Route of the Maya Pretrip
Our whole group of 7 travelers got together with the trip leader this morning. After our breakfast at the hotel and a brief meeting, we said farewell to El Tunco and headed toward Suchitoto. Our first stop was at a beach and fish market along the coast. Although it was calm today, waves in this location can be quite large, so it’s where they hold the surfing competitions. Fresh fish was in good supply at the nearby fish market.
We continued on our journey to the town of Suchitoto. It was originally settled in 900AD by people from Southern Mexico. The Spanish came next and created a beautiful Spanish Colonial town here in the 1500’s. The town is on the shores of Lake Suchitlan, a mammoth lake created from hydroelectric dams. Suchitoto was the center of indigo production and trade before chemical dyes replaced natural dyes in the late 1800’s. Indigo brought great wealth to the town because it was in such demand.
Upon reaching Suchitoto, we stopped for lunch at a restaurant in a historic building with a commanding view of Lake Suchitlan. We checked into our hotel before boarding a boat for a tour of the lake and it’s many species of birds. Many of the birds are seasonal visitors from the US and Canada. My favorite bird was the pink Roseate Spoonbill which reminded me of the peppermint stick ice cream that I had just made with my grandson and were magnificent in flight. The underside of their wings were a brilliant pink color. I have a photo of one by Steven Mayeux below.
For a light dinner, we enjoyed traditional pupusas. They are tortillas cooked with the filling inside and were delicious.