Day 21: Progreso

January 19, 2026

Heart

Comment

Various regions have famous winds, known to drive the locals crazy. For example, there is the Mistral in Provence and the Sirocco in the Sahara. Here it's the "Norte", which blows down from the States and, sorry to say, Canada. It blows quite frequently in Progreso in Winter and can last several days. It's the thing that tried to blow us over yesterday.

This morning we planned to cycle back along the coast looking for birds, but we told ourselves we would cancel if the Norte was blowing too strongly. I went out to look at the wind in the palms, and it sure was present. But it didn't matter because I knew we were going anyway. The Grampies always go anyway.

As soon as we set off, we ran into this Ruddy Ground Dove, a sort of good start.

Again we passed through the streets of Progreso, which often seem a little messier than average.

One jumbly bit was some bucked up palm trunk. I added this to the things I would like to bring home, but which are too big. This would be to test it as firewood. The other would be a VW eurovan, to haul the firewood.

Before reaching Chicxulub we had stopped a few times to snap birds in the lagoon to our right. On one such stop I turned back toward the bikes to find Dodie chatting with another cyclist. This turned out to be Brian, from Buffalo, but who winters down here for several months each year. Brian knew of us, because his acquaintances Rachael and Patrick Hugens had given him the link to this blog. We are not sure if Brian came out this morning specifically to find us, but find us he did. Of course this resulted in the usual lengthy comparing of travel notes. So much fun! Brian also advised us to take the next right, to see more birds and to have less traffic.

We passed by Chicxulub, the closest spot on land to where the meteorite hit. As we saw yesterday, there is an attraction there called the Jurassic Trail. We have always thought it defunct, but it seems it only opens late. All we could see is that they have lots of dinosaur models standing around.

The trail is marked with "dinosaur" footprints.

The ticket office. It still does not look like it's open to us.

A short way along the road we we ran into another fellow, who had stopped in his car to try some bird photos. He was Raul, who lives in Conkal but who runs a BnB in Progreso. Just like literally every person we have met here he was very kind, asking about our trip and telling us something of his life here. We exchanged coordinates and hoped to meet again. Maybe we will stay at his BnB next year.

We did see lots of birds out by Chicxulub, but most of them are still locked in the big camera. Here are a few:

These flamingos look like their necks are tied in complicated knots.

Greater Yellowlegs with one Short-billed Dowitcher

I somehow didn't feel my quip yesterday about them not having tidied up yet after the meteorite strike quite resonated with the audience. Maybe my photo was too tidy? So I am doubling down with two more shots!

Well they did have these Black Necked Stilts.

We carried on back to town, and out onto the Malecon. It certainly is a nice part of town. At one end is the world's longest pier, the Chocolate Pier, at the end of which cruise ships now park.

The Malecon is a wide bicycle and pedestrian only street.

The Chocolate Pier is 8000 meters (5 miles) long.

This reminds me of the "fat balloon man" of Montreal from a Bruce Cockburn song "Happy Good Morning Blues".

Another view of the pier. The sign says it is the largest in the world.

At the pier we turned toward downtown, past this lighthouse.

But just beyond is a wonderful enclosed market.

I take it back about the little grocery outside of town being the main source of fruits and veggies.

I took a walk inside, and found lots of active small kitchens with rows of tables set up in the aisle beside them.

We will have to return here some other time.

Back outside, some competition in terms of colour for the basket man on the malecon.

Heading home on our bikes, it was clear that the preferred mode of transport is not bikes, or even cars.

Wow, we just got a Whatsapp from our friend. The charger has arrived. Soon we will be back to easier typing, to photo editing, and to all the shots in the big camera. It may not happen tonight, so we will have published this lesser version, but we are happy now. What happened with the previous charger was that the cable internally broke at a flexing point. Dodie is going to tape up the new one right away. I guess Microsoft did not anticipate the rigors of cycle touring!

=========================

Well here I am typing away, now with lots of power coming from my new charger. Thanks Doug and Elaine!

We went out to a restaurant with Doug and Elaine. They took us to "their town" - Chicxulub Puerto. Yes Chicxulub Puerto, the place dissed so heavily in this post and yesterday's. Well my photos remain legit, but they show the back end of town. At the front end there is a square with a church, restaurants like one we went to, a really terrific ice cream shop, and not to mention Elaine's hairdresser!

Here we are, so relaxed, in the meteorite strike zone:

The restaurant we went to was called La Carolina. It specialized not in full heavy Yucatecan specialties, like Poc Chuc or Cochinita Pibil, but rather the finger foods like Salbutes and Panuchos. In fact the restaurant was a master class in what to do with some meat, cheese, and salad and tortillas in various guises. The menu had fifteen variations, of which we collectively tried about six. Each one was really super, and like I say, an inventive preparation of the same basic ingredients. Also good to see were the affordable prices, though Doug says that these too have escalated of late.

Elaine and Doug - we met them along coast road near their house - years ago now.

We walked to another part of the square, to one of two ice cream shops. Here we found full Italian style quality, plus unique flavors, like Elote (corn) and Pay de Lima (Lime Pie). This latter was a big hit with Doug and Dodie.

Chicxulub Puerto - the red line shows where we were prowling around in the morning, while the pier at the top was the scene of our wonderful supper.

Today's ride: 23 km (14 miles)
Total: 742 km (461 miles)

Rate this entry's writing	Heart	7
Comment on this entry	Comment	0