February 2012  Issue 110

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LETTER FROM THE STAFF

This is going to be “One Wild and Crazy Month”, to paraphrase Steve Martin. 

The first week of the month is going to be one absolutely spectacular event after another, as February is kicked off with Groundhog Day and Candlemass on the 2^nd, Robin’s Best Shirt Award night on the 3^rd , and the Super Bowl on the 5^th, and all these Events will be held at the Lol Ha Beach Bar.  Then, there’s Valentine’s Day on the 14^th (and you need to see Charlene about buying some raffle tickets), and the full moon is on the 7^{th.   .}

Moving into the latter part of February we have President’s Day and the Akumal Council General Assembly meeting on the 15th, the PGA tournament at Mayakoba on the 22^nd – 26^th, the CEA Silent Auction on the 22^nd, the CEA Gala Dinner on the 29^th, and the month concludes with the 2012 Oscar telecast on the 26^th .

And while all this is going on in Akumal, Mexico takes time to celebrate two major holidays, Day of the Constitution on the 5^th and Flag Day on the 24^th

And, for additional information about Akumal and Puerto Aventuras, don’t forget to check out Sac-Be and the Pelican Press of Puerto Aventuras. 

 To keep track of all of this and other “stuff”, we need to continually use and improve the brain.  One fun way of doing that is via Luminosity.  Check it out, and have fun.

Please be advised that the Akumal Telephone Book (First Name, Last Name, Location, and House Name) and Birthdays/Anniversaries have been updated, and you know that both of these go on the GIGO principle.  For whatever it is worth, the Video Library has also been updated.

Finally, speaking of the Video Library, does anybody still have and view VHS tapes?  If so, The Akumalian’s VHS Video Library is being dismantled, and movies and tapes are being made available for FREE on a 1st come 1^st served basis.  Look at the VHS Library and let The Staff know which ones you would like to have.
 

STOP THE PRESSES!!!!!

The Staff actually did “Stop the Presses” last night when the following story came in over the wire.  The Staff has been looking for additional information, and got a little more info this morning.

 Tulum Municipality Takes Over Community Park from Promatora

“The overgrown jungle area (down by the Lagoon) designated as a community area park by Promatora seems to have changed ownership, or actual ownership is being enforced.  On Tuesday, January 31,  Tulum Municipality officials arrived with police and forced all the cars using it for parking spaces to get out. Yellow tape was placed as a barrier at La Sirena and La Iguana, and  the owners and guests who were using that entire south border of the park for their parking lot are now using the road in front of their entry for parking.  Ondarte will no longer be allowed to use the west side for their parking area, and Dan & Dave, who have done a great job beautifying their parking spaces in the park, cannot use it either.  The Tulum Municipality plans to do some reforestation in the park.” 

 Editor’s Note:  Not sure, but believe this is the block bordered by La Sirena/Iguana, the road towards Casa del Sol, the road where Casa Gatos is, and the road that passes by ONDARTE going to the Lagoon entrance.  The Akumal Council is obtaining more information for the General Meeting on February 15th.
 

IMPORTANT FEBRUARY FACTS

Aquarius:  January 20 - February 18

Pisces:  February 19 - March 20

 February Birthstone:  Amethyst
Amethyst is the purple variety of quartz and is a popular gemstone.  If it were not for its widespread availability, amethyst would be very expensive.  The name "amethyst" comes from the Greek and means "not drunken."  This was maybe due to a belief that amethyst would ward off the effects of alcohol, but most likely the Greeks were referring to the almost wine-like color of some stones that they may have encountered.  Its color is unparalleled, and even other, more expensive purple gemstones are often compared to its color and beauty.  Although it must always be purple to be amethyst, it can and does have a wide range of purple shades.

Amethyst can occur as long prismatic crystals that have a six sided pyramid at either end or can form as druzes that are crystalline crusts that only show the pointed terminations.  As a mineral specimen, amethyst is popular for its color and nice crystal shapes that produce a handsome, purple, sparkling cluster.

February Flower:  Violet
Viola species typically have heart-shaped, scalloped leaves, though a number have palmate leaves or other shapes.  The vast majority of Viola species are herbaceous, however a substantial number are acaulescent in habit without any noticeable stems, while the others have short stems with flowers produced in the axils of the leaves.  The simple leaves of plants with either habit are arranged alternately; the acaulescent species produce basal rosettes.  Plants always have leaves with stipules that are often leaf-like.
 

FEBRUARY BIRTHDAYS

Birthdays and Anniversaries
1          Bill Brab
5          Sam Nejame
5          Bill McClendon
6          Jerry Radlinsky
7          Hugo (Miramar chef)
9          Terry Turner
10        Gary Ness
10        Alex Gonzalez
11        Karen Kantor
12        Jock Horner
15        George Alvarado
19        Myrna Sparks
22        Hagen Clements
23        Bob Anders
23        Chris McCasland
24        David Poor
25        Jim Farrell
27        Shelley Cope
27        Julie Brenton
28        Judy Baxter

There must be more than this.  Let’s hear about YOUR birthday before it happens.

Missed January Birthdays
3          Paul Rasmussen
6          Don Papa had a BIG x-0
14        Tobias Zimmermann

GROUNDHOG DAY FEBRUARY 2^nd 

Groundhog Day is always on February 2, and it is a traditional festival celebrated in the United States and Canada on this date.  It is a cross-quarter day, midway between the Winter Solstice and the Vernal Equinox.

Punxsutawney Phil is a groundhog and the most famous resident of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.  On Groundhog Day of each year, the town of Punxsutawney celebrates the beloved groundhog with a festive atmosphere of music and food.  During the ceremony, which begins well before the winter sunrise, Phil emerges from his temporary home on Gobbler's Knob, located in a rural area about 2 miles east of town.  According to the tradition, if Phil sees his shadow and returns to his hole, the United States will suffer six more weeks of winter.  If Phil does not see his shadow, spring will arrive early.  During the rest of the year, Phil lives in the town library with his "wife" Phyllis.

A club of Phil enthusiasts, known as the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, take care of the famed rodent year-round.  A select group called the Inner Circle plan the annual ceremony.  Members of the Inner Circle are recognizable by their top hats and tuxedos.

DIA DE LA CANDELARIA FEBRUARY 2nd

Candlemas Day has numerous origins and meanings.

In modern life many people may not be aware that on February 2 we celebrate an ancient feast, common to the Church of both East and West, which is mentioned clearly in Leviticus and Luke.  February 2 is "Candlemas" in many churches and is the day for observing the ritual purification of Mary, forty days after the birth of Jesus, as well as the presentation of Jesus in the Temple in Jerusalem.  The day has pagan roots and was a Christian adaptation of the older practices for this midwinter festivity from which we get our "Groundhog Day."  Since the presentation was also the purification of Mary, the church developed ritual practices known as the "Churching of Women" or "Thanksgiving of Women after Childbirth."  The following is an explanation:

·         Seven days after Christmas, January 1, is the feast of our Lord's circumcision

·         Thirty three days after that, February 2 is the feast of his being offered in the Temple, the purification of the Virgin Mary.  So Candlemass is forty days after the birth of Jesus.

  This day also used to have great significance in the rural calendar, because the date lays half way between the winter solstice and the spring equinox, so it marks the day upon which winter is half over!  It is a time of the year which naturally forms a transition period in winter - there is a sense in which thank God we are moving on into brighter and better days.

Like many Christians festivals, including Christmas itself, Candlemas has roots which lay deep in pagan roots and an understanding of nature.

Like many Celtic festivals, the Imbolc celebrations centered around the lighting of fires.  Fire was perhaps more important for this festival than others, as it was also the holy day of Brigid (also known as Bride, Brigit, Brid), the Goddess of fire, healing and fertility.  The lighting of fires celebrated the increasing power of the Sun over the coming months.  For the Christian calendar, this holiday was reformed and renamed 'Candlemas' when candles are lit to remember the purification of the Virgin Mary.

As Candlemas traditions evolved, many people embraced the legend that if the sun shone on the second day of February, an animal would see its shadow and there would be at least six more weeks of winter.  Bears or badgers are watched in some European countries, but the German immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania found an abundance of groundhogs, and late in the 19th century a few residents in Punxsutawney began celebrating the groundhog as weather prophet.  So we have Groundhog Day.

You may know the rhyme:
If Candlemas day be sunny and bright,
Winter again will show its might.

If Candlemas day be cloudy and grey,
Winter soon will pass away.

In Mexico, Candlemas (Spanish: Día de La Candelaria) is celebrated with Tamales.  Tradition indicates that on January 5, the night before Three Kings Day (the Epiphany), whoever gets one or more of the few plastic or metal dolls (originally coins) buried within the Rosca de Reyes must throw a party on Candlemas.  In certain regions of Mexico, this is the day in which the baby Jesus of each household is taken up from the nativity scene and dressed up in various colorful, whimsical outfits.
 

DID YOU KNOW THAT…….. 

About $400,000 in coins forgotten at TSA checkpoints in 2010

Airline passengers leave about $400,000 a year in coins they forget to — or choose not to — take with them as they scramble to catch flights, according to the Transportation Security Administration.  In 2010, that loose change amounted to $409,085.56.  That's $376,480.39 in dollar coins, quarters, dimes, nickels and pennies, plus foreign currency worth $32,605.17.  People who leave money behind may be rushing through a checkpoint for a variety of reasons, and travelers heading to foreign countries may simply feel they have no use for U.S. change,

Passengers at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York left the most change in 2010 ($46,918.06), followed by Los Angeles International ($19,110.83), Hartsfield Atlanta International ($16,523.83), San Francisco International ($15,908.02), and Miami International ($15,844.83).
 

ROBIN’S BEST SHIRT AWARD, FEBRUARY 3^rd  

Come one, come all, to the Beach Bar, where we’ll have a ball.

It’s time for another “Best Shirt Award”, which is held on the first Friday of each month during Happy Hour at the Lol Ha Beach Bar. 

This award is based on Robin’s penchant for good, classy Beach Bar shirts, and his sister, Mary, is ready to once again be the judge and jury as she selects the “Best Shirt” for February. 

The January competition was won by, Richard Mazzola.  The photos for the January competition are located at January Best Shirt Award.
 

DAY OF THE CONSTITUTION, FEBRUARY 5^th

Día de la Constitución, February 5, is an official holiday that commemorates Mexico's Constitution.

The Political Constitution of the United Mexican States of 1917 is the present constitution of Mexico.  It was drafted in Santiago de Queretaro by a Constitutional Convention during the Mexican Revolution.  It was approved by the Constitutional Congress on February 5, 1917, with Venustiano Carranza serving as the first president under its terms.

The Constitution of 1917 came to be the crystallization of the revolutionary ideals that were elevated to the category of constitutional norms.  On it, were included advanced principles of social reforms and rights in favor of peasants and workers, in addition, it was formulated to govern all the Mexicans without distinction of race, creed, social or political condition, since in it were elevated to the rank of constitutional norms the freedom of thought and of belief.

Nevertheless, many years were spent before consolidating a Constitution according to the times and circumstances of the Mexicans.  Throughout history, different fundamental laws were emanated of a Constituent Congress.
 

SUPER BOWL XLVI, FEBRUARY 5^th

The National Football League's Super Bowl XLVI will take place on February 5, 2012 in Lucas Oil Stadium in Downtown Indianapolis, Indiana.  It will be the NFL's 46th annual Super Bowl, and it is going to be a rematch between the New England Patriots and the New York Giants.  Remember the Patriots “perfect” season back in 2007, when the Giants ruined it all with an upset in Super bowl XLII.  Kick-off is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Eastern, 5:30 p.m. Akumal time.

The game will be broadcast nationally on NBC and will air locally on Akumal-TV.  Al Michaels and Chris Collinsworth will handle play-by-play, while Michele Tafoya will be on the sideline.

Madonna, a multi Grammy Award-winning Universal Records recording artist, will perform in the Bridgestone Super Bowl XLVI Halftime Show on NBC.

Lucas Oil Stadium opened in August 2008.  The normal seating for the stadium is 63,000 but will be increased to more than 70,000 for Super Bowl XLVI.  The stadium cost approximately $720 million to construct and features a retractable roof and a unique large window at one end of the field.

 The place to be: Lol Ha Beach Bar, Akumal Central, Quintana Roo, Mexico.  Get there early and make your entries on the Football Pool.  The proceeds will go to the funding of the beautification and security  of the Entrance to Akumal.
 

MEXICO’S BALUARTE BRIDGE SETS RECORD 

The 390m (1,321ft) tall Baluarte bridge spans a deep ravine in the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains in the north - setting the new world record for the Tallest suspension bridge, according to World Records Academy (www.worldrecordsacademy.org ).  The Baluarte Bridge is officially the highest suspension bridge in the world. The tall cable-stayed bridge is so lofty the Eiffel Tower would easily fit under its central span.

When it is completed in 2012, the Baluarte River Bridge will not only be the highest bridge in North America but the highest cable stayed bridge in the world surpassing the Millau Viaduct in France.  It is the crown jewel of the greatest bridge and tunnel highway project ever undertaken in North America.  Known as the Durango-Mazatlán highway, it will be the only crossing for more than 500 miles (800 km) between the pacific coast and the interior of Mexico.  The path of this new highway roughly parallels the famous “Devil’s Backbone”, a narrow road that earned its nickname from the way it follows the precarious ridge crest of the jagged peaks of the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains.  The dangerous road is a seemingly endless onslaught of twisting, terrifying turns that are so tight there are times the road nearly spirals back into itself.

By cutting a safer, more direct route through the mountains, the highway department of Mexico hopes to improve trade and increase tourism between the city of Durango and the coastal city of Mazatlán.  To achieve this connection, the Mexican engineers were forced to design an autopista with no less than 63 tunnels - nearly 10 times more than have ever been built on any road in North America.  For big bridge fans, the highway is no less amazing with a parade of towering concrete beam bridges. Including Baluarte, there will be 8 bridges that exceed 300 feet (90 mtrs) in height including Santa Lucia, Neverías, La Pinta, Chico, Botijas, Pueblo Nuevo and El Carrizo.  Only China’s West Hurong and Kunming-Guiyang and Italy’s A3 highways have a greater collection of high bridges.

Forming the border between Sinaloa and Durango states, the Baluarte River is the most formidable obstacle on the route with a gorge more than a quarter mile in height.  To cross it, the Mexican engineers decided to go with a cable stayed bridge.  It would allow the construction to proceed outward from a single tower on either side of the canyon, avoiding the difficult and expensive construction of temporary false work.  Once completed, the final height of 1,280 feet (390 mtrs) will make it the second highest roadway bridge on earth.  It will also have the longest span of any cable stayed bridge in North America at 1,706 feet (520 mtrs), exceeding the John James Audubon bridge in St. Francisville, Louisiana by 123 feet (37 mtrs).

When it is completed, the Baluarte crossing will be more than just a preeminent bridge but a signal to its bigger neighbor to the North that Mexico can design and build bridges with the same skill and perfection as the best of them.  As a stretch of North American pavement without parallel, the Durango-Mazatlán highway will become a proud, prominent symbol of Mexico’s civil engineering skills for decades to come.

The bridge is part of the Durango-Mazatlan highway, built at a cost of more than 20 billion pesos and the most significant road project during Mr Calderon's six-year term, which began in December 2006.  The $1.42 billion project is 86 percent complete, and will be finished by the end of January.    
 

US PLATED CARS IN MEXICO, FEBRUARY 7^th 

U.S. Consular Agent, Samantha Mason, will present another in her series of informational seminars in Puerto Aventuras on February 7, 2012.  Her meetings have become an annual event much to the delight of area residents.

            This year’s program will be held in the Colonos Meeting Room, with doors opening at 9:00 O’clock and presentation to begin at 9:30.  Topics to be discussed include a detailed explanation of the many changes made to laws regulating U.S. plated cars in Mexico, including the 2012 reintroduction of an annual import sticker.  Yes, it will cost you more for the coming year.

Those who own foreign plated cars, or are considering bringing one into Mexico, are encouraged to attend this meeting.  Other topics on the agenda include a detailed explanation of services offered by the U.S. Consulate Office in Playa del Carmen, the suggested protocol to use when stopped by police, how to pay your traffic ticket, and what to do if you become the victim of a crime.  No reservation is required to attend and the meeting is open to all interested parties.

See the January issue of The Akumalian for additional information.
 

FULL MOON FEBRUARY 7^th 

The Full Snow Moon will be on Friday, February 7, 2012, 03:53:48 am AST.  Since the heaviest snow usually falls during this month, native tribes of north and west (hilly area) Akumal most often called February's full Moon the Full Snow Moon.  Some tribes also referred to this Moon as the Full Hunger Moon, since harsh weather conditions in their areas made hunting and fishing very difficult.
 

ELEANOR DUBINSKY, FEBRUARY 11^th

“America’s answer to Bebel Gilberto,” New York City-based world-pop songstress Eleanor Dubinsky will entrance Akumal with sultry, heartfelt vocals and romantic, organic songs in English, French and Spanish on Saturday, February 11^th 2012 at the Lol Ha Restaurant.  Drawing from American folk, soul, French pop and Latin rhythms, her sound is influenced by an eclectic melting pot of international artists in jazz, dance, folk, African and Latin pop, including Herbie Hancock, Brazilian Girls, Sara Tavares, Ceu, and Joni Mitchell.

Check Eleanor out at YouTube..

Her songs have been featured in leading television series on networks including MTV, in ads for multinational companies including American Express and on NPR stations across the USA.  Favorite venues include elegant jazz and listening rooms, outdoor world music festivals and cultural centers such as The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia.

Eleanor writes, sings, plays cello, guitar and percussion.  Her band includes Vita Tanga (guitar), Ben Zwerin (bass), Scott Morehouse (drums) and Bashiri Johnson (percussion), but they will not be here.

December 30, 2011:  British chart-topper Adele leads in Grammy Nominations including for Best Album, while Eleanor Dubinsky was voted Best Up-and-Coming Francophile singer in NYC.

There is a $30 peso cover charge, and reservations are very highly recommended. 
 

VALENTINE’S DAY, FEBRUARY 14^th

Every February, across the country, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine.  But who is this mysterious saint, and why do we celebrate this holiday?  The history of Valentine's Day -- and its patron saint -- is shrouded in mystery.  But we do know that February has long been a month of romance.  St. Valentine's Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition.  So, who was Saint Valentine and how did he become associated with this ancient rite?  Today, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred.

One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome.  When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men -- his crop of potential soldiers.  Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret.  When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.

Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured.

According to one legend, Valentine actually sent the first 'valentine' greeting himself.  While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl -- who may have been his jailor's daughter -- who visited him during his confinement.  Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed 'From your Valentine,' an expression that is still in use today.  Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories certainly emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic, and, most importantly, romantic figure.  It's no surprise that by the Middle Ages, Valentine was one of the most popular saints in England and France.

 The Lol Ha Restaurant is having a Valentine’s Day fundraiser for Hekab Be Library, with a delicious dinner menu, and great entertainment with Paula Liebe.  See Paula at YouTube.
 

VALENTINE’S DAY - DID YOU KNOW?

192 million Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged annually, making Valentine’s Day the second-most popular greeting-card-giving occasion.  (This total excludes packaged kids valentines for classroom exchanges.)

Nearly 60 percent of all Valentine’s Day cards are purchased in the six days prior to the observance, making Valentine’s Day a procrastinator’s delight.
 

COMINGS AND GOINGS

o   Gary & Oveta Vardell
o   Michael & Lunda Schwartz
o   Terry & Lisa Turner
o   Macon & Susan Gravlee
o   Mark & Maureen Miller
o   Steve & Kathleen Cole
o   Nance & Crayton Walker
o   Gary & Bev Dehn
o   Larry & Shari Jackson
o   Gail Olson & Steve Hopkins
o   Scott & Barbara Smith
o   Sharne Hampton
o   Michele Connor
o    

 Goings:
·         Donnie & Cheryl Hall have left.
·         Beryl & Susanne Van Lierop left in December.
·         David, Laura & Ryan Bush returned to Texas.
·         Wendell Day returned north for a short trip, but he is back in town.
·         Jim Farrell has returned to Austin.
·         Bob & Sherwood Anders are back in San Francisco.
·         Ken Anderson has left for Jamaica, and Mary will be following soon.
 

AKUMAL COUNCIL GENERAL MEETING, FEBRUARY 15

The next scheduled meeting of the Akumal Council General Membership is on Wednesday, February 15^th at 10:00, and it will be at CEA. 

 TOPIC: 2012-2013 Fiscal Changes

This informal meeting will be to provide updates and discussion on the regulatory changes in the fiscal code.  Effective in 2012, penalties will not only include fines, but there are also criminal consequences for failure to pay taxes or other fiscal violations.  You REALLY should come to this meeting if you:

·         pay taxes in Mexico,

·         have a business in Mexico,

·         have property along the Federal Zone,

·         ever rent out your house.

 And, there will be a quick update on the North Akumal Road project.

PRESIDENT’S DAY FEBRUARY 20^th

President’s Day is the 3rd Monday in February, and this year it is the 20^th  .  The original version of the holiday was in commemoration of George Washington's birthday in 1796 (the last full year of his presidency).  Washington, according to the calendar that has been used since at least the mid-18th century, was born on February 22, 1732.  According to the old style calendar in use back then, however, he was born on February 11.  At least in 1796, many Americans celebrated his birthday on the 22nd while others marked the occasion on the 11th instead.

By the early 19th century, Washington's Birthday had taken firm root in the American experience as a bona fide national holiday.  Its traditions included Birthnight Balls in various regions, speeches and receptions given by prominent public figures, and a lot of revelry in taverns throughout the land.  Then along came Abraham Lincoln, another revered president and fellow February baby (born on the 12th of the month).  The first formal observance of his birthday took place in 1865, the year after his assassination, when both houses of Congress gathered for a memorial address.  While Lincoln's Birthday did not become a federal holiday like George Washington's, it did become a legal holiday in several states.

In 1968, legislation was enacted that affected several federal holidays.  One of these was Washington's Birthday, the observation of which was shifted to the third Monday in February each year, whether or not it fell on the 22nd.  This act, which took effect in 1971, was designed to simplify the yearly calendar of holidays and give federal employees some standard three-day weekends in the process. 

Apparently, while the holiday in February is still officially known as Washington's Birthday (at least according to the Office of Personnel Management), it has become popularly (and, perhaps in some cases at the state level, legally) known as "President's Day."  This has made the third Monday in February a day for honoring both Washington and Lincoln, as well as all the other men who have served as president.
  

CEA FESTIVAL, FEBRUARY 22nd to 29th   

Mark your calendar for CEA's Annual Festival - Waves of Change – 2012.   The Silent Auction will kick it off on February 22.  The Gala Dinner will wrap it up on February 29.  Gala Dinner; tickets will be available in January: 750 pesos or 60 USD.  You can purchase tickets directly from the CEA office, or on the CEA Web site starting February 1.  PayPal will offer a space to note how many reservations you are making, and they are non-refundable.  $30 of each reservation is tax deductible using PayPal.  Remember, there will be a Live Auction during the dinner.

E-mail CEA at info@ceakumal.org  if you have any questions.
  

WHAT’S NEW AROUND TOWN?

AKUMAL

Ken & Mary Anderson Are Leaving Akunal
Ken has accepted a position in Jamaica and left Akumal on January 29^th.  Mary is finalizing details with Tequilaville and will follow sometime in February.  Mary reports that they have sold Tequilaville to another Canadian – no details are being made available yet – who plans to keep the name, staff, and menu.  There was a “Going Away” party for Ken on January 27^th.  The expected transition/takeover is scheduled for March 1^st.

North Akumal Road Update
Work continues on the North Akumal road up around the Lagoon area, and this section should be finished sometime in February.  Even if you have no reason to drive all the way down to the Lagoon, you should make the trip just to see how this has been done.

A rotary island, with a statue from the Lagoon, is going right there in front of the entrance.

It looks like road in front of Villa Gauguin is going to be done soon.  Unfortunately, it seems the section between the Lagoon entrance and Villa Gauguin is not going to be paved.

This is another section that will be paved soon.  It is just north of La Lunita.

Things are really coming along fine, thanks to the efforts of Russ of Akumal Investments and Rhett of Akumal Villas.

 Tryouts for “Akumal’s Got Talent”
As you know, Akumal is presenting its own version of all of the talent reality shows on the Akumal stage on March 17^th, and green dressed leprachauns definitely will have an edge with the judges.  And, to ensure we have the very best that Akumal has to offer, there are going to be tryouts at Tequilaville on February 28^th, starting at 6:00pm.

Bobby Sapia’s 40^th Birthday Disco Party
Monica Estrada reports, “You are invited to attend and participate in Bobby Sapia’s 40^th birthday party on Saturday, February 25^th at the CEA Center.  It is going to be 70's disco theme with a lighted dance floor.  It is a BYOB party, so please bring your favorite spirits to drink.”

Que Onda Open for Breakfast

Maribel reports, “Que Onda, the deli, is open to the public for breakfast from 7:30am – 11:00am.  And, a weekly “to go” menu is available at the deli - served 12 to finishing it - order today for pick-up tomorrow; i.e. one day notice.”

Question of the Month
How many FOR SALE signs are there in North Akumal?

PGA GOLF AT MAYAKOBA, FEBRUARY 22 – 26^th  

The Mayakoba Golf Classic tournament will be held at El Camaleón Golf Club at the Mayakoba resort in Playa del Carmen, México, February 22 - 26, 2012.

The Mayakoba Golf Classic made golf history when it became the first PGA TOUR event to ever be contested outside of the United States and Canada in February 2007. After five years of steady growth, México’s Only PGA TOUR Event is regarded as one of the finest on TOUR. Players rave about El Camaleón Golf Club as a competitive venue and about the Mayakoba Resort as an ideal location to bring their families.

With the wonders of the Riviera Maya and Cancún regions, the beauty of the Mayakoba resort and the warmth and hospitality of the Mexican people, the Mayakoba Golf Classic is poised for its best year ever when 132 pro golfers descend upon Playa del Carmen for the  2012 edition of México's Only PGA TOUR Event.

World Golf Hall of Fame member Greg Norman has announced his intentions to compete in the Mayakoba Golf Classic which will be contested February 22-26 at the Mayakoba resort. Norman, winner of 20 PGA TOUR tournaments and designer of the host course El Camaleón, will be competing for the second time in Mexico’s only PGA TOUR event.
 

MEXICAN FLAG DAY FEBRUARY 24^th

February 24 is Mexican Flag Day, a national holiday that honors the Mexican flag

The national Día de la Bandera (Flag Day) celebration occurs on February 24.  On this day in 1821, all the factions fighting in the War of Independence joined together to form the Army of the Three Guarantees in response to the Plan de Iguala, which was signed by Vicente Guerrero and Agustín de Iturbide, officially declaring Mexico an independent country.  General Vicente Guerrero was the first military official who swore allegiance to the national flag.  Another flag tradition is that before every Olympics in which Mexico is a participant, the President hands a flag over to the flag bearer, chosen by their peers, to carry with them to the host city.

The Flag of Mexico is a vertical tricolor of green, white, and red with the national coat of arms charged in the center of the white stripe.  While the meaning of the colors has changed over time, these three colors were adopted by Mexico following independence from Spain during the country's War of Independence.  The current flag was adopted in 1968, but the overall design has been used since 1821 when the First National Flag was created.  The current law of national symbols that governs the use of the national flag has been in place since 1984.

Throughout history, the flag has changed eight times, as the design of the coat of arms and the length-width ratios of the flag have been modified.  However, the coat of arms has had the same features throughout: an eagle, holding a serpent in its talon, is perched on top of a prickly pear cactus; the cactus is situated on a rock that rises above a lake.  The coat of arms is derived from an Aztec legend that their gods told them to build a city where they spot an eagle and a serpent, which is now Mexico City.  The current national flag, the Fourth National Flag, is also used as the Mexican naval ensign by ships registered in Mexico.
 

2012 OSCAR TELECAST, FEBRUARY 26^th

The 84th Academy Awards ceremony will honor the best films of 2011 and will take place on Sunday, February 26, 2012, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California.  It will be televised in Akumal on ABC.  Billy Crystal will be taking over as host, while Brian Grazer takes over as producer.  This will be Crystal's ninth time hosting the awards ceremony.

EVENTS

Once again, Robin’s “Best Shirt Award”, was the only recorded “Event” for January, but February is bursting at the seams with events..  

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