Cozumel News January 6th

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Cozumel News January 6th: Happy Kings Day Cozumel! Welcome to the Cozumel Sun’s first news issue in 2014! In this issue we ponder the question of how the higher taxes will affect our community, a glimpse at the week ahead, an Increase in Ferry Services feared, a new direct flight from Cozumel to Chicago, an update on the Adopt a Friend Program, DIF to offer specialized care, and a description of Kings Day and the traditional pastry, Rosca de Reyes from our friends at aboutmexico.com.

Great Week Ahead

This promises to be another great week for the Cozumel Tourist economy. There are 26 ships scheduled to arrive this week, down two cruise ships from the 28 that arrived last week. There are 53 flights scheduled to arrive at the Cozumel airport. Have a great week merchants and service people!

The Higher Prices

Everyone on the island is bracing for the effect of the 16% tax placed on virtually everything starting January first. My family prepared by stocking up on dog and cat food and purchasing a three month supply of everyone’s medicines. We were fortunate to have the money on hand. Since the Federales confiscated our KIA for not having legalized the plates in time, we were able to get almost all of our funds back from the Aduana. (I had applied and was promised Mexican plates last May.) The silver lining is that we had those funds available to stock up on medicine and pet food. Knowing what the average family earns in Cozumel, I worry about how they are going to survive with a 16% tax on prices that are already high because we live on an island that imports everything. Then there is the ever increasing cost of gasoline, notice it never goes down? Word around town is that CFE bills are also higher, in some cases double. We are now enjoying a seasonal increase in tourists, what will happen during the off season? Join me in my new Facebook Group “The Cozumel Sun” to discuss some of these issues and how it will affect us, our friends, and neighbors.

Ferry Increase feared

There is fear that the ferry companies will use the increase in fuel cost and taxes as an argument to once again raise their fees. The cost of riding the Ferry has only increased so far by the added VAT taxes that rose from 11% to 16% across Mexico.

The cost of crossing to Cozumel by ferry is already the highest in the country. All products consumed in Cozumel are brought in by ferry from the mainland in freight vehicles of all sizes. There is only one company that provides the ferry services. The vehicle ferry charges by the size of the vehicle. If crossing in my van was around one hundred U.S. dollars, a semi double trailer must be around a thousand dollars. This cost is passed on to us at the stores in the form of higher prices.

New Chicago-Cozumel Route Announced

Aeromexico has been authorized a Cozumel-Chicago route from January 12 to April 2014. A 747 Boeing with a capacity of 150 passengers is scheduled to fly non-stop to Cozumel with passengers from Chicago and arrive at 1:45 p.m. on Sundays. The same plane will depart for Chicago at 2:45 p.m. This is good news for some tourists and local residents that will now have this option available for work or pleasure.

Adopt a Friend Program

Last November, The Department of Ecology, through the Animal Control Center launched “Adopt a Friend”, a program to place abandoned dogs in new homes. The program ensures that the new owners can offer the required care and feeding. In turn the animals are sterilized, checked by a veterinarian and given a health care card. The health care card is to be used in follow-up visits to the veterinarian

To date, they have placed 47 dogs and two cats with new families. The families have signed a letter pledging to be responsible by giving their new pet the necessary food, take them on walks for exercise, keep them in clean areas and continue a strong commitment to their care.

Although the program has had a positive response from the community, the adoptions only represent 50% of the pets picked up by Animal Control. Animal Control has a module they move about town to promote the Adopt a Friend Program.

DIF to Offer Specialized Care

A statement issued by City Hall announced that DIF will be offering specialized care at low cost to families in need. Everyone can use these services; they have a very reasonable sliding fee scale. My family has used them in the past for physical therapy, and to have a specialist fit my husband for a new leg brace. New this year is podiatry care that is needed for patients with diabetes. Care for Ingrown toe nails, thickened or yellowish nails and diabetic foot, among other ailments has been non-existent on the island. The specialist will be at the DIF Clinic on 30^th Avenue on January 18^th. Stop in and make an appointment in advance if you are interested. The appointments will start at nine in the morning and will probably run into the evening.

Kings Day in Mexico

January 6th is Three Kings Day in Mexico, known as the Día de Reyes. This is Epiphany on the church calendar, the 12th day after Christmas, when the Magi arrived bearing gifts for baby Jesus. In Mexico children receive gifts on this day, brought by the three kings, los Reyes Magos, Melchor, Gaspar, and Baltazar. Some children receive gifts from both Santa Claus and the Kings, but Santa is seen as an imported custom, and the traditional day for Mexican children to receive gifts is January 6.

In the days preceding Kings Day, children write letters to the Magi requesting a toy or gift that they would like. On the night of January 5th, the figures of the Wise Men are placed in the nativity scene. Traditionally children would leave out their shoes with a bit of hay in them to feed the animals of the Magi (they are often shown with a camel). When the children would wake up in the morning their gifts appeared in place of the hay. Nowadays, like Santa Claus, the Kings tend to place their gifts under the Christmas tree.

Rosca de Reyes:

On Kings Day it is customary to eat Rosca de Reyes, a sweet bread shaped like a wreath, with candied fruit on top, and a figurine of a baby Jesus baked inside. The person who finds the figurine is expected to host a party on Día de la Candelaria (Candlemas), celebrated on February 2nd, when tamales are served.

Have a safe week and remember to email me to subscribe, contribute articles, or offer your comments at auraholguin@thecozumelsun.com.