Mayan Country: Uxmal

I have been lazy about posting photos. While D's parents visited, we went to Uxmal, a larger site that is also not overrun by tourists. It was awesome! Most locals prefer this site to Chichen Itza. You can climb on everything except the pyramid of the magician, which works great for our crowd (we don't love being spectators).

I love this shot of my kids!

 

We thought the translator for these signs did an amazing job!



 "Not rise to structures" should be "Keep off the buildings"

 

 

 "Not up to the roofs" should be "Keep off the roof"

 

Maybe I should offer my translation services?

D with his Dad

in front of the pyramid of the magician

 

 Peep had a blast crawling back and forth in front of this building

amazing architecture

 

Chiqui, Pip, and Baba Dona

 

D's cute parents

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!

Christmas at Playa Celestun

We are pretty good at keeping Christmas simple here. I love the month of constant parties and good food, but as far as doing gifts for the kids goes--we keep it really spartan. This year we were extra spartan (MSU fans will find that to be especially funny).

We didn't bring any Christmas decorations with us (except for four ornaments I'd made right before leaving). With all the other details to take care of with moving, I just forgot. Stockings are hard to come by around here, so I decided to make some. The kids loved choosing their own fabric. Other than that, we bought the cheapest tree we could find and one string of lights.

Mateo loves checking out his own ornament

Sunday before Christmas with my barefoot girls 

We love having our Noche Buena feast on the 24th followed by the nativity play and then having a relaxing day on Christmas. Usually we have friends join us, but the people we invited couldn't come, so it was just us.

Noche Buena feast as simple as it gets: lentils and tortillas, fresh bread with honey and butter, cheese and jamaica

Santa filled the stockings with Mexican goodies and also left FIVE FRESH PINEAPPLES!!

My heart's desire was to go to the beach after the kids went through their stockings. I wanted to get some shells to decorate the tree, and I wanted to feel that yummy sand between my toes and smell the salty air. We were told that Celestun was a great beach for shells, so that's where we went. It was breezy and cool so we didn't stay in the water long, but we loved walking up and down the beach feeling the frothy water lick our toes. The shelling was great! I loved seeing my little people exclaim over their shells--seeing myself in them is so fun!

Playa Celestun

Love this photo

Collecting shells

The kids drew names for gifts for each other this year and spent their pesos at "Tienda de Mami" ("Mami's Store") because taking each one shopping would've been too complicated. It worked out surprisingly well. I need to restock and reopen "Tienda de Mami" again soon! We let them exchange gifts that night after we returned from the beach.

Mariachi Magic

We have a great friend here named Val. She throws awesome parties, and we feel fortunate to be invited. We had a great Thanksgiving feast, thanks to Val. I took some simple wheat rolls and I couldn't believe how the ladies were gushing over my "pan de lujo" (fancy bread) as they called it. Yes, it is impossible to find good wheat bread here. Unless you make it yourself.

This awesome mariachi band played for us.

And here is Mateo rockin' with the mariachis while eating his "pan de lujo."

When in Rome...

I have no problem with public breastfeeding. I do it all the time, and I do it discreetly without a "nursing cover." Unless you're standing right above me peering at my chest, you won't see any skin. I know that most people in the States frown on public breastfeeding, but I don't think we should be astonished by this very normal way of nourishing babies.

 Here I am breastfeeding on the train at the zoo.

 

And here I am breastfeeding at Uxmal (Mayan ruins).

 



 

I believe in feeding my baby when he/she is hungry, so I've breastfed at the store, the gym, on planes, at parks, in restaurants, at the zoo...everywhere I've taken my baby. Except for one place. I've always said, "I would never breastfeed my baby in the main meeting with men, women, and children at church" (of course, I've had no problem breastfeeding in the all-ladies meeting). Maybe because my babies are loud when they eat, maybe because it's church. So I'd get up and walk out to the special "mother's room" where there are nice chairs and a door that closes.

 

Then we came to Mexico, and our first Sunday in church, I asked the ladies if there was a room where I could go feed my baby when he got hungry. No, they don't have a "mother's room" here. The moms just breastfeed where they are. I thought about trying to find an empty classroom or maybe even going out to the car.

 

Then I remembered a friend of mine describing her experience at the Turkish baths. Before going, she thought she could cover up a bit and still be modest in front of the other bathers, maybe wear a swimsuit or something. But when she arrived and they handed her this teeny tiny apron that wouldn't cover top or bottom well at all, and she realized she'd really stand out if she wore her swimsuit, she shrugged and said, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do."

 

So I shrugged and said, "When in Rome..."

 

Sometimes it's a little bit liberating to go against your own, "I would never...!" statements. 

 



Merida Centro

There are lots of fun parks and activities in Merida. Here's a peek at what we've seen/done in town:

Plaza de la Madre

 I just love this sculpture! I will have to go back during the day and take a better photo, but I was glad to get in front of it with my little ones. The details are awesome--this mama is holding and bathing her infant in her lap and at the same time hanging on to her little girl. She is busy! Her eyes and hands and arms and legs and feet are all engaged, caring for her offspring. Doesn't that perfectly describe "maternidad" (motherhood)?

Plaza de las Americas

This awesome fountain has six or so plumed serpents. I just had to climb on it (I used my self-control and didn't jump in though). 

Mormon temple

Horsey Ride

We took a carriage ride through downtown during Christmas time. Loved seeing all the lights, and the kids were delighted!

Food!

I'm married to a foodie. I might be a foodie now too. We ate at this Japanese restaurant and the food was scrumptious! D ordered octopus, I ordered chicken curry. We both cleaned both plates. Yum!

Mayan country

We are in the middle of Mayan ruins, which is awesome! We like to head out to a site and explore with our little explorers. We haven't yet ventured to the huge sites (Chichen Itza, Uxmal) because they're a little bit further away and our little explorers get tired after a few hours. But here are a few photos of where we've been:


Dzibilchaltun:
This site is very close to our house and includes a delightful cenote (limestone cave filled with fresh water) which is above ground and has a bonus shallow end for little ones! We all took a dip in our clothes, and I honestly could have stayed in that refreshing pool all day! I loved doing "sea turtle" with Pip (something my dad used to do with us--we'd hang on to his shoulders while he swam under water). So fun!

Pip and Chiqui

 My Cheetah girl

 checking out the li'l fishies that like to nibble your toes

naked baby even took a dip

 Walking to the temple

The boys

Mayapan

Although this city is larger than Chichen Itza, only a very tiny part has been excavated, so the part we explored was small and easy to walk around with our crew. We also used two Ergos instead of one, and Chiqui's little legs were less tired. There was a huge pyramid that we were able to climb (many of the larger sites don't allow visitors to explore the temples and buildings anymore). I loved feeling the burn in my legs the next day. :)

 Look, a slide!

 Squeak and Pip

 Pip, me, Chiqui

 Squeak, me, Chiqui

 D on top of the large temple

 I found these well-preserved etchings to be absolutely curious. I wonder what the rest of it looked like back in its glory.