Yucatan Living

Yucatan News: Shoes, Hat, Cookies

9 April 2013 News 8

The End of Fideicomisos: Not Yet

This past week, a proposal was introduced to allow foreigners to purchase property in restricted areas without the need for a trust. Those who introduced the proposal point out that this would make it easier for foreign retirees and businesses to move to Yucatan. The take-away from this, at this point, is that this is a proposal to make a change in the Constitution of Mexico. At best, it will take a long time to get the proposal passed through Congress, although we were heartened by the news that both major parties seem to be in favor of this bill. This means, for the foreseeable future, the law still stands and a trust is still needed in the restricted zones. We did, however, find some quite interesting statistics in the reasoning put forth concerning the need to change this law. For example, according to the National Association of Real Estate, U.S. retirees are proportionately more active in the second home market, are the owners of 57% of vacation homes and receive 58% of all rental income, with Mexico as the premier destination for purchasing a second home. We also learned that foreign residents, who vacation or live in Mexico, generate approximately 9% of the national GDP and generate more than 9.5 million jobs. While it is good to know our place in the Mexican economy, we still must remember that fideicomisos have not ended and buyers should continue to have proper representation when purchasing property in any foreign country.

Wishing Kukis by Maru a Happy 24th Anniversary!

Congratulations to Maria Eugenia Medina Hollmann, known to her friends as Maru, who began baking cookies in her own kitchen. All she really wanted then was to pay for phone calls and airline tickets to Canada. Today, she owns the most popular cookie franchise in Yucatan. Visit Kukis by Maru: Baking You Happy for 24 Years! online and in Gran Plaza. We hope Kukis by Maru enjoys this anniversary and many many more!

The Hatters of Ticul

When we hear the name of Ticul, we automatically think of shoes and pottery. But there are hatters in Ticul too! These are some of the hatters who weave their hats in the caves, and they are having a rough go of it. Apparently, the hatters in Ticul are unable to get through all of the requirements necessary to obtain credit and capital. Fortunately, they have regular customers who purchase thousands of hats on a wholesale basis, but expansion is virtually impossible for them. Today, many of Ticul’s hatters are in their 70s and 80s and work only in the afternoons. The skill of making hats is one that is passed from generation to generation. It is difficult, they say, to entice young people into the profession when they know that expansion is all but impossible. However, they are determined to survive as they continue to produce the hats we know as huichol, veracruzano and jaranero, plus several varieties for women and children. Do look for the hatters of Ticul the next time you head south for shoes and pottery.

Profits From the Shoe Fair: What do They Mean?

Before we leave the topic of artisans in Ticul, it might help to understand the situation of the hatters if we view it in contrast to the situation of the shoe and pottery makers. This year’s Shoe Fair profit, above expenses, is expected to be in the neighborhood of $40,000 pesos. Those profits will be used for community service projects and to improve the quality of the next Footwear and Handicrafts Expo. This includes cleaning and maintenance of the areas in which the fair takes place, as well as an outreach program to additional producers. But the interesting thing is that these profits are also shown to lenders as evidence of quality and success, where they result in low interest loans for the producers. Over the past few years, we have watched as more than a few groups of producers have come into their own by using successful fairs as business vehicles. We hope we see this happen for the hatters of Ticul in the very near future.

Ticul: Children to Retake Chess Classes

Ticul, these days, seems to be almost as busy as Merida and the happening place is the local Municipal Library! This increase in activity is thanks, in large part, to the Telmex Digital Library resources. Every Spring, this area is traditionally in the news for its chess tournaments but, this year, the Spring Chess Tournament in Ticul has been put off until July so that it will coincide with the anniversary of the city. Not to waste a second that could be spent in playing chess, the Municipal Library of Ticul is repeating a series of free chess classes. The classes are from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM and children must go to the library to register. For our readers who love chess, do keep an eye out for the torneo de ajedrez “Alejandro Preve Castro” in July. The southern cone of the state is where so many children are avid chess players. Many find themselves with only homemade boards and chess pieces, but they have never let that little inconvenience stop them. Please put their tournament on your calendar and try to make it to Ticul in July to support the young chess players Southern Yucatan.

Coming Soon: 450th Anniversary of Former Convent

There is not yet a formal list of activities for the 450th Anniversary celebration at Tizimin’s Tres Reyes (Three Kings) Convent, but there are historical projects already underway. It is thanks to Professor Luis Pérez Salazar’s 30-year quest to document the history of the former convent at the Church of Kings that we now know when the Spanish came (1563), who the first priests were, who was there when the Spanish arrived (the Maya), and just how wonderful this paradise was 450 years ago. Celebrations are expected to begin in May and unfold throughout the remainder of 2013. This is another opportunity to plan ahead and know that something special is always waiting for you in Yucatan.

Wind Farm Coming to Motul

A new 100-hectare wind farm in Kancabal, Motul, will produce 30 megawatts of electricity that will be sold to CFE. This is enough electricity to take care of the total consumption of five municipalities in the area: Motul, Cansahcab, Izamal, Tixkokob and Hoctún. The beginning studies for the development of this project have already begun and it looks as if the project, using Aldiner equipment, will be up and running within approximately 18 months. Wind farms are an issue that has come up many times in Yucatan but, so far, wind power has only been used to pump underground water to the surface for livestock. This project will be closely watched by everyone who is interested in cheaper, cleaner electricity production.

Seaweed to Biodiesel

As many of our readers already know, a project was recently launched in the Municipality of Valladolid for the purpose of using seaweed to produce biodiesel fuel. Now, Sammo Energy LTD, a British company, has taken the first steps toward making this plan a reality. The project is expected to make a significant impact on the economy of the municipality and is a win-win situation for all concerned. Details of this project will be released as the project moves forward, but what most want to know is all about the visible parts of the project, the parts of the project that affect beach towns and residents. Who will collect the seaweed? How will they collect it? These are new topics that have not been addressed in Yucatan in the past and everyone is excited about being here to see a project like this move forward.

Hunucma: The 2013 Mango Harvest

Early March saw mango producers very worried that worms would take their harvest this year. Fortunately, that turned out not to be the case. The harvest is rolling in and foreign buyers are lining up in Hunucma to purchase mangos from Yucatan. Its a buyer’s market this year, with prices a bit on the low side, but better to make profits up in quantity than to lose money by watching the crops not sell. A crate of mangos is selling for either $80 to $100 pesos, depending on variety. A bucket is $60 pesos and a bag is $10 pesos. For our new expats, everyone keeps a list of reasons they moved to Yucatan, even if they don’t write down their lists. We would be willing to wager that “little yellow mangos” is on every single one of those lists. Ride out to Hunucma, pick up a crate of mangos and read Yucatan Living’s How to Eat a Mango. And then feast on your mango treasures!

Get Away from the Heat: Two Cenotes Near the City

In San Antonio Mulix, Uman, Yucatan, you will find two cenotes , one of which is Xbatún (of soap opera fame). The maximum depth of the water is only four meters and both cenotes are very safe. The cool, clear water is perfect for snorkeling and the entire area clean and well maintained by Tumben Zazil Kin Zonot Ecotourism, a cooperative owned by the people who live in the area. The gates are open from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with quite a reasonable admission price: Local visitors: $10 pesos, Domestic Tourists: $25 pesos, Foreign Tourists: $50 pesos. In addition, available rentals include cabins, camping equipment, and swimming equipment, plus a restaurant and guides. Services are amazing. Visitors are welcome to bring their own food and beverages (tables provided), and their own life jackets and snorkeling equipment. There are areas to change clothes and portable toilets near the cenotes. There are parking lot attendants to keep watch over visitors' rented bikes and vehicles. The two cenotes are withing six kilometers of each other and can be visited in the same day. For a fee, visitors can hire a guide to walk or bike in the bush. If you love camping (cabin or tent), and the beach is not for you, do head west of the city to enjoy this ecotourism experience.