Adios Izamal and Hotel Macanche!

My Room at Macanche

Xoria and Raj, visiting from India!

Jungle Paradise

After a great stay in Izamal, I said goodbye to the beautiful gardens and people of Hotel Macanche.  It's been a pleasure to spend the last week in here at Macanche.  On a trip to to study the flora and fauna of Mexico, I can't imagine a better place to wake up each morning than the gardens of this hotel. They are home to countless species of plants and animals, forming an oasis in the Pueblo Magico of Izamal.  Each night, I feel asleep to the singing of geckos and bullfrogs all around me (sometimes in my shower ;)... and each morning, woke up to the birds.

Taxis of Izamal, in front of the Convent

Henequin, an Agave, used to produce ropes, bags, jewelry, and liquor

Macanche's owner, Alfred, has been particularly helpful in connecting me with people and places related to my conservation and plants.  Izamal has a wealth of resources, many of which I will need to save for another trip.

On my last day in Izamal, I traveled with a group from the hotel to Dzilam de Bravo, a coastal town about an hour to the north.  We spend the day in Sayachuleb, a cooperative of Maya fishermen and naturalists who are dedicated to preserving the area through sustainable eco-tourism.  Sayachuleb is a maya word which means "Pajaro de Aguado" or water bird.  We took a boat from the Gulf to the River Angosto which is a series of mangroves of four varieties:  red, white, buttonbush, and thatch palms (chit).  There are also several important epiphytes, including three varieties of orchids.

Lovely Flamingos of the Yucatan

The reserve is home to more than 400 species of animals, including the endangered margay (tigrillo), parrots, and tayra.  On this trip, we came to see the flamingos, which migrate to the mouth of the river, where they spend many hours peacefully feeding on brine shrimp and blue-green algae.  The carotene in the flamingo diet gives them their brilliant pink color, which is stunning against the backdrop of the green low-land jungle.

Tayra - in the Weasel family

Margay

Spending the day in Sayachuleb was peaceful and refreshing.  The cool cenote waters made for a perfect swimming hole at the end of the day.

Next stop:  Valladolid...Time to explore the cenotes of the region, models of perfect ecosystems and visit a mystic who cures with plants and has an international heritage garden.