Kay Walten

🙊 In 2012, a group of volunteer clowns, including Patch Adams, visited Guatemala City, one of the world's most dangerous cities, to bring joy to orphanages and hospitals. During the trip, they visited a retirement home characterized by stark poverty and loneliness, lacking familial support. A memorable moment was an elderly lady dancing with a stuffed monkey at a special lunch. This scene evoked a poignant reflection on aging and the lack of familial bonds in such settings.

🌴 In Playa and Tulum, Quintana Roo, one gas station each existed when the narrator arrived. The state was newer than the narrator's younger sister. The narrator stayed for 27 years, witnessing a transformation. Playa began as jungle, with sand roads and a garbage dump where Playacar now stands. Foreigners, Mayans, and Mexico City residents all sought a new life. Experiences over the years included Tulum in the 1990s, Istanbul, Tanzania, Greenland, and Guatemala City.

🍴 Arnaud Bain, patriarch of Grand Hôtel Bain in Comps-sur-Artuby, emailed gratitude and pride about his 24-year-old son, Clément, destined to become the tenth generation to run the family hotel. Since 1727, the hotel has withstood historical epochs. Clément's impressive culinary journey includes work at Michelin-starred eateries, such as Chez Bruno and Les Agitateurs. The village of 346 continues to be home to this enduring legacy.

🌏 In spring 1985, a Clarion University senior joined a band trip to Mexico, learning bass clarinet for the opportunity. Arriving in Mexico City, the group performed at Palacio de Bellas Artes, experiencing its acoustics. They played three concerts, including one at Sinfonia del Mar in Acapulco. The visit included Teotihuacan and pulque tasting. Their final day coincided with Easter Sunday. Notably, five months later, an earthquake hit Mexico City, sparing the opera house.

🍋 Menton, France, renowned for its lemons, hosts a lemon festival every February, drawing 250,000 visitors. Menton lemons, dating back to the 15th century, almost vanished by 1956. In 1988, Laurent Gannac began reviving them. Menton has 56 producers left; a kilo sells for €17-€20. Gannac's orchard, with 30 staff and 100 products, thrives through farm tourism. Land prices hinder new farmers, threatening the survival of this historic lemon. Adrien Gannac joined in 2015, expanding operations.

🛵 In the 1980s, a dive trip in Mexico's Cancun-Tulum corridor began with a ride in a modified Volkswagen combi. Travelers ventured to cenotes near Akumal, staying in a beachfront condo where they experienced theft. Cenote entries were rustic, with minimal paths and precarious ladders. A dive injury led to a visit to Johns Hopkins Sports Medicine in Baltimore. The dive group explored Nohoch Nah Chich, a cave system, with gear transported by horses through the jungle.

🌊 In the 1990s, a dive enthusiast living in Baltimore, learned diving in Grand Cayman and progressed to a dive master for Sea Colony Aquasports, even training midshipmen at the Annapolis Naval Academy. Certification dives took place in a Pennsylvania quarry near Three Mile Island, featuring challenges like managing steel 72 cubic feet tanks. In 1990, trips to Mexico for cave diving commenced, despite unfinished certification, marking a pivotal move to Aventuras Akumal, a cave diving hotspot.

🌍 On Friday, a visit to Gorges du Verdon led to Comps-sur-Artuby, a village at 900 meters in Provence. The Grand Hôtel Bain, established in 1737 by the Bain family, is the world’s oldest hotel run by the same family. It offers a glimpse into history with a charming terrace and a friendly atmosphere. Despite the military takeover in the 1960s, the village of 346 people remains vibrant, featuring artisan shops and a renowned lavender ice cream.

🏠 Sold Loco Gringo, an online reservation service for Riviera Maya, in 2019. Transitioned to living in a travel trailer and pursued a master's in travel and tourism. Built and shut down an AI app, and attempted consulting. Now refocusing Substack on personal stories as an expat and explorer, moving away from mechanical frameworks. Offers real experiences from life and business, aiming for genuine storytelling rather than consulting or social media strategies.

🏘 In Villefranche-sur-Mer, France, a new mayor, Robert Capelier, was elected on March 22. The town, with many homes empty year-round, has lost essential services including a bakery, bank, and post office. This trend mirrors issues in Cornwall, Northern Ireland, and Provincetown, Massachusetts. In 2016, Cornwall voted against new homes as second residences, and Wales imposed a 300% council tax on second homes, but the bakery didn’t return, highlighting challenges in reviving local communities.