Today's outing had us journeying north of the city and along the coastline. We learned about the importance of mangroves, the Mayans that controlled coastal trading and the astounding community effort in one pueblo that is proving to be socially, economically and environmentally sustainable.
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| Our first stop was to spend a quiet minute observing our new environment |
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| And then we headed to the Mayan ruins of Xcambo |
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| On this site the Virgen May appeared and a chapel was built in her honor. |
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| Maria tells us about the ancient techniques of separating salt from ocean water and storing it in large quantities to trade |
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| Observing the details |
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| View from the top |
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| View from the top |
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| View from the top |
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| Our next stop was in the coastal town of San Crisanto, renowned for their coconut products and their commitment to sustainability. We headed out with trash bags to clean up litter among the mangroves while our guide told us a little bit about the community. |
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| "Protect the flora and fauna" |
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| Ancient stone walls created lagoons to trap ocean water for the salt harvest |
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| We marveled at the red tint of the water among the mangroves, colored so because of the tannins released by the roots |
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| Our guide describes the different varieties of mangroves found here |
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| "Care for and protect the ecosystem" |
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| A glimpse of pink...flamingos! |
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| Last but not least we had a boat tour of the mangroves, eyes peeled for termite nests, frogs, small mammals and fish |
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| Feeling some fish-kisses from the little aquatic animals in the cenote |