Day 16: Progreso to Telchac Puerto

January 19, 2018

Pelicans and Flamingos!

By morning the brisk east wind had died down. We gaily sallied forth, and got coffee and hot chocolate at the OXXO, before setting off into the east.

Progreso has a super long pier, with ships anchored at the end. Here we see a cruise ship, bit there was no evidence of any influx of tourists from it.

We were keeping an eye open for a bakery (Panaderia), and so we put ourselves on a fairly main street of the town as we went east. We knew there was at least one somewhere around, but we didn't spot it. Our quest gave us a chance to have a look at the town, at least a bit. Of course you can't help bit notice that the main construction material/style in this region is poured concrete. But in this there are different qualities. We saw at least one innovative use, and as we got to the "suburbs", things went up a notch in quality.

This is what a fairly main street in Progreso looks like.

An innovative example of poured concrete design.

Natural things were also in evidence. For example Bougainvillea. This beautiful bush is so common here, and unseen where we come from. It contributes to some gorgeous scenes. The beach was never far away, though the needed roads did not often run right along it. We did notice a sign suggesting that turtles come here to nest.

Right now we have no other info on these turtles

For up to 10 kms out of Progreso, houses persisted on both sides of the road. So the town of Progreso was really merged with the next one, Chicxulub. It was in Chicxulub that we did spot a panaderia, of sorts. Clearly they were not baking on site, but we were not quibbling. Also, their stuff was rather jumbled. But your standards change when you are hungry and they are the only game in town. We were really happy with our purchases.

From Chicxulub for almost the whole rest of the day's ride we had the same conditions. The road was broad, little travelled, and with a good shoulder. To our left was a seemingly endless string of vacatiion rentals. At first these were accessed by very long driveways, because they were on the beach, and we were not. Later, the road moved closer to the beach but this did not mean we could see it, because of all the buildings. To our left, brush generally obscured any view of the mangroves, which the map told us was out there. And straight ahead, a brisk headwind, which after 10 a.m. rose up and as far as I can hear, now in the early evening, has still not quit.

We did get an occasional look at mangroves, but at first saw no flamingos

The next shots show some of dozens and dozens of beachside vacation rentals.

Of course, not everyone lives in an elegant villa!

We wondered who might be living in all this housing, and where they were. The questions were mostly answered when we came across Doug, or perhaps he came across us, while out for a walk. Doug is a Canadian, who has been coming down here in Winter for about 6 years. He explained that the houses are owned by people from Merida, who come out here during the Summer. They consider it relatively cool here then, compared to Merida. Then in winter, they rent to foreigners. The cost of a house is about 800 to 1200 US dollars per month.

Doug had a good knowledge of the towns and facilities along this coast, and while he will often shop here, it is also easy to pop in to Merida, where you have Costco, and similar home grown or seemingly home grown retailers (some are still foreign owned, Doug pointed out).

From Doug's store of knowledge came two restaurant recommendations in Telchac Puerto, which was our destination for the day. The one which we particularly noted included on its menu Mayan Chicken for 40 pesos. Now we know well the customary price for this achiote rich delicacy (known to Joni in Belize by the more prosaic name "stew chicken" ) is 80 -130 pesos. But 40? That's under 3 dollars Canadian! Doug assured us that this was a full on Mayan Chicken, so it became our goal. He described the restaurant as having a koi pond out front, so that was our search key, since we forgot the name.

Doug, has an excellent knowledge of this district. Check out his blog at http://www.ducksoup4all.ca/ you will see the restaurant and chicken we have been blithering about here, and get a further perspective on this place from someone with a lot more experience than us.

This housing complex was totally derelict. What happened?

But right next door this "thing" was rising.

Cactus fruit. Is this edible, prickly pear?

The boredom of the route began to change as we came to a more open area of mangrove flats. The first big thrill was to encounter pelicans, who had gathered to pick up tidbits from a fisherman who was cleaning his net. I thought the pelicans looked cool as an ordered flotilla, but then I also also like the shot of them taking to the air.

Shortly after the pelicans we achieved our main goal in coming out here - flamingos! We just love flamingos, ever since we ran in to them in the Camargue in France, and since we have taken tons of photos of them at the San Diego Zoo in California and the Granby Zoo in Quebec. Their pink colour, long necks and legs are just so attractive. That of course also accounts for their popularity as plastic lawn ornaments.

We came to an area of more open mangrove

The wind, as mentioned, was relentless. Though Dodie has been doing ok with the bad knees here on the flat, she really began to suffer with the wind. After a while I put a hand on her shoulder, or lower back, and boosted us along. This made all the difference, and was safe because of the little used and wide road. I actually found it quite exhilarating, because for me it was great exercise. For Dodie it was still not totally easy, so we are plotting to make some progress tomorrow hopefully before the wind wakes up (assuming it ever quits tonight).

Once in and most through Telchac, we spotted the koi pond. The restaurant was huge, breezy, and attractive. I walked in and to the back and found some staff, who assured me they were open for business. Great! We chose the best seat in the house - shaded, but beside the pond, and had a look at the menu.

Unlike most other menus in the region, this one had entertaining cartoons, and pictures of the food. Sort of the Denny's of Yucatan? And yes, there was the 40 peso chicken! Of course we bulked up our bill (and ourselves) by adding drinks - horchata for Dodie of course - and Fanta for me. I chose Fanta in honour of Tricia Graham, long time cycle tourer with husband Ken, and who says Fanta is her go to revival drink.

We also ordered "patas", french fries, just because they were on this menu and we had learned the word at the Pulpo Loco last night.

The chicken was really flavourful, having been stewed with the achiote, and also onions, carrots, tomatos, and peppers, I seem to recall. It came in tin foil - a good sign, I thought, that it has been baking somewhere and was not just hot due to a microwave. Our total bill was 130 pesos, and the meal really restored our strength after all the wind battling.

We learned some more Spanish when we arrived at our hotel, the Caballito de Mar. That clearly means Seahorse. The hotel itself was a wonder - bright and airy, and right on the beach. And by airy I mean that wind (formerly denounced as a head wind) was blowing right through the upper story. What a great contrast and remedy for the hot, closed, and moist conditions we had wound up with in Merida.

Out bikes rolled into the huge (huge!) open ground floor where we left them without the slightest worry. We were then shown to our second floor room, with a balcony directly on the beach. The temperature and airiness here is so perfect that really I could not feel better in myself. And Dodie has noted that we also have blankets. In last nights we have been chilly and forced to put on our wool hoodies, but tonight should be swell. Our lullaby will be the sound of the waves. Actually I should say my lullaby. Dodie did not need one. Poor thing, after that headwind she is already in dreamland.

We are the only ones here. By the way, it's my camera that is crooked, the hotel is not sinking into the sand!

Today's ride: 48 km (30 miles)
Total: 704 km (437 miles)

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Douglas LotenSteve, I’m glad you enjoyed the Pollo Maya at the Terraya restaurant! Safe journeys!

Doug
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