Barrel practice

Laura is training one of her horses to barrel race. She likes to do it in a public arena as the horse gets used to being trailered and a different venue than home.

Return to the States

I returned to the states today, just in time to arrive at a rodeo in Bandera, Texas where Bonnie competed in a barrel race which she won this night, but finished 4th overall for the weekend. Due to user error this is the only photo I got that night. There will be many more opportunities as she on the circuit. Stay tuned!

Noni

Also in the Botanical Garden was a section of Medicinal plants. I have drank of the famed Noni juice which is known as an anti-carcinogen and anti-oxidant, but had never seen one. Here is a noni tree. The fruit has a pungent odor and bitter taste. It attracts fruit bats which help in their pollination.

Monkeys in Puerto Morelos!

There is a Botanical Garden about a mile from Puerto Morelos that has spider monkeys roaming the jungle!! There were several monkeys that were carrying babies on their backs, one had twins.


They also had an exhibit of what traditional Mayan beekeeping was like....stingless bees were kept in hollow logs and honey extracted from the sides. The bee was highly regarded. Bacab is the Mayan bee god.

Annie shopping

Annie is buying some local honey to take back to Chip in Colorado. Felipe Carrillo Puerto is known for their honey production as well as the entire Yucatan as an export crop! Some of the honey bees here are stingless!

Felipe Carrillo Puerto

On our way back we stopped in the town of Felipe Carillo Puerto, named after a governor of Yucatan who worked hard to better the lives of the Mayan people. He had a romance with an American journalist, Alma Reed of San Francisco, California (Great book!). He was assassinated in 1924.

Behind the statue was a remnant of Mother's Day, which is always hugely celebrated on May 10 in Mexico.

Cenote Azul

This cenote is very close to the town of Bacalar that is on the western edge of the lake. Besides being big and deep, the water was a comfortable temperature...even hot around the edges. I loved it of course.

Bacalar

We headed further south to Bacalar....its Mexico's second largest lake according to a guide book.....also known as the lake of 7 colors...so clear and fresh water...they call it sweet water...the swimming was pristine...even swam at night! We are only about 20 miles from the Central American country of Belize. That will have to be another trip!

Fruit stands

Mexico is known for their roadside fruit stands. In this area there are many pineapples and papayas. Here I am buying my favorite fruit, papaya already cut and ready to eat!

Mahahual

This tiny seaside village is one of my favorite places in the Yucatan! Friendly people and good seafood! It used to be a secret but the cruise world has discovered it and now several come here a week....but not on the weekends and that is when we were here!!
We stayed about 4 miles south of town at KohunBeach...quaint cabanas....with good coffee waiting for you when you step out of your room!

Yummy Coconuts

Annie said she wanted a coconut and within a few minutes a guy returned with a machete and several coconuts from the many local palm trees. She drank the sweet milk inside and then ate the tender meat. mmmmmmmm Happy girl!

Critters from the Yucatan

This red starfish was in about 6 inches of water right in front of our room.
Iguanas were abundant and this is one of the smaller ones.

Front and back of the same butterfly that we found dead on the path.

This bird on the pole is not in any of our field identification guides??

Blogging

Some of you have asked how I update the blog....well here is probably the best location I have had....we are in Mahauhual, Mexico...about 4 hours south of Cancun on the Caribbean Sea at Maya Luna Hotel/Restaurant using their wireless internet on my laptop computer sitting seaside and about to have a red snapper Veracruz style..mmmm..... So there you go! I have stayed here before with Laura, Dawn, and Catriona for my 50th birthday! It's good to be back!

More swimming in the Cenotes

Dinah, me, KK and Annie visited 2 local cenotes today. Cenotes are limestone sink holes full of clear fresh water. One of them is mostly inside a cave about 80 feet deep with bats and everything! The other one had ropes that we played on and tried knocking each other off. The water was cold.....about the same as the San Marcos River in Texas. Great fun!!!

Annie and KK are here!!! me too...

I arrived in the Yucatan just in time to get my car running (battery) and pick up my oldest daughter Annie (middle in photo) at the Cancun airport. My good friend KK, from Austin, Texas is here also. We stopped at the beach in Cancun to take a look see, mostly so Annie could say she had been there, though it is a beautiful beach.

Museum in La Paz

I went to the Museum of Anthropology while in La Paz waiting for my plane. There were many artifacts of Baja Indians.....arrowheads and spearheads...but I have to say that the little collection that we found on our beach is pretty darn impressive. We found all of them within a few feet of the palapa except the black obsidian ones that Allan found on other beaches.

Adios to Allan and the palapa

I have had the BEST time with Allan and I love our little palapa on Bahia Concepcion!! We have had everything we needed! and then some....I feel blessed to have been able to enjoy 4 months of living on this wonderful beach with an amazing man. Very magical! I leave with a heavy heart. There is so much I can write about this experience and maybe I will. I am looking forward to seeing my oldest daughter Annie in just a couple days now. We are meeting in the Yucatan. I haven't seen her in 8 months when I went to visit her in Colorado which is where I met Allan and part of this story began! Muchas gracias Allan!!! I already miss you!!

Sunrise

It has been so cool to watch the sunrises...they are still spectacular, but I will have to say the ones in January were the best!! I have also had a great opportunity to watch the cycles of the moon and also the way the sun has "migrated" north since I have been here....the sun used to rise directly in front of the palapa, now it rises above Isla Liebre......where the moon rose in January! Having an outdoor living room and being able to sit in the same place every night (the couch) has helped me learn more about the sky. I just love our big screen TV!!!

Whale sighting

We heard the loud blowing of a whale about 10:00 this morning...and looked out and there was a HUGE whale and her baby....we paddled out to see if we could get closer but they were on the move....the photo doesn't do justice....be assured she was HUGE!

Checking out the islands

Warm water and calm seas make for a perfect day outing to the islands!