Mexico > Reserva de la Biosfera Ría Celestún

Yesterday I already chose my breakfast: quesadillas with cheese and ham. It tastes great. At half past eight, we leave Mérida. The historic grid layout also has its downsides. It is not suitable for modern traffic. The bus crawls through the narrow streets from one intersection to the next. It takes a while before we get out of the city and head toward Celestún, a small fishing village on the Bay of Mexico. Here lies the Ria Celestún reserve. This lagoon runs parallel to the Bay of Mexico. Through a narrow opening, salty seawater mixes with the freshwater in the lagoon. We board small, fast boats—six people per boat. As soon as we are on the water, the skipper speeds up. The boat moves quickly over the shallow water. Mangroves grow along the shore. The impressive aerial roots hang in the water. A few birds appear, but no flamingos yet, which this nature park is famous for. Only after about fifteen minutes of sailing do I see groups of flamingos in the distance. The skipper steers the boat very close to a group of these pink birds. They hardly seem to notice. In a shallow spot, they are looking for food. More flamingos come flying in. The black color under their wings is clearly visible in the air. When they land, they fold their wings back in. When a flamingo wants to move, it makes walking movements with its legs on the water to gain speed.

Mexico - In the brackish waters of the Ría Celestún, flamingos find their food

A funny sight. On the way back, we sail along the opposite shore. In a cove, there should be a crocodile. Due to the backlight from the sun, I cannot distinguish the animal among the bushes. Only when I take a photo do I see the creature on my screen. An island a bit further is the ideal place for birds. Large vultures soar above the island, and in the trees sit white herons, cormorants, and reddish-necked herons. Suddenly, the skipper steers into the mangroves. There is a narrow passageway between the mangrove trees. How beautiful this is. On the other side, we return to the lagoon. We dock at a jetty. From the jetty, we can walk to a natural freshwater spring. Yucatán was once a coral seabed. When a large meteorite struck the Bay of Mexico, the land was pushed upwards. The rock is porous, allowing filtered water to seep upward. Precisely because of the combination of fresh and saltwater in Ria Celestún, this is such an ideal location for flamingos. After the boat trip, we drive a short distance to the fishing village of Celestún. The lunch restaurant is located on the beach. While we have lunch under a thatched roof, we look out over the clear blue water of the Bay of Mexico. The white sandy beach makes it perfect.

Mexico - The beautiful sea water of the Bay of Mexico

After lunch, I take a dip in the lovely water. It is striking that there is hardly any surf in the bay. On shore, I dry off on a beach chair. Around three o’clock, we drive back to Mérida. Last night we took a city walk, but I didn’t have the opportunity to visit, for example, the cathedral. Before dinner, I walk back to the square. On the south side stands Casa Montejo. When I try to go inside, a security guard stops me. I understand that the restored 16th-century house also houses a museum. The museum is free to visit, but I have to register. This is done quickly, and I enter the oldest building in Mérida. The city’s founder once lived here. The house is furnished in colonial style and has only a few rooms. I cross the square and enter the cathedral. The 16th-century cathedral is built in a strict Renaissance style, partly constructed with stones from Maya ruins. The church is the oldest on the American mainland. I exit through the side door. In the pastel green Palacio de Gobierno, also located on the square, are paintings by Fernando Castro Pacheco that depict the bloody history of Yucatán. The courtyard and the gallery on the first floor can be visited free of charge. At six o’clock, I return to the hotel. In the bar opposite, I have a beer with fellow travelers. Then we go to Parque de Santa Lucía. While we eat there, a Mexican musical performance begins on the square. The square quickly fills with spectators.

Mexico - Paintings in the Palacio de Gobierno tell the history of Yucatán