Frequent Akumal visitors, Chris & Cheryl Stensrud return to Akumal this week with their children; Michael and Hailey

"The tropical storm missed us. Looks like it went over the top of the Yucatan. The bay looks good minus some fairly large waves on the other side of the reef. I'm sure we'll venture out in the bay today. Not sure what is on the agenda… maybe Coba? More pictures to follow!" -Cheryl Stensrud

Hechizo's Restaurant cont....

We've recently posted about the fantastic experience at Hechizo's restaurant in Tulum. Photos can't do it justice, but it gives you an idea of the level of cuisine we're talking about. Hui and Stefan do a wonderful job!


The dining room at Hechizo's



Oven-roasted red beets with mild blue cheese, mandarin segments, and watercress salad



Seared ahi tuna with lemon-garlic butter on sweet- spicy salad of citrus, jicama and green apple



Seared scallops on sauteed spinach and avocado salad with oven-roasted plum tomato and parma ham in a green tomato-butter sauce



Watermelon and mild mexican goat cheese on watercress salad with honey-balsamic reduction

NEW Tequila Tour

For more information, click on the brochure or contact us at info@akumaldirect.com

You MUST experience Hechizo's Restaurant!

Hechizo is exactly what it’s name implies…. an enchanted place, hidden away in surroundings of tropical foliage and flowers. We were there at night, and walked along a winding path mysteriously lit by dim circles of light coming out of huge pink conch shells on small posts, and were stunned by a really enormous aquarium at the entrance teeming with gorgeous and exotic fish dramatically illuminated, counterbalanced by a large display of exquisite shells on the other side of the entrance hall. Unlike other high-end restaurants, there was no background music. Instead we were serenaded by the infinitely more appealing sound of the waves on the beach and the song of the crickets and other night creatures just outside.

We were seated at a table with the exact number of places for our group of eight, in a semi private room of very good proportions and little décor other than a collection of rustic weather-beaten paddles on one wall. All very muted and in good taste.

Hui, the chef’s wife, greeted us and described in great detail a generous collection of appetizers, all of which made our mouths water. There is no printed menu. We had pomegranate margaritas, which were delicious, while we waited for our different dishes. They arrived in quick order, carried by several what I suppose are souschefs. No trays are used. I had crab salad on a bed of watercress with a divine dressing of something I have forgotten because I was overcome by all the stimulation…. the atmosphere, the diversity of the selection of dishes, the stillness, the sound of the night critters, the conversation... and of course, the margarita. I’m afraid I ate it rather quickly. It was delectable.

Very shortly after we all finished our appetizers, one of which was sliced duck breast on a bed of something with gravy (I would have loved to taste that as well), chef Stefan appeared at the table to tell us about the main dishes for the evening. I wish I could remember them all. One was black cod, which both my neighbors had and almost swooned over. I am not partial to seafood so I had lamb, a shank I think it was, very generous portion, on the bone, tender and dripping with an absolutely superb gravy. The fact that the conversation slowed down quite a bit while this course was being eaten attests to its marvellousness. All the dishes were, of course, beautifully presented on simple white plates. I was sorry I did not have my camera with me. All the while, freshly baked, warm, dinner rolls were being brought to both ends of the table at regular intervals. As soon as they were all gone, a silent figure in white appeared with two more baskets.

I do not remember the names of the desserts, not even mine. I just remember it involved a pastry made with almonds and a little ball of ice cream and a sauce of some kind, the combination of which was real “hechizo”. I stole a spoonful of my neighbor’s dessert when she got up to powder her nose and found it to be equally divine. None of the desserts were too filling, and I did not have that “stuffed” feeling that comes from places that concentrate on quantity rather than quality.

In all, a delightful evening with truly wonderful food!

Nina Hamer, Soliman Bay, MX


** You must email or call for reservations in advance. Email address is hechizo_tulum@yahoo.com. Cell phone is (984) 100-0710.

The owner’s names are Stephan and Hui. They are open December to May. The restaurant is located on the Tulum beach road at Rancho San Eric, 2 driveways on the left before the entrance to the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve. Reservations for dinner are accepted via email and required. Closed Mondays. Cash only accepted, no credit cards. First seating is at 6:30 PM. Expensive but fantastic!

DIRECTIONS TO HECHIZO from Akumal: On highway 307, heading south (driving from Akumal to Tulum), you will come to the Coba/Boca Paila intersection (you will see a San Francisco supermarket and Hertz car rental on your right). At this junction, turn left, towards the ocean, keep going until you come to a t-junction then turn right. You will now be travelling south, along Tulum beach, the road that heads to the Sian Ka'an Biosphere, Boca Paila & Punta Allen. Driving south you'll pass many little hotels and cabanas: Zamas, Maya Tulum, Ana y Jose, Las Ranitas, Tierra del Sol. When you see the sign for "Casa Magna", you've almost reached them...keep going until you see some flags on the right and an undulating stone wall on your left. You'll see a yellow sign on the left that says "Rancho San Eric". Turn left into the driveway and follow the little private road into the compound. You'll pass a couple of private houses (such as Casa Blanca), but keep on the road until you come to the restaurant sign "Hechizo" on the left, and the restaurant parking on the right. **You'll know if you've passed the entrance into "Rancho San Eric" when you enter the arch into the Sian Ka'an biosphere. Just back up about 100 meters and you should see the "Rancho San Eric" sign.

CEA Annual Save our Seas Gala

Akumal Direct is very proud to have been a sponsor of the third annual, CEA, Save our Seas Festival. Please read below for more information on the gala event. Akumal's Ecological Center has proven to be a valuable resource to our community providing leadership as we work to be the best community we can be and set ever high standards for our selves and other communities around the world. For more information on the CEA, please visit, www.ceakumal.org.

Please read below for more information on the Gala Event (reprinted courtesy of the Centro Ecologico de Akumal website). We hope to see you there next year!

http://ceakumal.org/third_annual_cea_festival__sum.html

Third Annual CEA Festival – Save Our Seas
February 20 & 21, 2008

All of us at CEA would like to take the opportunity to thank each and every person who helped so generously with their time and support to make this 2008 festival such a special event. We hope everyone enjoyed themselves and thank you all for participating. CEA’s success depends on its ability to raise funds for its conservation activities, and the annual festivals are an important source of funding. This year we were able to raise just over $10,000 USD from our Silent Auction, Gala Dinner and Online Auction. These funds will be used to focus on implementing our Akumal Bay Management Program, on employing a strategy to improve water quality in the Akumal region, and on beginning this year’s turtle nesting season with everything in place to make sure as many hatchlings as possible safely make their way to the sea, among other goals for 2008. We started the festival with a beach clean-up, puppet show, sand sculptures and a performance by Veinte Varos. In the evening, a wine and cheese hour began with the Silent Auction opening and a reef slide show. We then moved onto the beach in front of CEA for a Mayan blessing to honor our planet and our place within Nature. A fire dance prepared us for the lunar eclipse—a wonderful way to begin a celebration of the sea. The Silent Auction continued into the second day of the festival and ended at Happy Hour at Lol-Ha Snack Bar, just before the Gala Dinner and show. The performance troupe Veinte Varos (sponsored by Hotel Akumal Caribe and Akumal Beach Resort) helped us shift from Happy Hour to the CEA Center, where tables for 120 people were set up. The Gala Dinner was sponsored by Diane Mahan and Akumal Villas, and catered by Turtle Bay Café & Bakery, who not only provided a marvelous menu but transformed the Center into a truly wondrous place, magical and the perfect setting for the evening’s events. The wine, beer and margaritas were sponsored by Akumal Direct Reservations. Karen Mercer opened the Gala Dinner with her acoustic guitar and folk and bluegrass songs; her charming personality set the stage for the evening’s entertainment, including a Live Auction. Several donations were auctioned off, helping us to reach our $10,000 goal. Then Karin ten Cate presented a repertoire of songs, from opera to Mexican favorites like Bésame Mucho. Her angelic voice made the evening absolutely surreal. Gerardo Dominguez was our Master of Ceremonies and auctioneer, and thoroughly entertained us, keeping the evening moving in a wonderfully humorous way. George Parker did a magnificent job working with Gerardo to run the slide presentation and sound. CEA volunteers and supporters worked tirelessly throughout the two days to ensure that everyone had a great time and that things ran smoothly. Our Auctions were a huge success, thanks to both enthusiastic donors and bidders. Mark your calendars for next year’s Fourth Annual CEA Festival, February 18 and 19, 2009. We thank the many local businesses who sponsored the events: Diane Mahan and Akumal Villas, Hotel Akumal Caribe, Akumal Beach Resort, Akumal Direct Reservations, Turtle Bay Café & Bakery, Au Cacao Chocolate Café, La Cueva del Pescador, and South Carolina Aquarium. Thanks to entertainment: Gerardo Dominguez, Master of Ceremonies; Veinte Varos; Karin ten Cate; Karen Mercer; Julio and Nicol, fire dancers; and Aniseto Of course, we thank everyone who donated items for the Silent and Online Auctions. We could not have had such success without the following volunteers who made this year’s event possible: Lydia Pontius, Festival Director Myrna Sparks, Auction Chair Sharon Goby and Jody Allen, Decoration Committee June Sloan, Treasurer Mike Cook and Bob Anders, Bar Committee Ed Blume, Online Auction Organizer Alexandra Bradley, Editor Volunteers: Cathy Cook, Alan Cunningham, Marcy and Memo Essy, Mary Beth Jones, Janie Linke, Joy Lippincott, Shami McCormick, George Parker, Charlene Powell, Paula Preston, Mike Sheperd, Natalie Novak, Connie Smith, Alex van Kuilenburg, and Judy Withington. CEA Volunteers: Rowan Abel, Natalie Biafori, Jeroen Biemans, David Breeze, Claudia Cheng, Alice Cheucle, Ewan Doswell, Becky Harris, Bob Klotz, Misael Lanche, Gregory Gueble, Lisa Kunegs, Jim Petersen, Argel Rodrigues Arana, Scarlett Rogers, and Hein van Riet. See you next year!

Featured artisan: Professor Alfredo Gonzalez Castillo, Master Sculptor

Featured artisan: Professor Alfredo Gonzalez Castillo, Master Sculptor of Olmec, Toltec and Mayan statues and pottery.

Location: Coba Highway, KM 22, Puebla Francisco Uh May located on the right hand side of the highway driving from Tulum to Coba mid way through the Puebla.

Driving the Coba highway from Tulum heading to the ruins is an interesting day trip easily reached from the Akumal area. Along the road you will pass through several small pueblos where you will encounter the Maya and other local people selling their arts and crafts. Some of these small markets and local vendors do sell the mass produced tourists items you find in shop after shop. If you look a little harder and visit local homes and shops you might be surprised to find some very talented potters, wood carvers, leather workers and hammock weavers. Purchasing from locals directly helps stimulate the economy and does directly benefit the Maya, a very warm and welcoming people. You may find yourself in Grandma's kitchen enjoying warm, home made tortillas cooked over an open fire.

One of the most special artists on the Coba highway is Professor Alfredo Gonzalez Castillo, Master Sculptor who specializes in creating museum quality reproduction Mayan, Toltec and Olmec pottery. He was formally employed by the Department of Anthropology in Mexico City specializing in restoration and cleaning of ancient Mayan artifacts. His passions are exploration, geology and the mining jade and jadeite rocks that he polishes into brilliant stones that will be inland into one of his incredible pieces of art. He is revered by his neighbors who believe he is a very wise shaman/medicine man.

Alfredo is a kind and very interesting man. A true educator and treasure. He will be happy to give you the tour of his kiln and explain the history of his reproductions that you will see in the books in his library. He will also explain to you the migration of the peoples of the world on the ocean currents. You will notice some figures look Oriental while the early Olmec appear to be from Africa.

Professor Alfredo has also trained his son Glenn faithfully to carry on his work. He named his son Glenn after the astronaut John Glenn when he landed on the moon. Alfredo considered a man walking on the moon a powerful sign from the heavens.

Professor Alfredo’s pieces are worthy to be added to any Pre-Colombian collection. Alfredo can also be commissioned for larger art carvings.

Responding after Hurricane Dean: Sterilization & Vaccine clinic held in Mahahual & Xcalak

Mid January marked the very first spay & neuter campaign in Xcalak and Mahahual. Since Hurricane Dean swept through the Costa Maya over 6 months ago, many areas are still struggling to put their towns and lives back together, the animals are no different. With most not having homes, they are forced to fight the elements as they try and survive on the streets. Food and shelter is sparse and not always available. Puppies starve as the mothers barely try and keep themselves fed. Packs of dogs became a common sight in Mahahual so dog fights and starving loners is a regular occurrence. This is a natural instinctive result when disaster occurs in an area.





The results of the statistics are all too frequent. Just one (yes, 1) un-spayed female dog and her offspring can produce 67,000 dogs in 6 years. The cat figures are just as alarming. It is a proven and well documented fact that sterilization is the only humane way to deal with the overpopulation problem. That, along with vaccinations and de-worming, provides better health for the animals that do survive a rough life on the streets, whatever the cause. There are also serious consequences to public health and the environment when overpopulation is present.

This campaign was made possible through Disaster Services of the Humane Society of the United States in conjunction with Humane Society International and Sociedad Protectora de Animales de Yucatan. We appreciate the many people and local businesses that provided contributions such as monetary donations, lodging, food and of their personal time. We thank you for helping make these clinics a success!

http://www.hsus.org/about_us/humane_society_international_hsi/hsi-disaster-response/spaying_and_neutering_after_dean_2408.html

It was wonderful to see the love so many locals had for their animals. For an area whose closest vet is over 2 hours away, introducing veterinary health was warmly welcomed and something of great need. The community support and involvement was impressive. Everyone is already planning on how to make next year better!

In Xcalak, the clinic was held at the SEMARNAT office, where the staff was more than accommodating. Presentations were given to the children in the schools of both areas. Many were curious enough to watch surgery, help recover their own pets and stayed all day to lend a hand and help out.


There were so many moments that made an impact on us all. When we were made aware of the “military dogs” as we began to call them, we were unsure of their wellbeing. We saw the trucks emerge with many soldiers, guns in hand, and numerous dogs. They waited with their companions, many of them all day, and seemed to really care for them. They helped us vaccinate and discharge the dogs and came back and forth to pick up the last few taking their time to wake up. We will never forget the sight when so many of them happily wagged their tail as we brought them back to the soldiers. They were appreciative and paid close attention to their after surgery care and medications that so many needed. The experience was endearing and everyone was pleased when we found 3 of the puppies a new home.

The local municipal agency of Chetumal also attended. We worked very closely with the veterinarian at the dog pound or “perrera” and began to build what we hope to be a great working relationship. You can see Dr. Ricardo here learning the spay technique from one of our veterinarians. As the capital of the state, Chetumal seems eager to begin more programs and just last year held a spay/neuter campaign internally with the help from vets at UNAM, the University in Mexico City. This makes a wonderful addition to the already working relationships we have with the municipalities of both Playa del Carmen and Cancun.

We were able to treat almost 200 animals in 5 days, effects of which are already apparent. It was a good start to our continuing efforts to help bring control to the popualation in these areas.

For more information on spay/neuter clinics in Quintana Roo, contact Kelly at klcoladarci@yahoo.com.