April Tour

While Pete flew back to Texas for business meetings, my sister, Pauline, came to visit! since they are in the middle of building our casita under the palapa, we decided to leave town and do some exploring around the Yucatan. We left Paamul and headed for the little mayan village of Santa Elena and the Flycatcher Inn. The roads were good but it took about 5 hours to finally get there. Beautiful hacienda with old growth trees and bouganvillas everywhere. Fountains and shade..did I mention Hot? I think it was about 95 degrees when we got there. The next day we toured in the vicinity of all the little villages and they were beautiful with the biggest old Spanish churches imaginable. Lots of history revealed here. Entered the Caves of Lotun (rock flower) where the mayans hid to escape the enslavement of the Spaniards in the 50 year caste wars. Saw the beautiful mot-mots that love to nest around the cave entrances.
After coffee on the veranda of the Inn, we retired to sit on the porch and listen to the night sounds and enjoy the cool of the evening. Restful sleep and awoke early for another lovely breakfast at the Inn. Then packed up and headed to Uxmal. What a beautiful jewel of a place. We had a most informative guide named Jorgemish whom we had met the previous day. He is self taught and speaks 5 languages and knows all the history and date of this historic place. It is about 85% restored and is one of Mexico's most treasured sites...ove 2500 years old. One of the sayings is that this ruin could be the poem of Mexico in it's beauty.
Reluctantly, we left Uxmal and headed for the coast and the port village of Rio Legartos. We managed to get a hotel room even though the whole town was full with political rivals driving around with parades and loug speakers. also it was the last night of Semana Santa and the place was booming. We took a panga boat out the next morning with a young man named Juan Luis who took us on a neat birding tour. Saw the orange, not pink, flamingos out near the salt works. Several boats of local fishermen bringing in the sea trout with their hand lines. Saw the herons, storks, tiger herons, ospreys, numberous gulls and shore birds. Left town about noon and drove on to Valladolid. Stayed at the beautiful, old Mansion de la Marque right on the square opposite the church. Once again, HOT. By this time, we were both tired so we cut our walking short and retired early to watch movies and rest in cool A/C. We drove on back to Paamul the next day and it began to rain and has not stopped since! Streets are flooded, the new casa is flooded. Stay inside the coach where it is cool but dry.