Sunset over the mangrove in Puerto Morelos.

The sun has set on our short tourist season here in Puerto Morelos. The beach is quiet, the shops are empty and you don’t need a reservation to get into Al Chimichurri. It is a great time to visit. But with the grass turning green up north, people no longer think about us when they make their vacation plans. So, as our friend Eric says, “Now is the time we rest.”

It is relaxing to walk down the streets of our little beach town, saying “Buenos Dias” to everyone, as you only pass people that you know. The tourists and the snowbirds have left. And with this end to the season comes the closing of Alma Libre Bookstore. (Please note the bookstore is the only business that closes during the low season, the rest of the town is open for you.) Alma Libre will close at the end of April and reopen in mid-November. We will still be here to help with rentals and bookings via email. Puerto Morelos is a wonderful place to visit during the low season when rental prices are cut almost in half and the weather is still lovely.

So hurry back! In the meantime, here is a music video that will keep you missing Puerto Morelos. It is by the Spanish group, La Oreja de Van Gogh (The Ear of Van Gogh) and was shot here a couple of years ago. And if you look close, you may recognize a certain little bookstore in the background. Enjoy!

Puerto Morelos Beach Easter 2014

We are currently in the calm before the storm and I am not talking about hurricane season. I am talking about Semana Santa (Easter week). Semana Santa or Pascua is possibly the most celebrated holiday in our little Mexican town of Puerto Morelos. With about eight-nine percent of Mexicans being Catholic, Semana Santa is a religious holiday, but even more important to most, it is a family holiday. Schools and businesses are often closed for up to two weeks and many Mexican families take this time to go on holiday. Here in Puerto Morelos, that means the beaches are full of people, but don’t worry, we have enough beach for everyone.

The Stations of the Cross in Puerto Morelos

Observances of Easter begin on the Thursday with a mass that mainly focuses on offerings of peace. On the morning of Good Friday, Viernes Santo,  you can often see a recreation of the Via Crucis (the Way of the Cross). Since we moved here, the lot beside our house has been fortunate enough to be one of the stations of the cross. Every Good Friday we get to see the recreation of Christ carrying the cross through the streets of Puerto Morelos. This is followed by a mass. There are masses again on Saturday, to celebrate the Solemn Vigil and on Sunday, to celebrate the Domingo de Gloria.

When we first moved to Mexico thirteen years ago, there was not an Easter egg, bunny or bonnet to be found. Slowly over the years, as with Christmas and Halloween, we are seeing the U.S.A./Canadian style of holiday traditions creep into Mexican culture. Although I have still not seen a chocolate bunny here, you now see chocolate eggs and a few decorations. Here in Puerto Morelos an annual Easter Egg hunt is held in the square for the local kids courtesy of Frank Reams and some of the local ex-pats.

But the real joy for Mexicans during Semana Santa is the time they get to spend with their families. And what better place to do that, than at the beach. Families from all over the country flock to Puerto Morelos to enjoy a slice of the Caribbean.

Feliz Semana Santa a todo!