HUATULCO MEXICO

 

  Update from home:  We're starting our second month at the Florida Canal Cottage but I am still blogging about our trip to get here.   Here in  SW Florida we had lovely weather for both Holidays, but it turned quite cold on January 2 (cold for Florida, not for the rest of the country).  You can tell the people who just arrived from 'up North' because they are outside in their shirtsleeves, while those of us who got used to Florida warmth before this cold spell are huddled in Winter coats.  (It's been 35 to 50 mid-days, much colder at night and early morning of course.)  It has warmed up as I prepare to post this though and is supposed to continue to get better.  We are grateful for that.

 

The second port of call on our Panama Canal cruise was Huatulco.  This is one of those places in Mexico that is sort of made-up for tourists and ex-pats.   Here's what Wikipedia says (and variations of this are on all of the travel sites I found): 

"Huatulco is a resort region in the Mexican state of Oaxaca with white Pacific coast beaches. The region is made up of 9 bays, including the popular cruise-ship port of call Santa Cruz Bay. Tangolunda Bay is home to upscale resort hotels and a golf course. In the inland community of La Crucecita, there are restaurants and shops around a central plaza."

 

 

 

The port is certainly beautiful and the blue skies and white sand  inviting for scenery and beach lovers.  It was lovely to watch from the deck in our room as we docked and then from the windows of the  top floor of the ship  as we ate breakfast.    We aren't really beach people or souvenir shoppers though, so instead of opting for a day on the sand or in the village we chose a tour that we hoped would show us a little bit of nature and what the area was like before its touristy make-over.

 

 

We hopped off the big boat and pretty quickly onto another much smaller one (a Panga) that took us on a shortish river cruise to an island reserve.  If we understood our guide correctly, the families who have always lived on this island have formed a cooperative in order to protect and preserve their homelands.  The  State of  Oaxaca is in partnership (again if we understood correctly)  to preserve native plants and animals.  And, not incidentally, to market the area to eco-tourists.   

 

 

 Eco-tourism is a big thing nowadays because the national governments of most countries recognize the importance of nature.   In our own country, I'm just grateful that there are individuals fighting for the environment.  Definitely can't say the same for our government right now.

 

 

 

 La Isla preserve is a home for many green iguanas -- our guide said a threatened species due to loss of habitat and other causes.  (Although we see these here in Florida where they may or may not be invasive species.)  Note:  These were big fellows, not the iguanas that were falling out of  trees in North Florida during  the recent cold snap.

 

 

At La Isla, there was a sizeable population of crocodiles and  alligators and a species of very tiny deer that (obviously) are hand fed .... they liked cabbage and so did the iguanas.  We thought the deer were probably the same variety as the tiny Key Deer that we've seen here in Florida .   

 

 

It seemed like the people running the preserve were doing good work.  Because many of the animals we saw were being hand-fed, our sightings weren't exactly the same as seeing animals in the wild, almost more like a really good open zoo or animal park.      But it was an interesting tour and, for us,  definitely more enjoyable than spending the day lying on the beach, no matter how beautiful that beach was.  

 

 

 

This United States Coast Guard ship  had been moored beside our cruise ship when we left for the day and it was still there when we returned in the late afternoon.    Everybody wondered why -- and had plenty of guesses -- but we never did find out for sure why it was there.   It's good to know there is  still some cooperation between our two countries though.

 

 

This post is linked to:   Nature Notes; Mosaic Monday; Our World on Tuesday; All Seasons;  Through My Lens; Wednesday Around the World; Signs Signs;  Thankful Thursday; Skywatch Friday; and Saturday Critters.  Thank you to the hosts.

 

Comments

[naaptolshop.pk]

amazing web site

[Pete]

Hi Mom
The Coast Guard Cutter was
Probably dropping off drug
Smugglers. Panama is the only
Country that will take then.
Did you see the name? Might be
The Munro II. The first us still in Alaska

[Penny]

Loved this! Those iguanas are magnificent. Very nice!

[Florence]

Wow! Dragons up close!! What an interesting place!!

[Patrick Tillett]

Great post Sallie! Lots of photos, and all of them great. I was wondering if the iguana eat the deer?
It looks like a beautiful place, but like you I would gravitate to the natural side of things.

[D]

These iguanas are beautiful.
So huge.

[Annie]

A beautiful-day trip ! I saw iguanas 40 years ago in Mexico... and was afraid by them ! What big beasts ! I hope for you cold weather ended in Florida... not here ! We are waiting snow again this week.Amitiés.

[diane]

They are big lizards.Sorry to hear you are having cold weather. It doesn't take much for us to rug up while the visitors from southern states walk around in shorts and T-shirts.

[Al]

What a beautiful place. I love those iguanas, and remember reading about your cold Florida ones!

[Breathtaking]

Hello Sallie!:) I would also have chosen a boat trip to La Isla reserve, and I love what they are doing to preserve the flora and fauna. The Iguanas are impressive in size, and beautiful creatures to see. Thank you for sharing some high lights of your trip, I enjoyed seeing all your photos.

[Eileen]

Hello Sallie, I enjoyed this post and the iguanas. Thank you so much for linking up your post. I appreciate your visit and comment too. Happy Saturday, enjoy your weekend.

[Gattina]

Wow the iguanas look big ! I would say like crocodiles ! I never know where you are living, so now you are back in Florida ? I have seen on TV that Florida had an unusual cold winter.

[Peter B.]

Yikes, the iguanas look both magnificent and scary! Great pics and thanks for the tour of an interesting location.

[Michelle]

Interesting to see those iguanas. I would love that tour. Thanks for linking up today and I hope to see you back again next week!

[kelleyn]

Making me jealous! Wish I was somewhere a little warm right now! Have a great weekend!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGOdp5zVxxY

[Pat]

This sounds like such an interesting stop, Sallie I totally agree that preserving nature has taken a backseat to oil and gas profiteering in our country. I loved seeing those iguanas--they look like small dinosaurs.

[tanya breese]

what a great trip! i love those iguanas!!

[Amy]

I think you chose quite well, I'm loving the Iguanas.

[Lesley]

I did not realize that iguanas could get so big!
I also never thought they'd be falling out of trees.

[MaryBeth Schwartz]

Wonderful images. Thanks for sharing. Those Iguanas are HUGE! Anytime you are in the area hop aboard and we will fins a beautiful road to go down.
MB

[KL]

Beautiful and also scary with all those igunas and crocodiles. Did those two pose for the camera :-)? Beautiful pictures.

[Patrick Weseman]

Great photos. The iguanas are cool. Thanks for sharing.

[Ruby]

Lovely to see your photos. The iguanas look scary....but then maybe not....they can't help how they look! Wishing you joy and peace in the new year Sallie....

[Wil Francois]

These were fascinating pictures, Sallie! Thank you for sharing.

[Ruth]

I have been to Oaxaca but not to the beach areas. Your comments about Huatulco being a place for tourists sounds a bit ironic since Oaxaca (at least the Central Valleys) is an excellent place for culture lovers (but I get that Huatulco was developed as a resort).

[Lavender Dreamer]

You made a good choice of how to spend your time when you were there. Those Iguanas are so prehistoric looking even more than alligators...if that's possible! heehee! It's warm this week! YAY! But I didn't mind the cold days and nights...felt very wintry for a change. Hugs!

[Debbie]

wow!!! the iguanas are super cool looking!! and the crock, it looks like you were pretty close!! it is warming up here at the jersey shore, double digits, YaY!!!

[Barb]

Look at all those Iguanas! Yesterday we had 50 degrees in Breckenridge (almost FL weather)! Hope you're getting warmer by the day (and hope we get colder...).

[nancy chan]

The big lizards and crocodiles look so scary! I wouldn't dare go near any one of them!

[Lorrie]

Like you, I'd rather take a tour to a nature preserve than shop or lay on the beach. The iguanas look like rather fierce fellows. I'm glad more countries are realizing the importance of preserving nature. I hope it's not all for show.

[islandrambles]

I loved all the photos! Wow those iguanas!! The US Coast Guard ship is in our harbour right now as well! Thanks for sharing this journey!

[Linja in Virginia]

I'm not a beach person either. After an hour or two I get quite bored. Love the iguana picture!

[Margy]

When I was in high school I had an iguana as a pet. I'm not sure how it came to me. I believe it was through the science department at the high school where he worked as an assistant principal. - Margy

[Angie]

Sallie - it's nice to see that they have managed the development in a 'made-up' town - too often, development is ugly and sprawling. How interesting that the green iguanas are threatened in Mexico - on the Cayman Islands, the green iguanas are not native and are overrunning the islands! Have a warmer week!

[A ShutterBug Explores]

Amazing photos of the Iguanas ~ and wonderful photos and post of your trip south ~ weather has been rather frigid in New England ~

Happy Week to you,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)

[Lucy Corrander]

You have been visiting dragons!

[Kay L. Davies]

I visited Huatulco so long ago that it was just a tiny village on the way to Acapulco. Probably in the late 60s.
I didn't even know there were iguanas in Mexico, because we didn't see any at the time. I would have loved to see them. The only place we've seen iguanas is in the Galapagos Islands.
What fun that your cruise ship stopped there.
Kay
An Unfittie's Guide to Adventurous Travel

[Jesh StG]

Yes, I can see the iguanas are big fellows! A priceless share for all Seasons! Thank you Saliie:)
What a mystery about the guard boat! I love and hate it at the same time, that they're hiding what the cause for the long presence of that guard boat was. But I'm glad you came safely out of there!

[Penelope Puddlisms]

Great shots! We need people power now more than ever to preserve wildlife and the environment. The iguana pair you photographed look as if they’re smiling. They’re lucky not to be the variety in North Florida. I saw those on the news, fallen frozen in odd positions frozen out of trees during the cold snap. They’ll hopefully revive as we all do in warmer weather.

[fun60]

Good for you Sallie. I would much prefer to seach out the wildlife than the bargains.

[Michelle Banks]

I could really use some warm weather..I am exhausted from plodding out and filling feeders. The snow today was like peanut butter.....Love these lovely photos Sallie..

[Phil]

I've been watching a TV series of a british chef, Rick Stein who travelled through mainly Pacific Mexico sampling the cuisine and local life. A bit like you Sallie. It made me rather nostalgic for the one time we visited Mexico Caribbean side where we abslotely loved the weather andd of course the food. Hope it warms up - zero degrees here for the last few nights.

[Sarah]

Thanks for sharing the journey. Happy 2018!

[NatureFootstep PhotoArt]

that was a great journey. Love to see the iguanas :)
Mexico is a place I never visited. And probably never will. Great to see what you share

[Maggie]

I think we would have chosen to see the reserve instead of the beaches or shops too, what a great place to visit. I read about "frozen" iguanas falling out of trees in Florida, I hope none of them have dropped on you!
Happy New Year and Happy MM.

[Eileen]

Hello Sallie, pretty view of the port. I would like to tour the animal preserve. I like seeing the iguanas. Great mosaic and photos of Mexico. Happy Monday, enjoy your day and new week!

[Richard Pegler]

I'd have done the same as you, Sallie - I'm not a fan of beaches, unless they host interesting wildlife. A very enjoyable post, with those Iguanas impressing me greatly! Best wishes - - - Richard

[bettyl - NZ]

It sounds like a fun time you had and the photos are awesome, too!

[Mersad]

Wonderful images of unusual sights. Thank you for sharing with "Through My Lens"

[Margaret Birding For Pleasure]

I have never seen so big iguanas before Sally. HAPPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU BOTH

[Hazel]

The temperature hardly rose above 0C,(32F), yesterday in the UK Midlands-and today wil be the same.

[Amy]

I'm loving the Iguanas - such fascinating creatures!

[Stewart M]

Nice post - those iguanas are great. I can't recall if the reports are from Florida - but in some places in the US which are much closer than normal the iguanas are falling out of trees because of the cold. It's an amusing image, if you not at iguana!

Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

[Lady Fi]

Those iguanas - how delightful!

[Gaelyn]

I'd be with you on the nature tour rather than the beach. But I am sorry to hear about the hand feeding. Hope it doesn't get too overrun by tourism, even eco-tourism.

[Yogi]

It looks like a nice little interlude on your voyage. Nice to hear about people taking the long view on conservation. I know plenty of people who deny that we should preserve anything.

[Su-sieee! Mac]

I'm glad to see ecotourism is working down there. I'd hate to see it destroyed by development for tourists. I hope we can keep this current administration from totally destroying our nature.

[ellen b]

Glad you found something more up your ally to do on this stop. Dear and I aren't beach sitters. We do enjoy an early walk at the beach. Those iguanas are are really something. They almost look like statues.

[Lowell]

We've had some big iguanas in the Ft. Lauderdale area, but not this big. And it looks like you saw some very cool places. Of course you had me with the bit about "upscale resort hotels and golf course!"

[Carol]

Wonderful cruise post, looks like u had a fabulous time!

[Sondra]

If this trend, turning the government back to the environment continues, it will left to communities and individuals to keep the torch burning for nature and the animals who call it home. Mexico is not a bad country I don't care what anyone says...they have not allowed greed to out do them.

[Bob Bushell]

I love the Iguanas, they are unique.

[mick]

Beautiful photos of your cruise. I would have chosen a tour like you did - what a commentary on humanity that a whole town has been created for tourists and ex-pats!

[David Gascoigne]

Kudos to you, Sallie, for opting for the tour where you had some contact with nature and where you were able to learn a little. It may have not been quite as natural as you might have liked, but it beats lying on the beach or shopping hands down. I would have expected no less of you I must say!

[William Kendall]

The iguanas are quite a sight to see!