FYI

Did you know that Yucatan has the longest pier in the world?
By Yucatan Times on January 17, 2023

It is located in the port of Progreso in Yucatán and measures more than 6 km (3.7 miles) in length.

It overlooks the Gulf of Mexico in its northwestern part. It is used in the commercial and tourist fields. Passenger cruise ships and cargo ships arrive there as well.  See more

Originally, the pier was built to replace an old wooden pier and had an extension of 2.1 km. In 1988, 4 more kilometers were added to the structure to increase the reception capacity of ships and containers.

Although it has been transformed over the years, its original structure remains as it was designed and built by the Danish firm Christiani and Nielsen, architects who won the public bidding issued by the federal government in February 1935.

For its construction, 23,000 tons of cement were required. Of these, 17,500 were brought from Denmark, th rest from the United States and central Mexico.

According to information from the chronicler of Progreso, Romeo Frías Bobadilla, construction of the pier began in 1936 and was completed on May 9, 1941, during World War II.

Being a strategic point in the Gulf of Mexico, the city of Progreso de Castro became a benchmark for the state and gave way to the economic boom of the 50s, 60s and 70s of the last century, in commerce, services and tourism.

Today, Yucatan wants to consolidate itself as a cruise destination. For this, the Secretariat of Tourism Promotion of the Mexican state (Sefotur) is executing modifications and improvements in the facilities of the cruise port: Puerto Progreso.

Currently, the conditions of Puerto Progreso only allow the docking of ships with a capacity of about 2,500 passengers. With the improvements that are being made, the facilities could receive ships with up to 8,000 passengers and thus compete with the large Mexican cruise ports such as Cozumel (Quintana Roo) or Puerto Vallarta (Jalisco).

yucalandia posted: ” Jan. 26, 2023:As of this week, the USA has a new dominant mutant COVID substrain called Omicron XBB.1.5 … yet another highly contagious strain out of South Africa. In further COVID news: The CDC just announced that the “bi-valent” vacc” Surviving Yucatan Yet Another New Mutant COVID Subvariant that Evades Our Vaccines yucalandia Jan 27 Jan. 26, 2023: As of this week, the USA has a new dominant mutant COVID substrain called Omicron XBB.1.5 … yet another highly contagious strain out of South Africa. In further COVID news: The CDC just announced that the “bi-valent” vaccines are only just a little over 33% effective against the new dominant substrain of COVID: Omicron XBB.1.5 for people over age 65. “Based on data collected from Dec. 1 to Jan. 13, researchers found that the updated boosters cut the risk of symptomatic infection by about half for most adults, and by more than one-third for people 65 and older.” The m-RNA vaccines’ low levels of protection fits with earlier lab study results that had raised concerns that the bivalent m-RNA vaccines produced lower levels of virus-fighting antibodies against the XBB-related subvariants. Since even the latest “bivalent” boosters provide only nominal protection (just 33% – 50%), and because prior COVID infections are providing insubstantial protection from the latest mutant-COVID strains, it means that people concerned about long-COVID harm and serious COVID hospitalizations & COVID deaths need to continue to wear tight-fitting N95 quality masks or use 8 ft of social distancing around strangers, especially when indoors.** https://www.nicd.ac.za/covid-19-update-xbb-1-5-variant/?fbclid=IwAR3uHfVOg9x-HWrS-C3_nur8Sh4WtNgk6XoPGe8JILXSBK9Y1_ITaw-9p6w = = = = **How effective is the bivalent booster against severe outcomes from XBB.1.5? Because the Omicron XBB.1.5 mutant subvariant is so much better at evading immunity (evading the vaccines), that even after over 5 months data there are NO DATA that show that the updated boosters protect against severe disease, hospitalization and death. Since the XBB.1.5 subvariant moved into our populations AFTER people were vaccinated with the “bi-valent” m-RNA vaccines, then IF the new vaccines provided protection against severe COVID disease, hospitalization and death, then we should have seen evidence of even a little protection by now – 5 months later. Because the vaccines & prior COVID infections have shown NO PROTECTION so far, it is proof that the latest mutant COVID substrains have mutated so much in the last 9 months since Big Pharma Pfizer & Moderna designed the current “bivalent” boosters, those boosters basically do not work well ~ providing only minor 33% effective protection ~ practical people need to take additional precautions. IOW … Because the m-RNA “bi-valent” vaccines are NOT providing substantial protection from the current dominant COVID mutant substrains for people over age 65 … and just 50% protection for others … … readers should continue to mask-up with N95 grade masks and use 8 ft of Social Distancing around strangers w/o masks, especially indoors. FORTUNATELY … Yucatan’s COVID CASES ARE AT RELATIVELY LOW LEVELS (less than 400) THIS PAST 3 WEEKS … Previous COVID infections supposedly giving protections from Omicron exposed as a myth – anti-vaxxers hoax: Finally, it has become clear that having a prior COVID infection IS NOT GIVING PROTECTION from Omicron infections, as people who recently had Delta infections ARE GETTING OMICRON infections, too many with NASTY lung thrombosis, hospitalized due to coughing up blood … along with other Omicron patients getting nasty brain, liver, & kidney thrombosis => which are PRIMARY CAUSES of COVID deaths. So … The whole set of some people’s claims that somehow “COVID ~magically~ might not kill people“, continues to be exposed as a big anti-vaxxer’s, anti-COVID hoax … along with unvaccinated people being the vast majorities of serious injury, hospitalizations and deaths. Keep wearing tight-fitting medical grade masks & Socially Distancing by 8 ft when masks are off for eating & drinking indoors. Stay informed … Stay healthy … Stay safe … Dr. Steven M. Fry Ph.D. in Chemistry, Public Health, & Laboratory Measurement Science. Read-on, MacDuff … ? Read On … MacDuff !   Comment Like You can also reply to this email to leave a comment.   Unsubscribe to no longer receive posts from Surviving Yucatan. Change your email settings at manage subscriptions. Trouble clicking? Copy and paste this URL into your browser: http://yucalandia.com/2023/01/27/yet-another-new-mutant-covid-subvariant-that-evades-our-vaccines/   Powered by WordPress.com

yucalandia posted: ” A recent post by a foreigner here reported that they were *shocked* to find that their tinaco was secretly overflowing into their pool’s disposal well – wasting 1,000’s of gallons of treated water … and she commented: “…how were we to know? ” ” Surviving Yucatan Easy Solutions to Some Common Challenges of Having a Home in Yucatan yucalandia Jan 21 A recent post by a foreigner here reported that they were *shocked* to find that their tinaco was secretly overflowing into their pool’s disposal well – wasting 1,000’s of gallons of treated water … and she commented: “…how were we to know? ” In the domain of pinned posts, here’s another suggestion for a post of some things essential to good living in Mexico. Living in Mexico is different from the USA or Canada. There are a number of pretty essential tasks that sharp homeowners do here, that never cross the mind of a Canadian or USA-nian homeowner. Check your tincaco at least 4 times a year (or 6 times a year) to make sure : ~ The lid is on securely. ~ There are no frogs, or roots, or crud growing inside your tinaco. ~ That there are no leaks. ~ That there are no dead birds in the tank. ~ Consider treating the water in your tinaco with ¼ cup of bleach 4 times a year … to disinfect your home’s plumbing. The last big study found that 25% of Merida homes had bacteriological (fecal coliformes) contamination inside their home”s plumbing … meanwhile 97% of Merida homes tested HAD CLEAN WATER AT THE METER. = = = = While you are up on the roof checking the tinaco: ~ Make sure there are no puddles of standing water on your roof. ~ Briefly examine the condition of the impermibilizante – that it is not lifting away from the roof, with leaks, or with water trapped underneath it (slowly wrecking the concrete underneath the impermbilizante). ~ Do a simple examination of the electrical connections to look for junction boxes missing their covers, or exposed electrical connections with their tape baking in the sun. ~ Also take a look at your solar panels(?) and air conditioners to see if they need maintenance or cleaning ~ BE SURE there are no accumulations of leaves or other debris that’s holding water, esp in the corners of the roof. = = = = It’s a decent idea to take a peek at your water meter about once a month, to see if you have any hidden leaks … running toilets (leaking at the flush valve in the bottom of the tank – or toilets with bad float valves overflowing water inside the toilet tank) … or for leaks under floors, or inside walls…. If no water is turned on in your home, the meter’s wheel should not be spinning. = = = = Every 2 months, review your CFE kWh of electrical usage to see if it makes sense (esp looking at the back of the bill). Do the calculations to determine if the kWh used makes sense with your daily-weekly use of air conditioners, water purifiers (UV lamp energy pigs) … (pointlessly?) running wasteful ceiling fans 24-7 … pool pumps running more than 1 – 2 hrs a day … irrigation or well pumps running … If you don’t know how to do those energy kWh usage, then hire a professional home energy auditor to do the job… = = = = and also, check your property outside for anything that holds 1 tbsp of water for 7 days … to eliminate standing water that breeds the Dengue-Chikungunya mosquitoes that love clean standing water … treat fountains, flower pot bases, etc with anti-larval pellets. = = = = Run a botttle of a good fuel system cleaner (like Chevron Techron) every 4 – 5 tankfuls of gasoline, because the gasoline across Mexico is such poor quality – and your fuel tank, fuel pump, and injectors get so crapped up by poor quality Mexican gasoline. = = = = Here’s an Editor’s Addition (after the fact): Check electronics, and electrical devices, and digital circuit boards, and electrical wiring, and electrical contacts on the pressure sensor switches for hidropneumaticos for … ants. One species of ants LOVES the toasty warmth of a circuit board that’s always ON, like the control board on an airconditioner … except THIS species of little ants include some nasty blackish-brown goo in their nest constructions – and when they make enough of the black gooy gunk across components on the board, it conducts electricity between components and fries them. Yet a DIFFERENT species of ants here love the taste of the plastic covering on electric wires, turning the protective covering on electric wires into Swiss cheese, inside our homes electrical outlets and electrical conduit-tubes (which they use as super-highways) … and once they have turned the protective coating on our electrical wires to Swiss cheese, the wires corrode & short out if a homeowner or electrician pull out an outlet – causing wires to touch… and Yet a THIRD species of ants here LOVES SPARKS … as this variety of Yucatecan ants is attracted to metal electrical contact points that open & close (to turn on & off a pump) … so this species of ants strangely is attracted to the sparking that happens with every opening and closing of the metal points (aka contacts) – and the little bugger climb between the points – and get FRIED … burning their little bodies into charred black goo in the sparks & 10A currents … coating the points with burnt black goo charred offering to their God … ??? In all 3 cases, the organic pesticide H24 white powder BANISHES THEM … as you liberally sprinkle insecticide powder onto the wires & onto all entrance-exit points-paths … aka Better Living Through Chemistry. … and yes, the organic ant powder lasts for years … and NO… DO NOT USE BORIC ACID for this (esp as a conductor of electricity) … Dr. Fry * Chemistry Professor … = = = = For Comparison: Centro Architects posted this helpful chart on FaceBook for public use, of their version Cheers! Happy Trails Read On … MacDuff !   Comment Like You can also reply to this email to leave a comment.   Unsubscribe to no longer receive posts from Surviving Yucatan. Change your email settings at manage subscriptions. Trouble clicking? Copy and paste this URL into your browser: http://yucalandia.com/2023/01/21/easy-solutions-to-some-common-challenges-of-having-a-home-in-yucatan/   Powered by WordPress.com

Acancéh’s ancient Maya treasures are hiding in plain sight

This archaeological site, located inside the modern town by the same name, is less well-known but has a rich history. The settlement had relationships with other ancient sites as far away as Guatemala.

Many people who head to Yucatán make time to visit some archaeological sites and get a glimpse into ancient Maya life. But while tourists flock to the state’s famous sites like Chichén Itzá and Uxmal, there are several lesser-known (read: less crowded) but interesting pre-Hispanic settlements to see as well.  See more.

Acancéh, a town just 25 kilometers from Mérida, is one such location. The ancient structures there are within the modern town. You can combine a visit to Acancéh with a trip to the archaeological site of Mayapán.

Both these sites are on the Convent Route — a popular travel route through old churches, archaeological sites and other attractions that’ll give you insights into Yucatán’s long history before and after the conquest.

Acancéh is on the Convent Route, where you can see archaeological sites, historic churches and more. (Photo: Hacienda Petac)
Although the site once had a large number of pre-Hispanic structures, only three buildings are currently accessible, but it’s still worth the trip. You can see them in a couple of hours.

The entrances to the buildings are closed off, so ask the INAH (National Institute of Anthropology and History) official by the main pyramid to let you in. Since these buildings get few visitors, you may even have them to yourself.

Acancéh, pronounced “Akankej,” is Mayan for “moan of deer” — acan, meaning “moan,” and céh, meaning “deer.”

Acancéh had a long occupation, starting from around 700 B.C.–300 B.C. until the Spanish arrived in the 16th century. Since the town of Acancéh is occupied today, some of it has visible signs of the pre-Hispanic and colonial eras.

According to INAH, Acancéh was an important center in the northern Yucatán Peninsula.

The settlement had relationships with different regions and sites, including Guatemala’s Petén region and Mexico’s Dzibilchaltún, Mayapán, Oxkintok and Komchen sites. It may also have had ties with other places, as far as central Mexico and Belize.

The masks here are massive, and, overall, in pretty good shape.
Once you arrive at the town’s center, you will see “The Pyramid,” a large pyramidal structure with four stairways once adorned with stucco masks. Five of these masks remain to date. Some are in better condition than the others, although the nose area of each mask is destroyed. 

You can climb this pyramid to get a closer look at the masks. Look out for the modern roof covering the masks so you won’t miss them.

These masks are massive — they’re 2.25–3.50 meters tall and 3.05–3.72 meters wide, according to INAH. They are thought to have features of the Maya sun god Kinich Ahau. Make time to spot their details like ears, eyes, eyebrows and tongues. You can also see hints of original red paint. If you’ve been there, they will remind you of the masks in Quintana Roo’s Kohunlich.

A burial site for two persons with offerings was discovered on this pyramid. You can also get great views of the town and the surrounding areas from the top.  

Next to the main pyramid, check out the smaller pyramidal structure as well. In this section, you can see a ziricote tree. The ancient Maya are thought to have used their rough-textured leaves for cleaning.

The Palace of the Stuccos, a few blocks away from the main pyramid, is a must-visit. It has a beautiful stucco frieze with anthropomorphic characters — animals and other non-human forms with human features — on the north facade.

This smaller pyramid structure has a ziricote tree nearby. The ancient Maya are believed to have used the rough-textured leaves of this tree for cleaning.
The frieze was once painted in bright colors, and the scenes are speculated to represent important events. According to INAH, the figures reflect the style in México state’s Teotihuacán and could suggest possible ties with them.

The Palace of the Stuccos has other room-like structures that are also interesting. You can visualize how glamorous this building was in its heyday.

The Acancéh town and the cathedral are also worth seeing. Some of the modern buildings are built with materials from the ancient structures.

If you have extra time afterward and feel like swimming in a cenote, the cenotes of Cuzamá or Homún are both around 30 minutes away. 

Thilini Wijesinhe, a financial professional turned writer and entrepreneur, moved to Mexico in 2019 from Australia. She writes from Mérida, Yucatán. Her website can be found at https://momentsing.com/