September 2023 - AkumalNow

Peppers Don’t Have to Be Spicy

September 30, 2023 0

Bell pepper, also known as sweet pepper, is a non-hot relative of the chile pepper. Like the chile, bell peppers are sometimes dried and powdered in which case they are known as paprika. Bell peppers are available in green, yellow, orange, purple or red with green being the least ripe [……]

NPR Puzzle: Fill in the Blank

September 30, 2023 0

THE WEEKLY QUIZ FROM NPR PUZZLEMASTER WILL SHORTZ https://www.npr.org/2023/07/09/1186650754/sunday-puzzle-fill-in-the-blank On-air challenge: Every answer today is a familiar phrase in the form “___ & ___,” in which I’ve changed one letter [……]

Flamingos in the Yucatán Peninsula

September 30, 2023 0

There are two main places in Mexico where tourists go to see flamingos. Both are in the Yucatán Peninsula. One is at Celestún on the west coast about an hour and a half’s drive from Mérida. The other is at Río Lagartos on the north coast, about an hour and [……]

Nature and Critters

Sky Excitement for October

September 30, 2023 0

Photo Credit Jeff DeTray In 2023, the Orionids will peak on the night between Oct 21–22 October. Meteor Shower Orionids are active every year in October, usually peaking around October 20/21. At its peak, up to 20 meteors are visible every hour. They are the second meteor shower of the month—the [……]

Culture

How the Margarita Got Its Name

September 30, 2023 0

Was there a Margarita behind the Margarita? Of course. But contrary to what you may have imagined, this woman was not a Mexican beauty, but instead a fledgling Hollywood starlet. And though other Margarita namesakes have surfaced and vied for this distinction, this starlet has all the trappings of the [……]

Whence the Humble Churro

September 30, 2023 0

Of all the foods that transform into something sublime after submersion in hot oil, dough, I humbly submit, reigns supreme. At the very least it wins the dramatic-metamorphosis category. Let’s consider the evidence. You take two of the dullest ingredients in the history of cuisine – flour and water – [……]

Bits & Pieces – October 2023

September 30, 2023 0

A little this & that from the media. • Gas prices creep up as subsidies reduced for second week in a row https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/gas-prices-up-fuel-subsidies/ • Road bypass likely for Tulum after launch of new airport and train https://riviera-maya-news.com/road-bypass-likely-for-tulum-after-launch-of-new-airport-and-train/2023.html • Rare statue of Mayan god K’awiil discovered on Maya Train route [……]

Health

Core-Building Exercises

September 30, 2023 0

To perform well at virtually any sport, even darts and Ping-Pong!, you need a strong core. A stronger core makes everyday life easier, too, resulting in fewer injuries, better posture and balance, and less back pain. The core stretches from the pelvis all the way up to the neck and [……]

First Friday – September 2023

September 30, 2023 0

Well, there aren’t many of us around in September, neither tourists nor owners. It’s down to the hard core locals, those who can’t be driven out by the noise and dust of building repairs and remodels. Sure, we may have to relocate for a bit when the water is shut [……]

Cool It!

September 30, 2023 0

How to Stay Cool Even When You Have to Cover Up Whether it’s Lyme disease, sun hypersensitivity, lupus or melasma, skin cancer treatment or prevention, acne or blood-pressure meds — there are lots of reasons to avoid the sun. But how to stay cool when covered up . . . [……]