Flamingos? Unfortunately not!

After settling in well on the island and getting used to the relaxed life there, we wanted to use the third day with light rainy weather for the hike to see the flamingos. I (Roman) had researched beforehand and read that a large part of the hike goes through the sea. On land, you would have to cross a river with crocodiles, which is too dangerous. Unfortunately, February is completely outside the season and therefore not the best time to see flamingos. The season only lasts from April to October. I skillfully kept this information from Leonie to keep the motivation high during the hike.

After what felt like an eternity of "wading through the sea," we asked other tourists whom we met in the middle of the sea on their way back. Several groups confirmed that there are currently no flamingos to be seen. Additionally, the tide gradually came in and we were standing deeper and deeper, now up to our hips, in the water and of course we didn't have a waterproof backpack with us. At this point, we weighed whether the torture of another 2 kilometers through at least knee-high water, sometimes up to waist-high water, would be worth it if we wouldn't even find flamingos at the destination. Leonie quickly had the answer: No! It's not worth it. So, we turned around just before reaching the destination and started the journey back through the sea.

A small consolation was that we can see pelicans everywhere on the island, which is certainly also a great highlight!

On the fourth day, we recovered from the exertions and had another day at the beach. We also took this opportunity to try out some delicacies, such as a freshly cracked coconut including coconut water and ceviche, fish marinated in lime with small cut tomatoes. A few days ago, we already tasted a freshly peeled and pinecone-like cut mango from one of the numerous beach vendors. Really a hard job that the men and women there do. For relatively little money, they walk all day in the heat with their heavy carts, cracking coconuts or carving mangoes.

In the evening, we continued to enjoy local specialties. This time it was a marquesita, a crispy waffle filled with Nutella and cheese. It may sound like a wild combination at first, but it gets a smooth 10/10 in Leonie's snack rating.

After a great time on the island, it was time to say goodbye on February 10th. We wanted to get something for breakfast from the woman with the sweet pastries one more time. However, to our shock, we found that she was not at her usual spot. After spending a whole hour searching the entire island for her, we gave up and had breakfast at a restaurant. It was delicious, but it didn't replace the pastries with a view of the sea. However, there was one positive thing about the search: we drank the best orange juice of our lives! It was a bit unusual to see people sitting in front of their houses on street corners selling bottles with colored contents and no labels, as well as peeled fruits. We dared to buy a bottle of freshly squeezed juice for the equivalent of about €2 ($2.30) for just under a liter. Absolute recommendation!

After breakfast, we checked out and walked to the harbor, where the ferry didn't keep us waiting long. This time we had booked the bus in advance, so nothing could go wrong - smart move!

The next stop is Valladolid - a small town on the mainland. From there, we will visit Chichén Itzá, a Mayan archaeological site and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, as well as some cenotes, underground freshwater sinkholes.