Puerto Morelos

This table demonstrates the fishing village that is Pueblo Morelos. Just about 25 years ago, Puerto Morelos was just a fishing village, a small and quiet town with a simple life, located between the modern and cosmopolitan Cancun and the eclectic, and also in formation, Playa del Carmen, being like a small oasis between both tourist concepts and a refuge in the middle of the jungle and sea where time seems to have stopped.

In addition, the Puerto Morelos National Reef Park is considered the second largest barrier reef in the world. It has registered a total of 669 species of marine fauna, as well as 3 species of sea grasses and 264 species of algae.

Dare with US and live a unique experience! Immerse yourself in the underwater world and explore the marine life of the Mexican Caribbean, during a snorkeling session!

The Bee and Honey

The xunaan kaap is a stingless bee native to the Yucatan Peninsula that is part of the melipona family with more than 300 species, 19 of which live in the Peninsula. Melipona beeheii, its scientific name, is the sacred bee of the Mayas and currently one of the most studied bees due to the medicinal properties attributed to its honey and wax. Along with other bee species, they are the main pollinators of most of the plants in the jungle and in the Mayan milpa.

Pollination is a fundamental process for the survival of ecosystems, essential for the production and reproduction of many crops and wild plants. Nearly 90 percent of flowering plants depend on pollination to reproduce; likewise, 75 percent of the world’s food crops depend to some extent on pollination and 35 percent of the world’s agricultural land. Pollinators not only contribute directly to food security, but are also indispensable for conserving biodiversity.

The native Mayan bee is dying. It was initially displaced by the introduction of foreign bees and is now dying because of the incessant spraying of crop fields and deforestation. The transformation of the Mayan territories decimates the flowering from which the xunaan kaab feeds and the trees in which they build their hives, as well as the identity and cultural quality that relates them to the Mayan people.

Honey is a natural product, highly beneficial for health, as it is composed of mineral sugars such as magnesium, iodine, zinc, potassium, iron, phosphorus and calcium among others, and vitamins B1, B2, C, B5 and B3. There are many studies that support the benefits of honey, mainly for its action to control some bacterial infections and help in the wound healing process, besides strengthening the immune system. Honeys are different according to the region of origin, the type of flowers from which the nectar is extracted and also according to the species of bees that produce it. In Mexico, there is great diversity in flavor, color, texture and floral origin of honey. Internationally, Mexican production is ranked among the top 10 honey producing countries. Mayan honey producers know that this activity has a close link with the natural cycles of their land and with the fauna, especially the fruit trees. In addition, bees are very important to fulfill the ecological cycles of the ecosystem, through pollination. In this sense, beekeeping is a way to contribute to the maintenance of natural cycles. Yucatán is the most important honey-producing region in Mexico and beekeeping is the most important economic activity for the rural communities in the area. Ninety-five percent of the honey produced in the peninsula is destined for the international market.

These days it is also threatened by the world cosmetics industry, which has found in it the elixir of youth and beauty; and by pharmaceutical companies, modern alchemists who found the philosopher’s stone in the Mayan bee: the lady bee, the xunaan kaab.

Fruits and Veggies of Mexico

If you look closely at the table, you will find several different fruits, all grown in Mexico.
The habanero chile is a herbaceous plant or shrub, branched, reaching a size of up to 2.5 m high. Immature specimens of habanero peppers are green in color, but their color varies at maturity. The most common colors are orange, semi-mature and red when ripe. Likewise, due to its different properties, the habanero chile is used in different areas such as gastronomy, medicine in which its components are used to make ointments or salves that relieve severe pain caused by arthritis, within the chemical industry it is used to make the base of some paints, as well as to manufacture some tear gasses.

The entities that form the Yucatan Peninsula (Yucatan, Quintana Roo and Campeche), have the Denomination of Origin of the habanero chili since 2010, which certifies its authenticity. Habanero peppers are the most cultivated in the entire region, which is why more than 50 percent of the total production comes from here. Hence, in Yucatecan gastronomy it is a product used in almost all its dishes. Habanero peppers are considered the hottest in the world, a single serving of habaneros has 128 milligrams of potassium, is high in vitamin C, has a high content of capsaicin, a natural anti-inflammatory that can help treat arthritis and headaches, helps regulate insulin levels, so it can help prevent diabetes. Due to its different properties, the habanero chili is used in different areas such as gastronomy, medicine and chemical industry.

80% of habanero chile production is marketed as fresh fruit and the remaining 20% is used to make sauces, pastes and dehydrated products. It is exported mainly to the United States, Japan, South Korea, Italy, and Germany.
The pitahaya was consumed in pre-Columbian America, but its discovery in wild form is attributed to the Spanish conquistadors in Mexico, Colombia, Central America and the West Indies, who gave it the name «pitaya».

Internationally, pitahaya is known as dragon fruit because the plant that produces it climbs on the trunks of trees and intertwines giving the shape of a dragon’s body. Besides being very refreshing, pitahaya is a source of natural antioxidants, contains vitamin C; among its properties also highlights its content of captine, which helps to relax the nervous system. It also contains vitamin B2, which is vital for the production of red blood cells.

Yucatan is the main producer of Pitahaya in Mexico, comprising 68% of total production (Federal Government, 2016). Because of its exotic beauty and delicious flavor, this fruit is highly appreciated in other parts of the world. In addition, being a seasonal fruit, it can only be enjoyed a few months of the year,

The indigenous people of Mexico already knew corn 7000 years ago. They appreciated this easy-to-grow cereal, which became their livelihood over the millennia.

Mexica legend has it that corn was a gift from the god Quetzalcoatl, who managed to extract a kernel from inside a mountain. The story emphasizes that Quetzalcoatl used cunning and not force to enter the mountain and obtain the grain. The oldest remains date back seven millennia and were found inside a cave in Coaxcatlán, in the region of Tehuacán, Puebla.

Corn is currently the only crop with presence in all the states of the Republic, each Mexican consumes 146 kilos per year on average, mainly in the form of tortillas. It is also grown on all five continents. Corn is the center of a cultural complex that has involved all levels of social life, from ecological to religious, technological, cultural and economic.

When the Spaniards arrived, maize was the main food and drink of these lands (Yucatan), and, therefore, occupied the main place in the polyculture of the millennium. The term «corn» was introduced by the Spaniards, who took it from Haiti, in the Antilles. In Mayan-Yucatecan, corn in plant, corncob and cob was and is called nal; the grain was and is called ixi’im and the grain or cob that is selected for seed, is called inah /i’inaj/ . The peasants also call it Gracia .

From Mexico, corn initially spread throughout the American continent. It was Christopher Columbus who first brought it to Europe and eventually to all the other continents. Today, corn is the most widely cultivated cereal in the world.

In pre-human times, two brothers cleared a piece of primeval forest and planted the first field in the desert, which provided the creator deities with the material from which they created man: corn. This is how Mayan mythology tells the origin of corn and, therefore, also the origin of man.

The sour orange is a traditional crop of Yucatan, a basic ingredient for the preparation of cochinita pibil, escabeche, mechado, puchero and other delicacies that characterize the typical food of this region. The sour orange tree is native to Asia, but in Yucatán it is cultivated everywhere, although there are no agricultural spaces for formal cultivation, since production is backyard. It is a representative tree in this area of the country because it provides the flavor and aroma characteristic of the typical food of Yucatán and the southeast of the country, even soft drinks are prepared with the juice of this fruit, mainly in the communities of the interior of the State. The fruit, although it has an unpleasant and rough appearance, contains a variety of medicinal properties: it accelerates metabolism, reduces body fat, relieves respiratory diseases, insomnia, colitis, constipation, kidney and liver failure, strengthens blood vessels and, among other things, helps to eliminate intestinal parasites.

In addition, we share with you other curious characteristics:
It occurs in any type of soil due to its impressive adaptability, just imagine! The Yucatecan soil is mainly flagstone, stone.
The tree is very resistant to pests and diseases.

• As it grows, the tree provides ample shade
• The sour orange is the most fragrant of the 15 citrus species.
• The juice soothes welts caused by mosquito bites.

Mandala

The term mandala comes from Sanskrit (ancient Indian language), and is loosely translated as «SACRED CIRCLE». It is composed of «manda» (that which contains) and «la» (that which is contained); in short, a mandala is a geometric figure, where patterns are repeated from a defined center, and generally, surrounded by a final circle or square.

This is because in Hindu and Buddhist religion, the universe is often represented as a massive circular shape, from which an almighty force emanates from the center that originates the universe. The circle has been considered one of the few universal symbols throughout history and across cultures, representing the idea of ETERNITY, TOTALITY, PROTECTION AND UNITY. A symbolic representation of both the microcosm and the macrocosm.

The background or purpose of the realization of these circles with geometric shapes is, at the time of meditation, to be able to channel all the energy in a single direction, at a single point in order to achieve liberation. It is generally believed that only the Hindu culture, performed mandalas, but if we look closely, all peoples of the world have symbols and circular shapes from India, China, Tibet, the native peoples of America, Australia, Africa and Europe. The mandala is stored deep in our unconscious, this makes us always respond intuitively to it.

The organization of the mandala is similar to the structure of the cosmos and all that exists.

The whole universe is ordered around a center, from the smallest, an atom, a cell, a flower, the eye, to the unlimited, such as the solar system, the galaxies. It is engraved deep in our unconscious, we are surrounded by them, our origin is a mandala, and our mother’s womb where we are held, protected and safe in a spherical space. We feel naturally conditioned to respond intuitively to it.

The Jaguar and Cenotes

In pre-Hispanic Maya culture, the jaguar was associated with various aspects such as power, death, shamanic practices, the night sky, the underworld, but also with agriculture and fertility.

An element of the Mesoamerican cosmovision is duality, that is, the existence of forces that interact in opposing games such as day and night, the feminine and the masculine, the hot and the cold, the celestial forces and those of the underworld. Within this vision, the jaguar belongs to the darkness and is closely related to the gods of the underworld and the places where it can be accessed: the caves, the interior of the mountains, the jungles and the forest. On the other hand, its spotted skin resembles the starry sky, so the jaguar has dominion over the night.

It was seen as a powerful and dangerous animal, carrier of sacred energies coming from the underworld and, although it was not considered a deity, it was a symbol of the reigning power in the dark part of the universe.

Sometimes rulers were identified with the jaguar and were represented wearing belts, pectorals, sandals or headdresses made with jaguar skin, even jaguar bones were used to make command staffs. All these symbols endowed the ruler with feline characteristics associated with power.

The jaguar is the third largest feline on the planet, reaching 1.85 meters in length, withers 75 cm in height and weighs 110 kilos… it is like a leopard that has spent a lot of time in the gymnasium.

The problems: dramatic habitat loss and fragmentation – jaguars risk being confined to isolated patches, increasing the risk of extinction.
Direct hunting by villagers, particularly ranchers, who see jaguars as a threat to their livelihoods.

Lack of natural prey, such as deer and peccaries, due to overhunting by humans and habitat loss, forcing jaguars to hunt domestic animals, thus fueling the conflict.

Swimming in a cenote can be a very enriching experience, but have you ever wondered how these wonders of nature originated?

These magical spaces created by nature, gained these forms thanks to the limestone soil in the Yucatan Peninsula, this soil absorbs rainwater stored in the subsoil to create over the years flooded caves.

Called Cenotes thanks to the Mayan word tz’onot which means «abyss», they were sacred places where all kinds of rituals and ceremonies were practiced. The life of the Maya revolved around the sacred cenotes, since they placed their temples on the shores of these natural wonders to give them all kinds of offerings in exchange for the vital element: water.

Cenotes are divided into different categories, depending on their age and the characteristics of their surroundings.

Open cenotes are the oldest, they are surrounded by extensive vegetation and are ideal for swimming and observing the surrounding flora and fauna.

Semi-open cenotes are not as old, their roof is not completely open and they can be connected to each other.

The cavern cenotes are the youngest, they are usually entered by rappelling and the beauty of their caves is incomparable.

Older cenotes are open in their entirety, forming a kind of lagoon. Swimming in a cenote is a once in a lifetime experience.

The Maya considered the cenotes as the entrance to Xibalba, the Mayan underworld, so they were sacred places of worship. Vessels, gold and jade jewelry and various objects have been found in their depths as offerings.

Besides having crystalline and fresh waters; the cenotes have stalactite formations, thanks to the water drops that dissolve the limestone rock and create these «rocks» that are generated over time, leaving shapes worthy of an artist.
The formation of stalactites requires a long period of time, to grow 2.5 cm it takes between 4,000 to 5,000 years.

Most of these sacred sites are located in Yucatan and range from 7,000 to 8,000 sacred wells; however, in Quintana Roo it has not been possible to accurately count the total number of cenotes due to the growth of vegetation around them.

Explore them with us on our tour and remember that it is essential to take care of them and preserve them. We advise you not to use body creams, make-up, sunscreen or any chemical that may affect the ecosystem when you visit one of them.

The Hummingbird

This small animal, known as hummingbird, is a bird full of curiosities and goodness. It belongs to the family of apodiform birds that groups up to five different species. Its size is small, ranging from 9 to 15 centimeters, and its plumage is usually gray or green.
They are considered one of the smallest birds in the world, since their weight is small -20 grams at most-, but their particular way of flying and their tubular tongue make them truly unique and fascinating animals.

Beloved by the Mayas

According to the legend of the Mayan people, once the creation of the world was done, there was still something or someone missing to transport the wishes and thoughts from one place to another.
When the gods had run out of marro and corn, they took a jade stone and carved a kind of small arrow. When it was finished they blew on it and it flew away. That stone no longer existed, they had created the hummingbird. This legend of the creation of the Mayan world

also tells that they were capable of approaching the most delicate flowers and that if a man tried to catch them, he would die.

Its heart beats up to 1,200 times per minute and its wings beat up to 90 times per second. It is also the only bird that can fly backwards and it alone hovers in the air. Our ancestors associated the hummingbird with balance in nature, thanks to its long beak that allows it to drink the nectar of flowers inaccessible to many other birds. Without its pollination many species of plants and animals would disappear, and mankind would lack food.

The hummingbird carries back and forth the thoughts of men and not only of the living, but also of the souls of our loved ones in the afterlife, since it is the only being, according to the Mesoamericans, that never died and could enter and leave the underworld or Mictlan.

The Ceiba

Sacred Mayan Tree: It is called «Ya’axche» in Mayan language and according to the indigenous cosmovision, through its branches it allows the opening of the thirteen heavens.

The famous legend of the Popol Vuh tells that the creator gods planted their respective sacred ceiba trees in the four directions of the cosmos: to the east, the red ceiba tree; to the west, the black ceiba tree; to the south, the yellow ceiba tree; and to the north, the white ceiba tree. Finally they planted a fifth ceiba at the center of all these directions, and in its roots they placed the Xibalbá or Mitnal, which was the abode of the dead; at its base they placed the Kab or the earth that we living beings inhabit; and in its trunk and branches the gods established their abode; while at the top of its crown the origin of all the gods inhabited in the form of a magnificent celestial Quetzal bird.

It reaches up to 70 meters in height and its trunk has a circumference of up to 5 meters.

The ceiba means life, perpetuity, greatness, goodness, strength and union. There is no other plant that grows so tall, that is so colorful, that gives so much shade and that receives so many offerings from its people, from flowers, honey, some coins and even some animal that accepts with satisfaction, because it represents the magical powers of the sacred tree of the jungle.

To date, the ceiba is considered of utmost importance among the inhabitants of Yucatan for its various uses, such as extracting a part of the wood and preparing medicinal oils whose infusions have the ability to cure diarrheal diseases, while taking advantage of its antispasmodic, diuretic, antipyretic, antipyretic and astringent qualities.

Currently, man has almost completely lost respect for nature and the beings that inhabit it, destroying it and forgetting vital principles in a race of self-destruction, consumerism, lack of sensitivity and indifference to retake the path that was traced for us and the teachings of our ancestors and teachers, enlightened by the Creator of the universe,».