Flamingos!

We had visitors, yay! What a party to have D's parents come visit us on New Year's for 9 days! I could happily run tours for friends and family for the rest of our stay in Merida. Who else wants to visit??

We took advantage of extra helping hands to do some things we've been wanting to do. We went on THE BIRD LOVER'S DREAM EXCURSION. I am a bird lover--growing up, birdwatching was one of my favorite things to do. D's dad is also a bird lover. After this trip, who wouldn't be a bird lover?

Celestun is legendary as the main courtship area for tens of thousands of flamingos. We took a boat ride through the estuary flanked by mangroves to find the flamingo habitat. We passed many water birds on the way. And then we arrived to the area where thousands of flamingos were feeding and socializing. It was mesmerizing to watch those beautiful creatures take flight--their dainty feet skimming across the water's surface as their long, graceful necks stretched straight and their beautiful pink and black wings beat the breeze. I couldn't get enough of it!

There's a juvenile right in the middle of this group. It looks gray. Flamingos are born white and become pink as they continue to eat shrimp larvae. 

Flamingo in flight

Love this awkward loooooong neck!

We also passed "Isla de Pajaros" with hundreds of Canadian and brown pelicans and other shore birds. And we went through "paseo por los manglares" (the mangrove tunnel), where we were surrounded by mangroves just barely above and to the side of our boat. Reminded me of "Rainforest Road" in the motherland. I was in heaven!

T, Chiqui, Baba Jim, Pip, Baba Dona, Nena, D, Lechon

Canadian pelicans and other water birds on a sand bar

paseo por los manglares

isla de pajaros

That's me, the bird lover, in paradise. I suddenly find myself liking pink!

If you think you want to come for a visit, the flamingos are there in the thousands between January and March. No pressure!