Saturday, January 1, 2011

UNBELIEVABLE!

Today was a peak travel experience. We visited another estuary, on Ria Celestun. We connected with a wonderful project called Manglares de Dzinitun. This is a collective of eleven local people who are working to preserve the mangroves and the estuary. I do need to do more research on the history and goals of this project, but they are really impassioned and are doing a fantastic job.

We visited the project and one of the men who works here took us on a canoe ride. We started exploring a tributary of >Ria Celestun. Mangroves were unbelievably thick, and at one point we passed through an 800 meter long [tunnel[ of mangroves. It was fantastic, so silent and cool. These trees are especially adapted to living in salty estuaries. One species thrives here, another has roots that filter the salt out. Many of the roots actually grow from the branches and descend to the water. The trees are lovely, some look like they are standing on pillars.

We made our way to Ria Celestun, where we saw osperys, magnificent frigate birds, egrets and many more birds. We also walked on a boardwalk through the forest. We found an armadillo burrow, and saw some manta rays swimming under the boardwalk. They bury themselves in the mud when they feel threatened, it was amazing to see how fast they did this.

There{s more, but I have to organize it. There may just be an article in all this.

Tomorrow, on to Isle de Mujeres. I will check in from there when we find a computer. Again,
!Prospero año nuevo!

1 comment:

rhonda said...

Paul and Kate, the mangroves sound so awesome...a tunnel of mangroves must have been such an adventure to travel through. Then all of the wildlife...truly a wonderful day!

I think the traffic and mass of humanity would be a down side, but it can't all be paradise. :) The heat would really be too much for me, but at least your apt. is a respite...it really looks nice! The ice cream sounds really good too. I am amazed at how good Mexican gelatin is...better than jello! Interesting flavors, but that is also part of the adventure.

It is cold and windy here, and it rained last night and continues through today and tomorrow. I guess we get a new governor sworn in come this week. Lots of reminiscing about the year just completed. A good time to be away...no news to speak of. :)

Just enjoy, stay cool and keep writing such great things to read. Later. R