Adventure Abounds in Cancun

May 2013
9
community & life
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TRAVEL
Adventure Abounds on Vacation to Cancun, Mexico
It’s been more than 20 years since my
last visit to Cancun, and the city has grown
to become a mega superstar in resort
destinations. Driving along the Hotel Zone,
I was amazed
at the lineup of
magnificent new
luxury hotels,
one after another.
Many of the
hotels are allinclusive. If you
enjoy plenty of
spirits and don’t
mind dining in the
same restaurants
Mira Temkin
all week, go for it.
Because there are
so many hotels, there are also as many good
deals – do your research.
Go Mayan!
The Mayan civilization was one of the
original cultures of the New World, lasting
more than 3,000 years. Living in the Yucatan
Peninsula, the Mayans were known for
their spectacular art, impressive architecture
and sophisticated astronomical systems,
highly advanced for their time. Mayan
archaeological sites such as Chichen Itza and
Tulum continue to hold an aura of mystery
and majesty, easily accessible from Cancun.
Extreme Sports – Coba Mayan
Encounter Adventure
I’ll be honest here. I went along for the
ride. A combination of canopy ziplining,
rappelling deep down in a cave, and canoeing
(okay, I did the canoeing), this is the triathlon
of adventure. The excursion also included a
delicious barbecue lunch and a visit to the
Coba Archeological Park.
Here, the Coba Mayan Ruins tell the story
of an ancient people, showcasing rituals and
customs from centuries ago, like the bowl
game area where they played competitive
sports. I took the “Mayan Princess” route
to the Nohoch Mui pyramid (the tallest in
the Yucatan) by riding in a foot-pedaled
bike and climbing almost to the top. This
exciting daylong excursion was one I’ll long
remember. Alltournative.com.
Get Hooked on the Pirate Ship
The Captain Hook Barca Pirata Pirate Ship
is the granddaddy of them all. This fabulous
Lobster Dinner Cruise and Pirate Show sets
sail for the high seas aboard an authentic
galleon, complete with swashbuckling pirates,
fabulous fare, dancing, contests and a grand
finale that will blow you away.
No, I won’t tell, but suffice to say this is a
guaranteed great time for the whole family.
We had a ball and loved watching the pirates
in action as we sailed the Caribbean. There’s
good reason why this was named the best
attraction in Cancun on Trip Advisor. A real
treasure! Capitanhook.com.
Discover the Eco-Parks
With its exquisite natural beauty, Cancun
is known as an ecological paradise. X-Caret
is a majestic archaeological park where you
can swim with the dolphins, float through
underground rivers and experience a musical
journey through Mexico. Snorkel among
multi-colored fish at Xel-Ha, the natural
aquarium, and explore the fascinating
underground world and ziplines of X-Plor.
Pericos
Cancun’s transportation system is fast,
MIRA TEMKIN
Travelers can scale the Nohoch Mui pyramid at Cancun’s Coba Mayan Ruins.
efficient and inexpensive and we took the
bus downtown to several great restaurants.
Pericos is one of Cancun’s most delightful
– lots of laughs and great food. The whole
experience seemed somewhat familiar
and WAIT, I’ve been here before. Indeed I
had, which speaks to the longevity of this
restaurant – open since the ’80s.
Escape to Isla Mujeres
Isla Mujeres is a laid-back fishing village,
just a boat ride away. There are three ferry
shuttles around Cancun and I suggest taking
the Ultramar ferry service independently,
rather than a hotel package. We rented a golf
cart and drove around the island, stopping
at the Turtle Farm, Dolphin Discovery
and Punta Sur, honoring the Mayan Moon
Goddess. These steep, naturally carved cliffs
and ancient ruins provided gorgeous views of
the city.
Going back to Cancun now showed me…I
can’t wait so long to return! Cancun.travel.
Mira Temkin is a Highland Park-based
freelance writer whose articles have appeared
in the Chicago Tribune, Family Time
Magazine and six-00-three-five magazine.
In addition, she’s a high-energy copywriter
working with advertising and marketing
services clients. Reach her at
miratemkin@gmail.com.
KIM’S KITCHEN
Lisa Sullivan, M.D.
Karen Jackson, M.D.
Make Kid-Friendly Chocolate Eclair Cake
Let’s not forget about Mom this month! We
are asked for recipes quite often. The most
challenging is coming up with recipes that
kids can do on their own, without having to
use knives, the oven or stove.
This recipe fits
the bill. It’s easy
to do, the kids can
be creative, and
it’s chocolate!
Who doesn’t like
chocolate? Well,
we know a few
people, but we
don’t really like
them anyway. Just
Chef Kim Bisk kidding.
Kids love this
one, not only
because it’s so easy, but because they can use
tubes of cake decorating gels to write special
messages or draw pictures. The pride factor
alone makes it worth doing. Just be prepared,
the kids will tell everyone they meet about it
for the next several weeks!
This is actually a recipe that Ellory, my
husband and partner in business, used to do
with his mom ages ago. He is pleased to share
it with all of you. Enjoy!
Ellory’s Easy Chocolate Éclair Cake
(about 12 servings)
2 packages French Vanilla instant pudding
3 cups cold milk
8 oz. thawed Cool Whip
1 box of graham crackers
1 can of ready-made chocolate frosting
1 9 x 13” baking pan
[1] Take both packages of pudding, and
empty contents into a large bowl. [2] Add
the cold milk, and whisk together until
dissolved. [3] Now take the thawed Cool
Whip and stir into the pudding mixture. This
will make it thick and creamy. [4] Take the
graham crackers and make a single layer on
the bottom of your baking pan. [5] Now pour
half of the pudding mixture on top. Smooth it
out, so it’s nice and flat. [6] Do another layer
of the graham crackers on top of that. [7] Top
that with the remaining pudding mixture. [8]
Layer that with more graham crackers. That
gives you three layers of graham crackers all
together.
Here’s a trick when using canned frosting.
Remove the lid and any plastic cover, and
microwave for 20 seconds. You don’t want
it hot, but just a little warm. It spreads easier
that way. Carefully spread the chocolate
frosting over the top layer of graham
crackers. Now put the baking pan in the
fridge, and let it set for 24 hours. This will
ensure that the pudding sets, and the graham
crackers get mushy.
Chef Kim Bisk and her husband Ellory
own and operate Kim & Ellory’s Kitchen –
providing personal chef and catering services
to northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin.
They offer everything from large event
catering to in-home gourmet dinners. Visit
them at kimandellory.com.
Specializing in Pediatric and Adult
Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
• Cough • Wheeze • Sinus • Ear, Eye, Nose, Throat & GI Symptoms • Rash • Hives • Swelling
• Recurrent Infection • Fatigue • Infant Feeding/Formula/Food/Reflux & Eczema Problems
Looking for additional allergists & P.A.’s. Call Kathy for details.
355 W. Dundee #110
(Behind 5th/3rd Bank)
Buffalo Grove, IL 60089
Advocate Condell Bldg.
6440 Grand Ave. #106
Gurnee, IL 60031
Phone: (847) 541-4878
Phone: (224) 656-5279
Fax: (847) 520-0500
Fax: (224) 656-5314
WWW.LISASULLIVANMD.COM