Sexy You, Tulum
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It has been 8 years now visiting Tulum. Before Gael and now already 5 times with him. He loves it. We love it. Gael would say time to time, ” Mom, I love you more than the ocean of Tulum.”
Tulum has been definitely evolved and developed. But still in our kind of way. Bit rough around the edge yet chilled and reserved in style, which makes herself very Sexy. Here are some photos to share with you of Tulum at it’s best.
Where the Turtles are: Xcacel beach, 6 miles from Tulum
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Always wanted to go see turtles. Only 6 miles away ( 7-8 minute drive?) from the Tulum beach, Xcacel is where Sea turtles go and lay eggs. Sea turtles love X’cacel beach because there’s lots of supple deep sand ( walking on the sand reminded me of walking on the deep snow), a minimal outer reef and virtually no one around. X’cacel in years past had been the site of a turtle protection program, one of the first in the area, but the property was bought by a hotel chain and now sits in legal limbo, caught between the environmentalists and the developers.
But it seems like the beach is still protected and guarded by official guardians on sight and many rules for the turtles. Turtles lay eggs from April to October and the peak time is July and August, which is the hottest time of the year. We didn’t see the turtles this time (and I believe we need to be there during the night time) but we have enjoyed the beautiful beach and a Cenote tucked in middle of lush palms.
Promising with Gael to go back to see Turtles laying eggs in the new year, we headed to the cenote. Cenote is a sinkhole with exposed rocky edges containing groundwater. The fresh water. It is typically found in the Yucatán Peninsula and some nearby Caribbean islands. And boy, they are beautiful. Cenote comes in all different sizes, surroundings and the depths and some of cenotes require professional diving skills to see deep underwater creatures.
Xcacel beach has a small semi fresh water cenote tucked right in the middle of palm and mangrove bushes and we took a refreshing dip in it!
On a way to cenote. What you see is Mangrove.
Casarosas walking the way to the Cenote!
Getting recharged.
Perfumery at Coqui Coqui, Tulum
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There is no such ” Hotel” on the strip of Tulum beach. Hotel as Hilton’s or whatever stops at the Cancun. Thank God. At least for now. The Mexican government only gives out the permits to build to the small boutique cabanas or low rise constructions that are built in sustainable ways. Wind power. Palapa Roofs. Maybe 2 stories or less. I dig it. Why not? We are all responsible. Responsible to keep and protect all.
Coqui Coqui is one of many charming and smart cabanas along the beach. One thing sets apart this place from the others would be the owner’s spirit, style and their Perfumery. http://www.coquicoquispa.com/perfumes.htm
The owner, Nocolas is a well known model but also a modern day hippie and a jet setter who was one of a few early pioneers to have the vision to start a life and business in Tulum. And as a young child, he was always interested in profumo of the Nature. And the perfumery seems like just the perfect thing to add on to his beautiful water front sanctuary.
The shop carries all organically produced line of perfumes and also facial products. Also there is bit of jeweleries, picture frames, beach scarves and home furnishing.
The space is beautiful in it’s stylish monotoned color scheme against the pale grey rustic concrete, which also somehow reminds me of Kenya, Africa.
This is a small restaurant of theirs next to the perfumery. The person in the blue in the mirror is me taking pics…
Since the year 2001, Casarosas adventure and passionate curiosity to know about Tulum continues and there are some new spots where our hearts felt for again and again…
This is a beach in front of a low key restaurent called “Cesiak”, the only restaurent located inside of Park SianKan where there are fresh water lagoon to the right and the most prestine beach of Tulum to the left.
From the Terrace of Cesiak, you can see the both the lagoon and the beach and it’s breath taking. If you would keep driving down on the same road of Siankan , you will arrive at the point called ” Punta Allen”.
Belows are photos of Bacalar, 2 hour drive to south of Tulum where you can hardly find any tourists. Bacalar is a 68Km long Fresh water Lagoon which also contains several smaller cenotes and villages around( and yes some kicking water front properties owned by local city people).
Bacalar is about 4 times bigger than the Manhattan island and you will come across with the most beautiful locals in this almost hard to belive mother nature setting.
This book was given to me by my boss and a friend, Iheoma, with a note inside the cover. ” Jaehee, to scratch the itch.” How perfect timing! Right after another trip to Tulum and another confession about feeling for the place.
The book celebrates the spirit, vision and courage of Gypsetters. The people who have gypsy like free spirit and jet setter like mobility. I may not be financially lucky as many gypsetters in this book, but I dig and relate to their heart, soul and courage to experiment their life in a different way. I feel rush of blood into my head when I dream about what I can do or what we can do as family to have a bit richer and more creative life.
There are some fancy photos in this book but it’s more about the chapters of real people in this book give me butterflies in my stomach. Hemingway, Damien Hirst, Sean Gullette and many others and their eccentric friends and partners to do it together. Everything just remind me of Emiliano and Gael. The ones I love. Ones I share everything with.
Nicolas Malleville in this book, a model who’s based in a small sleepy town, Valladolid, by the way we have visited the town twice and its only about a hour drive from Tulum, Mexico, is the actual one who opened the B&B called Coqui Coqui on the beach front of Tulum and he also has a cafe’ and a perfumery in Valladolid and he lives in a two-room apartment above his perfumery with his girlfriend. We may even have passed by the place when we were in Valladolid. Again, it’s his vision to turn a rough into a diamond and it’s his courage to put his vision into an action and the most of all, it’s his spirit, the core of everything to initiate truly inspires us.
GYPSET STYLE by Julia Chaplin
