Kukulcan Fun in June

Kukulcan's Olympic Pool.

From the High Diving Board.

Warm ups.

Games and warm ups.

Games.

Linda having fun.

Catchy Ball in Deep Water.

Karla, Linda, Kiara y Maestro Pablo.

Linda, Mario y Pablo.

Fotos Favoritas

The refreshing swimming pool at Ko'ox Báab.

Warm up and sitting areas.

Convenient Bathroom and Bodega.

A sideways glance.

Ko'ox Báab (Mayan for "Let's Go Swimming!" or "¡Vamos A Nadar!") opened in March, 2008, when the innovative duo Maestro Pablo and Directora Linda recognized a need for such a place here in el centro, the center of the city of Mérida. We are half an hour from the beach at Progreso, an hour from Celestún, and a few hours from the Mexican Caribbean. It is extremely hot here from May until November, and warm enough year round to make spending time near water a popular past time. Almost every Yucatecan family goes to the beach. The problem has been that not many of the people have had the opportunity to learn to swim.

Aquatic exercise is considered to be one of the best forms of exercise. It is often recommended by doctors to help sufferers of several conditions. Linda's "condition" was lack of exercise, so the duo decided to set up water aerobics as part of the school's offerings. The participants, who have been exercising now for five months, feel healthier and happier for the effort. When it is 100°F in the shade, if you can find any, cooling off to music and working out in the pool is a delightful experience that does not even resemble exercise....most of the time. Maestro Pablo is lovingly known as "the slavedriver" but he knows how to get folks moving!

The first three month session of swim classes, or aquatic integration, as Ko'ox Báab prefers to call the course, ended with a multi-family excursion to the giant Kukulcan Sports Complex Olympic Swimming Pool in late June. At least one of the alumni has gone on to participate in synchronized swimming, and all of them were proud to hold their certificates of completion and show their newly learned skills to their families.

Ko'ox Báab is geared up to start classes tomorrow, September 1, 2008. The pool has been painted, tools and pool toys upgraded, new signs and fliers abound, and new students are ready to get swimming!