Kite Boarding Photos

Kite Boarding Photos

Equinox at Chichen Itza

See all the photos from the Equinox at Chichen Itza here

General Note

Hello! I have received many emails and requests from people up in North America about this place, my work and my life. My apologies if I have yet to respond but there are not enough hours in the day! I only spend a portion of my time on line right now. This coming month is packing up with a very busy schedule and will be more tricky to track me down.

I have just started a new course "Epidemiology" through the University of Victoria, am helping to develop and participate in a new art exposition in Playa (producing much works for this) of 10 artists, and am also starting to align work and projects here hopefully for a longer run to time. My big focus is on Pueblo Sacbe.

In regards to accommodations in Playa. It is VERY difficult to find the desired place to rent from afar because most of the places are not located on the web. The best suggestion is to arrive to a hotel and then look from there. You will need to go on foot to locate places and it can take time and it can be difficult and of course some Spanish will be helpful. Should you desperately require something before you arrive, then please email me and we can work out a fee because it means I need to do research and go on foot to see and document places and it's "work". If you do rent something I locate, I am by no means to be held accountable should you dislike your findings in the end of course. We can only work with the system available at hand.

Anyways I will slowly be responding to people. People are arriving from the north and would like to get together, if I don't respond please email me again as sometimes my emails get lost to in the past!

Paul Van Dyke Video shot in Yucatan

Paul van dyke at mamitas

Paul van dyke at mamitas
Originally uploaded by orcagirl

Mamitas pre new years party

Winter Beach at Mamitas

IMG_4425.JPG
Originally uploaded by orcagirl

The popular winter fashion show and events are back. There is no space left on the beach!

playa book

playa book
Originally uploaded by orcagirl

Photo Playa book

Some of my friends gave me some incredible portrait studies so i'd like to thank Fernanda, Luis, Alex, Jowel and David.

BYOWB

Well, as a Canadian and an E&O Health student and enthusiast, I wanted to share with you the growing concern for our planet and the forever popular water bottle. Mexico, in Playa especially, there is a massive dependency on water bottles because for the most part it is unsafe to ingest the tap water. As a result, the amount of bottles ending up in the garbage is unmanageable and now it is also posing contamination threats to human as well.

BYOB. If you're visiting Playa short or long term, reuse one bottle. As it stands, plastic bottles and even the very popular brands (do some searches on the internet) are not safe for our health. However Playa does not have solutions available at this time for alternatives. For now, buy and bring your own bottle preferably a stainless steel bottle, as I know these are not available in Playa yet. There are various ways to educate yourself about plastics and pollution and to help prevent this showing up in the Mexican ecosystem or yourself, reuse your own bottle, filling up your bottles at home to reduce the stress of plastic on the environment. I have done some extensive documentation and have found these bottles everywhere.



What I think would be ideal, is for there to be "water stations" installed throughout the area especially in tourist locations. Making refilling water bottles easy, affordable, fun and most of all ethical! We certainly do not want to participate in the destruction of the environment or ourselves so let's push for new solutions before it's too late!

If you are in Canada, MEC offers a variety of affordable bottles (alternatives), ones I am also looking into purchasing for my life in Playa.

You can learn more about this issue at Toxic Nation which will help arm yourself with protective knowledge that applies everywhere you go.

Playa helps Tabasco

Playa Maya News: How you can help with the relief efforts in Tabasco.

Nearby Tabasco in state of emergency

Tabasco looks like New Orleans did in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina, with the main difference being one of scope. In New Orleans, the flooding was mostly in the city. The flooding in Tabasco is throughout the state, including the large city of Villahermosa. Another main difference? Thanks in part to the quick response of the authorities and the Mexican Army, only one fatality has been reported so far among the one million or more disaster victims... Continue to read on by clicking the link below.

Click here to see how you can help

Hurricane Dean aftermath in Majahual

Hurricane Assistance Needed in Majahual ASAP

Hurricane Dean from space

Pelican Video

Taken 2006, just sitting on the beach near porto real hanging out with a pelican who was drying his wings....

Hurricane Dean

(expected to be a category 5 by the time it hits the Yucatan)

I first found Playa in 2003 after my father died there and since then it has become my home, I have two homes there but right now I am in Canada. My prayers go out to everyone there. I am a bit stressed about this I hope everyone will be prepared with supplies and needs.... Board up and stay safe!!!

Here is a personal blog talking about Hurricane Dean from Playa-ites



See here Wilma's aftermath of Holbox island. I hope this is not a repeat.


Mamitas beach after Hurricane Wilma 2005

Click here to learn all about Hurricane Wilma's impact on the Yucatan in 2005. My documentation work has been integrated into this project.

Capoeira Music Video

Shot April 2006

Angel of Angel Notion needs assistance

When the Angels of Playa del Carmen Need Assistance

Sun Halo

Wikipedia's Sundog

I got a call from my good friend Jowel from Diesel today who urged me to grab my camera and photograph the sun. When I stepped outside and looked up, honestly I had no idea of what I was looking at but I was instantly amazed and in awe. It was a massive circle around the sun and apparently it was growing. Later another friend had told me that people along the Quintana Roo hyway between Playa and Cancun were stopping to take photos of the spectacular spectacle. I have to say it is one of the most amazing things I have ever seen.

Xtreme Kite Tulum

Click here for the whole set

He's a ROCKSTAR

From the American Apparel website; If you're ever in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico make sure to introduce yourself to Señor Domingo. His songs can be heard throughout the city and are for all to enjoy.

Dreams

Alejandro and his painting of dreams. More to follow

Lunar Eclipse

click to enlarge

A Global Warning

CAMBIO CLIMÁTICO?

Vale la pena verlo, pensar y actuar...saludos a TODO@S

Global Warning Video

¿Quieres hacer algo para ayudar a detener el calentamiento global?

Aquí tienes una lista de 10 cosas muy simples con las que podrás evitar contaminar con dióxido de carbono.

1. Cambia un foco - Cambiando un foco normal por uno de luz fluorescente (ahorradores) evitas que, al año, 68 kilos de dióxido de carbono entren en nuestra atmósfera

2. Maneja menos - Camina, usa bicicleta o transporte público más seguido. Por cada kilómetro y medio que no manejes evitas que medio kilo de dióxido de carbono entre
en nuestra atmósfera.

3. Recicla más - Puedes evitar que, al año, 1000 Kg. de dióxido de carbono entren a nuestra atmósfera solo reciclando la mitad de la basura de tu casa.

4. Revisa tus llantas - Manteniendo las llantas de tu carro debidamente infladas puedes aumentar el rendimiento de cada galón de gasolina hasta en un 3%. Por cada galón de gasolina que ahorres evitas que nueve kilos de monóxido de carbono entre
en nuestra atmósfera.

5. Usa menos agua caliente - Calentar agua requiere de mucha energía. En la temporada de verano usa agua fría para bañarte. Y lava siempre tu ropa con agua fría, así podrás evitar que al menos 250 kilos de dióxido carbono entre a nuestra atmósfera
al año.

6. Evita productos con mucho empaque - Puedes evitar que 500 kilos de dióxido de carbono entren a la atmósfera sipuedes reducir tu basura en 10%.

7. Usa menos aire acondicionado. - Moviendo el termostato solo 2 grados menos en invierno y solo 2 grados más en verano evitas que al año 900 kilos de dióxido de carbono nos contamine.

8. Siembra un árbol - Un árbol puede absorber 1 tonelada de dióxido de carbono en toda su vida. No siembres solo uno, siembra muchos!!!

9. Apaga algunos artefactos - Simplemente apagando el televisor, el DVD, el equipo o la computadora mientras no los estés usando evitaras que miles de toneladas de dióxido de carbono nos contaminen mas.

10. Difunde esto, todavía estamos a tiempo de hacer algo.

Pueblo Sacbe photos

Centro Ecologico Sian Ka'an (CESiaK)

I am really looking forward to visiting this place: cesiak

Coba: Ancestor Tree

(photo © Chantelle Tucker)

Coba

See all the photos here

Artist Stano Cerny

Slovakian Stano Cerny artist living here in Playa please check out this website of amazing works!

Angel Notion goes to Mayan Communities

Angel Notion went on a caravan to deliver goods and supplies to a variety of poor Mayan communities south of Tulum. Please follow here for the set of photos.

Mismo: Sol & Luna

These two photos were taken at the same time from the Port Real doc. One is the rays of the setting sun and the other the rising full moon.

Feliz Ano Neuvo

quinta ave

quinta ave
Originally uploaded by orcagirl.