History of Isla Mujeres (Photoupdate)

A lot has been happening on Isla Mujeres during their 159 year birthday anniversary, and among all the fun stuff we found a booth by the supermarket where they have collected some very old photos from Isla.. I grabbed my camera and snapped some quick photos of these historic images.
I hope you find them interesting.



This is where 7 eleven is now, just after you step off the ferry.



















Please comment if you have any ideas where some of the other photos are from, and I`ll update the article.

Isla Mujeres celebrating 159 year anniversary!

The Municipality of Isla Mujeres has started their preparations to celebrate the 159 year anniversary of the founding of the town of Dolores, now known as Isla Mujeres.
The festivities will start August 14. and end August 23. and there will be cultural, artistic and sporting activities all over the island.

There will also be chosen a Queen of Isla Mujeres on August 15. and the 10 young judges from Isla Mujeres will elect the Queen based on elegance, charm and looks!
Sporting events are on the beaches, and with the rise in tourism lately, we will have plenty of fun!

Absolutely worth a visit!

Come check out Isla Mujeres!

Spiral Island

We went for a trip around Isla Mujeres one day, and caught a glimpse of this sign on our way to the "dolphinarium"

I have heard about this place before, on Ripleys Believe it or not and always wanted to know more..

We were invited to come visit Spiral Island II by Richie Sowa, the man behind the idea and building of this amazing island.

In Mexico, they have no return policy on plastic bottles, (in Norway, when you buy a beverage, you have to pay an extra "fee" for the bottle.. This fee is given back to you when you give the empty bottle back. A good way to not waste too many bottles, and even a source of income for some of the people of the streets of Norway ) so most empty bottles end up in a landfill somewhere and Richie started out in 1998 to collect bottles to build a small island.. He fills plastic nets with the empty bottles, then pushes them under plywood to make the island float. Then he uses the roots of different kinds of plants and mangroves to connect with the bags of bottles, and this is what is holding the island together. His first project took off, volunteers and investors helped him with the necessary funds to build his island even bigger, and it was at some almost 250 000 bottles big! But sadly it was ruined by a hurricane in 2005..
























He started on a new island again in 2007/2008 and is still going strong!
The island is over 100 000 bottles big , has 2 storeys, several pools, own water container, rain collector, solar oven, plants, animals, bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and living room!


























If you want to experience something really different on Isla Mujeres, i suggest you visit him on his amazing Spiral Island II!
Richie is a talented singer/artist/carpenter, and tries to change how the world thinks about waste, and recycling.


He accepts visitors if he is not too busy working, and I suggest giving a little donation if you visit.

If you want to help out, bring a bag of empty bottles, or start collecting now, and share with him when you have a bunch! In fact, if you run a business, why not save your plastic bottles for him? It`s good for the environment, you know! :)

He also has a great website that explains his project in detail, and you can even volunteer to help out if you`d like! www.spiralislanders.com

Riche ended our amazing tour with a nice song and a good Jamaica/Tamarindo drink, and before we took off, the Spiral Handshake™

Cool Gelato opening another store!

Friday, January 23. We were invited to the opening of the new Cool Gelato ice cream store by Rosemarie and Eberhardt, the owners..

They already have stores in the restaurant part of the shopping street, and by the pharmacy, and now they have opened another store close to the where the Creperia used to be, just by Comono and the Municipio.


There were a lot of people there during the opening, and lots of ice cream being sold.


I must say, I think the Cool Gelato ice cream is the best I`ve tried yet! They make all the Ice Cream here on Isla Mujeres, and use 100% natural ingredients, so no chemical additives! I recommend the lime ice cream together with a Chocolate Fondant, you will walk away smiling! Guaranteed!


There was also a game going on between Isla Mujeres and Cozumel, and after it, lots of students were walking down the street dressed in their uniforms.
We never caught who won, do you have any clues?All in all, a great night out on Isla Mujeres! I recommend trying it for yourselves!

Oh, and by the way..
To all our readers out there, Happy new year! We hope it will be a great one!

Christmas Crazy!

The world is going Christmas Crazy this time of year, and Isla Mujeres is no different!Right now, in El Centro, the town square is glowing with beautiful christmas decorations, lights, and things happening all the time..
The celebration of the Virgin of Guadalupe, the Patrona of Mexico, the Queen of the Americas started December 3. and finished on dec. 12., when all of Mexico goes on a timeout to celebrate the mother of God as she appeard on Tepayac, the prehispanic site of the temple to Tontanslin, one of the most influential Aztec goddesses, asking that a temple be buit to her on that site, as the Mother of Mexico.
Kids from Isla Mujeres will set out each evening from the church, to go on a pilgrimage to a different neighborhood.
The procession symbolizes the journey made by Joseph and Mary from Nazareth to Bethlehem, and Josephs search for shelter.
The peregrinos (pilgrims) include Joseph leading Mary on a burro(donkey), and a larg flock of angels, kings, shephers and lots of giggling shiny eyed kids with bright ribbons and decoration decked shepherds staff which they tap in time to the music. The kids will go in the streets asking for gifts from anyone willing, and each time they sing a song for you.

There has been different bands playing almost every day lately, and the streets are full of people, both Islanders and visitors.. Everyone is busy with their different chores and christmas cleaning.. My Novia even decorated our apartment, we now have christmas lights, snow on the windows, and these big red christmas "balls" hanging over our kitchen window!

It is so nice on Isla Mujeres in December, I think it must be my favourite month here!

There is always something going on, be it some crazy tourists, or the fireshows in the streets, or just the nice christmas spirit everybody`s in... Good times!

From all of us at IslaLife.com :
We wish all our readers a happy holiday and a merry Christmas!

This is the sweetest island you can imagine!!;-);

It is very nice to see how you have made a site about the beautiful island of Isla Mujeres..to make more people aware of the opportunities to visit this fantastic island!!
The first visit I got there was back in 2005, and that visit really trigged me for keeping up almost 2 years ongoing travelling afterwards...! Because I met so many interesting backpackers at this island, in a paradisable caribbean-atmosphere..
and enjoyed the weeks there with all the great offers;
With the many exotic restaurants that has delicious food from all over the world..., the amazing underwater world they have great offers to explore, the lovely beaches & the great partyplaces to go to.. and you still always have a laxed sweet atmospherere around..!

I was dreaming about Isla Mujeres ever after, so I went back there some weeks over new years 2007\2008 and it was just as great to get back!!=) Still it was an amazing peace in this small island with so much to offer, and sooo many fun backpackers to meet..! But also I got to visit the local Mexicans that live there, and see their pretty genuine life, way out of the tourist-attractions that are still so close on the same little island.. But they really enjoyed to meet foreigners and they had the great Mexican attitude of; "Mi casa es tû casa amigo!"..:-)

So I can really encourage you to pay Isla Mujeres a visit.., you won't regret it, everybody I've talked to that has been there just loooves it.., and I am already looking forward to the day I get to go back!

Mexican revolution day

The celebration started early in the morning at 09.00 and there were hundreds of students gathered to go to the parade.

It started just by the airstrip, and they walked up the main street Av. Ruedamedina, all the way to the roundabout, and there they turned to walk down again the same street..

There were many different classes and all had their specialty, some wore cool sombreros and looked awesome, and others built human pyramids, there were cheerleaders, army outfits, gym classes

and a huge doll of some kind made of balloons on top of a car with one guy in the back holding up the head with a stick.

A lot of fun, but I wish they would walk around el centro, not just up and down the same street..
I love it when there is something different happening! Days like these are the best!