New Improvements to Casa Cascada!

Well, my husband and I spent one month on the island of Cozumel and spent 3 of those 4 weeks sprucing up Casa Cascada.


These are just a few things that we worked on…

New landscaping around the pool
New landscaping in the Fishbowl garden
New landscaping in the main garden and the exterior wall
New grass in the main yard
Pressure washed (and scrubbed) the pool deck and walkway
New solar lights in the gardens and the party deck
Re-Stained and sealed the exterior wall front door, garage door and front door to the house
Touch up painted inside and out
Painted the security bars downstairs
A multitude of minor (but annoying) fixes that had been overlooked (replacing a broken lamp, new toilet seats, unplugged the rain shower heads, etc)

We also had a LONG and difficult discussion with our property management company.  The house just wasn’t up to our standards when we arrived and it literally took us 3 weeks of running around scrambling to get the house back to how WE wanted it.  Now, we have a NEW POOL COMPANY and a NEW GARDENER!!  Needless to say, this was a big learning experience for us.

Also, there is a new great restaurant right across the street, El Cocktelito.  They have the best ceviche (and cold beer).  In fact, I think I had ceviche 3-4 times a week since we would stumble over there after long days of working on the house.  Oh, and the few times we couldn’t even drag ourselves across the street, they delivered!

Hope you like the improvements!  We have plans to stay for a month next year and we plan to add the roof (and lighting) to the party deck and do a few other large improvements.
  

Quintana Roo named World Tourism Capital for Peace

Quintana Roo Governor Roberto
Borge Angulo was named Peace Ambassador, and the state was designated as the
2012-2013 World Tourism Capital for Peace by the World Organization for Peace
(WOFP) on Sunday.

These honors were given to
the region because it is considered a model for outstanding cultural and
tourism programs, as well as the preservation and promotion of Mayan culture,
the kindness of its people and its quality of tourism services.

During the event, the
governor said that the awards will serve to showcase to the world the region’s
tourism and culture. He was accompanied by Quintana Roo Tourism Secretary Juan
Carlos Gonález Hernández; the WOFP Director for Mexico, Central America and the
Caribbean Danclair Darío del Valle Hamilton; and WOFP consultant Juan Pablo
Mirabent Pizarro Suárez.
 

After receiving the
lifelong honorific of Peace Ambassador
, the governor spoke about the
significance of Quintana Roo’s programs being recognized by the United Nations
as a model for building a better world.

He said that the awards
imply more responsibility and new challenges, and that he will continue with
the intense task of promoting the region’s cultural, archeological and tourism
treasures, as well as increasing the quality of services, infrastructure and
life of the people of Quintana Roo.

“Quintana Roo was selected
among eight important international tourist centers because of its
sustainability, organization, and quality services and activities. It was
judged for its archeological sites and splendid culture, as well as the
people’s dedication to service, and its pleasant year-round climate,” he said.

Quintana Roo was selected
on May 7 in Geneva, Switzerland by the WOFP, an organization governed by the
United Nations, among the following international tourism center finalists: Rio
de Janeiro, Brasil; Giza, Egypt; New York, United States; Agra, Uttar Pradesh
State, India; Rome, Italy; Dubai, the United Arab Emirates; and Paris, France.

The state of Quintana Roo is an amazing, diverse and safe place to visit and live.  Cozumel is a wonderful jumping off point to experience the history, culture and wildlife of the Yucatan.  Be sure to stay in your home away from home.