005: Adventure, Diving and Travel with Protec's Adreas Matthes

Loco Gringo Mexico

Welcome to Loco Gringo Mexico, the place where we transform a tourist into a traveler. Because you deserve to see more of the world than just what is in a guide book. Each week we talk with amazing locals who know the Riviera Maya and Yucatan like only a local can and get them to share their tips and insights on the local scene, culture and cuisine from a locals’ perspective. So pour yourself a Margarita, grab a comfy chair, and let's get the show going. In today's episode I talk to my friend Matt. He is a big German guy with tattoos and some piercings. He might look like an intimidating guy at first, but he is a big teddy bear. People call him Matt Chupa or Uncle Chupa. Matt does not suck he has a heart of gold and I am flattered he took time to be with us today. His passions are photography, sailing, and motorcycles. Matt loves cave diving and even made a business out of it. He is one of the owners of ProTec Dive Centers in Tulum and Playa del Carmen, offering the highest quality of standards with the most complete cave diving, Sidemount diving, and CCR Rebreather diving services.

Does your company train people to do cavern diving?

They do the full thing, including cavern tours. Matt’s company is certainly qualified to take people into the caverns and explain in-depth about geology, mythology, and the Mayan culture. The cavern training or cavern course itself, most people don't do. Most people want to go to the dark zone, the womb, like mother earth.

What is your favorite place outside of Mexico?

The huge island of Sardinia located off the coast of Italy. It is not highly populated and it has curves everywhere. The motorcycle riding is excellent, weather and food is great. There is cave diving as well.

What is your favorite place in Mexico?

The colonial history in the villages surrounding Mérida. The Yucatán food is some of the best food in Mexico. There are plenty of cenotes there for cave diving. The culture and the history of the state of Yucatán are incredible. It's underappreciated and now it is becoming a little more well-known and popular.

What is your favorite thing to eat?

Cochinita pibil, pork with tomatoes and onions wrapped up in banana leaves and it is slow-roasted in a pib, which is in the ground. They take it out of the banana leaves after hours and it is shredded like pulled pork, you put it in tacos with pickled purple onions.

What are some of your secret places?

Matt’s favorite cenote is Casa Cenote, there is not much diving and caves, but you can dive underneath the mangroves. When Matt wants a change of scenery he goes to Bacalar, which is 3 hours south of Playa. Isla Holbox, Aculo in Yucatán, or Zelan Bravo. He takes his motorcycle there and gets lost in the little villages on the gulf coast. San Felipe and Rio Lagartos are great destinations as well.

Have you gone to Isla Holbox during the whale shark season?

Matt says the best time to go is when the whale sharks are out of season, because nobody is there. Cars are not allowed in the village. There is a food festival in October or early November each year as well.

Resources:

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/italy/sardinia

https://www.locogringo.com/mexico/vacation-destinations/yucatan/merida/

https://www.locogringo.com/mexico/vacation-destinations/yucatan/isla-holbox/

Interview Links

http://www.protecdiving.com/

http://www.protectulum.com/

[e-mail]

[e-mail]