Well, I thought it would be a good idea to put a map of Costa Rica here so that you would be better able to figure out where we are really going to be for the rest of the winter. The red circle is where we have rented a villa for the winter. The place is called Jaco (sounds like hakko) and is located on the Pacific coast about three hours from the capital of Costa Rica, San Jose.
For those who are interested, there isn’t a time difference which should make for easier Skype conversations.
Well, it’s about time to revive this blog site. First thing on the agenda is to wish all of our family and friends a Merry Christmas. You see our fireplace decorated for the holiday. The tree is up and ready as well with presents under the tree for our six grandsons. Yes, there are six of them as Dustin is now a proud Papa, just like me. Welcome to the family, Grayson.
All of our children and grandchildren are planning on being at our home for this holiday. Of course, that means I will be adding to my photo collection and likely changing a lot of family photos on our photo wall with new smaller family photos as well as a large full family photo. Grayson is already featured on the wall, but that photo will likely be changed as well.
I am reviving this blog as Maureen and I will again go for three months to a warm place. I will talk more about that in the days to come. Again, from our home to yours … Merry Christmas – Joyeux Noël!
Celestun. This coastal town is near the south-western end of the Yucatan province. The journey there took us by the outskirts of Merida where we then turned to travel down an narrow paved highway through a fair number of small towns. Travelling here is interesting. Imagine speed bumps on a major highway going through a town or a village – many sets of speed bumps in each of these pueblos. A trip that should take about 90 minutes becomes a two and a half hour journey.
We finally made it to Celestun where we ate a late breakfast before boarding a six passenger flat boat with a canopy for shade so that we could see and photograph some flamingos. The shallow estuary is shrimp country. Small scale operations for gathering up shrimp are carried out by folks such as this man who is poling his way from net to net.
As we approached the flamingos, I couldn’t wait for a close picture so I ended up putting on my telescopic lens so that I could get as many photos as possible. The last thing I wanted was to get closer and have the birds fly off before I could get any decent photos.
Little did I know that we would keep getting closer and closer until I was able to get incredible photos without having to use the extra lens for the camera. I snapped over a hundred photos. Some were of the bigger birds, some of their young offspring who were a mixture of white and light pink. We watched a few of the birds fly off and then return. It is hard to explain the sheer beauty of such a scene.
Finally, with other tour boats arriving making the scene crowded (we were the only ones there for quite some time), I agreed to move on to see if we could find other birds to photograph. I have to admit to a bit of disappointment as there were few birds in the area. I guess there were just too many shrimp fishermen and too many tour boats running around. I did get this shot of a Blue Heron that I was pleased with.
We continued on towards a mangrove swamp where a natural channel took into the swamp which was well shaded. The red mangrove trees had roots beginning high up on the trees to descend into the water in search of the rich salty soil they need.
I found this mangrove journey better than the one we experience at San Crisanto. Like our previous mangrove swamp experience, we say termite colonies up on the trunks of the trees lining the channel. We followed the channel for a ways then re-entered the main estuary in order to travel on to a freshwater spring which added sweet water into the mix. We had the opportunity to swim but decided against it preferring to walk along a raised wooden pathway through the shaded area. Finally, our time was up and we got back onto our boat in order to head back to the lauching point of our morning adventure.
With our touring done, we headed back to Progreso to stock up on groceries for our remaining time in Mexico.
We drove eastwards from Maxcanu through Muna where I took this photo, then on to Ticul and then south to the second set of underground caves, Las Grutas Loltun. There is no question that this is real Mexico and that these are typical older men passing time sitting on the sides of the street enjoying each other’s company as they keep up on the comings and goings of many of the townspeople who pass the town square or zocalo.
In the town of Ticul we stopped to investigate an artisan’s shop where Mayan replicas were made. The man’s skills were incredible. In the shop we saw the range of his work from small statues duplicating the originals now housed in museums to painted turtle shells. I wanted to have a set of these masks to take home to the three muskateers in Jamestown, North Dakota. But, in the end, I setteled for a photograph. The artisan’s stone work also included carved stone murals depicting gods, Mayan history and scenes found at various Mayan ruins.
We then turned south driving through a series of small villages before we came to a change in the land. We left the forested flat lands and entered into a region of hills.
It was in the hills that we came across the sign telling us that we had arrived at the Loltun Caves. While waiting for the next guided tour, we decided to try a meal at a small restaurant across the road from the caves. It was a good meal and a good way to spend our waiting time.
This tour was quite different from the tour we did in the morning at Calcehtok. We found ourselves in a group of seven people. The caves themselves were much easier to walk through with the path illuminated and free from obstacles.
This made for better quality photos when we were deep underground far from any natural light source. The caves went deeper that our first set of caves at Calcehtok. Our guide provided us with interesting information including the practice of sacrifices, usually with children being the sacrifices for blood offerings.
Of course, being who I am, I wandered off from the group and headed into a zone which we were not allowed. I was just following a trail leading to natural light. And, as you can see, Maureen is captured in a ray of sunlight that enters deep into the earth.
The time passed quickly, too quickly. So much to see and too little time to see it. That’s the problem when involved in larger tours where everything works on a timeclock. Once we emerged back out into the sunlight outside of the cave, we realised that we were mentally full. It was time to go home and prepare for the next part of our three-day journey. We had a two and a half hour drive to get back to the villa.
Next stop, Celestun and more flamingos.
On Wednesday, March 18th, we headed south to Merida and then headed southwest to a small town called Maxcanu. We got there before the two men who serve as guides to these caves. That gave us time to eat our breakfast and do a bit of exploring.
Then, when the guide finally arrived, we began the descent into the huge cavern. Wow! Imagine a small forest all below the surface level of the ground above filled with banana trees and other plants!
The roots from the trees on the surface provided climbing opportunities, a means of entering the caves for those of past centuries. We began the descent which would take us 40 metres under the surface, the underworld. With natural light on the first leg of our journey, the scene was incredible. All I could think of was Jules Vernes and his “Journey to the Centre of the Earth”.
As we walked along, continuing our downward trek, there was quite a bit of evidence that this place once served as home to many people. Many hollowed out stones such as this one we placed to collect water that dripped from stalactites overhead. The centuries that have passed have worked magic on some of these water troughs.
We entered into a cavern larger than any we had yet seen, far from any source of natural light. It was as big, if not bigger than any cathedral we had yet seen. In the centre of the vast space was a grouping of three almost white rocks. Our guide told us that these formed the altar of this underground temple. As we moved on to one side of this temple we were told to kill our lights, to experience total darkness, to experience a meditative moment. We listened to the silence hearing only occasional drips of water. The blackness was deeper than anything we have yet experienced, even with our eyes wide open. After a few minutes of a fully “awesome” experience, we turned on our lights. The guide then showed us a huge quartz crystal and told us of a vein of crystal that extended for at least a kilometre somewhere within the cave system.
Then we were shown a number of small shelves, natural little grottoes in which we saw broken pottery. He explained that these pots had contained offerings to the gods, especially the rain god and the god of the underworld.
At the end of the temple area, just as we were to enter into another space, we stopped so that he could reach into yet one more little grotto in which sat a conch shell. He told us that the shell was used to alert the Mayans living in the caves about danger approaching. All would then scatter into small side caverns, some which required crawling through narrow crevices and then blocking them with rubble set nearby for just that purpose.
It was time to begin the return journey. Needless to say we made our way back wishing we could have explored more of this incredible place. But, the other paths which we didn’t take were for more adventurous people, people who could rappel and didn’t mind tight, claustrophobic spaces.
With a final moment before returning to the surface, we got our guide to take our photo. We then climbed with the aid of a rope to the next to last level where we tooks some time to ask a few more questions and listen to our guide. Of course, I forgot to mention, our guide explained all of this in Spanish. Somehow or other, we both understood most of it.
Then we climbed back up the ladder to arrive at the surface. It was kind of sad to have to say goodbye to this Mayan who served as our guide to the underworld. If we ever come back, we want to bring our grandchildren so that they can have the most incredible journey, so they could experience a Mayan journey to the underworld.
On Tuesday, March 17th, while everyone in Canada and the U.S.A. was celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, we rented a car and began a three-day tour of the south and west of the Yucatan. Our first stop was at a Mayan ruin called Dzibilchaltun. Why another Mayan ruin? Well, this one has the main Mayan museum as well as a swimmer friendly cenote all within the site.
As we walked past the pyramid with the idea that we would stop there near the end of our tour of the site, we walked up a long elevated road until we came to the sundial which had steps on four sides facing the cardinal directions. The design of this sundial was based on noon of the summer solstice, a time when there would be absolutely NO shadow. Incredible!
This is called the “Seven Doll’s Temple”. Why? Because when it was uncovered they discovered seven small stone carvings which got called the seven dolls. This temple was actually buried within a small pyramid in the later centuries. Archeologists didn’t bother trying to save or reconstruct the pyramid when they discovered this temple within the pyramid.
On the right is a house that was one of many as this used to be a city of 40,000 people. The outline of the city government buildings, the temples, the homes and the schools of this ancient Mayan city are all there. More and more is yet to be uncovered by the archeologists working the site.
In the western part of the ruins is a cenote where we went swimming. In the deep end, the water is more than 130 feet deep and it proceeds to go into a tunnel that connects to the main underground rivers that feed all of the cenotes in the Yucatan.
Near the cenote we saw a few of these beautiful birds called Mot-mots. This is the second time we have seen them in Mexico and the first time that I have been able to get a decent photo.
Now, it looks as though Maureen has found a new pet. No, she isn’t allowed to bring him home. This iguana was huge, a baby dinosaur. The critter wasn’t the least bit skittish in comparison with most iguanas that we have seen so far.
We then toured the museum which was worth the time it took as it showed not only Mayan historical things, but also stuff from the conquest by Spain, the sisal plantations, the influence of the Catholic church and the Cast Wars. Once we finished touring inside the museum we got to check out two homes built using traditional methods and equipped as though they were ready for Mayans of centuries ago.
It was a day well spent and it would be well worth any visitor to Mexico to stop in and check out this interesting place just north of Merida and south of where we live in Chuburna.
Next blog will take you through a few caves found in the south.
The past two weeks has been a time to engage in a lot of rest and relaxation here in Mexico. In a way, many would say we have been leading a boring life. Each day we begin with a long beach walk followed by time in the sea, a time for playing, cooling off and “exercising”. A small lunch and then it time to read during the heat of the afternoon before we go for another late afternoon walk. Okay, so there is more than that happening, a bit more. We do go into Progreso on occasion for either groceries or for my Spanish lessons. Other than that, nothing much.
While walking we see a lot of birds such as this Little Blue Heron and these beautiful sea birds that I don’t have named yet. Our favourite bird is the pelican. It is kind of ugly in its way, but it is sure entertaining as it dive bombs into the water. As often as not, the pelican misses and sits for a bit stunned by the head on impact.
We have been fortunate to have flamingos fly passed our villa twice in the past week. The birds were on their way to a small colony not too far out of Progreso, about twenty minutes east.
During the passed week there have been a number of beach clean-up activities taking place as everyone tries to get our beach ready for the influx of Mexicans who come to the seacoast in order to spend their Easter holidays, a two week celebration here in the Yucatan.
Each evening we have been having the most beautiful sunsets that can be imagined. And, as night falls, we watch the moon grow and the stars come out. 
Here with the new moon, the planet Venus is seen in what I would call the ascendant position. For the past three or four nights we have been lucky enough to be able to sit on our beach side patio under the light of a full moon and enjoy very gentle breezes as we listen to a gentle lapping of waves on the shore line. Of course, at times like these we sit back with our glasses of wine and toast our family and friends who are suffering record-setting winter conditions. Hasta luego.
While on the top level of the Lucas de Galvez shopping area, I saw this church in the east. It is nameless for now, probably until I find a better map of the city that indicates which church is where. All that I know is that it is to the east.
When we were finished touring the maze that was the Lucas de Galvez Mercado, we decided to walk to the south western end of the old city. On our way, we arrived at the ending point of the parade which was in the Parque San Juan which was filled with a number of small children’s rides.
As with all parks we have found in the city and with all town squares, the main feature was the church. This church, the church of San Juan (St. John) dates from the early 1700’s. That makes it one of the newer churches in the city – newer and almost 300 years old!
One of the interesting things about this church was the door knockers at the centre of each of the two main doors that open to give this view of the main chapel at the front of the church. It is interesting how Mayan imagery was used within a Catholic church.
We continued our walk and came upon an archway that exits to a very old part of the city, the part of the city where most of the lower class live, the low-paid workers that keep any city functioning.
In the small open green space between the church and the gate is a fountain that sadly wasn’t in operation. I guess that it is only used in the summer when people need relief from the heat.
What I found interesting about this fountain was that even though it had a Greek look, it was black. Black is viewed differently here in Mexico with Black Mary’s, Black Christ’s and Black Saints displayed everywhere.
We walked in the heat looking at the old and shabby buildings that served as homes and small businesses. Occasionally we saw some of the homes repaired and painted up showing that its owners were better off than their neighbours.
Small shops where a dusty yard would be a mechanic’s work space with a few cars in various stages of repair as well as small corner stores and shops let us know that this is home for common people, the Mayan and the Metizo of Merida. This truck which looked as if it could barely make another kilometre was being used as a delivery truck for these two amazing doors.
And this shop, Kara Kafé is all cleaned up ready for customers. We passed this as we headed back to the city centre. The main bus depot for Cancun was only a few blocks further so the need for being attractive to catch the eye of the customer is important, even if it’s only to sell fast food (comida rapida).
We made it back to the centre and back to the hostel in time for a tea break and a rest. Later in the afternoon we would walk back to the market area to enjoy barbequed pork (a la Pastor). It was a good way to spend the morning and afternoon while waiting for the Saturday night parade in Merida.
Santa Lucia
Wandering around the city centre of Mérida is an interesting way to spend an afternoon while waiting for another evening parade. We first walked north on 60th passed a small park called Hildago Park which was beside a small church. We continued on until we came to a larger church, the one where the children’s parade came to an end, the park named after the church at its edge, the Santa Lucia Park.
While we walked, a bus filled with children in costume passed us on the way towards the start of the parade. The children waved excitedly calling out “Hola” to us.
We wandered into the church to see how it was different than the other churches. of course, there were more similarities than differences regardless of the age of the church.
Santa Ana
The corner of 47th was were we turned in order to make our way to the Paseo Montejo, the wide boulevard which is bordered by old Spanish mansions. At the corner we found the Santa Ana church and a clothing shop where we stopped for a bit of shopping.
Another two blocks took us to the Paseo Montejo. When we got to this relatively famous street we stopped in to check out the Museum of Anthropology and History, a museum that had an incredible selection of Mayan artifacts such as those in this photo.
Needless to say, I took way too many photos in the museum. Of course it was more about learning more about the Mayan culture than it was about photos.
We walked a long way to reach the Monumento a la Bandera which is pictured here on the left. Just off to the right side was a large grocery store which we decided to check out as we had decided we had gone far enough from the centre of the city.
Beer, oops, cerveza anyone?
As we began our walk back on the opposite side of the street we passed a lot of stalls being set up for the evening parade and follow-up entertainments. We couldn’t believe the amount of beer and liquor that was out on display on both sides of the parade route along the Paseo Montejo.
Plaza Grande or also known as the Zocalo de Merida.
We stopped off at Walmart which was on our way back, to buy some fixings for a lunch and some wine for the evening. Stopping was a good idea as the distance and the heat were starting to take a toll on our energy supplies. Eventually, we made it back to the hostel for some quiet time.
The clock tower at city hall.
The people staying at the hostel were quite interesting to see as they were not all just young backpackers. I would have to say that the majority were in their late twenties to late thirties with a good sprinkling of us senior types thrown in for good measure.
We decided to take a half hour of our afternoon to check up on things back home in Canada at the hostel’s Internet lounge. Not much time for e-mail, just enough time to find out that the world back home was continuing as it normally does. The only really bad news was that Ottawa lost another hockey game.
Though the parade on Friday night was supposed to start at 7:00 pm, we took our seats on the edge of the plaza in front of city hall by 5:30pm. Little did we know that many would not arrive until close to the actual parade time. Of course, we knew that it was going to be a long wait, so we took our books to read.
We were able to leave every once in a while for various reasons including getting a cup of coffee from a nearby 7-11 store.
Finally, the police escort appeared letting us know that the parade was about to appear in front of us. It was a long wait as the parade started quite a distance away from the city’s central square.
First up were the clowns followed by various floats and entertaining groups. One thing that really impressed us was the inclusion of physically and mentally disabled people in the parade. Even senior citizen groups took part.
Of course, there were a lot of nubile young women in skimpy outfits on a number of floats, espcially those put out by the beer companies such as Corona and Sol. There is no doubt that the Latin influence is strong as the Latin beat pounded out for many entertaining from the tops of floats as well as walking and dancing in the fancy outfits. Salsa and rumba were the order of the evening.
But, it wasn’t all just for the young adult crowd and the older crowd of young and restless wannabees. There were children groups taking part in the parade, dressed in the cinema costumes.
Some floats were quite small. The parade featured a competition for commercial entries which meant some business enterprises made sure they were in the parade as advertising for their businesses. Why not when you have an audience of thousands upon thousands of people cheering on the sidelines.
