Mexico Moves Sand, Canada Moves Snow

In 2005, Hurricane Wilma caused a great deal of destruction as well as soil erosion along the beach coasts of the Rivera Maya. An attempt was made to resolve the erosion of the beaches. It did not work.
In September 2009 (four months ago), a second attempt started in Cancun. The beach recovery has made its way to Playa del Carmen. Boats dredge sand from the ocean bottom and pipe, then dump it along the beaches. Huge pipes transport and pile sand on the beaches.


A great deal of controversy has surrounded this one billion peso project. 1.3 billion gallons of sand will be brought to the beaches. They are using 2 thousand tons of pipeline materials. The main controversy has been the ecological effects on the coral reefs and ocean bottom. It is a hard call as this area depends on its pristine, world famous beaches for the livehood of many people.

So now, the beach fronts of many of the Playa del Carmen hotels are off limits. The project was to take four months but as most large endeavours, there were many delays.

Each day, you can go and see the changes that occur. It is hard to believe how the beaches can be transformed so quickly.

My sister tells me that in British Columbia, Canada, snow is being moved up to the mountains to accommodate the Winter Olympics, beginning next month.

¡Recycling!

It is 6:30 AM and I am standing on the balcony of the bedroom. I take a close up shot of this view in the distance. It is not an uncommon sight, people going through garbage and collecting tins. There is no recycling for homes, condo or apartment buildings here. Playa del Carmen has just recently put recycling containers on the beach and the main street. These containers are so small, they fill quickly though. Garbage cans or bags, or in this case, the condo building has a small dumpster, are in front of all homes and buildings. The garbage is collected daily, sometimes twice. At all times of the day or night, families, mothers with young children, singles or couples are going through the garbage collecting tins. I have seen this practise for almost 7 years now. If I have a lot of tins, I put them in a bag and wait until someone comes by or I give the bag to them directly. They are grateful.

Once enough cans have been collected, these people will take them to an aluminum plant, to have them weighed and then to recycling. As you can imagine, they do not get a lot of money per kilogram but it is a small source of income for these people. The hardest part is when I see mothers and children collecting.

This couple leaves the dumpster as they found it. It looks like they are sharing a joke. I see they have sticks. Many don´t and use their bare hands to go through the garbage.

Now, it is 6:40 AM and they continue on until they find another garbage container, big or small. As I watch, another man approaches the last dumpster. He will be disappointed.

¡Feliz Ano Neuvo!

At the stroke of midnight to welcome the new year, the 12 grapes were eaten and the sidra served. Each year, I can only manage 4 grapes but everyone else seems to eat all 12 in record breaking time. We had the T.V. on for the countdown and each had their glass of 12 grapes. Then sidra was poured into the glasses. After midnight, a meal is eaten. A very Happy New Year 2010!

1) OH, the grapes and sidra are a Mexican tradition. As you eat a grape, one for each month, you make a wish. Then you fill your glass with sidra and drink that. Grapes and bottles of sidra appear in Walmart and Mega right after Christmas. Here are other New Year´s Eve traditions in Mexico. We followed all of them but did not go around the block with the suitcase, we just walked out the door and back in again.

2) On New Year´s Eve wear red underwear for good luck in love in the coming year, or yellow for financial success. The stores in Mexico are filled with red and yellow undergarments right after Christmas.

3) Walk around the block with a suitcase if you're hoping to travel in the coming year.
4) Open your door and sweep out all the bad.

5) Put money in your shoe for financial success.