The Beauty of Tulum and Xel-Ha

Wander in fascination through the remarkably preserved ruins of a Maya fort; then grab an authentic Mexican souvenir, at a sprawling, local market. Journey down onto one of the most sublime beaches upon that whole coastline, touching the very tip of a national biosphere nature reserve. Along the way, keep your eyes sharp for any number of international celebrities. This is a favourite place for the rich and famous to see and be seen. Then travel just slightly north, into the best open sea aquarium and water park on the Mexican Caribbean.

Two gems of the Riviera Maya lie close enough together for both to be visited in one day. They are Tulúm and Xel-há.

Tulúm


Tulúm is a pre-Columbian walled fort, built to protect the inhabitants and the local port against invaders from the Caribbean Sea. It stands 12m (39ft) atop a cliff commanding imposing views of the sea. A compact site, it nonetheless contains spectacular buildings, like the Temple of the Frescoes, which is decorated with niched figurines of deities; the Temple of the Diving God, with its eponymous god; the Temple of Paintings, where the paint is still discernable after 1000 years; and, of course, the Castillo. The bay below is breathtaking to survey. Tulúm is located 128km (80m) south of Cancún.

The fort at Tulúm was built around 1200 CE. It recycled some of the materials from local derelict buildings of the time. A stele, or decorated stone slab, dating from 564 CE sits proudly in a precinct created 15th centuries later. The fort was certainly an important trading center by 1518, when it was first noticed by the invading Spanish. However, it wasn't abandoned by the Mayans until the end of the 16th century.

During the interim, it would have exported gold, flint, ceramics and incense from all over the Yucatán peninsula, including copper from the Mexican highlands and exotic feathers from the inland regions. The density of Guatemalan obsidian artefacts discovered at the site provides a clue to one of its major imports, alongside salt and textiles.


As well as defence from the sea, the fort also warned of natural dangers. The Temple of Winds was built in such a way as to emit a loud wail, when the winds grew to a certain strength. This alerted the residents to the onset of a hurricane and allowed them to get to safety in time.

Tulúm overlooks the coralled reef biosphere reserve of Sian Ka'an. For many people, the turquoise shores here are more magnificent even than those in Cancún. Sitting above them, within the ruins, is a sublime experience; while many will instantly wish to hurry down and swim in those enchanting waters, before relaxing on the white sands.

Outside the ruins is a large market, where bargains may be picked up. See our blog, 'How to Haggle for Goods at the Mercado'.

Xel-há


Xel-há means 'where the waters are born' in the native Mayan. A settlement was formed around the waters in the 1st Century, which had become a coastal port by 800 CE. It is likely that it formed just one of a chain of such ports, which includes the neighbouring Tulúm, through which merchants could interchange goods. Trade would also have come via the picturesque Caribbean Sea.

Arguably the most dramatic moment in Xel-há's history came with the arrival of the Spanish in 1527. Conquistador Francisco de Montejo sought to turn Xel-há into the first Spanish settlement on the Yucatán peninsula. He changed its name to Salamanca de Xelhá and stationed his troops there. Unfortunately for his ambition, disease, deprivation and the resistance of the local Mayans soon reduced the number of his men. Montejo resorted to the desperate measure of scuttling his own ships, in order to stop any of the remaining Spanish from leaving.


They managed to stabilize their position in the settlement enough to attempt unsuccessful sorties into neighbouring areas, but over half of Montejo's men were killed in battle with the Mayan near the to the River Ake. Meanwhile, most of the 65 conquistadores, left behind to govern Salamanca de Xelhá were massacred by its residents. The whole expedition was in a sorry state by the time that another of Montejo's ships arrived with supplies from Santo Domingo. Eighteen months after arriving, Conquistador Francisco de Montejo abandoned all hope of subduing the eastern coast of the Yucatán peninsula and so left the port to its Mayan population.

Xel-há continued to be occupied until the 19th century, though most of its buildings date from three centuries before. These days, it is better known for its open sea aquarium, where snorkelling and sea treks allow visitors to get up close and personal with 70 different species of freshwater and seawater fish.


Visitors can jump off cliffs into crystalline waters; lounge on hammocks on white sand beaches; discover the jungle, on foot or on a hired bicycle; or vist the El Dorado cave, with its unique geological formations around a blue-green pool. The list is endless in this natural eco-park. A highlight is surely the chance to swim with the dolphins, though that is charged as extra.



Tulum & Xel-Ha All Inclusive
Combine Maya history with natural beauty! Tour the Tulúm ruins, then swim in the Xel Ha natural aquarium.

Xel-Ha All Inclusive
An incredible natural aquatic theme park and Mayan archaelogical ruins.

Mexican Hammocks

The making of hammocks is a proud tradition in the Yucatán. Just about every Maya home has hooks on the wall for hanging their handmade hammock. To mass produce them in a factory would be unthinkable. Every one of these products, exported globally, has been created on a loom, within a family concern. It is often the women who take charge here, though men and children will happily take their turn.

The Maya have been using hammocks since the 1300s. They didn't invent them. The idea was imported from the Taíno people of Ayiti (modern day Haiti), discovered during trading trips. The word 'hammock' means 'fish net' in Arawakan, the language of the Taíno; which gives a huge clue as to what they were making them from. The Maya soon began to stamp their own personality and creativity upon the concept.



Mexican hammocks are not made out of fish nets. They are woven out of up to a mile of pure cotton. A few test runs apparently taught them that lying on knots hinder relaxation, so the Maya hammocks do not contain any. The idea is to dye the cotton strands in advance, then keep going from a single yarn. The end result is probably the most comfortable hammock in the world.

Picture a hammock and you possibly have one for a solitary person, strung between two palm trees. With your head close to one tree, and your feet at the other, it cocoons you. If you're trying this with a Mexican hammock, you're doing it wrong.



These are designed to lie width-ways across it. That opens up the hammock and allows two or more people to relax side by side. It becomes firm, moulding to each body, as it gently sways. Some are huge, holding up to five people before another hammock is required. In Maya homes, they don't only serve as beds, but as chairs too. A common use is as a baby's cradle. They are very safe for this, so the little one can't roll out. In large families, hammocks can be very economical with space!



Hammock weaving accounts for 60% of the industry of the Yucatán Maya. Ever since the Europeans arrived, in the 16th century, Mexico has been exporting brightly colored weaves. Often the colors will tell you something about the artisan who made it.

Young people are encouraged to experiment to find their own designs or the best hues to string together. They are also taught how to construct their own looms. Your own loom means that you're on your way to self-sufficiency; and can make a living in areas that are often mired in poverty.



By adulthood, with centuries of traditional knowledge and an apprenticeship of personal experience behind them, they are ready to launch their choices into the international market. You can imagine the glee, when their creation out-sells everyone elses!

This accounts for the fact that no two Mexican hammocks are exactly the same, though they may appear so from a distance. After all, a winning formula is going to be reproduced! The hand-woven designs might have tassels, elaborate knots on the fringes or anything else that the imagination can throw up. Each person wants to put their all into this. It's a matter of honor, accomplishment, status and pride, so they want to stand out.



The process of creating a Maya hammock is called sprang weaving. This interlocks the weave in a diamond shape, which has a practical function, as well as looking pretty. The crossing of threads is what makes it so durable. A single hammock should last its buyer a life-time, as they don't easily wear out.

(Caution should be taken, if you lie on them with buckles or other sharp objects on your person. Not only is this going to be uncomfortable, but you might snag the thread. That's about the only way you are going to destroy this hammock.)



So next time you're drifting off to sleep, in your Mexican hammock, throw out a quick thought for the individual who made it. Because they'd be thrilled to bits that you choose their hammock - with their design, which they personally wove for you, on a loom that they built themselves. Enjoy!

Garrafón Natural Reef Park, Isla Mujeres

There are many places in Mexico where people can relax in a hammock within a sublime setting; there are just as many locations for adrenaline kicking adventure. One of the best is an attraction that combines both ends of the spectrum: Garrafón Natural Reef Park.



This is a coastal area of outstanding beauty, on the southern part of Isla Mujeres. Soaring cliffs allow breath-taking views over the Caribbean Sea and the land around it. The scenery alone is worth the trip, especially on the gentle walk around to the most easternly tip of Mexico and the highest point in Yucatan, Punta Sur.

The remains of a temple dedicated to the Maya mother goddess, Ix Chel, is here, high upon the cliff-top. Historically, female pilgrims would come to obtain the blessing of the priestesses, hence the name of the whole island - Isla Mujeres (Isle of Women).



Down below is the famous Sculpture Garden. In 2001, the Sebastian Foundation brought together 23 artists, from home and abroad, to each create a monument to the Maya spirit. The resulting figurines fill the area with vibrant color. There is also part of 'The Silent Evolution', under the waves, just off this bit of coastline.

For those interested in knowing all that Punta Sur has to offer, there are guided tours available from the entrance to Garrafón Natural Reef Park. If you are planning to walk up there, with a guide or without, it's worth taking a few coins with you. The restaurant at the top isn't part of the main park, so food and drink isn't included in your entrance fee.

However, that ticket in does provide you with a large range of other goodies! Lunch and drinks are included, which will give you the energy for a go on the zip-line. It's not the longest in Mexico, but it does take you zooming out into the ocean.



Or perhaps you would prefer snorkelling? As well as the aforementioned artifical reef, there is the actual coral reef, with all of its tropical marine life to see. There's also bungee jumping, kayaking and/or a bicycle tour of the whole island.

For those for whom this sounds too much like activity in the Mexican heat, then there are plenty of white silk hammocks, strung between two palm trees, and loungers to settle into. The bar will keep you supplied cocktails to sip. There is also the infinity swimming pool for a refreshing dip. It comes complete with waterfall and panoramic views of Cancún Bay.

Chichén Itzá in Light and Sound

Chichén Itzá is one of the new Seven Wonders of the World. It is instantly recognizable in publications around the globe, as one of the places that you must be in your lifetime. Millions of people do just that, with Chichén Itzá one of the top tourist draws in Mexico. Not to mention the fact that the Maya ruins have featured in films and music videos, as well as countless documentaries.

For most, the trip to see this famous pyramid occurs during the daytime. The favored time, for those who can make, is early morning, when the gates first open. This is when it's cool and there are fewer people around. The vast majority will arrive mid-morning, when the buses empty from Cancún and the other resorts. (And yes, that does include our bus!) How many of them wish that they could experience this atmospheric site by night?

It is, of course, possible to do just that! Once the sun goes down, the Light and Sound show begins at Chichén Itzá. It is a simple affair. The history and other interesting facts are explained, while each of the amazing structures are lit up with colored lights. Sometimes shapes are projected onto the pyramids, just for a bit of variety.


Kukulkan, the serpent God, illuminated by lights. This only happens naturally at the equinoxes.
However, the main point is that you are there, at night, able to survey the wealth of Maya architectural brilliance, without battling the heat of the sun and the press of fellow tourists. Some details are sharply illuminated, in the lights, that might not have been apparent behind sunglasses, in the glare of daylight.

Those with tickets to see it are given headphones, so that they may hear the commentary in their native language. Those who understand Spanish have no need, as they have the live version.

This isn't a massive show, with fireworks and dancers. There are some reviews on the internet, which express disappointment, because they somehow assumed that there would be. It is merely an alternative way of enjoying Chichén Itzá in comfort and the coolness of night.

There are some bonus features too, rendered by location, rather than the event's organization. Fundamentally, you are deep within the Yucatán jungle. When the lights are dimmed, then there really is no light pollution in the skies. If you thought you'd seen stars before, then this truly will be a revelation. Every inch of the night sky is usually covered in a blanket of stars and planets. It's clear enough to see satellites moving around, as they do essential research for humanity.

For a calm, sedate, beautiful experience of Chichén Itzá, this could well be the tour for you.


Chichén Itzá
The ancient capital of the Maya World, seen by day, then revisited in light and sound by night.

Filmed in Mexico

Mexico has always been a great country in which to shoot films. Not only has it got its own thriving movie industry, but it is very close to Hollywood. A short drive, or an even shorter plane journey, can see a whole cast and crew coming south of the border. They are all taking advantage of the megadiverse scenery and the wide open spaces. Everything from deserts to rainforests to oceans to subterranean worlds to sprawling urban locations can be found here. Of course, it helps enormously that average production costs are up to 30% lower than in the USA, Canada and Europe.

According to The Internet Movie Database, some 16,218 movies have been filmed in Mexico. This has been going on since the very dawn of Hollywood. Some of the scenes are rather surprising. For example, who guessed that the climatic sinking scenes, in 'Titanic', were filmed in Rosarito; or that the same location doubled as Pearl Harbour? We couldn't possibly cover all of the movies here. However, here is a taste of what Mexico's scenery helped bring to the silver screen. Please do comment with any of your favorites that we missed.

Acapulco, Mexico:

'Fun in Acapulco' (1963): Elvis Presley did go to Acapulo to film this.



'Licence to Kill' (1989): Sanchez's home is actually the real life Villa Arabesque, on the di Portanova Estate, near Las Brisas in Acapulco.

'Limitless' (2011): The cliff dive happened here.

Cancún:

'The Real Cancún' (2003): Filmed in and around the real Cancún.

Catemaco, Veracruz:

'Apocalypto' (2006): The rainforest scenes were filmed here.

Chichén Itzá:

'Against All Odds' (1984): This is where Coach Sully catches up with Brogan and Wyler. The Sacred Cenote, which plays a prominent role in the film, is located at Chichén Itzá.

Cozumel:

'Against All Odds' (1984): This is where Brogan found Wyler.

Isla de Mujeres:

'Against All Odds' (1984): The Cozumel scenes were actually shot on Isla de Mujeres.

'Licence to Kill' (1989): This is where James Bond and Felix Leiter find Sanchez. It's also where the underwater scenes were filmed.



Mexicali, Baja California:

'The Game' (1997): Van Orton is left here by gamesters.

Mexico City:

Home of Estudios Churubusco (Churubusco Studios), where films have been made since 1945. Amongst those known internationally are: The Fugitive (1946), Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1968), Amityville II: The Possession (1982), Rambo: First Blood Pt II (1984), Licence to Kill ( 1988), The Hunt for Red October (1989), Total Recall (1990), Romeo and Juliet (1996), The Mask of Zorro (1998) and 'Resident Evil: Extinction' (2006), plus many more besides.

'Licence to Kill' (1989): Much of Isthmus City is really Mexico City. The ornate post office is real. It's Mexico's City main post office (Oficina Central de Correos, Calle Tacuba 1 y Eje Central Lázaro Cárdenas). The 'El Presidente', where James Bond and Pam Bouvier spend the night, is really Gran Hotel de la Ciudad de Mexico, though the exterior is Biblioteca de la Banca de Mexico (Library of the Bank of Mexico). The City Theatre doubles as Sanchez's office, while the 'Isthmus Casino' is usually a restaurant called 'Casino Espanol'. Just outside the city, the Otomi Ceremonial Center was used as the set of the Olimpatec Meditation Institute.

Total Recall (1990): Many of the scenes were filmed in and around Mexico City. There is supposedly still blood splatter stains, at Metro Chabacano, on the Tacubaya-Col. Puebla Line, where the escalator scene was filmed. The lobby and penthouse of Hotel Nikko Mexico were also used; as was Metro Insurgentes subway station, in the Glorieta de los Insurgentes shopping mall.

Free Willy (1993): Some of the city scenes were filmed in Mexico City.

Nayarit:

'Limitless' (2011): Some of the tropical party scenes were filmed at Punta de Mita and on Isla Marietas.



Puerto Vallarta:

'Limitless' (2011): Some of the party scenes were filmed in Bahia de Banderas, Puerto Vallarta, including the reckless driving through the streets.

'Night of the Iguana' (1963): Much of the film was recorded here. The cast, including Deborah Kerr, Ava Gardner, Sue Lyon, Emilio “El Indio” Fernández and Richard Burton all stayed in the town, along with director John Huston, and were visited often by the author, Tennessee Williams. This took place just as Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton were starting their relationship.

'Predator' (1987): Filmed in Mismaloya, near Puerto Vallarta. Some of the props have been left there as a permanent tourist attraction.

Rosarito, Baja California:

Home of Baja Studios, which was originally built to film James Cameron's 'Titanic'. Amongst the films recorded here are: Titanic (1997); Tomorrow Never Dies (1997); Deep Blue Sea (1999); In Dreams (1999); Pearl Harbour (2001); The Fast and the Furious (2001); Life of Pi (2002); Master and Commander:The Far Side of the World (2003) and Jumper (2008).

Titanic (1997): Vast tank built here was where much of the sinking footage was filmed.



Tomorrow Never Dies (1997): Used the tank built for 'Titanic' for the sea landing scene.

Rumorosa Pass, Mexicali:

'Licence to Kill' (1989): The climatic car chase, nominally on 'Paso El Diablo', was filmed at the Rumorosa Pass, 50 miles west of Mexicali.

San Felipe, Baja California:

'Quantum of Solace' (2008): The dogfight that ensues when James Bond and Camille survey Quantum's land acquisition by air was filmed here.

Tulum:

'Against All Odds' (1984): This is where Brogan and Wyler finally get together.

Yucatán, Mexico

'The Cave' (2005): The flooded cavern system was partially a composite of several cenotes on the Yucatán peninsula. The scenic shots were in Mexico, while the action shots were in a controlled environment, namely a large tank in Romania. There was also some open water footage. The crew were on the Yucatán for five weeks capturing all this pretty scenery.

Cocktails in Cancun

There's been a lot of talk about tequila, mezcal and cerveza, when it comes to alcoholic beverages in Mexico. But this is not the whole story by any stretch of the imagination.

In Cancún, the undisputed Party Capital of the country, the visitors want more and Cancún delivers! Just check out some of the exotic, fun cocktails on offer here, then imagine sipping them, on a white sand beach overlooking the clear blue Caribbean. Now you're on vacation!



Practically every bar and hotel has its own signature cocktail, as evidenced by the Melon Monkey demonstrated, in the above film, by bar-tenders at the Cancún Palace. However, there are also bespoke cocktail bars aplenty. Naturally Boulevard Kukulcan is where the discerning tourist will find the majority of them. Sunset Bar (km 20); Caña Brava (km 7.5); Pat O' Brien's Cancún (km 11.5); Rendez Vous (km 14); and Beach Bar (km 16.5) are just a handful of them.

They range in reputation and price from the high end of the market down to budget. For example, somewhere like Rendez Vous or Gustino is going to tap your pocket a whole lot more than, say, the Pool Bar at Holiday Inn. But they are catering to a different clientele and who can say which is best? The fair thing would be for us to have a cocktail in each, then decide on own personal taste, just before passing out at the end.



Inevitably, there had to be a cocktail named for the whole city and yes! It does exist! The Cancún Cocktail should be served in a highball glass, filled with crushed ice. Then add in the ingredients, one by one:

1/2 oz amaretto almond liqueur
1/2 oz banana liqueur
1/2 oz coconut rum
cream
5 - 6 oz pineapple juice

Serve with a flourish and sip. This caters for one. Just double each measurement for two, and so on, until your entire party is getting a taste of Cancún.



Sorry, did we say one eponymously named Cancún Cocktail? There is a pretender to the title, so make that two! The second version is served in a hurricane glass, again filled with ice.

1/2 oz Dark rum
1/2 oz Peach Schnapps
Fresh orange juice
Fresh pineapple juice
Fresh papaya juice
Garnish with tropical fruits

Once again, the quantity there is for one, so multiply it all by the number of people here to sup!



With such a choice on offer, it's not unusual to find people on personal quests to sample them all. Blogger Candice, of 'Candice Does the World', gave it a good go, then reported back in her blog entry: 'The Cocktails of Cancun'. Here are a couple of her conclusions:

1. Xtabentún – A liqueur made solely in the Yucatan from anise seed and fermented honey. It sounds all sweet and docile, but I assure you this drink packs a punch. Like tequila, but maybe with more bruises...

4. The Julio Loco – A drink specifically developed at the Cancun Caribe Park Royal Grand resort, it’s a daunting (but pretty!) mixture of crushed ice, mango and chocolate. By the time we left Cancun, the drink had caught on and was spreading like wildfire.

Visit her blog to read the rest. Happy drinking!

Endemic Species of Mexico

Endemic species are those creatures, birds, plants etc that are only found in one place in the wild. By their very nature, they are endangered. If there is only a population in one place, then something negatively effecting that habitat is going to threaten them with extinction. From volcanic bunnies to rare giant frogs, megadiverse Mexico has thousands of endemic species. Let us examine just a few.

Cozumel Thrasher

The Cozumel Thrasher is a mockingbird that lives only on the Island of Cozumel, off the Yucatán Peninsula. It is the most critically endangered bird in Mexico, as its population levels have dropped dangerously.

It's not alone in that status on the island. This is the sole habitat of several other birds and mammals, all of which are protected, as humanity tries to hold back the tide of extinction for them.

The Thrasher is special though, in that it's already been extinct and come back. Well, not quite. It was assumed to be gone from the world and was thus registered. Then, in 2004, someone spotted one in Cozumel and there has been a scramble to save it ever since.

Some think that it's already too late, as there has not been a reliable sighting of Cozumel Thrasher since 2008. If you're on the island, please keep your eyes peeled. There will be a lot of relieved ornithologists, if you find it.

Flat-headed Myotis

The bat is one of the smallest in the world. It weighs about the same as two peanuts held in your hand. It's also one of the rarest creatures to spot, even in its natural habitat in a valley in Coahuila. It was first seen in 1952, then not again until 1966, when there were two separate sightings. Then nothing. By 1996, it was declared extinct.

A team from the Program for the Conservation of Bats of Mexico weren't happy with this designation, so set out to try and find the miniature bat. That was in 1997. In 2006, they finally found eleven of them, in Los Pinos, Coahuila. You can read all about it in their article: 'The Flat-Headed Myotis is Alive & Well: 'Extinct' bat is rediscovered in northern Mexico'.

Great Peeping Frog

The Great Peeping Frog, aka Rana-fisgona Labios Blancos, is only found in the Zonas del Pedregal de San Ángel, just south of Mexico City. Its natural habitat is sub-tropical or tropical dry shrubland, thus it loves the lava fields of Volcán Xitle.

The problem for this frog was that it lives so close to Mexico's capital city. As the city expanded, it ate up more and more of its habitat, right up until the point when someone realised it was going to become extinct. Pedregal de San Ángel has now been made a nature reserve, with the Great Peeping Frog under the 'special protection' registration of the Mexican government.

Nevertheless, there are no natural corridors into the outside world and the population of these mighty frogs has dangerously decreased. Survey work is currently underway to determine how many are left and if they are going to survive as a species.

Guadalupe Fur Seal

You used to be able to find the fur seal all up the Pacific coast, from Mexico to Canada. However, their skin is so soft, dense, waterproof and lovely, who wouldn't want to make clothes out of it? As a result, they had been hunted out of existance, in the USA, by 1825. Now they can only be found on and around Mexico's Guadalupe Island, off the coast of Baja California.

Commercial hunting stopped, in Mexico, in 1894, when just seven remained. The Guadalupe Fur Seal population has now grown to approximately 10,000, so their status has been altered to 'near threatened', as opposed to practically extinct. They remain listed as 'endangered' in the USA though. Guadalupe Island has been declared a seal sanctuary.

There was a bit of drama concerning one recently. A stray young male Guadalupe Fur Seal washed up on Torrey Pines State Beach, in the USA, in a terrible condition. He was starving and suffering from both hypoglycemia and hypothermia. He was taken to SeaWorld, in San Diego, where he was nursed back to full health. Nicknamed Buddy, the seal was then returned to the Pacific Ocean. As he was fitted with a tracking device, it is known that he immediately headed home and appears to be going strong. (Guadalupe Fur Seal Released Into the Ocean.)

Mexican Prairie Dog

Southern Coahuila and northern San Luis Potosi are the only places where the Mexican Prairie Dog might be found. However, they are another species which has made it onto the 'endangered' register. This time it is because they have been historically considered to be agricultural pests. Therefore ferrets kept being sent down their 'towns' (subterranean habitat of the prairie dogs) to kill them.

The 'towns' generally have a funnel-like entrance, leading into a sloping passageway up to 100ft underground. Leading off this tunnel are little rooms, all dug out by the prairie dogs. Inside them, the prairie dogs sleep and store grasses, herbs and other tasty items of food.

Since 1994, the prairie dogs, now living in less than 4% of their original habitat, have been listed as 'endangered'. Two organizations, Pronatura Noreste and Profauna, have taken it upon themselves to save them. They have been highly successful in securing the protection of 42,000 acres (170 km²) of grasslands for the prairie dogs. This involved getting a lot of signatures from private land owners and those using communal areas. It is hoped that the initiative will see the survival of these creatures.

Querétaro Pocket Gopher

In the north-eastern corner of Querétaro state, there is the Sierra del Doctor. Nestled deep in this remote, tiny mountain range is the Querétaro Pocket Gopher.

Very little is known about this small mammal. It lives underground and it is noctural. But there are so few of them, in such a remote location, that most research relies on hearsay. The locals know all about them. They see the evidence in mounds of earth, under which the pocket gophers have been burrowing.

For many farmers, they are incorrectly seen as pests, despite the fact that there is some evidence that the pocket gophers are responsible for the richness of the soil up there. All that digging has the effect of aerating it, while their droppings fertilize the it, deep underground.

San José Island Kangaroo Rat

As the name suggests, the San José Island Kangaroo Rat can only be found on San José Island, off the coast of Baja California, where it is steadily being eaten out of existence by feral cats. There are very few adults left now and they all live in very close proximity. These rats are, therefore, listed as Critically Endangered.

In addition to the feral cat problem, there's also the habitat destruction by wild goats and human development. The Mexican government, fearful of an actual extinction here, have stepped in to protect the immediate vicinity of the rats' home. They live in open grasslands, close to a sandy beach.

For the record, kangaroo rats aren't related to the marsupial. But they do tend to hop, instead of the scurrying of an average rat, hence the name.

Tres Marias Raccoon

It is thought that the ancestors of the Tres Marias Raccoon was just the same as any other common Mexican raccoon. But sometime in the past, the raccoons got trapped or taken to an archipelago, just off the coast of Nayarit. The Islas Marias became their home and, without contact with the mainland, the Tres Marias Raccoon evolved into an entirely different family.

This raccoon is quite large, compared to its mainland cousins, with an angular skull also setting it apart. Scientists are still arguing over whether it is a separate species or simply an interbred stray family. No conservation efforts are currently in practise.

Unfortunately, it's on the brink of extinction, having been listed as 'endangered'. Only 250 known adults survive on two of the three islands; while they've disappeared completely from Isla María Magdalena. The largest number exist on Isla María Madre, where the islanders are still killing them as pests.

Volcano Rabbit

Stand in Mexico City and look to the horizon. There are three large volcanos (not all are active), upon the slopes of which live the world's rarest bunny. The Volcano Rabbit loves the warm soil. In particular, it loves the leaves that grow on zacatón grasses, which only grow where there is thermal heating.

They live at an altitude of 9,186-13,943ft (2800-4250 meters), in an area of dense pine forest. They congregate in families of just two to five and emerge at dawn or dusk. The rest of the time, they are deep underground in their warrens.

The Volcano Rabbit is endangered, though, surprisingly, that has nothing to do with lava. The zacatón grass has been over-grazed, because natural corridors to other areas have been cut off by human development. In addition, the rabbit has been used for target practice. There are now laws in place to stop both things happening again.

Yucatán Wren

The Yucatán wren is only found on the northern strip of the Yucatán Peninsula. This is an area of dense mangrove shrubbery, right on the Caribbean coast, which is a perfect habitat for them.

It is always dangerous, in terms of the survival of a species, to live in just one locality. The poor Yucatán wren had the misfortune to choose an area just north of Cancún for its home. As the demand grows for holiday accommodation, and homes for those serving tourists in all of the attractions, the borders of Cancún have crept ever northwards. Its now encroaching upon Yucatán wren territory.

Things aren't critical yet. The wren is listed as 'near threatened' and planners have been quick to react to conservation concerns. Ría Celestún, San Felipe and Río Lagartos are all designated national parks, where the Yucatán wren can live in protection.

Protecting the Queen Conch at Xel-Há

There is so much to see and do at Xel-Há Water Park. It's billed as 'the largest natural aquarium in the world'. With all that there is on offer, tourists often miss that they are seeing something very rare indeed. This is the home of the endangered Queen Conch! Over-exploited by generations of fishing, this reclusive creature is on the very brink of extinction. Yet, armed with funding from the European Union, scientists from three continents have now arrived to see what they can do.


The Queen Conch (pronounced Konk-g) has fascinated humans for centuries. Their meat is a staple of the finer restaurants. It is second, in culinary popularity, only to the escargot, when it comes to edible snails. Nothing goes to waste, as every part of the conch can be devoured, though many profess to enjoying the 'white' meat only.

Their ornate pink shells often turn up in shops, bought to decorate private aquariums or to hang about in the garden. More prosaicly, conch shells have been used as home security, embedded into the top of walls, where the sharpened edges deter those thinking of climbing over.

Depictions of the ancient Maya have shown them using these shells as ink wells or bugles. Children of all ages still love to blow into the emptied shells, to produce a deep, resounding noise; or to listen into them to hear 'the sound of the ocean'.

Pink pearls are sometimes found inside these shells. They are destined to be fitted into beautiful jewellry.


The conch isn't known for its speed of flight. It's the original sitting duck, just waiting for someone to pluck it from the seabed and take it to its doom. As a result, the 'harvest' of Queen Conch has gone on unabated throughout all of recorded history. It's only as recently as 2003 that it was recognized how critically endangered it had become.

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) recommended that a blanket ban on the import and export of conch be effected immediately. Most Caribbean countries have complied. Domestically, there are also either bans or restrictions placed upon fishing Queen Conch.

In the Mexico state of Yucatan, the Queen Conch is protected at all times of the year. Next door, in Quintana Roo, fishing it is prohibited during the months of February through to October. Even during the rest of the year, only Queen Conch of a certain girth may be taken from the ocean.

For those tourists who have managed to purchase Queen Conch shells, or items made from them, then a shock may await them at home. In some European countries, these are the number one most seized items by customs. They take CITES recommendations very seriously.


Which leads us nicely to what is happening in Xel-Há Water Park right now. In 2009, staff at the park teamed up with academics from the Centre for Research and Advanced Studies of National Polytechnic Institute (CINVESTAV-IPN), based in Mérida. Their project is entitled, 'Protection and Preservation of Queen Conch (Strombus gigas)', and is headed up by award-winning environmental specialist, Dr. Dalila Aldana Aranda.

The aim of the project is to study the Queen Conch, discovering more about their biological cycle and the circumstances in which it thrives. Moreover, additional data about climate change can be gathered from examining the shells. The idea is to work out how to protect the remaining creatures and to help the species back from its critical state.

Recently, the European Union got on board. Their money has not only allowed the purchase of some important, but expensive, equipment to aid this research, but it's also been used to bring in more specialists. Australia's James Cook University and France's University of Western Brittany have both sent people trained in this field. Erwan Amice, Laurent Chauvaud and Thomas Stieglitz now work full time, under the direction of Dr Aldana.


Dr Aldana at Xel-Há
Of course, for the rest of Xel-Há Water Park, live goes on as normal. Tourists jump off cliffs into crystalline waters; lounge on hammocks on white sand beaches; discover the jungle, on foot or on a hired bicycle; or vist the El Dorado cave, with its unique geological formations around a blue-green pool.

But for those snorkelling, scuba diving or sea trekking, in the open Caribbean Sea, then a glimpse of something very special might await. They might spot the Queen Conch waiting on the ocean floor, easily seen through those clear waters; or they could observe the academics at their vital work, studying and protecting this endangered species.

Next time you are there, keep a sharp eye open. Unless the project is successful, then you might be the last generation ever to see a live Queen Conch.




Tulum & Xel-Ha All Inclusive
Combine Maya history with natural beauty! Tour the Tulúm ruins, then swim in the Xel Ha natural aquarium.

Xel-Ha All Inclusive
An incredible natural aquatic theme park and Mayan archaelogical ruins.

J.Lo Rocks Chichén Itzá

Jennifer Lopez - dancer, singer, actress and 'American Idol' panellist - released her new album, 'Love?', today. It follows the release of her single, 'I'm Into You', which features Lil Wayne. All of this would have created a big enough buzz in Mexico, but there was something extra too. The video for this song, which was premiered last night on 'Today', was filmed in Chichén Itzá and Tulum!

J.Lo was here during the first weekend in April, where she stayed in the $1100 a night Pavarotti suite, at the Mayaland hotel, overlooking the ruins. (Guess who had previously stayed there? I wonder if it will now be renamed the Pavarotti and J.Lo suite...) She arrived with an entourage that included dancers, as well as everyone needed behind the scenes. Local Maya people, from the nearby village of Piste, were hired to carry equipment into Chichén Itzá.


On April 2, 2011, her crew were allowed unprecedented access to the Maya ruins, in order to shoot the video. It's all part of the Federal Ministry of Tourism of Mexico's policy to promote 'Tierra Azteca'. Celebrities from the world of arts, culture and sports are getting permission to film in such places. It all helps with demonstrating to the world that these attractions exist.

J.Lo was openly thrilled about being there. She Tweeted a couple of times during the day, from the set:

Excited about my day tomorrow in Chichen Itza!!! First day of shooting the video for #imintoyou... I'll send u pics tomorrow #LOVE? (April 2nd, 2011)

A closer look. Are the earrings #tous much? Hahahaha just kidding. Thanks for the #LOVE? !!!! http://plixi.com/p/88956630


(April 2nd, 2011)

Officially released 'teaser' footage turned up on YouTube shortly after filming at Chichén Itzá had closed.





After leaving Chichén Itzá, the party moved onto Turtle Beach, in Tulum. Here William Levy, the Telenovela heart throb, met up with them, to play J.Lo's love interest in the video. They had to wait until nightfall, in order to film the latter half of the footage. Against the backdrop of a moonlit ocean, some steamy scenes played out.



J.Lo was in Mexico until April 4th. She Tweeted, upon leaving:

Hello #LOVE?RS!!! Leaving beautiful Mexico... Great shoot, can't wait to share it with you!! #imintoyou (April 4th, 2011)

Finally, here is the final production:




Chichén Itzá
Various tours, to suit every wallet or time-frame, to the most famous of all the Maya ruins.

Cenotes

Eden must have looked like this. Little bubbles of paradise glimpsed from the ground. There are no natural lakes on the Yucatan. The porous bedrock can't support them, as it acts like a sieve sucking the water down into the hidden caverns. But there are the cenotes and they are wonderful.


Cenote (pronounced Sen-o-tay) is a Yucatan Mayan word meaning any sinkhole with accessible groundwater. For thousands of years, these cenotes have been the wells, providing water for the villages and towns dotted around them. They are formed because the bedrock here is limestone. Rainwater hitting limestone is a little like trying to hold water in a colander. It seeps through the bottom and drips down below. Eventually it will hit sturdier rock and will be allowed to pool. Hence the lakes, in the Yucatan, all being underground.

Yet, as the water filters through the rock, it dissolves it, undermines it or erodes it. In some areas, this finally becomes too much and the roof collapses, exposing the pool to the open air. Thus the cenote is formed around crystal clear water, filtered by its slow passage through the rock. For the local human population, it's a source of life, spirituality and entertainment.


There are thousands of cenotes on the Yucatan Peninsula. Some are tiny, some are vast; some are self-contained bowls, some are the access points to a sprawling subterranean maze of rivers and caverns; some are shallow, some are deep; some are major tourist attractions, fitted with piers, springboards, rappel lines and all the comfort amenities, and some are hidden away in people's backyards. More are discovered all the time. Building work and landscaping can suddenly uncover a cenote. They are usually a welcome addition to the scenery.

For generations of locals and tourists alike, cenotes are a spectacularly beautiful place to refresh, after a trek through the jungle or a visit to the Maya ruins. Not only is it shaded in a cenote, but the water is deliciously cool. Some, like Ik Kill, near to Chichen Itza, are always full of bathers. They enter with a look of serene relief, then bob about in the water, with smiles on their faces. It's the purity of the water; the beauty of the scenery; and the sense of the sacred, in this hidden world.


Of course, sacred is right, because many of these cenotes meant more than just accessible drinking water and a place to bathe for the Maya people. In many cenotes, votive offerings have been found. The legends and histories also make it clear that, for the ancient Maya, these cenotes acted as holy places. They were the natural cathedrals.

Sometimes, this religious feeling had darker overtones. In the Cenote Sagrado (Sacred Sinkhole), within the grounds of Chichen Itza, there have been found ancient human bones. This was where human sacrifice was offered to the gods of the underworld. Elsewhere on the Yucatan, in Sahcaba, a whole underwater complex of Maya temples were discovered in 2008. It was believed that the Maya viewed this as an access to the land of the dead.



If you are in Mexico, please don't pass up the chance to swim in a cenote. It is a sublime experience that will remain with you for years - a little piece of paradise on Earth.

The Yucatan's Cliff-diving Daredevils

Acapulco's cliff-divers are world famous, but how many people knew that this thrill-seeking sport exists on the Yucatan Peninsula too? With 6,400 cenotes dotting the landscape, it can often be a long way down.


The latest round of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series took place, on the Yucatan, this weekend. The centerpoint was the Ik Kil Cenote (sinkhole), near to Chichen Itza. The greatest international cliff-divers gathered to discover who would take the title of the best amongst them. They took turns to launch themselves, from an especially erected diving board, into the wide, gaping mouth of the cenote. Then it was a 27 meter (90ft) free-fall plunge, through thin air, reaching speeds of 40mph before hitting the pool at the bottom.

Colombia's Orlando Duque emerged as the best of them. In second place was last year's winner, Britain's Gary Hunt. However, this is just one round in a global competition. The overall champion will not be crowned until another leg of the series takes them into Athens, Greece, later this year.


Cenotes form all over the porous, limestone bedrock of the Yucatan. As surface water is drawn down, into the rock, it causes submerged pools and rivers. Sometimes this erosion opens up a hole above, allowing access to the wondrous subterranean landscape below. These holes are the cenotes.

Ik Kil translates as Sacred Blue. The Maya often used cenotes as subterranean shrines; with the tunnels leading away from them being part of the rite of passage into adulthood. Young men would have to survive the descent into them and arrive safely out the other side. It was a rebirthing into manhood.

Diving into them, from the surface level, is certainly not recommended for amateurs. It takes great skill and training to cliff-dive like a champion. However, many cenotes have been developed for tourists to visit. Swimming is allowed in them and diving boards have been set up from safe heights.