Today we are booked to do the national park – Sian Ka’an (Where the sky begins) – a world heritage site (1987). It is 5000sq km of tropical jungle, marsh, mangroves and islands and it is here were the sea (salt water) meets the fresh water of the underground water systems that Mexico is famous for. We have booked our tour with CESiak – which is the environmental group in the park. Early pick-up of the tourists down the hotel zone. Our guide is Manuel, who is a very witty Mexican and immediately gets Luc’s attention with showing to us what a poison ivy is. To which Luc remarks that Poison Ivy is actually the evil girl in the bat man movie! Luc becomes the entertainment of the tour with his witty remarks. After a short lecture we take on the water in tree small boats, crossing a big saltwater area and through the mangroves up the river. This river was used by the Mayans to get to the sea and was a trade route. We eventually get to the massive freshwater lake. This lake is linked to the underwater system and the water pumps up to the surface at such a speed that it is actually higher than sea level. We visit a small temple at the entrance of the river, where Luc is only interested in the bat (Batman’s holiday home!). This is followed by a slow float on life jackets down the river. Luc is loud and happy and full of energy. We are a bit disappointed because there is very little wild life (Manuel eventually tells us that they let the boats go before the people to chase away the wildlife because the average tourist are scared of the snakes etc! After 2 hours on the river we get back for a hot Mexican lunch. The three young girls in the group have taken a liking to Luc and he entertains them during lunch with all his stories – very loud and over the top (so unlike his parents) and by the time we leave every one knows who he is! Lunch is followed by a wonderful swim in a cenote. It is about 5 meters deep and stunning and Luc impresses us by his snorkelling skills – he has no fear of the water and really is a natural. Whilst we get dressed someone notices Callie’s shoes on the side and asks who’s it is. One man next to it turns around and says “It is Luc’s dads. I don’t know what his name is, because Luc steals the show” (kan ek meer se!!!!). In the mean time Luc chats up a really good looking Mexican girl on the side of the water. I make a joke and say to Manuel that we are looking for a baby sitter, as we are diving the next day and has don’t know what to do with Luc. Well, the next thing we know, Barbara (her name) offers to baby sit him (at a good fee!!!) and we then discover that she is actually a friend of Luis, the dive master! Really amazing – there on the side of the cenote we sort out the baby sitting!!! I just love Mexico! The girls are all sad to see Luc go and we are exhausted when we eventually get home. No time for rest – shower and then off to Tulum to organise our dive. Luis is very happy to hear that we are both diving and that Luc is sorted! On his recommendation we try a very local restaurant for dinner – La Cocina Ecenomica – which I think says it all. It is a small little restaurant, with only locals. You go to the kitchen and look at the food and tell them what you want. They are not licensed, but we get a beer in a big plastic glass! The food is real home made and fab! And the best is the price - $15 for a whole meal with drinks for all of us, in comparison to the $70 at Zamas in the hotel area!
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