The bar is still open…more news when it happens.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boY55kqNBWU

Not every person who is bitten by a mesquito carrying this disease gets sick. It seems to have something to do with how strong one’s immune system is.  An infected person cannot spread the infection to other persons.  One can only contract the virus from a mosquito bite.

The symptoms, which can range from mild to serious, include a sudden onset of fever with headache and joint pains that may be so severe that another name for Dengue is break-bone fever. There may also be gastritis with some combination of nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea. You may think you have a really bad case of flu. It usually lasts about six to seven days. Near the end of that time, the fever will come up again and a rash will often break out, first on the lower limbs and chest and in some patients, it can spread to cover most of the body. There is also a hemorrhagic version, where the virus causes bleeding. Thankfully, our friends did not have this kind. 

There is no cure for this disease and one should treat it much like the flu with increased fluid intake and bed rest. It is very important to avoid aspirin and anti-inflammatory medicines like Advil. These products are often used to treat pain, however in this case, they may actually aggravate the bleeding tendency. If Dengue is suspected, one should take acetaminophen to help lessen the symptoms. Full recovery can take several weeks.

There is no vaccination to prevent this virus, but you can lessen the chances of getting it by using insect repellent containing either NNDB or DEET. If you suspect you have Dengue fever, consult with a physician as soon as possible because there can be some serious side effects with this disease. The hemorrhagic version may require blood transfusions and can be fatal. If you have already had Dengue, you are not immune from getting it again. In fact, one of our friends had it twice in one month.

Carnes – Meats 

 Cabra: Goat
 Carne de Res: Beef
 Carnero: Lamb
 Hígado: Liver
 Jamón: Ham
 Lengua: Tongue
 Pavo: Turkey
 Pato: Duck
 Pollo: Chicken 
 Puerco: Pork
 Salchicha: Sausage
 Ternera: Veal
 Tocino: Bacon (sometimes salted pork)

Pescado Y Mariscos – Fish and Shellfish

 Abulón: Abalone
 Atún: Tuna
 Cabrilla: Sea Bass
 Calamar Squid
 Callos: Scallops
 Camarones: Shrimp
 Almejas: Clams
 Cangrejo or Jaiba: Crab
 Jurel: Yellowtail
 Pargo: Snapper
 Huachinango: Red Snapper
 Langosta: Lobster
 Ostiones: Oysters
 Pez Espada: Swordfish
 Tiburón: Shark
 Lenguado: Flounder or Sole

Legumbres – Vegetables

 Aceitunas: Olives
 Apio: Celery
 Arroz: Rice
 Betabeles: Beets
 Calabazas: Pumpkins or Squash
 Camotes: Sweet Potatoes
 Cebolla: Onion
 Cebollita: Green Onion
 Chícharos: Peas
 Champioñes: Mushrooms
 Ejotes: String Beans
 Elote: Corn on the Cob
 Ensalada: Salad
 Frijoles: Beans (cooked)
 Lechuga: Lettuce
 Maiz: Corn off the Cob
 Nopales: young Prickly Pear Cactus leaves
 Pepino: Cucumber
 Papas: Potatoes
 Rábano: Radish
 Repollo: Cabbage
 Tomate: Tomato
 Zanahoria: Carrot

Frutas Y Nueces – Fruits & Nuts

 Aguacate: Avocado
 Cacahuates: Peanuts
 Coco: Coconut
 Duraznos: Peaches
 Fresas: Strawberries
 Guayaba: Guava
 Higo: Fig
 Limón: Lime or Lemon
 Manzana: Apple
 Melón: Melon
 Naranja: Orange
 Nuez de Castilla: Walnuts 
 Pacanas: Pecans
 Piña: Pineapple
 Plátano: Banana
 Sandía: Watermelon
 Toronja: Grapefruit
 Uvas: Grapes

Bebidas – Drinks

 Agua: Water
 Aguardiente: Brandy
 Cafe: Coffee
 Cerveza: Beer
 Crema: Cream
 Ginebra:: Gin
 Jugo de Naranja: Orange Juice
 Leche: Milk
 Refrescos: Soft Drinks
 Ron: Rum
 Té Caliente: Hot Tea
 Té Helado: Iced Tea
 Vino Blanco: White Wine
 Vino de Champaña: Champagne
 Vino Rosado: Rose Wine
 Vino Tinto: Red Wine

Especias Y Condimentos – Spices & Condiments

 Ajo: Garlic
 Azucar: Sugar
 Canela: Cinnamon
 Cilantro: Fresh, Green Coriander
 Mantequilla: Butter
 Mayonesa: Mayonaise
 Miél: Honey
 Mostaza: Mustard
 Parejíl: Parsley
 Pimienta: Pepper
 Sal: Salt
 Vainilla: Vanilla

Postres y Dulces – Desserts & Sweets

 Bolillos: French-style Rolls
 Flan: Custard
 Galletas: Cookies
 Helado: Ice Cream
 Paleta: Flavored Ice on a Stick
 Pan Dulce: Sweet Bread
 Pastel: Cake
 Pay: Pie

Other Foods

 Avena: Oatmeal
 Caldo: Broth
 Fideos: Noodles
 Huevos: Eggs
 Pan: Bread
 Queso: Cheese
 Sopa: Soup

You may remember from school that Christopher Columbus, an Italian seafarer  of the 15th century, believed he had found a better trade route to India. Although it took him eight years, he finally convinced the Spanish Queen Isabella to finance his journey, and he left Spain with 3 small ships, La Niña, La Pinta, and La Santa María. After a long and difficult trip, all three ships landed on an island in the Bahamas on October 12th, 1492. Chris thought he had reached India (which is why native Americans were called “Indians” for many years).

Many people believe that the Americas were actually discovered some time before Chris ever landed. However, he claimed the new land in the name of the Spanish monarchy and was the first to establish continual contact and eventual trade between the Americas and Europe.

About 30 years later, Hernán Cortés conquered Mexico which then became a colony of Spain for the next 300 years. The indigenous people intermarried with the Spanish and eventually a new race was born. This is what Mexicans celebrate on October 12th: the historical origins of the Mexican race. In 1928 the Día de la Raza was declared an official national holiday by the Mexican Congress.

I wonder how many people visiting Playa del Carmen entertain the idea of moving here. For us, it occurred in 1998 on our first visit. We were already living outside the United States in Belize. We came to Playa to spend a few days so we could refresh our tourist visa in Belize. I kept wondering….why am I living in Belize when I could be living in Playa?

It took several other visits and seven years back in Florida, before my wife and I began to talk about moving to Playa seriously. Even then, it initially seemed like a fleeting fantasy. Over the course of several months, the idea began to take root. In the fall of 2006, my wife and I began to seriously consider it as an option. At Christmas, we planned a trip for March 2007. It had been five years since our last visit, and we knew it had grown significantly. We thought perhaps we wouldn’t like it as much as before.

As it turned out, we liked it even more. Playa had become very livable in our eyes. There is the Mega, Walmart, Office Depot and Sam’s Club. High speed Internet connections are readily available. ATMs are easy to locate. Many of the difficulties of living in Belize in the late 90s were no longer an issue in Playa. Yes, Playa is more crowded, more expensive, and growing rapidly, but we see it as a comfortable place to retire or at least semi-retire. 

So on June 1, 2007 our adventure began and we moved to Playa del Carmen, Mexico. After a little more than two months, Playa is beginning to feel like home. We not only like it, we love it. Hopefully, we can share some information that might help you decide if Playa is right for you.