CHARITY IN CANCUN

Before I get into how great the Give A Toy, Get A Smile charity is, if you already have given in the past, or intend to make a donation the next time you are in Cancun, place a wall post about it on our PEOPLE'S CHOICE GUIDE CANCUN Facebook Page, we would love to hear from you.


The concept of to give a toy and get a smile in return, sounds like a rewarding experience and a heartwarming moment waiting to happen. However it is quite a different situation when the needs of so many children and families motivate someone to take action. When we here at PEOPLE'S CHOICE GUIDE CANCUN learned about this Yucatan based charity GIVE A TOY, GET A SMILE, we felt that it was such a worth while cause that we decided to seize the opportunity, and put our money where our proverbial mouth is. Earlier this year, shortly after the release of our current edition, we made the pledge to give a donation in the amount of $1.60 (10% of the regular retail price), to this Cancun based charity that helps so many people. We do this for every guidebook purchased via our BUY DIRECT & SAVE store, located on our website's SHOP page. 

In an effort to make a difference in her new community, Nancy Myers, a Registered Nurse from New York, along with her husband Andy, started a non-profit organization known as Give A Toy, Get A Smile. Nancy and her husband Andy are rewarded by the smiles they receive from the children, parents, grandparents, doctors, nurses and administrators of the facilities they assist. Rather than write about my thoughts on this wonderful charity, the rest of this blog entry will be the words of the charity's founder, Nancy Myers.

THE GIVE A TOY, GET A SMILE STORY

In late October 2005, Hurricane Wilma struck the Cancun area. People faced an array of difficulties including repairing homes, lives and livelihoods. Finding a way to purchase the bare necessities became an everyday challenge, and buying toys for the children at Christmas was certainly out of the question. We knew we couldn't sit around and do nothing, so we decided to start a charity with the goal of helping to replace the little things in life that make a big difference. The mission has simply been to accept donations of toys and school supplies from tourists, and get them to those in need. The collection point was originally at a small restaurant known as My Place, however, as awareness spread, a location with a larger capacity was needed. Today the Hard Rock Cafe is graciously accepting donations on behalf of GIVE A TOY, GET A SMILE. Since its inception, donations in excess of 3,000 toys and countless school supplies have been distributed to La Casita Orphange, El Hogar del Esperanza Orphanage in Bonfil, the Little Yellow Schoolhouse on Isla Mujeres, School for Children with Exceptional Needs (autism, cerebral palsy, etc.), Hospital General, "Families Learning to Live with AIDS-HIV", Francisco May Pueblo and countless other pueblos in the jungle throughout the State of Quintana Roo.

We take tourists along on our trips to visit with the beautiful children in our region. Although Cancun has beautiful beaches and resorts, most never see the poor and sick children that need help. When you come to Cancun, please pack something to drop off for our kids. Donations of toys and school supplies are accepted at the Hard Rock Cafe located at the Plaza Forum By The Sea shopping mall, Boulevard Kukulcan Km 9, in the Cancun Hotel Zone.

For additional Information and to view photos of our work visit: www.GiveAToyGetASmile.org

REMEMBER THE UNTOUCHABLES

CRIME AND CRIME AGAIN

Safety while vacationing in México seems to be a much talked about hot-button topic these days. In case you have been living in a vacuum-sealed bubble, the Méxican Government has been busy fighting a war against powerful homegrown drug cartels. This story has been in the news, and discussed at great length on the Internet on popular websites such as TripAdvisor. When President Felipe Calderón took office in 2006, he announced that fighting corruption in his government and waging war against the drug lords would be a major focus of his presidency. Thus far he has remained true to his word, but unfortunately as an unintended consequence, the violence has been spilling onto the streets resulting in much collateral damage and the loss of life.

During the past several months, while developing new ideas for the PEOPLE’S CHOICE GUIDE CANCUN Facebook page and future blogs, something about the world news coverage of México's drug war has been rubbing me the wrong way. There have been numerous stories with a judgmental tone regarding those who have been killed. The overwhelming majority of reports imply that those who are being killed, in any situation other than a shootout between law enforcement and gang members, are most likely secretly working with the drug cartels. What should be getting said is that the majority of México's people are decent, hard-working folks who are just trying to live their lives in peace and make ends meet. It is certainly easier and more convenient to jump to the conclusion, as many in law enforcement and members of the media already have, that those who have been killed must have deserved it. In some way it is comforting to accept this as fact, because to believe otherwise, one would have to face the truth about their own vulnerability and helplessness. With that being said, it is imperative that everyone, especially those in law enforcement and the media, accept and address the fact that there are instances where those who are targeted by the drug gangs, are law abiding citizens, many of whom own or are employed by successful businesses that simply have no choice but to pay “protection money.” This very scenario is reminiscent of the old-time gangster tactics seen before in the United States. This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the ways criminals generate income at the expense of innocent civilians. Another situation in modern day México that has begun to spill across the border, has involved people being kidnapped, and held for ransom to secure their release. Since the focus of this blog is Cancún travel, it is highly likely that since it is not located along a major drug or human trafficking route, shakedowns, kidnapping for ransom, prostitution and illegal gambling will be on the rise in the near future. This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the different ways criminals generate income at the expense of civilians.

HOW TO KILL A SNAKE

For as far back as I can remember, there has been non-stop finger-pointing emanating from both sides of the border, asserting blame as to which country is “more” responsible for the problems each one faces with drugs and gun violence. While everything has become more complicated lately with the proactive approach taken by the Méxican Government, I believe there can be a quick resolution to the issues of illegal drugs and out-of-control corruption. If both nations can agree to work together in a joint effort (please excuse the choice of words) to seal off the border, with the exception of the established border-crossing checkpoints, we would begin to see a dramatic decrease in the bloodshed. The reasoning behind my theory is that in order for the drug cartels to maintain their power and influence, just like with any traditional business model, there has to be a continuous supply of money in order for them to function. It is irrelevant whether we are talking about funds being earned by engaging in legal or illegal enterprises, the end result is without capital, there will be no means to pay employees, prosper and survive. If judging by traditional business practices, at first there would probably be a truce, or even partnerships worked out by the drug cartels. This would naturally have the desired effect of decreasing the violence in the streets of México’s cities and border towns. Realistically it is possible that with every measure taken, corruption would still exist and the drug cartels would continue to find a way to function and survive, but on a much smaller scale. It all sounds so basic, but if both countries prevent the flow of unlawful entrants and drugs heading north into the United States, and simultaneously stop the illegal guns and money headed to our neighbor to the south, the payoff would probably be immediate.

WALK BEFORE YOU RUN

Some have suggested a Liberal approach, to legalize marijuana, with restrictions and taxation similar to those imposed on alcohol and cigarettes. This can be implemented on a trial basis to at first, to measure the effect it has on the drug trafficking industry. It is possible that it can work, but only after the border is secure and the commitment to continue the effort is made by both countries. Unfortunately the entire approach is being turned on its head with the State of California inching ever closer toward legalizing recreational use of marijuana. I can only imagine what would happen if proposal nineteen is passed, the chaos it would cause for law enforcement in surrounding states and in México. Again, this may be only my opinion, but in order for something like this to have a chance at being successful, legalization must occur across the board at the Federal level:

Just for the record, I do not partake in smoking marijuana, or anything for that matter. However I am of the belief that some drugs cause little or no harm to the general welfare of society. Lately I find myself pondering something I have never heard anyone suggest before, especially when it comes to the current state of Méxican society; what effect would it have if there was legalization or recreational use of marijuana in both the United States and México? Beyond this or even in lieu of legalization of marijuana, what if México changed its laws to allow its citizens to carry handguns? I have to say that this might not be such a bad idea, especially considering that México’s police force has had limited success with protecting México’s law abiding citizens. This is understandable, especially when considering that México’s law enforcement agencies have had their hands full with fighting internal corruption among their own ranks, not to mention heavily armed drug gangs.

http://www.thecypresstimes.com/article/News/Opinion_Editorial/LOS_ZETAS_ILLEGAL_IMMIGRATION_AND_THE_TIRESOME_CRY_OF_RACISM/31850

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION?

MISCONCEPTION

When I first created the PEOPLE’S CHOICE GUIDE CANCUN Travel Survey Guidebook, I spent quite a bit of time on the Internet doing research, and on bulletin boards such as the Cancún Forum on Tripadvisor, answering travelers’ questions. These days I find myself spending much more time on the topic of the drug war, instead of answering questions about hotels, tours, and the various types cuisine served at local area restaurants.

Ever since the highly publicized drug war being played out in the media on an almost daily basis, I have been overwhelmed with trying to convince people that Cancun is still safe. In addition to this challenge, when compared to other vacation destinations, there has been virtually no advertising. Even though it is the single most visited Caribbean destination, it is unrealistic to think that the city can compete with the advertising budgets of other Caribbean countries such as Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Puerto Rico and Aruba. However with the absense of advertising, people naturally assume that if they aren’t hearing anything positive, this must mean something bad is going on, like drug cartel violence. What makes the lack of promoting Cancun an even bigger mystery, is the fact that an investment of $71 million Dollars U.S. was made to completely restore the beaches by the beginning of 2010. After months of negative press, the Mexico Travel Board finally announced a new ad campaign on August 9, 2010:

http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20100809005364&newsLang=en

After reading the press release, the question that entered my mind was “why no mention of Cancun and the newly restored beaches?" I think it is extremely important to point out that Cancun is located roughly 1,500 miles away from the border where the majority of the drug war violence has been taking place. I only wish that the Mexico Tourism Board would consider airing TV commercials showing Cancun on a map so everyone could see how far it is from the border for themselves. This would certainly make my life, and the lives of the Cancunenses who depend on the tourist trade, so much easier.

PERCEPTION

Perhaps the best way to judge if Cancun is safe enough to visit is to ask yourself this; with gang violence in Chicago and the murder rate on the rise, would this prevent you from visiting Miami’s South Beach? Obviously there is violent crime in every major city, but this doesn’t stop people from visiting them, including Chicago. With that said, I have posted a number of news articles and a fairly informative BBC documentary from youtube.com about México's drug war. I will also be posting more articles, opinion pieces and videos on my next blog about the problems happening along the border. While the information is from very different sources, there is one common theme that all the videos and articles share… there is no mention of Cancún being dangerous! While there have been recent events that show Cancun is not immune to the drug cartels' infiltration, including the mayor being arrested on corruption charges, there have been no reports of tourists being caught up in the violence.

The following is a link to a great article, with one of my favorite quotes, “Popular tourist areas remain the safest places in the country, and Stratfor singles out Cozumel, Cancún and Los Cabos as the safest of all.” Read more:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2010/06/02/mexicomix060210.DTL#ixzz0xD5EllNZhttp://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2010/06/02/mexicomix060210.DTL

USA Today published an informative story that also doesn’t mention Cancún as being a dangerous place to visit. What's even more important about this article is the reliance on statistics, instead of feelings. I especially love the part that reads,“The state with the lowest murder rate is Yucatán, the Gulf of Mexico state known for its beaches and Mayan ruins. Its murder rate of 2 per 100,000 was comparable to Wyoming and Montana.”:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2010-08-03-Mexico-drug-violence_N.htm

Earlier this year, the BBC produced a rather interesting documentary describing many different angles and a little about the history of the drug war in México. While they visit several locations and discuss the problems of violence that is taking place around the country, the one place that is never mentioned is Cancun.

In order to view the entire documentary, after each part reaches its conclusion, simply scroll down to the next installment and click the arrow in the center of the screen to start the next installment, enjoy:

PART ONE BBC documentary – México’s Drug War 2010

PART TWO BBC documentary – México’s Drug War 2010

PART THREE BBC documentary – México’s Drug War 2010

PART FOUR BBC documentary – México’s Drug War 2010

PART FIVE BBC documentary – México’s Drug War 2010

PART SIX BBC documentary – México’s Drug War 2010

PART SEVEN BBC documentary – México’s Drug War 2010

RUMORS TO REALITY

CANCUN NOW & WHEN

Ever since the year 2000, when I first began visiting Cancun and way before I started writing a travel guide about the place, I have been hearing rumors about all kinds of building and infrastructure projects. The ideas that received the most mention included some that sounded very promising, and others that sounded, well, not so much. The topics that I recall hearing most about included:

• A bridge to stretch across the Nichupte Lagoon linking Centro (Downtown) Cancun to the Marriott Hotels.
• A bridge to divert traffic around the Km 9 Convention Center area to allow access for public buses, taxis and trolleys only.
• A development to be built to the west of the golf course overlooking the lagoon across from the Hilton.
• A shopping mall, and, or, a condominium complex to be constructed at Playa Delfines (Dolphins Beach), just south of the Hilton.
• A new International airport to be constructed somewhere along the coast of the Mayan Riviera.
• A brand new Hotel Zone to be constructed on the mainland, north of Downtown Cancun in the vicinity of Puerto Juarez.

After Hurricane Wilma struck the area in late October 2005, there were so many more ideas floating around, I was skeptical any of them would ever become reality. However at roughly the same time, the real estate market in Cancun, Playa Del Carmen and the Mayan Riviera was booming and property values were on the rise.

A RUMOR NOT TO BE

A very well-respected developer that had constructed condominium projects in other Mexican cities, set its sights on creating a brand new community in Cancun. Even before their first Hotel Zone building projects Bay View Grand and Portofino condominium towers were completely sold out, there were rumblings about plans for a Bay View Grand Island! The development was to be a residential golf community, built on the west side of the Hilton’s golf course overlooking the Nichupte Lagoon. The area was to consist of several high-rise condominium towers, private homes and mixed-use buildings containing villas and commercial space. The island paradise was also going to include swimming pools, gardens, a health club, spa, arts and cultural venues and a private clubhouse on the beach. The developer set up a showroom at their Portofino tower, launched a flashy website displaying beautiful renderings of the plan, and began accepting pre-construction down payments for the proposed units. I was optimistic that finally, one of the many rumors I had been hearing about was actually going to come true. However several months later, there was news that the project was going to be scaled down due to ecological concerns cited by the local authorities. I was still optimistic, however, to make a long story short, at the present time the land to the west of the Hilton golf course is being sold off as empty lots and the developer has no plans to build anything on the site. Maybe this situation was more about the real estate bubble bursting, rather than the ecological concerns that were put forth in the media, who knows? All I know is that I was disappointed to learn that the project was not going to happen; not because a rumor I had been hearing about for years was not going to take shape after all, but because it sounded like an interesting plan, and one that would most likely enhance life in Cancun’s Hotel Zone.

SOME RUMORS DO COME TRUE

Approximately four years ago, I met a Dutch engineer and land surveyor who was spending a few days in New York taking some time off. He was actually breaking up an otherwise long flight on his way home, while returning to Amsterdam after working for several weeks in Mexico. The reason for his trip was to assist the Mexican Government in selecting an appropriate location for a new airport in the Mayan Riviera. This is the area located south of Cancun that stretches to roughly the border that Mexico shares with Belize, nobody really knows for sure. He claimed that while he was in Mexico to function as an advisor on where or if a new airport should be built, the local authorities seemed to be mainly interested in focusing their attention near Tulum. In my opinion, this made the most sense for several reasons. An airport in Tulum would immediately alleviate air traffic to Cancun’s busy International Airport. It would also simultaneously jumpstart economic growth and development, creating jobs along the Caribbean coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, A.K.A. the Mayan Riviera. Earlier this year, official announcements were made by ASUR, Mexico’s airport authority, stating that an area just outside Tulum was selected as the location for construction to begin on a new airport.

Meanwhile, closer to Cancun, while it is not the brand new Hotel Zone that many were saying might go up just north of the original, there have been a handful of new resorts, private homes and condominiums built in the area between Centro (Downtown) Cancun and Puerto Juarez. A massive development known as Puerto Cancun, a high-end yacht and golf community, has been taking shape and will continue to grow during the next several years.

Recently I received an email from a fellow blogger that contained a link to a youtube video depicting a proposal for a new mega project in Cancun. Even though I cannot substantiate the validity of this plan, I felt that the production values were so high, that it lent some level of credibility to this being a serious project in the works. Although it is entirely in Spanish, one can easily recognize from the professional renderings in the video, that the presentation is designed to promote the revitalization of the area surrounding the Convention Center:

While I agree that pumping seawater into the lagoon would help increase oxygen levels, I am not sure that building a bridge to divert traffic is the most intelligent way to spend money. So what if traffic is diverted away from the area between Kilometers 8.5 and 9.3? Wouldn’t that create additional confusion and even worse traffic problems for those who want to visit the area? It’s my opinion that Pesos would be better spent elsewhere. For example, a wise investment would be to have a healthy reserve fund on hand for advertising travel and tourism to Cancun. Think about it; when was the last time you saw a TV commercial promoting Cancun? The Hotel Zone has had brand new beaches since January 2010, yet nothing on TV, but I keep seeing plenty of ads for the Bahamas, Jamaica, Dominican, Barbados and Aruba... and while we're on the subject, wouldn't it be better to have funds available for when, not if, the beaches get washed away again after another major hurricane? I like the idea of having arts and cultural centers with an outdoor theater in the heart of the Hotel Zone overlooking the lagoon. It would certainly add a touch of class to the area, and who doesn’t love the idea of strolling around a lush tropical park in the middle of paradise? In my opinion, most of these ideas would be pretty sweet additions to the Hotel Zone… but again, that’s just my opinion.

Do you have other thoughts on the proposal, or a different point of view about the bridge than mine? If you have any comments on the topic, or rumors to add to the mix, feel free to visit the PEOPLE’S CHOICE GUIDE CANCUN page on Facebook to join in the discussion. Until then, happy speculating everyone!