Flamingos & Salt Ponds of Xtampu, Mexico

According to our guide, in ancient times the Mayans built sea salt ponds (similar to the crawfish ponds I've seen in Louisiana). During hurricane season, the waves would wash the sea water in the ponds where the Mayans would harvest the sea salt at the water evaporated. Most interesting was the red color of the water. There are tiny shrimp washed in the ponds along with the sea water. The flamingo would eat the shrimp which gives the bird its read color. As the water evaporates and the shrimp die, the sea salt form crystals which are pink. Mark slipped off his socks and shoes to dig up the sea salt as a souvenier. (We asked first!) Mark said the salt was very hard and thick and formed sort of a crust. The crust had to be crushed with a large wooden stick as the ones shown along the pond's borders.




While on our way to the Mayan Ruins, we took a tour to see flamingos. The were a few hundred yards away on the banks opposite where we were. You can see rows of the pink birds along the shoreline.