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Town Update Winter 2019: Part 2

02. December 2019 · Comments Off · Categories: Beach Reads The Blog · Tags: 2019, Puerto Morelos, Town update, winter 2019

This is Part 2 of our Town Update. If you missed Part 1 click here.

A quick update from Part 1, the fire truck that was making its way from Alberta, with a long delay at the US/Mexican border, finally zoomed into town late on Saturday night. The final push through Mexico did not go too smoothly as they had alternator problems, but with some help from fellow first responders, some extra crowd-funding on Friends of Puerto Morelos and some creative ingenuity, they made it safe and sound. For a video of their arrival, click here.

Puerto Morelos and the fire truck story also made the local news in Edmonton, the whole city has been waiting for this truck to be delivered! Click here for a story the local Global TV station posted on Sunday night.

**InPuertoMorelos.com is brought to you by Casa de los Viajeros**

Now let’s talk more about restaurants, specifically the changes to the ones on the south side of the square. This is an area you may not always venture to… but you should. There are a lot of great places are more pop up every year.

One of your long-time favourite places has moved a just little further south. Spaghettino is now one block south of where it used to be. It is still just past Chedraiu, but now closer to El Campanario. The new location is very nice and you can expect the same great food.

Right across the street from Spaghettino and next to El Campanario is a new taco place called Ta Ki To. As you might expect, they specialize in tacos. So if you are looking for fast, fun and filling, check them out.

Also, Café Mar de Niebla has moved… and when we say “moved”, we mean it! They actually moved the entire building! You may remember, the cafe used to be behind the taxi stand on the main town square. Now it is in front of the Mayan Handicraft centre and across from Spaghettino. They sell coffee and ice cream, two of our favourite things!

In the same area, DK will be opening again soon. They tell us that they are just getting the band back together after a long summer break and then they will be serving up the same wonderful food & drink with an Asian flair. (Try the Bruce Lee if you dare)

The folks at Lola y Moya have a very pretty new location with some lovely murals. They are just 40 meters north of where they used to be. They still have the same great specialty coffees and tasty daytime treats. They are open now, but make sure to join them for their grand re-opening on Saturday, December 7th at 8:00 am.

And last but not least, there is a new place in town for tacos and beer. It is called Taqueria Los Tocayos and it is located on the east side of the Chedraui Selecto across from Hacienda Morelos. We have not heard any reports yet, so check them out and let us know!

Ok, enough about restaurants for now… Another change you will find is that there may be a few more holes in the streets of PM and some folks digging more of them. This is thanks to Aguakan, the water company as they are hooking more homes to the sanitary sewer system. We’ve all been on septic systems on the north end of town up to now. This will probably not change anything for visitors to our town. Most places will still not want you to flush your toilet paper because the plumbing can’t handle it, but the good news is, it will be much better for our beach and environment.

Speaking of the environment… plastic bags are no longer being given out in any of the Puerto Morelos grocery stores. It is now up to you to bring your own or for the place, you are renting from to supply them as we do at Casa de los Viajeros. 🙂

So that is it for Part 2 of our town update. Watch for Part 3 coming soon! Don’t miss a post! SUBSCRIBE today to Beach Reads InPuertoMorelos.com, We keep you up to date on your favourite beach village.

InPuertoMorelos.com Winter Update: Part 1

28. November 2019 · Comments Off · Categories: Beach Reads The Blog · Tags: Puerto Morelos, Town update

Some things in Puerto Morelos never change. The streets stay mostly quiet, the fish keep swimming in the reef and the lighthouse still leans. There have been quite a few changes over the summer in Puerto Morelos though, so let’s dive right into what is new and notable in your favourite Mexican town.

**DON’T MISS OUR PUERTO MORELOS RESTAURANT GUIDE**

At this time of year, a lot of new restaurants pop up, change or move, and this season is no exception. We have news about a lot of places, so we will tell you about them over a course of a few blog posts, so as not to give you restaurant fatigue. If you want to cut right to the chase you can visit our Puerto Morelos Restaurant Guide that we are constantly updating.

Over the spring and summer, extensive renovations changed the former Cancun Billy’s space into the upscale Mar-Bella Fish Market Resturant. The transformation is beautiful and made good use of its seafront location. If the name sounds familiar, that’s because this restaurant is part of a small chain that also has locations in Cancun and Isla Mujeres. Their focus is seafood, but the concept may be a little different from what you are used to. You order what you want by weight, and then you choose how they prepare it. Early reviews are very good, with high praise for food and service. Reviewers do note that the prices are on the high side.

Sadly the long-time PM institution Las Palmeras has closed. Palmeras had been around in some form since we first came to Puerto Morelos over 17 years ago. It has been replaced with Boquinete Seafood and Grill. They have a great location on the beach just south of the town square, so this is a place worth checking out. We hear rumours of lobster tacos! Sounds muy yum.

These are just two of the many new restaurants that have opened over the summer, and there are many more. We also know of at least four more places that are about to open soon. So don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter so you don’t miss all the news.

Another one of the other big changes in town has been the construction of “The Fives”, a large multi-story hotel/condo complex that is being built on four lots which once housed the grand home locally known as “The Taj Mahal” at the end of Rojo Gomez. You can find out more about the house here, and the new complex (which was locally protested to no avail) here.

Sadly, there was also a palapa fire at Moonlight Condos (see video here) earlier this week on the morning of Sunday, November 24, 2019. No one was hurt and the fire was mostly contained to the top floor of the building. The owners say they will reopen soon. The town’s new red fire truck did respond to the fire. This is the first of two firetrucks for Puerto Morelos. The second (yellow) one is currently on its way south from Canada. They just crossed the US/Mex border yesterday! It’s been a long journey! You can find out the whole story here. And watch their progress through Mexico as Chris keeps us up to date with his posts to Friends of Puerto Morelos on Facebook.

STAY WITH US! CASA DE LOS VIAJEROS

Over the summer sargasso barriers were put in place, and these along with the right currents have brought our beaches back to their gorgeous normal. See for yourself by looking at the various local webcams available that show you a live shot of our beach. Warning, staring at the webcams may also make you want to book a trip to PM!

The city has also dropped anchors near the shore for the fishing boats to tie up to when they dock for the night. This means our beach is now clear of ropes for the first time. No more tripping over them! Nicer for walking along the beach and the area in front of the Malecon has never looked better.

So this is just the start of our InPuertoMorelos.com town updates. Watch for Part 2 coming soon! Don’t miss a post! SUBSCRIBE today to Beach Reads InPuertoMorelos.com. We will keep you up to date on your favourite beach village. Hasta Pronto!

Escape Winter in Puerto Morelos!

25. November 2019 · Comments Off · Categories: Beach Reads The Blog · Tags: Casa de los Viajeros, Escape Winter in Puerto Morelos!, Puerto Morelos, Vacation rental Puerto Morelos, Vacation rentals, Vacation Rentals Puerto Morelos

Are you looking for a great VACATION RENTAL, just steps from the BEST beach in Puerto Morelos and a short walk to the square? We have it. Ca sa de los Viajeros (House of the Travelers).

Casa de los Viajeros is owned by us, the same people that bring you this website, Friends of Puerto Morelos and used to own Alma Libre Bookstore for 15 years. Chances are if you have been to Puerto Morelos, you know us.

We offer 3 different vacation rentals to meet your needs. We have 1 or 2 bedroom private, self-contained apartments located here.

Location of Vacation Rental Puerto Morelos

One of the best locations in town. We’re located on a quiet cul de sac, about a 2-minute walk to the beach or an 8-minute easy stroll to the main town square. Plus, we are a short, easy walk to the new Chedraui Supermarket.

Suite #1

Choose from our HUGE 2 bedroom/2bath apartment located on the main floor.

This suite features a large terrace with 2 hammocks and space to enjoy your meals outdoors.

There are 2 large bedrooms with queen sides beds and 2 bathrooms, one with an en-suite.

This apartment is perfect for two couples sharing or a family. Best for 4 people, but it can sleep up to 6 with the large pullout sofa.

For more information on Suite #1 click here.

Suite #2

This apartment is our guest’s favourite. Located on the second level, this 1 bedroom, 2 bath apartment also has an extra sleeping loft that is good for kids.

Suite 2 has a large balcony complete with a hammock and outdoor eating area. The large kitchen is great for making meals, and also features an eating bar with custom comfy stools, plus a dining table.

The sofa can be converted to a queen bed. This apartment is best suited to a couple or a couple with kids, but it can sleep adults in up to three separate spaces.

For more information on Suite #2 click here.

Suite #3

This apartment is a BARGAIN! It features a wonderful open concept design that is spread out over two floors.

The main floor (located on the second level or the building) features a living room and kitchen.

The second floor has a private bedroom, bathroom and balcony complete with a hammock and outdoor eating area.

The bedroom has a brand new king bed which may be converted into 2 twin beds. Just let us know what is best for you.

And the sofa in the living room can be converted into a double bed. The suite is best for 2 adults.

For more information on Suite #3 click here.

All of our apartments have high-speed Wi-Fi, large smart TV’s with Netflix, delivered bottled drinking water and weekly maid service. Plus we have a ton of other great amenities. Check them out here.

We still have lots of great dates open for the upcoming winter season. It would be great to hear from you, so drop us an email here.

And don’t forget to subscribe to InPuertoMorelos.com. We will have lots of great town news coming soon.

We hope to see you soon In Puerto Morelos and even better at Casa de los Viajeros.

Cash Exchange Rates in Puerto Morelos for November 18, 2019

18. November 2019 · Comments Off · Categories: Beach Reads The Blog, exchange rates

Here are the cash exchange rates for November 18, 2019 at CI Banco on the highway in Puerto Morelos.

I post these rates on occasion so that you can compare them with what your bank or the ATM may offer. To see where the rates have been in the last couple of years, search “exchange rates” on our page at InPuertoMorelos.com

Cash Exchange Rates	Buy	Sell
US Dollar $	18.20	19.40
Canadian Dollar $	13.60	14.85
Euro €	20.30	21.60
Pound Sterling £	23.80	25.20

In other cash exchange news, the G Capital branch on the beach side of Puerto Morelos has closed and has been removed. It just opened in the spring, so it did not last long.
G Capital still has a location in the Super Aki plaza and there is still and independent cambio on the square beachside in Puerto Morelos.

Don’t be left in the cold! Book your winter vacation today. We have some good dates still available at Casa de los Viajeros, including some February dates!

Cash Exchange Rates in Puerto Morelos for August 28, 2019

28. August 2019 · Comments Off · Categories: Beach Reads The Blog, exchange rates

Here are the cash exchange rates for August 28, 2019 at G Capital on the highway in Puerto Morelos.

Cash Exchange Rates	Buy
US Dollar $	18.80
Canadian Dollar $	14.10
Euro €	20.60
Pound Sterling £	23.00

On another currency note, next month the Bank of Mexico will retire the current 200 peso bill for a new design featuring heroes of the Mexican War of Independence including the namesake of our town, José María Morelos and Miguel Hidalgo. It was exactly one year ago that the new 500 peso note was announced.

We think this is the new 200 peso bill, but the Bank of Mexico has not confirmed it.

Don’t be left in the cold! Book your winter vacation today. We have some good dates still available at Casa de los Viajeros, including some February dates!

Free Wi-Fi in Puerto Morelos

28. August 2019 · Comments Off · Categories: Our Favourite Things

Puerto Morelos now has free Wi-Fi in the square. It wasn’t a quick or easy process, but it is finally here. If you visited our town last November you may have witnessed this little construction site, right on the north side of the square.

It was supposed to be a free Wi-Fi location, but for some reason, unknown to us, it was torn down and moved to the other side of the square in January.

VACATION RENTALS: STAY HERE IN PUERTO MORELOS

And it was reconstructed to become this.

A Wi-Fi tower, complete with a seating area, is located on the south side of the park across from Alma Libre Bookstore. If you are in the square you can look for a Wi-Fi signal called WiFi Caribbean Mexican.

After connecting, you will get a pop-up that asks you if you want to “surf” or if you want “tourist information”. Or if you are having an emergency to click here (not sure what that button does).

To hook up to the signal you will either have to sign in with your Facebook account or by filling out a short form with your first name, email address, sex, age and answer if you are a resident. The form can be viewed in either English or Spanish.

Once you have completed the form you will get a pop-up saying “Gracias”, which means you are connected.

The signal is not terribly fast, and it may not “remember you” the next time you try to sign on, but it is better than nada. You may be better off to patronize one of the many businesses in town that offer free Wi-Fi to their customers. There are many, and their signals are usually faster and more stable. Their chairs are likely comfier too!

We are currently curating a list of local businesses that offer free Wi-Fi to their customers. If you are a business owner that shares your Wi-Fi, let us know! You can click this link to message us through our FB page.

Ek Balam From Above

15. July 2019 · Comments Off · Categories: Beach Reads The Blog

A rare view of one of my favourite ruin sites in Mexico, Ek Balam, which is an easy day trip from Puerto Morelos. A visit to Ek Balam is also an excellent excuse to stop in Valladolid, a genuine Colonial city on our doorstep.

Valladolid was the subject of one of our InPuertoMorelos.com Shout Outs. More information about day trips in our area can be found on our page under the “To Do”.

Cash Exchange Rates in Puerto Morelos for April 15, 2019

15. April 2019 · Comments Off · Categories: Beach Reads The Blog

Here are the cash exchange rates for April 15, 2019 at CI Banco in Puerto Morelos. I post these rates on occasion so that you can compare these rates with the rate your bank or the ATM may offer. To see where the rates have been in the last couple of years, search “exchange rates” on our page at InPuertoMorelos.com

Cash Exchange Rates	Buy	Sell
US Dollar $	17.75	19.00
Canadian Dollar $	13.20	14.45
Euro €	20.40	21.75
Pound Sterling £	23.80	25.70

Cash Exchange Rates in Puerto Morelos for March 25, 2019

25. March 2019 · Comments Off · Categories: Do not use

Here are the cash exchange rates for March 25, 2019 at CI Banco in Puerto Morelos. I post these rates on occasion so that you can compare these rates with the rate your bank or the ATM may offer. To see where the rates have been in the last couple of years, search “exchange rates” on our page at InPuertoMorelos.com

Cash Exchange Rates	Buy	Sell
US Dollar $	18.10	19.30
Canadian Dollar $	13.30	14.55
Euro €	20.65	21.95
Pound Sterling £	24.30	25.70

The End of the Taj Mahal

10. March 2019 · Comments Off · Categories: Beach Reads The Blog

The house and pool were stunning. Click any of the photos for a full-screen view

This week saw the demolition of a Puerto Morelos landmark, which unofficially in town was known as “the Taj Mahal”. Located at the end of Rojo Gomez, the giant mansion was erected on four lots 16 years ago.

The real name of the house was, Casa Chichan Nah. It was owned by a couple from Pennsylvania. We won’t mention their names here, but he was an executive with the company in the US that popularized the use of zinc lozenges to lessen the effects of the common cold. For that reason, we always called it “the house that zinc lozenges built”.

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We don’t have exact dates, but the house was built in 2003 and survived Hurricane Wilma in 2005 very well, though the pool area was destroyed.

At 517 square metres (over 5000 square feet), this was not a small house, it sat on four full lots and despite its enormity, it only had three bedrooms. Since its gone now, I can share that it also featured a “secret room” for storage.

VACATION RENTALS YOU CAN TRUST IN PUERTO MORELOS

Let me paint the picture for you. This home was stunning. As you entered the front door, you would step into a breathtaking foyer with two sweeping staircases that lead to the bedrooms that overlook the tranquil blue waters of Puerto Morelos. On the main floor, an open-plan great room leads onto a veranda that has a beautiful pool and the Caribbean sea.

To your left is a large, well-equipped kitchen with island and seating area for four. In front is a formal dining area with seating for eight.

To your right is a living room with a comfortable family area with couches and a television.

Upstairs you find three bedrooms. The Master has a king size bed and a commanding view of the grounds and Caribbean. There are two more bedrooms, each on either side of the Master each with two, queen size beds.

All the bedrooms have their own, large, luxurious bathroom with a dressing area and storage for clothing and luggage. Each bedroom also has a balcony with unparalleled views and fresh ocean breezes.

The owners unfortunately rarely made it down to Puerto Morelos because of work up north, so the house sat empty a lot of the time, only occupied by a house manager who kept things in top shape.

In more recent years the house was actually available for rent on AirBnb.

Last year, the owner sold the house to a company for a record-high Puerto Morelos square foot price. As lovely as it was, the company’s plans did not include the Taj. (The photos get a little sadder after this point)

On March 4, 2019, the sight of such a prestigious house being reduced to rubble was quite a shock. Frequent PM visitor Flo Vergeer captured the destruction for posterity with some excellent photos.

The Taj Mahal was taken down quickly, room by room after the valuable windows and doors were removed.

The new reality was especially shocking for those of us that watched the house go up back in 2003. The building was the talk of the town then, as was the destruction this week.

After its rapid ruination, the proud Taj Mahal was sadly dumped into big, noisy trucks and hauled away one load at a time. The once distinguished domicile reduced to fill.

The company that bought the house and lots are planning to build a condo/hotel on the site called “The Fives Puerto Morelos”. They have an office on the square in Puerto Morelos and a completed project in Playa del Carmen.