough to supply the restaurants, who are their main customers, much less to sell to the wholesalers who come from as far away as Progreso and Campeche.
Anarchy among taxi drivers
Anarquía entre taxistasr.. [+] Ver mas
Controversy continues within the taxi drivers union over issues concerning the election, the Board of Arbitration, and their leadership. It is argued that Wato is not legally authorized to make decisions, that no one is currently accountable, and he is obligated to hold a new election.
Among the residents of the island, there are complaints about a lack of drivers providing service to the students, who receive a discounted rate of 8 pesos. There are complaints about cabbies who prefer to pick up lone residents rather than two or more people, so that they can collect four fares of 15 pesos. There are complaints about taxi drivers who prefer to offer their services at the tourist attractions, such as Garrafon, Tortugranja, Dolphin Discovery, and the Sac Bajo hotels. Many residents are complaining about being at the mercy of this monopoly and the lack of other urban transportation services.
News Briefs
Breves de Isla Mujeres. [+] Ver mas
March 6
Port remains closed for small boats for fourth consecutive day, due to winds, but boats were allowed to take tours to El Farito and the lagoon area.
The Cahuameros Nueva Generacion Basketball Club of Isla Mujeres secured their qualification for the semifinals by winning both games against the Manatees of Chetumal, at the state capitol, with a final score on Saturday of 72 to71, after having been down by six points, and with a score of 83 to 77 on Sunday..
Isla Mujeres will participate in the Tianguis de Acapulco Tourism Convention.
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| View from the rooms. |
MaraVilla Caribe Bed & Beach Three rentals with large glass doors overlooking our white sand beach and the beautiful Caribbean sea, with kitchenettes & free WIFI. In the coastal neighborhood of Bachilleres, among upscale villas & boutique hotelitos, convenient to downtown or the colonias, yet separate. Quiet & Private.
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| Kitchen in a large studio. (Sur & Norte are identical) |
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| Kitchenette in small room, Medio. There's a table & chairs across from it & a double bed. |
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| A large slider opens from each of the 3 rooms onto the patio where each has a table & chairs, hammock & clotheslines. The BBQ is behind the pole, and the outdoor shower is outa the pic at left. |
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| Large studio (Norte), I'm standing in the kitchen. A queen & single bed. |
Free amenities such as hammocks, bikes, outdoor shower, portable beach chairs & beach towels, washer, loungers. Breathtaking panoramic views from the rooftop terrace. Upstairs room also available. Downtown is ~ a mile away; if you don't feel like walking or biking, flag a $2 taxi. Parking. You can enjoy the music & crowds downtown, then come home our quiet neighborhood of Bachilleres where you'll sleep to the sounds of the sea.. $275/$325/$425 wk $40/50/$65nt Monthly Discounts
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| Large studio (Sur) with Queen & Single bed. Slider door & view are behind me. |
Fine dining a few steps away at Da Luisa or try the traditional neighborhood eateries a couple blocks farther. Within ten minutes walk are the restaurants Mango Cafe, Bahama Mama, Brisas, Manolitos, Green Verde, Kash Kechen Chuc, and the large department store-grocery Chedraui. Visit marinas, bars, & beach clubs that are minutes away by bike or on foot. Attend Yoga classes a couple villas away at hotelito Casa Ixchel. Fresh juice, produce & tortillas a few blocks away in the village, as well as a variety of other stores and small local restaurants. It takes 20-30 minutes to walk downtown.
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Provided by MaraVilla Caribe & Isla Mujeres Daily News & Events
Wednesday March 1 Ash Wednesday, beginning of Lent
Thursday, March 2 Artist Fair Casa de Cultura Art, Food, Craft Beer, Music, Fun
Be proud to be an islander. Don't miss it!
500 years since discovery 1517-2017
Program
Start of the Commemoration
Friday March 3
Official Ceremony to commemorate 500 years since the discovery of Isla Mujeres
9am at the eastern Malecon by the Paso de la Triguena (east of the Town Square by the bathrooms)
SATURDAY, MARCH 4
Carnaval Dance Troupe from Holbox "Las Dormadoras" dancing in the streets of Isla Mujeres.
Saturday March 4
Cultural Artistic Festival with the Ballet Folklorico of the State of Quintana Roo
"The Setting is Quintana Roo"
"Trova Islena"
Accompanied by the musical group "Mar y Arena" (Sea & Sand)
8pm Town Square
Monday, March 6 Town Square 5:30 The City of Isla Mujeres invites the island community to participate in a Zumba demonstration class as part of the International Day of Women.
Wednesday, March 8 International Women's Day
Thursday, March 9 Artist Fair Casa de Cultura 4-9, Art, Food, Craft Beer, Music, Fun
Sunset ~6:50p
Moon rise over the Caribbean
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| March 12 7:12 Full Moon March 13 8:05 March 14 8:56 March 15 9:47 March 16 10:37 March 17 11:26 |
Painting by Pam Haase Link to website
Thursday, March 16 Artist Fair Casa de Cultura Art, Food, Craft Beer, Music, Fun
Friday, March 17 St. Patrick's Day
Saturday, March 18 Oil Expropriation Day
Monday March 20 Equinox & Day off for Benito Juarez's birthday
Tuesday, March 21 Benito Juarez's birthday
Thursday, March 23 Artist Fair Casa de Cultura Art, Food, Craft Beer, Music, Fun
Thursday, March 30 Artist Fair Casa de Cultura Art, Food, Craft Beer, Music, Fun
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The Artist's Fairs are scheduled weekly on Thursdays at the Casa de Cultura, 4-9 thru April 20.
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