Solstice

[Happy]

Just found 4 eggs. I’ve only had 3 laying so one of my girls decided to resume laying on the shortest day of the year. Just confirms to me they’re a little whacky.
Happy Solstice!

[windwalkingwolf]

Good Solstice, everybody!

[Skinny rooster]

Good bye depressing shorter days, don't let the door hit you on the way out!

We made it through!

[baronrenfrew]

Farrier1987! You are the one who threw me off my day yesterday! Checking out the Hotel Mayaland, emailing my sister (she is a travel agent: she likes cruises and "all inclusives". Relax, r + r, jungle, "old" hotels? She looks down on them) and my wife pics and reviews of the place. I got suspicious: the reviews were all glowing and 4.5 stars, it seemed too good to be true. Then I looked at the pics and other articles. 2 hours of paperwork not done. Where do I send the bill?????

That place is authentic and looks awesome!! Exactly what my frozen butt needs to avoid "cabin fever".

https://amazingescapades.com/accommodat ... and-hotel/#

[Farrier1987]

Send the bill to me. I will put it with the rest so it won't be lonely. We stayed one night at Mayaland and a couple more at Argeolique. Argeolique is very nice too, clean, safe, walking distance to the Chichen site, lower priced. Looking at the Mayaland website, I think they may have done some upgrades and be charging more now, not sure, but doesn't look the same really. I also see that they have installed airconditioning in the rooms. Probably got rid of the louvered doors and windows which gave it a lot of character. I was there in 2005 or so. If you go, make sure you swim in a cenote. Bloody wonderful.

[Farrier1987]

Just thinking about it, if I was going back, I would stay at the Archeoligque. Its less than a half a km from the Mayaland and the pyramids, but not near so busy. Pool. Nap in the afternoon. Relatively cheap taxi to local sites, town, general wandering about the area.

Oh, and that person in the foreground of the wizard pic with the flowery dress, she followed me home and I decided to keep her, that is Mrs Farrier.

[baronrenfrew]

that sounds better than my trip to Chichen Itza. we stayed at Xel-Ha hotel near Xel-Ha park, so we were last on the minibus for the "excursion". two hours jammed in the back on a "hump" of a seat beside another chunky canuck (nice guy though). one kid on the bus was sick so we stopped twice (feel sorry for the kid, some folks were impatient and nasty, sheesh, its not the kid's fault). it was low season (October) so the local mayans chased us around selling their wares. then we ate at a restaurant/buffet. food was good but it was demeaning for the villagers that danced for tips (nobody looked happy). the native people are fairly short and some folks were all amazed as if they were at a zoo.

the bus ride went through several villages and the locals were beyond "dirt" poor. just a shack with two hammocks for a family of 7. piles of junk around, dead cars. massive jump from "rich" to poor.

we stopped at a ceynote on the way back. the wet stairs looked frightening. if I slipped and fell who was gonna take me back up? the ceynote itself was a fantastic sight and feel to swim in.

back on the highway, lots of speed bumps and police checkpoints (police with machine guns). gotta make a "safe" place for the tourists. oh yeah, and be prepared for the hustlers and "timeshare" sales gimmicks (simple math: if they were real assets there would be a resale market. good luck selling one.)

i'd go back in a heartbeat, but its not "paradise" for everyone.

[Flat Rock Farm]

Happy Winter Solstice a few days late......... only good thing about it is the days are going to get longer..... Hopefully more eggs will come!