Day 5: The Art of Peter Terrin & The Night at Coco Bongo

I woke up this morning to the same ritual. Tortillas, avocados, greens and pushups. I also got an e-mail from Liana, the dancer from Milan who I met on the beach my 2nd day here. She was up to meeting for dinner tonight. I agreed to meet her at 7:30pm in front of Coco Bongo, a popular show in Playa Del Carmen. For some reason this morning, I felt a little extra tired so I allowed myself a siesta that lasted a few hours. After waking up, I thought I would do my work in the courtyard of my complex. The bonus is that the internet connection is a lot stronger over there. The sounds of the birds and animals singing also added character to the setting. I completed all my tasks of the day and got ready to head out. I looked at the time and it was 7pm. Crap! I better get there fast. I don’t want to be late for dinner with Liana. I jumped into a taxi and headed down to Playa’s downtown core.

I hustled to the Scotiabank (yes a Scotiabank!) to grab some cash and realized as I looked at my watch that I was actually an hour early. Not even paying attention, I was relying on the time of my laptop which was set to Toronto time. Thinking it was 7pm when it was really 6pm. I left my laptop on Toronto time so I can keep in the same time frame as my Toronto clients and my iPhone is set to Mexican time which is one hour behind. No worries about being early however, I took a walk to check out the sights of downtown’s 5th avenue. I took a number of pictures and checked out a bunch of shops. I pulled into the Starbucks, grabbed a coffee and made a number of calls on the internet to Toronto using Talkatone.

As I sat there on the patio of Starbucks, I noticed a European man right in front selling some art work. He seemed to speak in multiple languages and was very charismatic with the tourists and locals. I love watching a good salesman in action. A good salesman to me is one that builds relationships and connects with his clients with genuine authenticity and heart. I watched as he greeted the observers of his art. I had to go talk to him, I felt it… “Hello, my name is Joseph”, I said. “I write on a blog that has recently gained a lot of traffic and I wish to ask you about your life here in Playa Del Carmen.” Another man popped out of nowhere and said, “If you are looking for a story for your blog, you are talking to the right man. Peter lives a more interesting life then anyone else I know. I made a documentary on him.” Peter then turned to me and said, “Here is my card, I have to get back to my customers but I will give you something to write about. I want you to come visit me, I have a place in the jungle, I live with dolphins, I have witnessed dolphins giving birth recently.” His face began to glow with happiness as he spoke of the experience. I knew right then and there that Peter was living his passion. He was a veteran in lifestyle design.

Peter paints because he loves it. He sells because he loves people and his love for his work is reflected in every piece he sells. People buy this feeling and take it home with them to hang the love and well-being up on their walls. Riddled in each painting is the story of Peter and his life in the jungle of Yucatan. Peter turned away to greet another customer. The other man who commented about creating a documentary for Peter turned to walk away. “Wait, what is your name?”, I asked. “I am Martin, you must know that Peter is an interesting man, he is also a Triathlete. His paintings improved after becoming a triathlete. It’s a remarkable story”, he added. I nodded with approval and understood why his paintings improved after becoming a triathlete. It added more dimension to his character. Engaging the mind, body and spirit from one angle tends to improve the mind, body and spirit from another angle in perfect geometry. I tucked Peter’s card into my pocket, thanked Martin for the information and proceeded to meet Liana in front of Coco Bongo.

Check out the documentary on Peter’s life in Yucatan below…

Liana shows up, looking vibrant as ever. “Are you hungry?”, I asked her. “Not really”, she replied. “Fine, drinks it is!”, I said as we walked towards the beach. We walked over to a beautiful beach front restaurant overlooking the shoreline. We hustled to the few spots available on the beach and took a seat. A belly dancer took the stage behind us and Persian music filled the air. We ordered some Margaritas and started to catch up. Liana was fascinated by swimming with the turtles today. It was the second time during her stay in Playa Del Carmen that she made time to go swim with them. Unfortunately, there were not many turtles in the water today she told me. We continued to talk about our lives. She shared with me stories of her travels as a dancer and as a dance teacher.

Like Peter, she transformed her art and passion into a source of income that fuels her adventures in life. Liana’s story is inspiring. She is very humble but when she opens up, she shares stories full of adventure. I listened attentively as her face lit up with each story she relived in her mind’s eye. Her energy was contagious. I contemplated on everything she told me. After a few strong drinks and a good meal by the water, I asked her what her plans were for the night. “I want to go to Coco Bongo, they have a good show there”, she said. “Lets go together”, I replied as she nodded with approval. “La quenta par favor”, I yelled to the waitress with a smile.

We headed over Coco Bongo. It was a spectacle! Lots of acrobats, lights, people and good music. We danced, watch the show and headed out at 3:30am. “I have to wake up at 7am”, said Liana, We walked to her place a little tipsy from the repeat dosages of margaritas and shots at Coco Bongo. She was staying right downtown with her photographer friend who has been living in Playa for a few months. She asked me to meet her friend at some point and felt that there were things that we could connect on. I dropped her off and headed home past downtown Playa into the quite dark streets of Colosio. I had a great time today. I learned of two artists who transformed their passions into a lively-hood full of adventure and excitement. Take a look at the pictures I took below of Peter’s art and the show at Coco Bongo.