Each
Month LocoGringo.com will feature different destinations, interesting places
to stay, cultural articles and things to do along the Caribbean coastline
of Mexico.
Villa
Miramar
is a magnificent luxurious estate on the Caribbean with a spectacular view
of the ocean. This is a villa for people who wish to vacation on
a grand scale.
The villa features hand carved
antique furnishings from Italy, England and Mexico, custom designed and
hand painted tiles,
ticul marble floors, pre
Colombian artifacts from Belize, original oil paintings, incredible stained
glass windows and oriental
rugs. Amenities include
central air-conditioning, an ambient sound music system, swimming pool
and outdoor garden area, a
beach area for sunning,
and multiple balconies and terraces all over the villa. All this
within a walled estate for total privacy.
The
Mexican Tradition of Guadalupe,
by Jose Gamaliel of LocoGringo.com
Millions of people in Mexico
celebrate the Virgin of Guadalupe each year on December 12. The celebration
is carried on by the making of a promise every year, to carry a torch that
represents the light of Guadalupe, and carry it from town to town in order
to spread her light and spirit. During the first two weeks of December
you can see groups of people in every Mexican state, running torches along
the highways day and night in order to spread the light of Santa Maria
de Guadalupe.
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The story of Guadalupe has
been handed down for generations and is based on several historical documents.
It originates in 1531, just 10 years after Tenochtitlan (Mexico City) was
conquered by Hernan Cortez, in 1521.
Early one morning Cuauhtlatoatzin,
a macehual native (humble class native) who had already been baptized as
Juan Diego, was passing by Tepeyac Hill in Mexico City. He began
to feel a sweet harmony which made him stop. There he witnessed the
vision of a young beautiful girl below a rainbow, surrounded by song birds
with a soft brightness emanating from her.
He was very surprised.
She said to him, "I am the Santa Maria Virgin, God’s true mother."
She asked him to build a sacred casita (a temple) to show His son, and
let the people experience her love, compassion, help and defense.
A place where she could hear their laments, remedy their misery, and relieve
their sorrow and pain.
She asked Juan to go tell
the elected Bishop, Franciscan Juan de Zumarraga, about her request.
Juan Diego went but the Bishop did not believe him and instead thought
that Juan Diego had suffered some kind of hallucination.
Juan Diego forgot the event.
The next day he passed by the same area on the road, and the Virgin was
there again, asking him to take her message to the Bishop. This happened
four times until the Bishop finally asked Juan Diego to bring him a sign
or some proof that what he spoke of was true. When Juan returned
to the Virgin she agreed to provide the sign, and told Juan to "Go home
and come back tomorrow, I will give you the sign you need."
When he arrived home his
Uncle Juan Bernardino was very sick and Juan tried to help him. The
only way Juan Diego could help him was to go to Tlatelolco the next day,
December 12, to look for a priest who could come to help his uncle spiritually.
Juan Diego thought that if he went the same way to Tlatelolco he normally
used, the Virgin would stop him, so he changed his route and took a different
road.
The Virgin appeared to him
again to tell him that his uncle had been healed; then she requested that
he climb the hill to cut some flowers and to bring them back. |
| Juan Diego obeyed her even
though he knew that only cactus would be found there, never flowers. However,
he found a big variety of beautiful flowers which he cut and took down
to the Virgin. He arranged them in the ayate, this is a kind of ixtle
mantle that the natives use as an overcoat and also for carrying small
objects. She asked him to take the flowers to the Bishop as a sign.
When he arrived at the Bishop
he let the ayate roll out, and in the instant that the flowers fell out,
the Guadalupe Virgin's image was imprinted on the ayate, just as Juan Diego
had seen her. This image was so vivid that the people present froze
and then slowly began to kneel down in worship of this miracle. The
next day, everyone accompanied Juan Diego to the site where the Virgin
requested that the temple be built. They confirmed that Juan Bernardino
had been healed by the Guadalupe Virgin and vowed to call her Santa Maria
de Guadalupe from that time forward. |
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Tres
Rios Eco Park just North of Playa Del Carmen
 
Tres Rios emanates from
spring fed streams that meander underground and then surface to wind their
way through the jungle and mangrove, and then on to the Caribbean. You
can paddle or peddle your way down to the beach where the main palapa is
located. Horses can also be rented for a trot down the beach, or
you can just lay in the sun and work on your tan. Tres Rios is a
rustic natural estuary and is home to a large variety of local flora and
fauna. The use of canoes, sea kayaks, life vests and bikes are all
included with the $19.00 USD entry fee. Reef tours, snorkel gear
and lockers are additional. Fresh water showers, bathrooms, changing
rooms and a general store are all available for your convenience.
A limited number of people are allowed in each day, so go early.
Open Daily.
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Destinations: discover
the towns and vacation spots along the Caribbean Coast
Playa
Secret | Playa
del Carmen | Puerto
Aventuras | Akumal
| Tankah
| Tulum
Accommodations: Find your
perfect vacation rental from a wide variety of places
Luxury
Villas | Other
Villas | Condominiums
| Hotels
| Bungalows
Local Travel Information:
Explore the Riviera Maya with all that there is to see and do...
Scuba
Diving | Eco-Parks
| Mayan Ruins
|
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