Product Description

The prologue describes a letter of complaint written by the author in 1988, addressed to the Secretary of Tourism, Mexico City, Mexico. The letter details a frightening event that had taken place at Chemuyil. The story then begins in December 1986 when BARBARA (49) and husband EDDY (58) cross the Rio Grande in a motor home prepared to spend months exploring Mexico. Brief travel descriptions are sprinkled with humor as they make their way to the Caribbean where they discover Chemuyil, a dream come true beach. At Chemuyil they meet LALO, the proprietor of the palapa beach bar concession. Intermittent details describe how the couple liquidated assets to prepare for a once in a lifetime adventure, traveling in their new motor home indefinitely. The gist of the narrative is a first person view of both ordinary and extraordinary lives encountered during lengthy stays at Chemuyil, but the charismatic Lalo carries the book from the moment the readers meet him. A Don Juan character for sure, yet a much respected man, Lalo's personality defines the ebb and flow of the story. Barbara and Eddy become immersed in Lalo's web of passion, money, business, drugs, gambling, and government conflict. Lalo's biography is that of a hero/anti-hero who is very well known in Quintana Roo. However, Lalo suffered from delusional pain. His anguish revolved around losing his beloved Chemuyil, followed by mental conceptions of returning to Chemuyil, and finally psychological obsessions about how he would obtain another Chemuyil. Because Lalo's highs are both humorous and tragic, the author describes the book as a tragicomedy. Although Lalo's palapa bar is at the core of the drama, mixed into the story is nature at its best in an area of sea and jungle. Vivid descriptions also cover the after effects of hurricane Gilbert, as well as the role of the modern day Maya in the Yucatan. Barbara's fascination with Maya culture, Mexican politics, and her newly adopted Mexican family, connected her to insider information about another society. Her writing is an objective view of her inside connection, a summary of journal entries recorded while living in a motor home for three years . . . wintering at Chemuyil.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1157332 in Books
• Published on: 2006-09-18
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 336 pages

Customer Reviews

Daughter of Don Lalo
I am Don Lalo's third chld born from his first wife. I am named after my father's mother. I love the book especially about the shooting that took place of us four girls. You should hear my mother's side of the story, when the Mexico City Newspaper, wrote an article, "How two New York Gangsters come with Wife to assassinate Don Lalo and get her four daughters back to the United States." His picture on the front page newspaper holding us four girls with tears in his eyes.

Barbara Khidirian you have done an outstanding job on the Biography of Don Lalo. We need the next book and chapter to be written.
Hilda Romano
CA USA

Well Written - Easy Enjoyable Reading
I read this book while visiting friends in the area in January 2007. In fact it was a signed copy from Barbara, given to "Vicky", who I would call Lalo's "main" wife, now ex-wife (as I understand it). I have known "Vicky" by way of my friends for three years. I have spent many afternoons visiting with Vicky, sipping coffee (Vicky rarely drinks alcohol; on this last visit of a month I never saw her drink anything but Diet Coke, coffee, or tea.) and hearing stories about life that I, as a "normal" American, rarely encounter except in books or on TV. From my view, having a bit of inside information, and discussing the book with Vicki, with rare exception, events and "characters" are pretty well described with few inaccuracies. Some "players" are more than likely "combined" and most, if not all, names are changed, except for Lalo, of course. I might add I have also spent some time visiting or being around several of Lalo's children. To me it doesn't seems that there are many exaggerations in her descriptions of their personalities. As extraordinary as the stories might seem, I have no doubt that Barbara's depiction of people and events are mighty close to the "truth".

Barbara and Eddy were staying at Lalo's "new" place while I was visiting my friends. We spent a lovely evening together but didn't discuss the book very much as no one had read it yet. I do wish I had read the book before spending the evening with Barbara and Eddy because I would have asked them, "Why are you staying at Lalo's place now? With all the information you have written about, some not very flattering to Lalo (and others), aren't you concerned for your safety?"

Lalo's place, in the book, called Chemuyil back then, no longer exist. The current Chemuyil is a small town built for "workers", many employed by the large Hotels/Resorts springing up in that area. At this writing Lalo had opened another restaurant at Solomon Bay. Food, drinks, hospitality all most excellent. But another "closure" is happening right now. At this very moment, the whole area surrounding Lalo's restaurant is being readied for development by people who own the land. When I came back to the states, a week ago, word was that the restaurant would soon be closed and another chapter in Lalo's incredible life story would be coming to an end. I know that many people are very disappointed in this and that Lalo may, yet again, open another "Lalo's Place". Only time will tell if this is to be.

Well done Barbara. There are many more chapters waiting to be told. Sure wish you would consider another book or two or three or four or five.