Save Eco Destinations

A colorful map of QR from seamonkeybusiness.com

Mexico reopened a lot of its archaeological sites and museums to the public yesterday thanks to the authorization of the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), said State Tourism Secretary Sara Latife Ruiz. The sites had been closed since April 29.

About time!

Quintana Roo INAH Delegate Adriana Velásquez Morlet said the following have been greenlighted:

• Museum of the Maya Culture in Chetumal
• El Rey and El Meco in Cancún
• San Gervasio and El Cedral in Cozumel
• Tulum and Coba in Riviera Maya
• Chacchoben, Kohunlich, Kinichná, Dzibanché, Oxtankah, Xpuhil and The Fort of San Felipe Bacalar in the south

I hope you’re happy because I’m still getting partly screwed: the Tulum by Night show hasn’t even been given a date for making its comeback.

Chichén Itzá

In Yucatán, Chichén Itzá has reopened. Apparently it’s one of the new 7 wonders of the world. I should check it out.

Speaking of which—how do the forces of the universe (ha) choose what comprises a wonder, why are there new ones, and why still 7 instead of adding to the list? I’m sure there are very boring answers to those questions.

Anyway, after widespread piggy flu P-A-N-I-C throughout Mexico (in vain, I tell you, in vainnn!) most of the Caribbean portion of QR is returning to normal—bars, restaurants, shops (I’m sure the shopaholics reading this have a smile on their faces now, eh?), and other “tourist attractions.”

High schools and universities reopen tomorrow, Thursday 5/7 and the little ones go back to class starting Monday.

Cancun Intl Airport

The Ministry of Health assures the country is fading out of the disease.

Poor Mexico, so stigmatized when the swine flu is really no more dangerous than the regular flu. (Oh, yes—you better expect a whole post on that.)

At least the intl. airport in Cancun (CUN) got 99 flights (arrivals + departures) today alone. Wait for me, CUN, I’ll be there soon!!

Learning economics by diving

My Google Alerts caught something that made me smile: the story of DePauw economics professor Gary Lemon, who takes his winter term students on diving trips to Cozumel, Tulum, and Chichen Itza every year.

The article mentions that trips to such destinations comprise economics lessons in and of themselves for the students (I don’t buy it). But, whatever the reason, it’s nice to read that his most frequently uttered words during those trips are always the caveat, “If I see you grabbing on to the coral, you better have one heck of a reason.”

Professor Lemon goes out of his way-as he should-to instruct his students on how to be ecologically responsible and make their activities eco-friendly. (No information is given as to where they stay, whether they wear biodegradable sunscreen to keep corals safe, or whether they offset the carbon footprint from their flights and so on in any way, however. And I am curious.)

If these ridiculously lucky students don’t fly home to DePauw in Indiana with an acute understanding of the region’s economic underpinnings, they do return with a (likely newfound) appreciation for the beauty and frailty of the underwater world. After their experiences going scuba diving, some students have even switched academic specialties, e.g. from physics to marine biology, and as a second semester junior! That’s gotta be considerable work. But hey, the harder the work, the more we know these future marine biologists are working for the good guys and gals. Good job, Prof. Lemon!