Departing Dreams

We’ve had a very satisfying week at Dreams with the Goodwin family.  Brook enjoyed having unlimited time with Azor.  We appreciated the leisurely lifestyle – the ability to catch up with our friends after 10 months, enjoy the ocean and incorporate exercise into our everyday routine.  All of the employees were friendly and pleased to entertain our desire to work on Spanish.

John’s parents, Carl and Laurie, have been on our minds during our travels in the Mayan Riviera, especially during this week at the resort.  Our only other all inclusive resort experiences have been with them so it felt strange for them to not be here with us. We missed hearing Carl’s stories and laughing together over a leisurely dinner or a game of cards, which has been a family vacation ritual. 

We really appreciated the quality of the gardens on the grounds at Dreams.  There was a Henequen Agave plantation that we walked by on a regular basis from our room to the beach.  It was lit up at night and beautiful.  From the interpretive placard, we learned that this particular agave plant is used for fiber but what about tequila and agave syrup?  We did some research and learned . . .

The henequen plant is native to Mexico.  It has been a source of textile fiber since pre-Columbian times. The fiber is sometimes referred to as Yucatan sisal.  The leaves of the Henequen agave yield a fiber which is suitable for rope and twine, but not of as high quality as sisal or hemp. Locally, the coarse henequen fiber fabrics are made into bags, hammocks, and shoe soles. Mexico is the only important producer of this fiber.

The henequen is also used to make Licor del Henequén, a traditional Mexican alcoholic drink, but not tequila.  Tequila is made from Agave tequilana, commonly called blue agave (agave azul).  That plant favors altitudes of more than 5,000 feet and grows primarily in the state of Jalisco.  To produce tequila, the plant is harvested in its twelfth year and the sweet sap from the heart is fermented and distilled.  This is the same sap used to produce agave syrup that seems to be growing in popularity as a sweetener in the States.