Mexico's 'giant underwater museum'

Visitors to a national park in Cancun could soon come face-to-face with life-sized sculptures in human form fixed in the seabed, as plans to create what could be the world's largest underwater museum start to become a reality.

On 19 November, four sculptures are due to be submerged in the Caribbean waters, off the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico's eastern state of Quintana Roo.

They will be the first of many hundreds of figures, which will be dotted around an area of the region's national park.

Underwater sculptures

The sculptures will be made of PH-neutral concrete, which, it is hoped, will attract algae and marine life and give the local ecosystem a boost.

According to the park's director Jaime Gonzalez, one of the aims is to reduce the pressure on the natural habitat in other areas of the park by luring tourists away from existing coral reef, which has suffered damage from hurricanes and human activity.

Some 750,000 people visit the park a year, said Mr Gonzalez, with about 450,000 of them visiting Punta Nizuc, an area of just four hectares.

Fewer visitors could allow the coral in the area to regenerate, giving it a greater chance of withstanding hurricane damage, said Mr Gonzalez.

One of the first sculptures to be installed is called La Jardinera de la Esperanza, which features a young girl lying on garden patio steps, cultivating pot plants. Situated just four metres below the surface, it will include propagated coral that is expected to prosper in its new environment.

"It all happens rather quickly - within two weeks, we will see green algae," says artist Jason deCaires Taylor, who is in charge of the project. "Then within a few months, juvenile algae will appear and the project will progress from there."

La Jardinera de la Esperanza waits to be submerged

The sculptures have been designed to be durable and, according to Mr deCaires Taylor, will have no detrimental effect on the local ecosystem.

"We carried out an environmental survey beforehand," he said.

The conservation of coral is at the forefront of many environmentalists' minds.

Coral reefs make up less than a quarter of 1% of the ocean's floor. Yet they are a key source of food, income and coastal protection for around 500 million people worldwide.

The project has an initial budget of $350,000 (£210,000), with a significant proportion of the funding being provided by the Mexican government. The rest has been donated by individuals and organisations with an interest in promoting the area.

Mr Gonzalez said: "We already have $160,000 but if this is successful, then who knows when the project will end."

Artists should get involved in environmental matters so it is not just scientists getting the message out there  Dr Paul Jepson Oxford University

Mr deCaires Taylor is travelling around the country looking for people from various backgrounds to pose for the exhibition.

"The other day I was in a cafe and saw a really fascinating man with strong character lines and expressions, so in my bad Spanish went over to him to explain about the project. Next thing, he was in his underpants in my studio being cast in plaster alginate."

One aim of the subterranean museum is to attract more tourism to the region.

This year, 4.6 million international tourists visited Mexico compared with 5.2 million in the same period last year.

Robert Diaz, president of one of the project's key sponsors, Cancun Nautical Association, said the area had been badly affected by the recession and other factors, such as Mexico's narcotics war and negative publicity surrounding the H1N1 (swine flu) virus.

Dr Paul Jepson, a lecturer in conservation at the UK's University of Oxford, welcomed the idea of the museum.

"Conservationists need to find different ways of engaging with the world. Artists should get involved in environmental matters so it is not just scientists trying to get the message out there," he said.

The idea of underwater museums are not new. A number already exist around the world.

In Egypt, Unesco has voiced its support for a planned underwater museum in Alexandria, which would host treasures belonging to Queen Cleopatra. And in May this year China's Baiheliang Underwater Museum in Chongqing opened to the public.

Made from a natural ridge in the Yangtze River, visitors can see inscriptions by poets and writers, some of which are thousands of years old.

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8326593.stm

5 Drinks to Order on Your Next Mexico Vacation

Wondering what cocktail to order on your next Mexico Caribbean vacation? Here are some interesting facts you may not know about these five common drinks.
1. Prepared Beers

Prepared beers or “cervezas preparadas” are very popular and a great way to add a twist to your boring old beer. A chelada is a light beer and the juice of an entire lime served over ice in a salt-rimmed glass. Add black pepper, hot sauce and worchestire sauce and you have a michelada. And if you have a hangover, no problema! Micheladas are considered a good remedy. The name michelada comes from “ Mi chela helada”or “my ice cold beer”.
2. Margarita

You’ve probably tried a frozen margarita in your local chain restaurant, but a genuine margarita is served on the rocks in a salt-rimmed glass and consists of tequila, triple sec and lime juice. Or try a “Cadillac” margarita which also contains a premium citrus liqueur. There are many many stories about the invention of the drink. One claims that a bartender in Tijuana created it as homage to actress Rita Hayworth, whose real name was Margarita Cansino.
3. Premium Tequila

Tequila is one of the ingredients in a margarita, but tequila can also be enjoyed by itself, and not only as a ”shot” , “shooter” or “slammer”. The best tequilas for sipping are resposado, which is aged a minimum of two months, añejo, which is aged a minimum of one year, and extra añejo, which is aged a minimum of 3 years. All are aged in oak barrels. These top-shelf tequilas are meant to be savored, so sip slowly. Try it with salt and lime or sangrita on the side.
4. Mojito

Although the mojito is a Cuban cocktail, it is also very popular in Mexico especially in Cancun because of its close proximity to Cuba. It is a refreshing sweet drink which traditionally contains 5 ingredients; white rum, sugar cane juice (or a sugar syrup mixture), lime juice, sparkling water and spearmint or “yerba buena”. The mojito was one of Ernest Hemingway’s favorite drinks. His favorite mojito was served in the famous Cuban restaurant “La Bodeguita del Medio” where the drink made its official debut.
5. Latin American Wines

A large variety of wines produced in Latin America are available in Mexico, and at very reasonable prices. Try a glass while dining in your hotel or buy a whole bottle from a local grocery store. Look for a Merlot from Chile, a Malbec from Argentina, or a Mexican Chardonnay from the oldest winery in the Americas, Casa Madero, which was founded in 1597.
It’s always fun to be a little adventurous when you are in a new place, so order something different than “the usual”. Salud!

Source: www.yucatanholidays.com

ABOUT WAIX

Welcome to WAIX, your online leisure website for Mexico. WAIX is the Mayan word for the number zero. However, in the Mayan culture, zero does not mean the ‘nothingness’ which it means in most other cultures. For the Mayans, it’s about the completion of a cycle. It’s about a beginning and an end, a rebirth. And isn’t that exactly the feeling you want when you're enjoying a moment of recreation?!

Our goal is to bring the Mexican leisure market closer to you. We want our customers to find adventure and excitement as well as relaxation and peace of mind. In short we want you to create wonderful memories that stay with you for a lifetime. We do this by offering you a wide variety of leisure activities you can choose from. This way you’ll certainly find something to your liking.

We’ve noticed that there are many small and medium sized tourist companies in Mexico that offer high quality activities for affordable prices. Other leisure companies often focus on the biggest companies and overlook this segment. However, we belief that the smaller businesses are more original and creative in their offerings. By working with those partners, we can promise you to have a unique experience during your time here in Mexico, one you will never forget.

Our Commitments

Offering our customers a unique stay in Mexico is our approach to doing business. We want people of all nationalities to experience this country in a way they couldn’t imagine.

WAIX is about:

·      Being committed to providing our customers a high-quality service of online booking of leisure activities.

·      Giving it everything, every day to exceed our customer’s expectations.

·      Only working with trustworthy partners who respect and care for the environment in which we operate and live.

·      On an ongoing basis, looking for new and creative activities that we can offer our customers, to even further enhance the customer’s experience.

The vision of WAIX

We closely work together with our partners to offer a wide variety of activities for Mexicans as well as for travelers from all over the world who visit Mexico. WAIX enables its customer to put together a unique trip to Mexico, one that exceeds their dreams and wishes. We will continue to find new and unique activities we can offer. All inspired by people who have a deep love for Mexico and all its beauties it has to offer.

The mission of WAIX

Our mission is to deliver our customers a unique experience in Mexico, one that they will cherish for a lifetime.

Terms and Conditions

Registration with Authorities

The website www.waix.mx has been registered with…

Description of activities

We strive for the descriptions of the activities displayed on www.waix.mx to be complete and faithful. However, it might be possible that there are small deviations in a description of an activity compared to the actual activity. The responsibility of providing accurate descriptions of the activities solely lies with our partners. If a change occurs, we commit ourselves to notify our customers as soon as possible.

Customer Registration with WAIX

In order to book an activity on www.waix.mx you have to register yourself as a user. The registration and the use of your personal data are controlled by our Privacy Policy. You agree to provide us with true and accurate information about yourself when registering. Furthermore, it is your responsibility to keep your username and accompanying password confidential. WAIX cannot be held liable for any loss or damage resulting from failure on your side to comply with these requirements.

Reservation of an activity

When checking the calendar for the availability of a certain activity, there are two options:

·      Unavailable (marked grey in the calendar)

·      Available (marked green in the calendar)

After having selected an available date and specified the number of persons participating, you will be sent an e-mail telling you that your request is in progress. After having checked the availability and having received a confirmation of your payment, you will receive another e-mail with an E-ticket of your activity. On the date of the activity you have to bring a printed version of this E-ticket and show it to our partner with whom you booked, in order to verify your participation.

Mexico: The place you thought you knew...

The Mexico Tourism Board has initiated an ad campaign in the United States and Canada to inspire visitors from those countries to explore the great diversity within Mexico, the number one foreign destination for North American tourists.


The campaign’s slogan is “Mexico, The Place You Thought You Knew”, and seeks to awaken curiosity in travelers, showing not only the typical beach destinations, but also the natural beauty, cultural heritage and “chic” destinations.

Mexico is one of the world's most incredibly diverse travel destinations. Whatever your vacation wishes, Mexico will make them come true. Come for a week or a month and you'll never run out of things to do . even if all you want to do is relax!

Are you the outdoors type? You will find championship golf courses, snorkeling and scuba diving on some of the world's greatest coral reefs, hiking, rainforests, jungles and much more. In a matter of days, you can go from exploring a desert to standing on a snow-capped mountain. The sun worshippers will find the beaches of Mexico the best in the world. Miles upon miles of unspoiled sand awaits you! How about taking a walk among some of the most vast and fascinating ancient ruins in the world? If you're a history buff, Mexico will captivate you and keep you spellbound. The Aztecs and Mayans left their marks with temples, cities and towns both world-famous and barely explored. Looking for the best accommodations? Hotels in Cancun are some of the best in the world.

Do you require spacious accommodations with a variety of high quality amenities and services? Cancun timeshares are among the most sought after accommodations in the world and provide all the luxury you need with the same price as most hotels.

The TEMAZCAL in the Yucatan Península

A temazcal is a traditional Mexican steam bath, similar to the sweat lodge of the Native Americans. It takes place in in a round or domed structure made of stone or mud. The structure itself is also referred to as a temazcal. The size of a temazcal may vary, accommodating from two to up to twelve people.

The word temazcal comes from the Nahuatl language (the language of the Aztecs). A combination of the words temal, meaning "bath," and calli, meaning "house."

Besides promoting physical well-being and healing, the temazcal is also a ritual and spiritual practice in which traditional healing methods are used to encourage reflection and introspection.
Many spas and resorts in the Yucatan Peninsula offer the temazcal experience.

Un temazcal es un baño tradicional de vapor mexicano, similar a la cabaña de sudación de los nativos americanos. Tiene lugar en una estructura circular o abovedada de piedra o de barro. La propia estructura también se refiere como un temazcal. El tamaño de un temazcal puede variar, con capacidad de dos a hasta doce personas.

El temazcal palabra viene de la lengua náhuatl (el idioma de los aztecas). Una combinación de las palabras temal, que significa "baño", y calli, que significa "casa".

Además de promover el bienestar físico y la curación, el temazcal es una práctica ritual y espiritual en que los métodos tradicionales de curación se utilizan para fomentar la reflexión y la introspección.

Muchos spas y resorts en la Península de Yucatán ofrece la experiencia de temazcal.

Riviera Maya

Discover the most beautiful beaches and luxurious resorts in the Riviera Maya, an area that spans the Mexico Caribbean coastline, 32 kilometers south of Cancun, from Puerto Morelos to Punta Allen (a fishing village in the Sian Ka’an nature reserve). Located in the Mexico state of Quintana Roo on the Yucatan peninsula, the Riviera Maya has many jungles, exotic plants and animals, and nature parks, such as Tres Rios, Xcaret, and Xel-Ha. At Xcaret and Xel-Ha, you can swim with the dolphins. The Riviera Maya is known for its archaeology sites of Mayan ruins, such as Chichen Itza, Coba, and Tulum; and for its gorgeous beaches, such as Playa del Secreto, Playa Paraiso, Punta Maroma, and the beaches of Playa del Carmen. This part of the Caribbean contains the world’s second largest coral reef, the great Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, which is the perfect place for snorkeling and scuba diving with many beautiful, colorful fish. You can also snorkel and dive in the crystal clear, blue water of cenotes (cave-like sinkholes with natural wells). Experience the unique splendor of the Riviera Maya.