Puerto Morelos—where a picture of Señor Morelos will buy you a beer at the beach bar
Did you know that when you are in Puerto Morelos you can get a beer at the beach bar in exchange for a picture of Mr. Morelos, for whom the town is named? Our visit to the Now Jade Riviera Cancun afforded us abundant opportunities to discover new definitions of “putting one’s time to good use.” The Apple Vacation experience at the Now Jade Preferred Club afforded us time happily squandered in the ocean view balcony Jacuzzi in the company of Modelo from the mini bar; employing the free Wi-Fi to roam the internet via Kindle on a hunt for useful info, including:
That when you visit Puerto Morelos you will have been there one time more often than the man the town is named for. Jose Manuel Morelos y Robles was a handsome, dashing freedom fighter in the Mexican rebellion against Spain. Between 1810 and 1815 he led the insurgent army, winning dozens of battles against the Spaniards, and when he was finally captured the Spanish Inquisition pronounced him guilty of treason and executed him by firing squad. He’s a national hero and his face is on the 50 peso bill. Which is why you can trade his picture for a cerveza at the beach bar. And get change back.
That La Panza es Primera (“The Belly is First”) on the south end near the town dock is arguably the best beach bar in Puerto Morelos. Good food on the water. Its theme is masked Mexican wrestlers.
That the Unico Beach Club on the north end of town is arguably the best beach bar in Puerto Morelos. It is planted on the beach with swings for barstools.
That the town dock is less than two miles from the balcony Jacuzzi.
That the tiny lighthouse on the beach by the dock that leans like the Pisa Tower got that way in a hurricane in 1967 and has survived two more big ones since; most recently Wilma, which knocked off part of my roof in Florida 600 miles away.
That you will have your picture taken holding it up.
That there are two species of crocodiles lurking in the mangrove marshes surrounding the resorts. They come in three sizes: compact, mid-sized and SUV.
That the city dock is named for Andres Garcia Lavin, who was a media mogul who owned newspapers and radio and TV stations in Cancun.
That at the Andres Garcia Lavin dock, you can hire a boat and skipper to carry you back to the beach at the Now Jade resort for around 25 dollars US (less if you have haggling skills).
You will be dropped off in the shallows about a dozen yards out so plan on getting wet while holding your phone and camera above your head.