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the cozumel islander cozumel islander the showcasing the island s people and businesses vol i issue 10 free february 2011 it is the first day of the year as i approach one of the tables at the new year s day gathering we are attending someone remarks that i could be michael jackson my questioning look is answered with another question do you want to be on our float this year that s it the collective consciousness has shifted to carnaval cozumel 2011 though we still have the three kings day celebration with its traditional rosca de reyes and the tamalada that follows on february 2nd the christmas holidays for some are officially over from now until the burning of juan carnaval on march 9th no one will be spared from the tsunami-like spirit of this yearly event that is over 130 years old there are many components to carnival dances comparsas contests theme parties spiced with traditional regional foods and music but perhaps none as well attended and anticipated by the local folk and visitors of all ages as the parades each parade is a display of creativity a result of team work perseverance and ingenuity cont on pg 4 important numbers police ambulance red cross cmc san miguel medic fire dept coz hyperbarics hyperbaric center u.s consulate anne harris immigration taxi airport 872-0092 066 872-1058/065 872-9400 872-0103 872-0800 872-3070 872-1430 872-4574 872-0071 872-0041 872-2081

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falling in love again by myrna cleghorn i fell in love with cozumel on my first visit to the island twenty something years ago years later i fell in love in cozumel ­met the texan cowboy that made me rope in my own words i will not be caught dead with a texan cowboy­ and said i do until death do us part and ever since we moved here i fall in love again and again with the people the island the traditions and ah the food for my birthday my divine texan cowboy who has evolved into a savvy business man among other things took me to kondesa for dinner kondesa is a new restaurant in town the brainchild of kinta s owner kris wallenta and his brother jason it is set in a yard guarded by a centuries-old tree that inspires reverence inspiration and reverence are probably more appropriate terms for a publication than culinary orgasm ­a term that came to mind somewhere between the main course and the pastel de los dioses dessert but i am getting ahead of myself when we arrived we were greeted by oscar our waiter who quickly showed us to our table and set us up with drinks as we studied the menu our conversation was reduced to one sound mmmmm to start and only because we did not want to spoil our appetite we shared a pakete de maiz a tamale with wine cilantro cream and sautéed shrimp there is no way to describe how tasty it was but perhaps to say that a taste of the pakete de maiz would put life back into pacal the great famous mayan ruler of palenque though tempted to order everything on the menu we chose the peskado in cilantro sauce and the pollo enchiladas as our main courses while i succumbed to the taste of grilled fish with red rice and veggie chilaquiles my cowboy an enchilada aficionado surrendered to the chicken tinga with cranberry zucchini and salsa guajillo we did not lick our fingers out of decorum but had we been home i suspect the story would have been different and then just as a sense of pure contentment had descended upon us all the waiters arrived singing happy birthday surrounding our table and placing a scrumptious looking piece of cake in front of us crowned with a candle and slices of star fruit and kiwi there under the branches of the old venerable tree they sang happy birthday and my spirit was elevated to nirvana as i took bite after bite of a light velvety chocolate cake called pastel de los dioses cake of the gods do i need to say more yes i fell in love again that night and this time cupid s name is kondesa if there is no chocolate in heaven i am not going seven days without chocolate make one weak there is nothing better than a good friend except a good friend with chocolate forget love i d rather fall in chocolate

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the cozumel islander check out our website www.thecozumelislander.com published by blues parrot of cozumel sa de cv de rl © 2011 publishers sieverts cleghorns geyers webmaster gecko creativo sales distribution larry kevin contributing writers myrna cleghorn jack hamulka monica velazco jennifer segovia sue will sievert dick kruse gwen gregory rich neault larry cleghorn sources agirlsworld.com about.com stumblerz.com life123.com romancestuck.com kondesa is the latest project of kinta chef/owner kris wallenta and his brother jason kondesa is a contemporary mexican restaurant in a lush garden setting with a festive yet relaxing ambiance the cuisine is based on mexican tradition with a modern approach that focuses on the freshest ingredients available specialties from the kitchen include an in guak we trust trio of guacamole shrimp plantain enchiladas and a home made chai infused flan the bar features refreshing and tasty cocktails such as cucumber vodka cooler and the all new kondesa punch d open at 5:30 pm closed monday opening mid to late february for lunch advertising in the cozumel islander is a breeze thecozumelislander@gmail.com 044 987-107-9997 044 987 876 0674 3 www.thecozumelislander.com 5 ave btw 7 and 9 streets 987-869-1086 the cozumel islander february

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at the new year s gathering among the guests sitting at the table is teresa jo mentzer texas native and cozumel resident for the last five years teresa her husband steve and an ever changing ever growing group of friends have put to test their resourcefulness to come up with some novel ideas for a float which just like the group has grown in size with time after her first visit to the island in 1989 teresa picked cozumel as her dream place to retire a self employed hair dresser she manifested her dream in 2006 when she and her husband moved to the island and made it their home what brought her here was diving what has kept her here is a love for cozumel its people the culture and everything it represents five years ago a float with the theme of the wild wild west marked their incursion into the wild wild experience of floating in carnival that float was small in size about four meters but we had fourteen or sixteen people packed in it dressed as saloon girls and cowboys the year after that on a float the same size they featured a disco theme with afros and strobe lights in 2009 the then popular musical movie mamma mia served as inspiration and the float got upgraded with a sound system that blasted the famous abba songs up and down the malecón waterfront last years surfing safari had so many participants that they rented a bigger float allowing them extra space to put a tiki bar and a huge paper mache wave none of us had worked with paper mache before but we went to see a person that works with it here on the island and got some pointers we collected crates cardboard from the dumpster bought chicken wire paper paint glitter glue and went to work it took a few days as everything had to dry after each coat of glue then came the paint and the glitter which had to go on while the paint was still wet the ocean foam was made of pillow stuffing with more glitter to make the tiki bar they collected dried pieces of bamboo from the beach and cut them in halves a palapa roof completed the structure and the term party animal took on new meaning that year this year s float will feature rock and pop stars it s got to be shiny and outrageous and each personality has to be easily recognized by the crowds teresa explains the float design again a team effort from conception to birth includes a center stage complete with a disco ball and spot lights the lights and the music system will be powered by two generators the outfits are either made by a tailor in town or by the participants themselves teresa is already working on her lady gaga attire sewing being one of the by-products of her years of carnival experience cont on pg 7 the cozumel islander february 4 www.thecozumelislander.com

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987-869-0456 7 am 12 am daily serving real coffee espresso cappuccino and tea for real people since 1995 with wifi breakfast lunch dinner gourmet salads and deli items and pastry 3 st between melgar 5 ave south glass jewelry handblown vessels open 11-7 m-f or call for appt 15 ave between 8 10 st no #449 table and sconce lamps paintings on silk nightlights 987-869­ 0963 www.cozumelglassart.com our advertisers would love to issue a gift certificate for that special person/s for any occasion do you remember when if you have a wonderful memory of cozumel we would like for you to share it with us so we can share it with others thecozumelislander@gmail.com try our mayan massage it s a totally unique experience 1st street #241 between 5 10 ave 120-1326 or cell 987-116-0219 www.blissdayspacozumel.com 5 5 www.thecozumelislander.com www.thecozumelislander.com the cozumel islander february

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music truth or dare rolling stones were the first to perform the famous route 66 song by murph from london england music venues wednesdays alberto s beach bar kaoba sunset la hach karma 11 pm-2 am rock rock thursdays alberto s beach bar caribbean show sunset la hach karma 11 pm-2 am rock pirata s rock on ­ 11 pm-3 am rock corona bar kaoba­10:30pm-2am rock el tiki tok explocion latino-10 pm latino melia hotel agelito de la salsa 10 pm salsa the worlds best selling instrument is the harmonica by jewlz rhode island fridays alberto s beach bar so kaoba 10 pm rock the plaza la cuzamil band 8-10 pm latino ambar cinecero­ 11pm-3am rock piratas rock on ­11 pm-3 am rock la hach karma 11 pm-2 am rock corona sports bar kaoba-10:30 pm-2 am rock the money bar red eye 6-9 pm classic rock la palapita angelito de la salsa 9-11 pm aquino y su banda aguanile 11 pmrock alberto s beach bar kaoba -sunset reggae ell tiki tok explosion latino-10 pm latino azucar requiem 11 pm rock the first book to ever include a musical composition was in 1457 by nathaniel maine saturdays viva mexico aquino y aguanile mid-2:30 am aqua restaurant/bar jazz/acoustic 9 pm the plaza la cuzamil band 8-10 pm latino corona sports bar live music 10:30 pm-2 am pirata s rock on ­10-3 am rock la hach red eye­ 11 pm rock hard rock café black knight-11 pm rock the money bar red eye 6-9 pm rock ambar cenicero 11pm-3am rock el tiki tok explosion latino­10 pm latino azucar requiem 11 pm rock la palapita live music 11 pm soft rock sundays the plaza la cuzamil band 8-10 pm playa azul aquino y aguanile 2 pm the money bar red eye 3-6 pm cubano salsa rock if you know of any new music venues please e-mail us the place the band name days and 5 avenue south between 1st st and adolfo rosado salas times at thecozumeislander@gmail.com the cozumel islander feburary 6 www.thecozumelislander.com

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although they are hoping to find more participants teresa is confident at this year s flat bed tractor trailer will be as full and as much fun as the smaller floats in previous years not everyone takes part in all four parades so the total cost of putting together the float including drinks and candy and beads to throw to the crowd is split equally per person per night making it affordable for most dancing in heels for four hours is brutal exhausting but so much fun she says and then there are the anecdotes of parades past one year as they were getting ready to move the float to go home while trying to get on the trailer one of the participants got her toe ran over and the toenail had to be pulled painful as it sounds it still brings a good laugh to those that were present including the victim herself besides motivation creativity tenacity and stamina what does it take to enter a float in carnival a quick visit to the palacio municipal city hall will get your float registered then on the day of the parade itself you need to be ready and lined up by 4:oo pm behind cozumel s convention center which in the case of the rock star float means they need to get to work a few hours earlier to get the sound system generators and other items on as well as getting dressed and made up for the event the parade starts at 6:00 pm and it lasts until the last float has gone all the way to airport blvd and back to the starting point once is over the team goes to work putting away valuable items before parking the trailer on a special lot only to start all over the next afternoon i ask teresa what would you say to a newcomer to cozumel who wants to participate in the parade jump on she answers eyes shining the anticipation of another fun-filled cozumel carnival burning through cozumel carnival 2011 main events will run from wednesday march 2 to wednesday march 9th the cozumel islander february 7 www.thecozumelislander.com

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christmas until february in mexico christmas holiday celebrations are not officially over until february 2nd día de la candelaria about the time most children in the united states are returning to school from their christmas vacation mexican children are looking forward to receiving gifts from the three kings three kings day is observed on january 6 this is supposedly the day that the three kings from the orient found the manger where baby jesus had been born and presented him with gifts of myrrh incense and gold the celebration includes sharing among friends and family a rosca de reyes a sweet oval shaped bread that bears inside a small porcelain doll the bread is cut in slices and whoever gets the doll becomes the host for the next celebration to take place on feb 2nd día de la candelaria el día de la candelaria after taking a figure of baby jesus attired in new clothes to a nearby church to have it blessed family and friends get together at the host s home this time to share tamales and atole a beverage similar to hot chocolate officially culminating the christmas holiday celebrations and in cozumel just in time to start pre-carnival revelries 8 tv s 9 foot screen in the garden live pay per view events enjoy the best coconut shrimp colossal peel and eat shrimp succulent ribs crispy fish taco s or our famous fish n chips and much more from a full menu we are located at the plaza on 1st street between 5 and 10 aves enjoy recipes that have been in our family for many generations bienvenidos the cozumel islander february 8 10 ave no btw ars 1st st 878-4738 kelley s is your place for sports www.thecozumelislander.com

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the love of my life by larry cleghorn there i was diving the mornings skating the evenings and carlos `n charlie s-ing the nights away people knew me as señor patines mr skates as i used to skate from one end of the malecón to the other every afternoon after 5:00pm hair down to my shoulders lycra shorts and cut-off t-shirts ­not one worry or complication in the world not lonely either chef and restauranteur yvonne villiger has brought together passion for food personal service and dedication to this second-generation cozumel restaurant established in 1978 by her father guido the wood-fired oven where great tasting pizza and lasagna are cooked and their homemade pastas make it a unique experience.yvonne s daily specials of fresh fish seafood platters and meats are well known to locals and tourists alike guidos cozumel reastaurant in mexico offers a finely selected assortment of international wines and guido s famous pitcher of sangria help round out a memorable meal my wife and i went to guido s on the trip advisor recommendation and could not have been happier we sat in their beautiful courtyard which was an oasis from the mad house outside on the street lunch was excellent well-prepared and nicely served the bottle of wine was delicious guido s is the real deal rick miles then one day while visiting a good friend at the club cozumel caribe i saw her swishing down the hallway and she took my breath away she cleaned and dressed me up or rather i did it for her cut my hair too long gone are the nights at carlos `n charlie s but sixteen years later she still takes my breath away she is my wife the love of my life melgar between 6 and 8 st no gretchen martin attorney-at-law accounting services 987 872 0946 fm2 and fm3 documentation monthly accounting services legal representation in all matters foreign corporations gretchen speaks english experience downtown ambiance and a view of the caribbean in a luxurious boutique hotel at a fraction of the cost 987-869-6046/869-3595 cell:987-113-0217 e-mail:heisel@prodigy.net.mx the cozumel islander february 9 all suites are fully furnished with state-of-the-art appliances and a modern mexican décor reservations 987-872-0946 www.thecozumelislander.com

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snorkeling diving and fishing trips glass bottom boats auto and scooter rentals special day trips albert einstein postulated that time was not as dependable as previously thought and given the right circumstances time could be shorter or longer higher or lower and the present could be the future had he lived in cozumel he could have saved miles of chalk board and spent more time playing nintendo in cozumel time is a sometimes thing and with the proper attitude the quality of life takes on a new and gentler dimension unlike the more northern parts of the continent where a trip to the supermarket entails pushing a cart with a list in one hand and eyes trained on the shelves here it s an adventure that requires the patience and stealth of a primordial hunter the cashier line is a social event and a time to catch up with friends and family when i first came to the island i found my foot tapping impatiently while waiting for the cashier to finish visiting with her father chatting with her mother making plans for the weekend with her boyfriend and taking care of her baby sister in time i learned to spend the wait time productively by chatting with her mother visiting with her father and cooing with her sister to do otherwise would be a waste of all of our time dealing with services on the island is much the same whereas in the states or canada the cable guy will give you an arrival time of between 10 and 12 in cozumel it will be likely between 10 and 2:00 or maybe 4:00 and 6:00 the actual day of arrival may vary between two days and two weeks the window of opportunity is decidedly larger on the island then in the northern reaches however the sun shines and the breezes are cool and waiting becomes a national sport things do get done and the cable gets hooked and you ll probably spend some time chatting with the installer as someone else waits down the line cont on next pg 987-112-7878 mr.bigotes@hotmail.com tel 987 869 8189 cel 044 987 103 6525 email novoa_ale@hotmail.com 30 ave pj coldwell #1320 second floor across from conalep the cozumel islander february 10 www.thecozumelislander.com

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cont from previous pg watches here are a fashion accessory and serve no practical purpose the sunrise and sunset being the only true indicator of time calendars simply count the days until carnival and christmas our seasons are low-season high-season tourist season and hurricane season what else is there to know while the lack of time constraints may be frustrating to us that were or are governed by the clock the pace of life here allows for time for reflection self-examination and maybe a time for another margarita or two patience is not only a virtue on cozumel it is the key to survival and that s not a bad thing we ve only been given so many heart beats and there is no point in wasting them on frustration and impatience when you can well have another margarita scuba diving excursions island jeep tours snorkel adventures deep sea fishing private charters customized ocean and land tours 987-116-9337 www.2dsdivingandtours.com should you have some extra space in your luggage please remember the children of the island would enjoy beads and candy for carnival we specialize in a unique selection of cool clothes not found anywhere else at very affordable outlet prices you are going to love mon sat 10 2 5 9 we are located in front of the corpus christi park on ave xel-ha corner with carnival ladies show february 24th at moby dick starting at 5 pm cel 25 y ebr a s ear ting an all ladies extravaganza not to be missed the cozumel islander february 11 www.thecozumelislander.com

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cozumel scuba repair fixing your underwater experience since 1990 dare to check out our new warrior carratera a chankanaab km 4 5 cozumel 77600 méxico 001-800-364-0291 exclusive design no frills just thrills calle 1 sur entre 85 y 90 ave 987 869 8116 mon-fri 8:30 am -5 pm saturday 8:30 am 1 pm www.cozumelscubarepair.com the cozumel islander february 12 www.thecozumelislander.com

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an unleashed spirit by monica velazco a few days ago a dog very dear to me died she stopped existing no more pucca other than in our memories a very memorable character as anyone who met her might agree i have had many dogs and of course loved them all and enjoyed their peculiarities and everything in this one was peculiar both her looks and her personality had contrasting softness and toughness her coat was coarse like pig s hair on her back but silky soft on top of her head she played rough with the rest of my pack but never got mean with any of them she did however take a little taste of several of my house guests she would look at you straight in the eye wag her tail and as soon as you turned away she would nip your calf just the smallest pinch but enough to make you jump and scream and maybe leave a bit of purple on your leg before she became part of our family pucca was a seasoned street dog who endured 2 hurricanes out there somewhere she was street-smart as can be and only trusted herself to cross a street she could heel on a leash impeccably when walking along the side-walk but when it came to crossing it had to be her call not mine she learned to love the comforts of a couch and a bed even though on her first night with us she wasn t so sure about the blanket i put on the floor for her she definitely enjoyed a day at the beach but at the end of the day she would get in the car and wait to be taken home she was not a camper at all why sleep on the sand when we have beds at home pucca thought of herself as a great huntress even if she never caught anything i finally understood that catching the prey was not her goal it was the chase that she enjoyed and boy did she put her heart into it the last chase of her life was after a wild pig it was not the first time she chased one she had the pleasure of chasing these musky animals several times and she did get her feathers more than ruffled by one of those once before a broken rib and over 15 stitches peccaries would rather keep away and will not attack unless they are bothered which is why it was so much fun to chase them but pucca must have driven this one to its witt s end he warned her and then hurt her i heard it and she still continued to chase him for another 15 to 20 minutes maybe she would be alive if she had let go and went off to lick her wounds but as much as i miss her it was her choice chasing was bigger than her she was a free spirit she loved life and there was no restraining her from enjoying it in her own way and why not let her other than a small bruise on the legs of a few of my friends she never hurt anyone so although keeping her on a leash would have been safer i would not have done that to her to leash someone who can smell and run and chase like she could that was living for pucca and she lived well if not that long the cozumel islander february 13 www.thecozumelislander.com

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new options for weight control management metabolic disorders obesity is now recognized by leading international authorities as one of the most important health epidemics of the 21st century considered a chronic disease obesity is the second leading cause of preventable death exceeded only by cigarette smoking obesity is a major risk factor for hypertension cardiovascular disease diabetes mellitus and some cancers in both men and women the most recent statistics show the united states has the dubious distinction of being the worldwide obesity frontrunner with 31 of the adult population showing a body mass index greater than 30 mexico comes in a close second with 24 of adults falling into the obese category body mass index bmi is a measurement which compares weight and height and is related to obesity categories in the following manner · bmi 25 to 29.9 grade 1 obesity moderate overweight · bmi 30 to 39.9 grade 2 obesity severe overweight · bmi 40 grade 3 obesity massive/morbid obesity diabetes metabolic syndrome weight loss surgery does weight loss surgery cure diabetes one recent study in the journal of the american medical association jama found that 73 percent of people with diabetes who underwent weight loss surgery achieved remission which is defined as normal blood sugar levels and no need for diabetes medication a landmark 2004 study in jama of more than 22,000 people who underwent bariatric surgery showed that type 2 diabetes was completely resolved in 76.8 percent of people and it improved in 86 percent of people another study in the annals of surgery showed that 83 percent of 240 people who underwent gastric bypass were cured of their diabetes the optimum results are obtained in patients that undergo surgery within 5 years of diabetes onset many practitioners believe that surgery may benefit even people with diabetes who not over weight or obese weight loss procedures °gastric balloon °lap band °gastric bypass °gastric sleeve diabetes and obesity are connected roughly 90 percent of people newly diagnosed with diabetes are overweight or obese metabolic syndrome is a group of risk factors including high blood pressure high blood sugar unhealthy cholesterol levels and abdominal fat these risk factors double your risk of heart disease and increase your risk of diabetes by five times metabolic syndrome is thought to be related to obesity the cozumel islander february 14 www.thecozumelislander.com

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what to look for in a weight loss surgery program multidisciplinary team ­ weight loss clinics utilizing the multispecialty team approach have shown to obtain the best long-term results in patients your surgeon or gastroenterologist should be board certified in their specialty with special bariatric procedure certification the team should include initial consultation and follow up by a psychologist to monitor and guide patient behavior a bariatric trained dietitian is a vital part of the pre and post procedure plan to make sure that the patient is reeducated in healthy nutritional habits and monitor weight loss progress optimally an integral approach also includes a personal trainer to supervise an exercise plan customized to the patients needs certification by manufacturer in the case of gastric balloon and lap-band procedures another important item to check when choosing a provider is that the surgeon or gastroenterologist has been certified by the manufacturer to use their products this ensures that the materials inserted surgically are of the utmost quality and that the treating physician has received the rigorous training for their placement bariatric treatment for obesity diabetes saves money its more cost-effective to treat obesity and diabetes with weight loss surgery than with conventional medical therapy the cost of surgery is usually less than one years treatment for the chronic diseases associated in addition life expectancy on the average is raised 10 years now many weight loss centers offer different types of financing that permit no patient requiring an intervention to be left behind cozumel medical center offers a free initial consultation body mass index measurement see www.costamed.com.mx or contact info@costamed.com.mx calculate your bmi http www.yourbariatricsurgeryguide.com/bmi writter by jenny segovia cmc board of directors member every human is an artist the dream of your life is to make beautiful art -miguel angel ruiz barefoot in cozumel specializing in ashiatsu barefoot massage very deep or feather light it s the most luxurious massage on the planet www.barefootincozumel.com 878-4662 15 www.thecozumelislander.com the cozumel islander february

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