Love Where You Live
  • Home
  • Life & Style
    • Features
    • People & Events
    • Advice for Pet Lovers
    • Home & Style blog
    • Real Estate >
      • Real Estate St. Johns BLOG
      • Featured Communities >
        • Focus on Trailmark
        • Focus on Shearwater
        • Focus on Nocatee
        • Age Restricted Communities
    • Travel
  • Dining
    • Local Restaurant Reviews
    • Local Chefs Series
    • Coastal Home Group's Favorite's
    • Restaurant Guide
  • Current Issue
  • Best of St. Johns
    • Best of Food & Wine 2024
    • Best of St. Johns Local Favorites 2024
    • Best of 2025 Voting
  • Local Stuff
    • Calendar
    • Guide to Health & Wellness >
      • BLOG Health & Wellness Providers BLOG
    • Special Needs & Autism Resources >
      • SJM Autism Blog
    • Guide to Non-profits
    • Guide to Established Neighborhoods
    • Guide to New Neighborhoods
    • Summer Camp
    • After School
    • Trivia Nights
    • Parks in St. Johns
    • Beaches
    • Farmer's Markets
    • Golf Courses
  • Advertise
    • Partner with Us
    • About Us
    • Past Issues
    • Contributors

 SCHOOL

contact us

Destination Tulum, Mexico

8/5/2014

1 Comment

 
Picture
by Debbie Gaylord

     Did you know sea turtles, or tortugas in Mexico, lay hundreds of eggs in a nest on the beach and then swim away and leave the baby turtles to fend for themselves? Lucky for the hatchlings, they have a built-in magnetic sense that helps them find their way. When they are only babies, they swim like maniacs to get as far away from shore as possible until they catch the Gulf Stream and it pulls them out into the center of the ocean to that magical place called the Sargasso Sea.  The sea has this special healing seaweed the turtles like to eat.  When they are ready to nest as adults they use their inner compass to return to the exact place they were born. They don’t need a map or a GPS or anything like humans use to help them find their way home. 
     While visiting Tulum, Mexico on the Riviera Maya this summer I witnessed more than ten sea turtles nesting on the tranquil beaches at night.  The largest number came up during the full moon.  It was pure magic to see the giant creatures lift their bodies from the ocean and climb up the beach.  I felt like I was part of something ancient and wonderful, a witness to nature’s blessings. Since they are an endangered species, teams of marine biology students scour the beaches waiting for the nesting turtles, protecting them from passersby, tagging them and measuring them for research. The best part of our turtle adventure was that it was unexpected.  It was a simple yet powerful gift bestowed by place and time.  
     We had taken the two-hour flight from Orlando to Cancun and driven about an hour and a half south to our beach house in Tulum seeking the turquoise blue waters off the reef, peace and relaxation under thatched roof palapas.  We chose an eco-friendly house without air conditioning that was run with a solar powered generator, planning to visit the Mayan Ruins, eat delicious Mexican cuisine, take in the local culture and explore some of the eco-centered activities for which the area is well known. The fact that tortugas gathered there in July and August was our little bonus.
     The Mayan Ruins were stunning, located on the bluffs high above the sea, and only a short five minute drive from the house.  For history buffs, more elaborate ruins are within a few hours if you are feeling more adventurous.
     Another highlight of Tulum was the food.  Sand floors and beach views abound and ceviche, a raw fish dish that is cured in limejuice & mixed with chili peppers to bring out the flavors was our favorite addiction.  We ordered it at almost every restaurant where we ate and each place had its own spin.  Also, the delicious fresh seafood was a draw; the butterfish, the red snapper, Caribbean lobster, and whole fresh fish complete with heads and eyeballs.
     But let us not forget the Mezcal!  In Tulum there are entire bars devoted to the distilling and serving of Mezcal, made from the agave plant.  The bartender owner at our favorite place, Mamma Mui had an entire menu of drinks he concocted with his homemade Mezcal combined with freshly squeezed juices (direct from the fruit not sitting in a refrigerator somewhere).  I highly recommend “The Mamma Mui” – a deliciously fresh Mezcal cocktail mixed with cucumber juice and lime, the rim of the glass laced with salt and chili powder.  
     Tulum, Mexico will change you – The Mayans called it City of Dawn. It lends a sense of renewal and rebirth that I encountered with new experiences and peace that permeated my soul.  Like the turtles that flock there in the summer Tulum has a slower pace that allowed this Americana to take in nature and slow down for a much needed change. 


1 Comment
Bright Vachirawit link
8/27/2023 01:57:28 am

Thank yoou for being you

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    St. Johns Magazine

    St. Johns Magazine blog features articles  written by & about the people, places and events of St. Johns and the surrounding communities.

    Archives

    July 2022
    August 2020
    August 2018
    July 2018
    July 2016
    May 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    March 2014

    Categories

    All
    2014 Summer Fun Guide
    2015 Summer Fun
    50 Things We Love About St. Johns
    Alligator Farm Zip Line
    Ancient City Mosaic
    BBack To School With Action News Jax 2022
    Community College: The Best Of Both Worlds
    Destination Tulum
    Dog Parks Of St. Johns County
    Durbin Crossing
    Father's Day
    Marine Science Camp SJCPS
    Markland
    Men Of St. Johns
    Mexico
    Movie Previews Summer 2014
    Music Therapy
    New Home Communities St. Johns
    New Schools In St. Johns
    Ponte Vedra Cultural Center
    Real Estate In St. Johns Florida
    Schools In Northern St. Johns
    Sea Turtle Hospital At Whitney Laboratory
    St. Augustine Distillery
    St. Johns Public Schools Music
    St. Johns Real Estate
    St. Johns Riverkeeper
    Summer Beach Reading 2014
    Swamp Radio
    Teachers Of St. Johns
    The Art Of Jenna Alexander
    The Benefits Of Martial Arts
    The Globalist Generation
    Tips For A Successful School Year
    Ultimate Day Trips Close To Home!

    RSS Feed

Picture

Menu

Subscribe
Advertise
Contact
People
Home & Style
Real Estate

Past Issues



Restaurant Reviews
Current Issue
Best of St. Johns
Best of Food & Wine
Health and Wellness
Special Needs
Summer Camps
& More


Welcome to St. Johns Magazine, the premier lifestyle media company in St. Johns, Florida and the heart of Northern St. Johns, dedicated to celebrating life & style in our vibrant Communities.

We know and love the region of Northern St. Johns and each issue is filled with beautiful photography and thoughtfully curated articles that aim to inform, entertain and inspire our readers. Features include stories on local people, business leaders, arts and entertainment, top food and drink destinations, local heroes, and fun things to do.

Launched in 2012, Johns Magazine publishes twelve times a year. It is available in print and online at Stjohnsmag.com and distributed free of charge to SELECT homes in northern St. Johns via US Postal Service.​
Contact Us
​[email protected]

904-687-8538
©2012-2025 All Rights Reserved 
St. Johns Magazine LLC

Website design by Deborah Gaylord, Catitude Creative & Co
  • Home
  • Life & Style
    • Features
    • People & Events
    • Advice for Pet Lovers
    • Home & Style blog
    • Real Estate >
      • Real Estate St. Johns BLOG
      • Featured Communities >
        • Focus on Trailmark
        • Focus on Shearwater
        • Focus on Nocatee
        • Age Restricted Communities
    • Travel
  • Dining
    • Local Restaurant Reviews
    • Local Chefs Series
    • Coastal Home Group's Favorite's
    • Restaurant Guide
  • Current Issue
  • Best of St. Johns
    • Best of Food & Wine 2024
    • Best of St. Johns Local Favorites 2024
    • Best of 2025 Voting
  • Local Stuff
    • Calendar
    • Guide to Health & Wellness >
      • BLOG Health & Wellness Providers BLOG
    • Special Needs & Autism Resources >
      • SJM Autism Blog
    • Guide to Non-profits
    • Guide to Established Neighborhoods
    • Guide to New Neighborhoods
    • Summer Camp
    • After School
    • Trivia Nights
    • Parks in St. Johns
    • Beaches
    • Farmer's Markets
    • Golf Courses
  • Advertise
    • Partner with Us
    • About Us
    • Past Issues
    • Contributors