Vacation memories from our guests
The Three Musketeers
They are like the three musketeers: Janie and Tom Linke and Judy Withington,. You would think that they have known each other forever. The truth of the matter is that they only got to know each other a few years ago at Hotel Akumal Caribe. They all loved Akumal and had been visiting for years but it wasn't until they ventured out early in the morning in February 2000 to “stake claim to their palapa on the beach” that they actually became great friends.
Now, if you happen to be in Akumal during February, there is a very good chance that you will run into these three. And you can't help but notice the smile on their faces. I've had the pleasure of getting to know these great people and are pleased to call them friends. They not only visit Akumal annually, they get involved. Whether it is helping the local beach dogs, helping with a fund-raiser for Centro Ecologico Akumal or bringing gifts for the local children; they do a lot more than lay on the beach under their palapa.
Janie and Tom Linke first visited Akumal in 1979. Janie and Tom would first come for only a week and often stayed closer to Cancun or Puerto Aventuras but they always made sure they made a day trip to Akumal. They now spend 5 weeks a year at the Hotel Akumal Caribe.
Judy Withington and her late husband George first came to the area in 1985. Judy and George would come for 2 weeks, which grew into 4 weeks and eventually found themselves at Hotel Akumal Caribe for 6 weeks at a time.
All three of them have seen some incredible changes but at the same time much remains the same – the kind and happy faces of the staff when they arrive, the warm sunny days and tropical waters. When they first came to Akumal the hotel had not yet been built and there were only the bungalows. Initially, the “town of Akumal” was near the beach, then they saw it move to the cancha, across from where Super Chomak now is, and then eventually across the highway.
Janie and Tom first arrived in Akumal on their Honeymoon in 1979. The statue was there, the bungalows were there, but there was no one else around except for a film crew that was making a Tropicana orange juice commercial. They both said to each other “We're in Paradise!” A restaurant was where the CEA Center is now. Janie said it was closed at the time but she was so hungry that someone went and found her some bread. She still remembers that act of kindness to this day.
I asked Judy how they found Akumal all those years ago. She explained that she and George first made reservations to stay in Cancun. The place they were to stay was overbooked. There were no phones in Akumal at the time but the hotels would make arrangements for people they overbooked to stay in Akumal. They stayed on Half Moon Bay and at the time there was only one building with four condos. They had a wonderful time and made life long friends. Judy's only regret is that now her “local” friends have gotten caught up in the rat race and don't have the time to visit like they use to.
Judy recalls taking hikes into the jungle across the highway with picnic lunches and coolers full of drinks and having a wonderful time at a lovely cenote. She remembers fondly that Akumal was the only place in the world where George could relax! She said they traveled a lot and stayed at many places but Akumal was the place he felt most relaxed.
I asked them all what their fondest memories were and Judy recalls the cook-outs in the jungle and just getting to know all the locals and making so many great friends who have become more like family.
Janie laughed and said it has to be the beach dogs – and, of course, one in particular would be Lola, who is lying at my feet as I type. Lola was a little black beach dog that hung out around Lol-Ha. In February 2004 I ended up adopting her and bringing her home to live in The States with me.
When I first arrived at Lol-Ha the security guards informed me immediately that Lola was in Room 401! In other words telling me Lola had found someone else. I sat at the beach bar restaurant and soon I looked up and saw Lola stroll in. I knelt down and called her name. She came running and knocked me off my feet. I was sprawled on the floor with this black dog licking my face when I looked up and met Janie. Janie and I would take care of Lola and Janie remembers walking her over to my room in the CEA dorms late at night in her pajamas. She says only in Akumal would she feel comfortable enough to do that.
Tom's fondest memories are of the people who vacation and work in Akumal. This draws an immediate reaction from all three causing them to make comments such as:
“Its the sea.”
“The weather.”
“The relaxation,”
“My second home.”
“Never had a problem there.”
“One of the finest places in the world.”
“The people are so pleasant, extremely nice.”
“They make the whole thing so enjoyable.”
“If anything happens to Tom – I'm getting a room and never leaving.”
“It is a place with two totally different cultures that get along because of the warm, loving people.”
In closing they told me one last story. Judy's children had made arrangements to be on-line at 3:45 one afternoon so that Judy and Janie could wave hi to them from the web cam at Lol-Ha Beach Bar. They prefaced the story with the fact that each afternoon Judy and Janie have a standing date to meet at 4:00PM at the Lola Ha beach bar for one of their terrific Cabaña drinks. When Judy mentioned to Gerardo, the manager, that they were going to be saying hello to her family via the web cam at 3:45PM he made arrangements and surprised them with a table and chairs set up and brought them both a Cabaña. It is the little things they do that make you appreciate this place!
By Lydia Pontius
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| P.O. Box 13326, El Paso, Texas 79913 | |
| Telephone: | 1-915-584-3552 |
| In the U.S: | 1-800-351-1622 |
| In Canada: | 1-800-343-1440 |
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