Yucatan Living

Yucatan News: No Tobacco, No Terrorists

Progreso: Navy Day Concert

We tend to get in the habit of looking to Merida and venues such as Teatro Jose Peon Contreras for performances by internationally famous musicians and songsters. We might want to rethink that. More and more often, we see fabulous talent performing in outlying municipalities and such was certainly the case this week when the Orquesta Sinfónica, Coro y Mariachi de la Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional put on a three hour concert in Progreso. The concert was in honor of Navy Day. From now on, we will certainly be watching as Progreso builds its cultural offerings to the level of being able to compete with any other city in Mexico.

International Day Without Tobacco Day

Throughout Yucatan, enthusiasm runs high for celebration of the International Day Without Tobacco. All over the state, health information has reached the people. Smokers are trying to cut back and/or quit, and young people are encouraged not to take up the habit in the first place. Please mark your calendars every year for May 31, the date of the International Day Without Tobacco – and look for the signature clean ashtrays with fresh flowers throughout Yucatan.

Sisal in the Spring

As Sisal continues to grow, we are seeing more events and activity there than ever before. Sisal is about 25 miles northwest of the City of Merida. It was once the most active port in Yucatan, it is the port that lent its name to the product made from henequen and, as far as we know, Sisal is the only town in Yucatan that has its very own historic cannons... and we've heard even some historic skeletons that are occasionally exhumed on the beach by hurricanes. But quaint, quiet and historic are not what Sisal is about to everyone. The Municipality of Hunucma’s children, parents and teachers just celebrated the Second Annual Beach Soccer Tournament in Sisal. Participants included 180 students from 15 elementary schools in Kinchil, Tetiz, Hunucma and Ucú.

U.S. State Dept.: No Terrorist Groups in Mexico

The United States State Department ruled this week that there are no terrorist organizations operating in Mexico and that the criminal groups that exist in Mexico lack political and ideological motivations. They also praised the Mexican government for continuing to strengthen its law enforcement institutions and for dismantling the criminal organizations responsible for the violence related to drug trafficking. This is good news that has been long awaited by expats who live in and love Mexico because the report also noted that no terrorist organization began targeting U.S. citizens inside or from Mexico. Hopefully, this will put much of the irresponsible North-of-the-Border press stories to rest at long last.

Yucatan Artisan Day: May 30

We have a new annual date to add to our calendar. This event is promoted by the Gran Museo del Mundo Maya de Merida, the newest museum in town. There are a few things we should know about the artisans of Yucatan, and much that we should try to understand from their point of view. Everybody loves a bargain, but did you know that 70% of Dzitya’s 2,000 inhabitants depend on working in the quarry and carving wood for crafts in order to live? Did you know that there are over 100,000 embroiderers in Yucatan? Did you know that most, if not nearly all, of the handicraft artisans in Yucatan are poor and have to fight the dreaded haggling over price for their work? Please remember the time and talent of Yucatan’s artisans the next time you go shopping. It doesn’t do any society any good to have the work of an entire segment of the population not given the respect it (and they) deserve. Please remember the Artisans of Yucatan next May 30 and, as always, buy Yucatecan whenever possible. And if you feel you are given a fair price at the start, maybe consider not negotiating that price down next time.

Restructuring Healthcare Coming Soon in Yucatan

Yucatan’s health care community is finding it increasingly difficult to provide the quality of health and social services they feel professionally and morally obligated to provide because there are so many different types of health care providers and so many entrances into the system. Some Yucatecos have IMSS and ISSSTE for health and social services. Some have Seguro Popular. The health care system of the state also depends on private institutions, such as the Red Cross, to provide everything from ambulances to orthopedic and cancer hospitals. There is also a significant segment of the population that now has private health insurance, and an additional layer in the mix because of the health care requirements of the National Commission for the Development of Indigenous Peoples. All of this is said to observe that Yucatan is currently experiencing the decidedly confusing and uncomfortable necessity of having to find a way to establish a single health care system in which all of these different providers and entrances into the system can be interconnected to provide the best care possible for all Yucatecos. We are so pleased that today’s discussion is about how to streamline health care in Yucatan, instead of the tragedies in other nations, where people may have no health care at all.

A New Corporate Image for Yucatan

Inspired by the Dance of the Ribbons, Yucatan’s current administration has a brand new new logo. The promise that they want to communicate with the new logo is to be committed to the well being of the people. The designer of the logo says that the different colors represent employment, modernity, mobility, youth education, health, rural development, sustainability, efficiency and support to women. The designer added that the ribbons are interwoven to represent the security and stability found in the fabric of daily life in Yucatan. Congratulations to the designer and to the committee that worked so hard to find a logo that will present Yucatan to the world during this administration.

Progreso: Navy Day News

Congratulations to la Reina de la Marina (Queen of the Marina), 16 year old Cindy Vanessa Coral Uribe. Unfortunately, the remnants of Tropical Storm Barbara necessitated that the Atomikite 2013 Kiteboarding Tournament be rescheduled for the following weekend (June 7 – 9). Otherwise, as the festivities that come with Dia de la Marina open, all is well and everyone is having a wonderful time. We somehow doubt that anything could have stopped the Marathon of the Marina. That run took place on the road between Merida and Yucatan at 5:00 AM, rain or shine. If you are a runner, you might want to sign up for the Marathon of the Marina next year. Prizes include cash, cars and motorcycles.

Public Health: Beach Conditions

All of the beaches in Yucatan are currently safe, but the beaches around the pier in Progreso have an increased level of contamination as summer crowds grow bigger. It is interesting to know that, during the winter, COFERPRIS tests the coastal waters of Yucatan every two to three weeks, but in the summer or when there is a red tide threat, those evaluations move to every other day. Evaluations of the condition of the coastal waters in Yucatan take place with the support and assistance of the State Health Department Laboratory and the Merida Unit of the Center for Research and Advanced Studies (CINVESTAV). Although swimming on Progreso’s beaches is not currently restricted, the Federal Commission for Protection Against Health Risks (COFERPRIS) is recommending that visitors avoid swimming on the beaches around the pier.