Vacation Reading, Puerto Aventuras, Quintana Roo, Riviera Maya, Mexico

Yes, I am one of those people that still likes to hold, read, and turn pages of paper-paged books.  No electronic ink for me. I read these four over the last few weeks and enjoyed them tremendously.  Richly developed characters and compelling story lines kept me glued to their pages for many hours.  If you're looking for a good read, try any one of the four - especially "The Language of Flowers."

Another New Place to Stay, Puerto Aventuras, Quintana Roo, Riviera Maya, Mexico

So here we are now at our third different condo accommodation in Puerto Aventuras - Porto Bello Marina and Villas - it was the first project built of the two Porto Bello properties here in Puerto Aventuras and located on a different part of the marina area. Both are fractional ownership concepts - which I think is just another way of saying "timeshare," but I expect there are other legal differences.

The condo building is to the left beside the pool, and many of the fishing charter boats dock in the marina at the right.

And the best part is that this place comes with Nutella!! Okay, not true, I bought it at the market and, yes, I know, it is not vegan due to some skimmed milk and whey in the ingredients. There are, however, vegan recipes on the internet so maybe I can make it back in the United States. Interestingly,  Nutella was created in the 1940's by Italian  Pietro Ferrero who used hazelnuts to extend the chocolate supply which was in short supply because of World War II.  It caught on.

Not to be outdone, the local version made in Mexico is "Crema de Avellanas con Cacao," which I translate as hazelnut cream with chocolate. I'll eat either one, thank you.

A New Day Dawning, Puerto Aventuras, Quintana Roo, Riviera Maya, Mexico

Clouds like this in the morning usually mean tropical downpours later in the day.

But for now, the morning is fresh and clean as viewed from the Omni Hotel in Puerto Aventuras.

Nearby, a pelican hangs out at the marina. I'm not sure why but, the pelican eye reminds me of turkey.

And I had never noticed the dagger point on a pelican's beak before. The striking pattern of their feathers is also pretty interesting.

Sunset at the pool. Both Villas del Mar and Porto Bello Gran Marina have used large boulders as part of the pool design - random boulders sitting there at the water's edge - like they dropped from the sky.

Dusk at the Marina, Puerto Aventuras, Quintana Roo, Riviera Maya, Mexico

Call me old-fashioned and probably a prude but, I think there is an age and body type that make wearing a thong/bikini swimsuit in public a bad idea. The man in the top kayak is an example of my point.

A dramatic cloud bathed in the last rays of the setting sun as viewed from Porto Bello Gran Marina. Yes, those are outdoor hot tubs on the corner of each deck.

Papa bear, mama bear, and baby bear all settled down in the night.

Another Day of Tropical Weather, Puerto Aventuras, Quintana Roo, Riviera Maya, Mexico

We are in a weather pattern now where the humidity is very high, the temperature gets up to mid-80's, the cumulus clouds build, and then the heavens let loose with a brief blinding downpour.  

Then it stops and the sun comes back out and the birds sing and dry off..........

.....preening away until their feathers are just so......

..... and the undersides, too.

But at dusk, the dark storm clouds roll in again for another downpour.  I don't think it cooled down much below 80 F last night - and no, that is not a complaint, just a statement.

Still Life, Puerto Aventuras, Quintana Roo, Riviera Maya, Mexico

Beer and habañero pepper.  By the way, the habañero pepper is rated 100,000 to 350,000 Scoville units as compared to the jalapeño which is only 3,500-8,000 units. (The Scoville scale is named after Wilbur Scoville, an American pharmacist.  It roughly measures the concentration of capsaicin.)

Sailboat mast reflection.

Boats, Puerto Aventuras, Quintana Roo, Riviera Maya, Mexico

A working marina in a resort location is a vibrant place. Dozens of boats line the quay wall waiting to take tourists on fishing or diving excursions. The crews, waiting for their customers, sit and stand around joking and laughing in rapid-fire Spanish, occasionally pausing to enjoy a communal snack of tortillas, rice, beans, and chicken. Music plays and life marches on.

Big or little, there is a boat for every need or want.

And this one even has a living hood ornament. I've never lived so close to a marina before - and hope not to again - the sound of motors running and the smell of exhaust don't suit me. 

A New Place to Stay, Puerto Aventuras, Quintana Roo, Riviera Maya, Mexico

We had booked Villas del Mar when we visited Mexico last year through VRBO (Vacation Rental by Owner). When we tried to book again for January and February this year, someone had already booked two weeks right in the middle of our planned stay.  So, we had to find other accommodations during that period.  For a 50 peso taxi ride, we lugged our stuff a few hundred yards/meters to Porto Bello Gran Marina for the first of two weeks.  These two images are from the terrace looking across the marina.

It has been mostly clear over the past two weeks but tonight these clouds rolled in to give a dramatic sky at sunset. At first glance, Porto Bello seems a more lively  environment than VDM - car traffic approaching the marina, boat motors running, people hooting and hollering and playing loud music on their boats - the sounds of life and commerce on a marina. The jury is still out but, I think I prefer the solitude of VDM - the gentle breezes rustling through the palms, waves breaking on the reef or lapping the shoreline, the agoutis scampering across the grass, the sound of the grackles squawking loudly - yep, I've turned into an old man increasingly intolerant of the noises of others.

Beach, Palm Trees, and Coconuts, Villas del Mar, Puerto Aventuras, Quintana Roo, Riviera Maya, Mexico

This is the view from the edge of the grass at Villas del Mar (VDM) looking out over their beach and out to sea. This is one of my favorite images from this trip so far - it so evokes the sense of place in my mind for our stay here.  I've roamed over this entire town and can confidently say that VDM has the best property, in the best location, on the best beach in Puerto Aventuras but, now it is time to leave for a couple weeks and stay elsewhere nearby. More about that in the next post.

Coconut palms dot the property - just be careful sitting under them - these fall every day at random times.

Even the green ones fall - a few can often be seen on the grass beneath the trees at first light every morning before being quickly scooped up by the ever-attentive grounds staff.

Underwater, Puerto Aventuras, Quintana Roo, Riviera Maya, Mexico

My career as an underwater photographer was short-lived.  I borrowed an inexpensive waterproof camera to use on this trip to Mexico. The fish were blurry and indistinct, the images totally without redeeming quality - except this one - I liked the inky reflection back from the underside of the water surface. It looks like a big monster spider is about to descend on the unsuspecting snorkeler.