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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
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From the Municipal Facebook site..... ( FB page link)
25% property tax discount in December VIDEO LINK
In January the discount will be 15% and in February it will be 10%. When the taxpayer is a person with disability, a pensioner or retired, who has the INSEN or INAPAM credential, a 50% discount on the property tax is authorized, as long as the annual amount paid in a single payment, before or during the months of December 2017, January and February of 2018. Employees of the companies listed in the article also receive a 50% discount, and include teachers, postal workers, and municipal employees, among others.
This benefit will be applied to a single property of the taxpayer, corresponding to the domicile of their own house and may be applied up to a value of 20,000 Daily Minimum Wages (80p/day) and they must be current with payments for previous years.
There is also a program with at 3, 6, and 9 months without interest using a Banamex card.
Property tax payments can be made in the Treasury in the Town Hall, Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (There is a table out front where the bill is generated and cashiers inside to accept the payment.) and at the police station from Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The City invites taxpayers to be up to date on the property tax payments and to take advantage of the discounts because thanks to this the municipality can work for your benefit.
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From Tvisla Mujeres ( link to photos & articles)
Director of Community Hospital Miguel Ángel García Albarrán said renovations should be finished by January & the facility will provide services 24 hours per day during the holiday season.
He said that the hospital now has an operating room and that the only area that is closed for renovations is the emergency room.
He said it is possible that the Ministry of Health did not have the updated information about the progress of the work at the hospital when they said last week that the hospital still didn't have an operating room.
He said that although the elevator has stopped working again, an emergency area has been enabled that is functioning as an operating room on a temporary basis. He said laborers are working extra shifts so that the whole hospital will be in perfect condition by the end of 2017.
Regarding the operating room, he indicated that it is ready for surgical interventions to be performed, but because the emergency area still has unfinished details, it cannot be put into operation, since a great deal (of procedures) in these two areas complement each other, such as obstetric surgeries.
Therefore, all scheduled surgeries are being sent to Cancun for treatment, as are all the pregnant women who will be giving birth in the upcoming days. He said that on the Christmas and New Year's holidays, only emergencies will be treated, such as accidents of all kinds.
He said that one of the problems that cannot be addressed at this time is the broken elevator, and therefore it is necessary to use the stairs and the ramp. However the rest of the services are nearly at 100 percent and they are committed to working during the month of January providing all the services. VIDEO LINK
The VolunQuest Association announces the final details for the "Mutual Art Festival", which is scheduled to take place January 7 to 14 with the help of the Isla Mujeres municipal government. LINK
VolunQuest president Kristen Tywan, thanked Mayor Juan Carrillo Soberanis for his assistance and said this project not only intends to create beautiful murals, but also to exhibit art at the Casa de la Cultura and to provide workshops for children.
Seventeen artists who will work on the creation of six murals, located in different points of Isla Mujeres. Each mural will include the work of several of the invited artists, featuring topics that are very significant to the islanders.
Ms. Tywan said that the intention is not only to make the Island look more beautiful with these murals, but also for the artists to contribute by donating part of their time to teaching children about this art.
There will also be day scheduled when the artists will exhibit their works and offer them for sale. Twenty percent of the money from these sales will be donated to the City to carry out social works, mainly in schools.
She said that it is an artistic and cultural event that will also provide a touch of color to many of the spaces that are not currently being used.
The municipal Fiscalizacion/Enforcement agency has increased monitoring of the commercial areas and beaches. LINK
Dec. 21 The municipal Department of of Enforcement (Fiscalizacion) will increase its surveillance at various different parts of Isla Mujeres starting today, with the intention of keeping local street vendors under control, as well as avoiding the entry of other merchants who seek to evade the authorities, said agency director Arturo Arroyo Valle. He said it is normal to increase surveillance during the holiday season in all the tourist areas.
He said they work to maintain control over the street vendors who invade the Federal Zones and public beaches, where they are not allowed to offer their products. He said special emphasis is placed on the itinerant workers who come to this place and don't have permission to carry out this activity.
When there are cases of exploitation of minors, they turn the case over to the Office of Child Advocates of the municipal DIF social service agency, who are in charge of attending to each minor.
He said in general, the vendors are sometimes asked to return to their point of origin or to Cancun, when they are detected at the ferry pier or Maritime Terminal, and when applicable, their goods can be confiscated.
The Director of Public Services of Isla Mujeres, José Guadalupe Ríos Chalé acknowledged that there are serious problems in the garbage collection service, which has delayed the implementation of the schedule announced before December 15. LINK
He said that currently about 35 to 40 tons of trash are collected daily, but starting next week that could increase to 50 tons a day or more, during the holiday period. He said many of the trucks are in poor condition and it is urgent that the mayor works to expedite the payment of the fees owed by the municipality of Benito Juarez (Cancun) for use of the landfill, which they have been unwilling to pay and now exceed 17 million pesos.
It is no secret that the City of Isla Mujeres faces problems with trash collection, as well as with the Trash Transfer Facility. These problems are due to a lack of resources which could be solved if the debt was paid which is owed to the municipality of Isla Mujeres by the municipality of Benito Juarez.
The official said the amount of trash increases considerably during the holiday period, with about 20 or 30 percent more garbage.
VIDEO of yesterday's artist fair at the Casa de la Cultura, including interviews with some of the artists. This is a weekly event during high season, 3p-8p on Thursdays.
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From por esto Link to their Isla Mujeres articles & photos
Chaotic traffic downtown
Caos vial en el centroVer masFull article at this link
The increase in the amount of tourists in Isla Mujeres has already begun, with problems with traffic saturating the downtown streets, which also causes difficulty with the trucks trying to supply the restaurants, hotels, shops, and other establishments. The streets are narrow, and less than five meters in some cases.
There is an urgent need to regulate traffic downtown, although the Traffic police implemented a schedule a few months ago with restrictions on the hours when suppliers can be on the streets, but this has not solved the problem. There is a growing number of vehicles, including the number of golf carts which have tripled in the past decade.
There are complaints from merchants who are affected by this problem, particularly on Bravo, Morelos, Madero, Abasolo, and Matamoros, saying it has become uncomfortable for visitors to walk the streets between noon and dusk, especially those who bring children or the elderly. Rueda Medina has an advantage in this respect since its sidewalk was widened in 2010, the large numbers of people lining the sidewalks can make walking difficult, especially in the afternoon when visitors begin to return and want to drop off their carts quickly and rush to the boats to return to Cancun.
There are also concerns about noise pollution, which affects visitors who want to rest or dine in the vicinity of these streets, including noises and whistles by the drivers. Hoteliers complain about this, including Gerardo Magana, vice president of the Small Hotels Fascinantes Association, who said, "Noise pollution is a problem that affects we hoteliers a great deal. We regularly lose customers due to cancellations, because our guests can't sleep."
Por Esto notes that there are currently too many vehicles on the island, and what happens in downtown is also happening in the colonias. There are many abandoned vehicles in the colonias, and not all residents have parking on their property, as is recommended by authorities. Families have small spaces and make the most of them.
Clandestine sales of fireworks continue
Prevalece la venta clandestina de pirotecnia.. [+] Ver masFull article at this link
Dec. 21 Three days after an explosion at a home in Salina Chica where clandestine fireworks were being sold, there are more houses that continue to distribute and market these items, at a time when their use is popular during the holiday season. Ulises Bermen, Director of Civil Protection, said that an inspection operation has been started, they have found several private houses where these items are being sold. He said, "When we encounter these people, we 'close the door'." He explained that they have not confiscated any merchandise because that is not within the authority of his agency and is the responsibility of SEDENA, the Ministry of National Defense.
Of the 30 establishments they have visited since the explosion on Monday on Campo Deportivo street, the majority are commercial (stores). There have been some small seizures from children using fireworks, which has caused a decrease in the noise caused by these fireworks, according to the many families who have complained about the noise upsetting their pets.
Mr. Berman said that when his staff visit small businesses that are selling fireworks, they ask them to refrain from selling these products, since they lack the proper documents and don't know how to handle them properly and according to protocols.
The official said, "I encourage them to be aware, so that no more explosions occur and to avoid accidents that can endanger children, or cause deaths, due to a lack of precautions." He also advised parents to recommend that their children do not buy these explosives because of the risks they present. His agency is also following up on citizen complaints to locate clandestine sales and thus to contribute to coordinating with SEDENA.
Pescadores baseball team seeks to qualify for playoffs
Pescadores va por la calificación.. [+] Ver masFull article at this link
The Pescadores need to beat the Dorados of Playa del Carmen, where the game will be held at noon on Saturday. They are currently in fourth place, and the other Isla Mujeres team, the Cocteleros will apparently not be in the final tournament. Last year both teams qualified, and the finals were held here in Isla Mujeres. The Kantunilkin Ejidatarios are in first place.
Here at the El Pescador baseball stadium (in front of Chedraui), the Cocteleros of Isla Mujeres will play the Marlins of Cozumel on Sunday. Families are encouraged to come and watch a great game and relive the rivalry between these teams that goes back to the 1960's, according to veteran players.
In the past, exceptional players from the region and from Mexico in general came to both islands (Cozumel and Isla Mujeres) to provide excellent entertainment at games promoted by baseball promoters and for games organized by the Navy, the City governments (then delegations) and the state government (which was a Territory at that time).
Street cleaning: Neglected in colonias
La recolección de basura, de mal en peor+] Ver masFull article at this link
A brigade of street sweepers that once worked in the colonias are now cleaning in the tourist areas, causing complaints from the residents of those neighborhoods, which include the colonias of Miraflores, Cañotal, La Gloria, Salina and other areas, where trash can be seen on the sidewalks, at the curbs, and in the streets, at a time when some of the citizenry are still not participating.
An example was posted as a photo on social media by Domingo Chan Pech, who said "This is how the street looks in front of the Caridad del Cobre Chapel. Pueblo Magico." The street in the photo is Calle Garza Blanca, in the Miraflores-Cañotal neighborhood, in front of the chapel, but this bad image is similar at other roads.
Now tourists travel to nearly all areas of the island to learn about the customs and habits of the residents, therefore, the return of the street sweeping brigade has been requested. During previous administrations, there was a group of women with brooms who attended to the streets and sidewalks of all these areas, removing trash. They patrolled up to three times per week, per sector, but now this occurs very occasionally.
As the Christmas holiday season begins, this problem is becoming more obvious and getting worse, with the increasing amounts of trash, and the bad customs of some people who litter and are not in the habit of putting trash, such as plastic bottles and plastic wrappers, where it belongs. There are also stretches of sidewalk that are occupied with larger trash like boxes, furniture, and debris.
The mayor, Juan Carrillo Soberanis, has frequently led clean ups, in an effort to encourage community participation, so that the residents participate in reducing the problem. However, the fleet of vehicles is old and insufficient, therefore there is a lack of ability to remove all the trash that occupies many areas of the sidewalks. It has been suggested that the political parties join this effort to promote plans for cleaning up and encouraging good, healthy habits and manners.
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Noticias de Diario de Quintana Roo's Isla articles & photos LINK
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An example was posted as a photo on social media by Domingo Chan Pech, who said "This is how the street looks in front of the Caridad del Cobre Chapel. Pueblo Magico." The street in the photo is Calle Garza Blanca, in the Miraflores-Cañotal neighborhood, in front of the chapel, but this bad image is similar at other roads.
Now tourists travel to nearly all areas of the island to learn about the customs and habits of the residents, therefore, the return of the street sweeping brigade has been requested. During previous administrations, there was a group of women with brooms who attended to the streets and sidewalks of all these areas, removing trash. They patrolled up to three times per week, per sector, but now this occurs very occasionally.
As the Christmas holiday season begins, this problem is becoming more obvious and getting worse, with the increasing amounts of trash, and the bad customs of some people who litter and are not in the habit of putting trash, such as plastic bottles and plastic wrappers, where it belongs. There are also stretches of sidewalk that are occupied with larger trash like boxes, furniture, and debris.
The mayor, Juan Carrillo Soberanis, has frequently led clean ups, in an effort to encourage community participation, so that the residents participate in reducing the problem. However, the fleet of vehicles is old and insufficient, therefore there is a lack of ability to remove all the trash that occupies many areas of the sidewalks. It has been suggested that the political parties join this effort to promote plans for cleaning up and encouraging good, healthy habits and manners.
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Noticias de Diario de Quintana Roo's Isla articles & photos LINK
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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, 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
Nov. 28-Dec. 8 Annual Festivities honoring the Patron Saint: Our Lady of Immaculate Conception
Which include a small carnival, a bullring, nightly performances on the Town Square (which start at 8p), and a boat procession on Dec. 8th, as well as private celebrations by the 20+ groups involved in the festivities. The horse procession is scheduled for Dec. 2, starting at 1p going to the colonias & the Sacred Heart Church, and finishing at the ring at the north end of the runway, where there will be cowboy-horse performances. Events at the ring begin at 6:30 except Nani Namu.
The comic bullfights with matadors of diminutive stature are Tues. 5th & Tues. 12th. There's a Lasso tournament on Sun, Dec.10th. All events at the ring at the north end of the runway start at 6:30p, except Nani Namu & the horse procession.
Fri & Sat. Dec 1 & 2 M.C. Mala Noche will celebrate their first anniversary this weekend at the Casa de la Cultura starting at 11 am on Saturday and at Playa Centro on Sunday with live music, competitions, and other fun activities.
Sun. Dec. 3 Noches Magicas 8p Town Square with the DIF Senior Citizen Dance Troupe and singers Rebens Garcia and Aldahir Davila
You can drop off donations of toys at Rueben's restaurant, across from the Mercado on Guerrero. Kids in Mexico receive presents on King's Day/Dia de los Reyes on Jan. 6
Full moon Sun. Dec. 3
Sunset ~6p
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| Dec. 3 6:30 Dec. 4 7:30 Dec. 5 8:33 Dec. 6 9:37 Dec. 7 10:39 Dec. 8 11:39 |
Thurs. Dec. 7 Artist Fair Casa de la Cultura 3-8p
Fri. Dec. 8 at 4:30pm Christmas Youth Lightning Tournament on the Comex soccer court for Futbol Rapido soccer, in colonia Salina Chica.
Thurs. Dec. 14 at 9am Public Audience with the Governor at the El Pescador baseball field
Sun. Dec.10 Noches Magicas 8p Town Square
Mon. Dec.11 There will be a gathering in the evening at the coastal chapel dedicated to Guadalupe in Salina Chica, probably with Mariachis, to sing Las Mañanitas and honor her.
Mon. Dec. 11 Town Square 6p. Lighting of the Christmas Lights and performance by the Academy of Jazz, Passion, & Dance
Tues. Dec. 12 Dia de Guadalupe, the Patron Saint of Mexico.There is usually a run in the morning from the downtown church to Punta Sur to the Guadalupe Chapel.There is usually a procession in the afternoon with children dressed up as Juan Diego, shepherds, and shepherdesses, probably between the Chapel Guadalupana and the downtown church,
The holiday period in Mexico from Dec. 12 to Jan. 6 is called Guadalupe-Reyes (from Dia de Guadalupe to Dia de los Reyes/King's Day).
Thurs. Dec.14 Artist Fair Casa de la Cultura 3-8p
Dec, 16-24 Posadas Navidenas
During the Posadas, there is usually a dance on the Town Square, featuring regional dances & costumes from different states of Mexico. The schools may have Posada plays, which are reenactments of Mary & Joseph being refused shelter. Posada means 'inn'.
Sun. Dec. 17
Sun. Dec. 17 Boxing Event Sunday at 7pm at El Pescador
Sun. Dec.17 Noches Magicas 8p Town Square the final Noches Magicas performances for 2017. You are invited to enjoy Christmas dances performed by the students of the Women's Institute of Quintana Roo, live music by Hiraldo & his Cuban Big Band, and a comedy show. Free.
Thurs. Dec. 21 Winter Solstice
Sat. Dec. 23 5:30p - 8:30p Golf Cart Parade with residents tossing toys & treats to children
Sun. Dec. 24 Christmas Eve Usually the last ferry is cancelled and some businesses may be closed, especially in the evening, while families celebrate together.Noches Magicas is suspended.
Mon. Dec. 25 Christmas Usually the first ferry is cancelled.
Thurs. Dec.28 Artist Fair Casa de la Cultura 3-8p
Thurs. Dec. 28 Wednesday Dia de los Santos Innocentes A day of practical jokes, similar to "April Fool's Day"
Sun. Dec.31 New Year's Eve celebration on the Town Square. Tables can be purchased in advance, details TBA. The last ferry is usually cancelled.Noches Magicas is suspended.
Jan. 1 New Year's Day People observe the sunrise at Punta Sur The first ferries are usually suspended.
Celebrating New Year's in Isla Mujeres
To celebrate New Year's Eve, some families set up tables in the side streets with pinatas strung overhead, and dine on turkey stuffed with seasoned ground meat, while others crowd the Town Square for live music, dancing, and fireworks. Each neighborhood brings in the New Year with a bang, and the skies explode with color in all directions.
During the NYE countdown, there is a tradition of eating twelve uvas de buenas suerte (grapes of good luck), each representing a month, with a toast of champagne or cider. The party on the town square continues all night long. At the other end of the isle, people gather at Punta Sur to greet the first rays of the sun at the eastern-most point in Mexico.
Other customs include cleaning your house on New Year's Eve & sweeping out bad luck. Wearing red underwear could bring you love in the New Year, or your white undies may bring you peace, while yellow represents wealth. Those who hope to travel should grab an empty suitcase and carry it around the room or the block, and set it by the door. If you drop a shoe on New Year's morn and it lands "boca arriba" (face up) you will enjoy good luck in the upcoming year.
The old year is represented by a life sized character called El Viejo, The Old Man, who is later filled with fireworks and set ablaze. He may resemble a politician, and he is usually holding cigars & tequila. Fireworks are everywhere, and their names are metralletas (literally "machine guns" – but it means fire crackers), cañones (larger fire crackers), voladores (rockets in many different sizes), chifladores (whistlers), and barre pies ("foot sweepers", that spin on the ground & shoot sparks).
Kids receive toys on Dia de los Reyes, January 6, when families, friends, and coworkers share rosca de reyes. King's cake, usually with hot chocolate. If you get the Baby Jesus,it means you'll be hosting a party & providing the tamales on Candlemas Day, Feb. 2.
Wednesday, Jan. 3 at the Town Square at 8p: Ballet Folkloric Fuego Nuevo de Encarnacion Diaz Jalisco, with live music. Free. Special Noches Magicas performance.
Jan 7-14 “Festival de Arte Mutuo” /Mutual Art Festival Six murals by seventeen artists, an Exhibition and sale at the Casa de la Cultura, and children's workshops.
Sources for Weather Information:
LINK to Civil Protection Q Roo weather bulletin (Spanish)
LINK to Mexico National Weather Service (Spanish)
LINK to satellite images for the Mexico National Weather Service (Yucatan peninsula is under Satellite GOES Este, I recommend "Animacion" (it used to be in my blog margin, until Blogger became incompatible with it).
LINK to a private weather station on Isla Mujeres
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