A video from Reef Adventures, Puetro Morelos:
Snorkeling Puerto Morelos Reef National Park from Reef Adventures Puerto Morelos on Vimeo.
From an article on American Egypt:
The state of Yucatan announced yesterday that it has purchased much of the archaeological zone of Chichen Itza from owner Hans Thies Barbachano for $220 million Mexican ($17.6 million US).
This groundbreaking transaction ends more than 500 years of private ownership of the land under the monuments of Chichen Itza.
For more than a decade the owners of the archaeological zone have been engaged in a battle of wills with the Mexican government, Yucatan government, and with other special interest groups over control of the ancient city. The previous owner, Fernando Barbachano Gomez Rul (grandfather of the current owner) had been forced to reassert his ownership claim in the Mexican courts in the early 2000s after the state of Yucatan began withholding monies from the sale of tickets into the site. In 2004 the federal courts confirmed that Chichen Itza was private property.
Since that time, tensions continued to escalate. When the state stopped paying Barbachano his portion of ticket revenues, Barbachano took over two large palapas inside the archaeological zone from which families of those who worked at Chichen Itza in security and maintenance had been selling trinkets and other tourist-related merchandise. In retaliation, these families organized a daily “invasion” of Chichen Itza, in which hundreds from the local villages would enter the archaeological zone and set up tables and blankets from which they sold trinkets and handicrafts. More than a year ago the vendors established an association that has regularly been calling for the government to take Chichen Itza.
Chichen Itza has been private property since colonial times.
From an article by Stefanie Baeker in the newsletter of The International Ecotourism Society:
As one of the supporters of ecotourism in this region, I have launched Project Mayan Encounter in 2008, to offer group tours and escorted trips to Riviera Maya, with the primary goals of promoting ecotourism and making available the unique experience of the rich Mayan culture and nature reserves to active seniors, students and special needs groups. Our trips can be adapted to wheelchair users and travelers with other physical needs.
Due to our individualized service, we see travelers from all walks of life. Our tours always include healthy food, and sufficient time left to enjoy some of the world’s top-rated beaches. We work with guides certified by INAH (Mexican National Institute of Anthropology and History), for tours inside the archaeological sites, and with Mayan natives and biologists in the nature reserves. We offer small group tours (no larger than 20 travelers) to ensure each participant can follow the guide’s presentation inside the archaeological sites, and that our impact on the local Mayan communities is kept as low as possible.
In January 2010, we launched a new small-group 8-day Study Trip, which is primarily geared to school classes, but equally fitting for active seniors or any adults who love to learn. The focus of this trip is to learn about the unique ecosystems of the Yucatan peninsula with its underground river network and cenotes, rich marine life and the world’s second largest barrier reef, as well as Mayan history, culture, and archaeology.
Our goal is to help students interpret Mayan history and sharpen their analysis skills and chronological and spatial thinking. Depending on the age group, tours are designed to match school curriculum requirements, and we set the focus accordingly.
An article from Polyglot Travel:
The Mayan site of Chicanná, located in the Mexican State of Campeche, in the Yucatan peninsula, is one of the smaller archaeological sites of the area, but certainly not a less interesting one. The ruins were discovered in 1966 and it is estimated that the site was inhabited from 300 BC to 1100 AD. The original name of the site is not known. After its discovery it was named Chicanná (meaning “house of the serpent mouth” in Maya) with reference to its most impressive building, structure II, which represents a monster’s face with a wide open mouth showing long teeth.
Le site maya de Chicanná, situé dans l’État mexicain du Campeche, dans la péninsule du Yucatan, est l’un des plus petits sites archéologiques de la région, mais il n’en est pas moins intéressant. Les ruines ont été découvertes en 1966 et il est estimé que le site était habité entre l’an 300 avant J.-C. et l’an 1100 de notre ère. Le nom original du site n’est pas connu. Après sa découverte, on lui a donné le nom de Chicanná (signifiant « maison de la bouche du serpent » en maya) en faisant référence à son bâtiment le plus impressionnant, le bâtiment II, qui représente le visage d’un monstre à la bouche grande ouverte dévoilant de longues dents.
El sitio maya de Chicanná, situado en el estado mexicano de Campeche, en la península de Yucatán, es uno de los más pequeños sitios arqueológicos de la región, pero aun así es interesante. Las ruinas fueron descubiertas en el año 1966 y se piensa que el sitio fue habitado entre el año 300 antes de J.C. y el año 1100 de nuestra era. No se conoce el nombre original del sitio. Después de su descubrimiento, se le dio el nombre de Chicanná (lo que significa “casa de la boca de la serpiente” en maya) con referencia a su edificio más impresionante, el edificio II, que representa la cara de un monstruo con la boca abierta mostrando largos dientes.
From an article on Mexico Premiere:
Destination:PEACE Volunteer Vacations is branching out to Isla Mujeres to provide a beautiful experience for travelers who want to take their vacation one step further with a Vacation for the Soul
Destination:PEACE is making its way from the Pacific Ocean to the turquoise Caribbean waters and landing on Isla Mujeres, a quaint tropical island located just eight miles east of the coast of Cancun, yet worlds away. Destination:PEACE was born out of an idea to couple volunteer opportunities with the amazing landscapes throughout Mexico. During a Destination:PEACE Volunteer Vacation, guests will experience another culture while making a difference in the lives of others: children, women, families, animals and the environment. A volunteer will help raise awareness and contribute to the overall love, community and hope to the people and animals affiliated with PEACE Mexico, a non-profit organization currently operating in Punta de Mita and Isla Mujeres. Destination:PEACE gives a portion of their proceeds to PEACE in order to further their mission.
Founded in 2008, PEACE Isla Mujeres provides support to established nonprofit/community groups and develops initiatives focused on educational opportunities, youth development, environmental responsibility, animal care and protection and economic empowerment. Community grants, volunteerism, educational initiatives, and animal spay/neuter clinics are among the various projects.
From the Destination:PEACE Web site:
It’s not all work. Each five-day volunteer vacation combines volunteerism with the relaxing practice of yoga, taught by credentialed yoga instructors, spoils you with authentic Mexican cuisine, and enables you to explore the region and experience either cultural or adventure activities. Cultural activities might include salsa dancing, preparing fresh dishes using native plants or turning clay into masterpieces. Adventure activities might include hiking, surfing, mountain biking, whale watching even guiding baby turtles into their new world. There is a beautiful balance between the volunteer opportunities and the time to reflect and relax here in Mexico. We want you to enjoy yourself so much that you come back year after year.
From the newsletter of Centro Ecológico Akumal:
CEA is an organization that depends heavily on volunteers. If you have the willingness to have fun while you help to preserve the environment, come and be part of CEA! You can participate in different programs.
Our next Reef Monitoring phase begins this March 28, while our Sea Turtle Program will start May 10. Other programs are already running, but you may still apply. Don’t forget to send your application forms now!
For further information visit our Web site or send an e-mail to info@ceakumal.org.
From an article by David Bird in The Gazette (Montreal, Canada):
Toucans, kingfishers offer magic moments
Every birdwatcher has a story or two about a feathered epiphany - what I call magic moments. I had two such moments in my recent trip to Belize.
This small country nestled on the east side of Mexico is a jewel of a place for birders that has retained a large portion of its wildlands. I went there in the last week of February to create contacts for setting up birding excursions and to investigate the state of ecotourism for my wildlife conservation course.
My magic moments occurred near Hopkins, a sleepy little town on the coast just south of Dandriga.
While staying at the comfortable and affordable All-Seasons Guest House, run by Ingrid Stahl and her cook, a Canadian expat, I had foolishly left it too late to book a guided bird-watching excursion. With her usual pleasant smile, Stahl said: "Why don't you take one of the bicycles and ride just down the road a mile or so? You will likely see some parrots and toucans along the river there."
Toucans! I could not grab my binoculars and get on that bike fast enough. I had never seen a keel-billed toucan, which happens to be the favourite bird of my daughter, Erin. She tells me that it has nothing to do with Froot Loops cereal.
About a half-hour later, I was driven out of the woods by voracious mosquitoes. These little monsters were biting right through my safari shirt and were drinking the DEET in my repellent.
Then I spotted a young man hacking vegetation with a machete. I asked him if there was any place nearby to see toucans. He directed me down the road to Toucan City.
Toucan City? Five minutes down the road, I turned into the driveway of Toucan Sittee. The place was named after the Sittee Rive,r upon which it is located. I was there for less than five minutes when I heard a frog-like, scratchy "krrk" from above. There, just above my head, was my very first keel-billed toucan. It was a magnificent bird, resplendent in black, yellow and red with that humongous beak of lime green, red and orange. A magic moment, indeed.
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