Yucatan Mexico Celestun Flamingos February 7, 2018

Flamingos!!!  We talked a Mexican tour guide into taking us out early in the morning before the crowds in this small fishing village.  The light was beautiful.  Very pretty colorful birds.

This flamingo Takeoff photo is for sale at Zazzle as an 11x14  print.  https://www.zazzle.com/flamingo_takeoff_11x14_photo_print-190753255665955840
I like it a lot, with it's wings spread wide and a nice reflection on the river.

Flamingos in the air look sort of like flying sticks!

Flamingo Heart
I also turned the heart print into a 8x10 "painting" with the pink salt lake background from Las Coloradas (another place we visited later) .
  

Their necks are amazingly twisty!

There were mangrove islands in the background.

These two were having a dispute over something.  Food?  Women?  They were certainly making a lot of noise.

I saw many more birds that day which I will post soon, great blue herons, pelicans, cormorants, roseate spoonbills, an egret and a tricolored heron.  So be sure to stop back to see them, or follow my RSS feed or my Calm Reflections Photography Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/CalmReflectionsPhotography
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Cherry Blossom Festival Photos

Just a few pictures from today's event, April 8th.  The sky was sunny and kind of cool, and we had lots of fun.

https://www.facebook.com/CalmReflectionsPhotography/posts/10155090173611572

Cherry Blossom Festival Sunday 12-4

Calm Reflections Photography will be a vendor at the 2nd Annual Cherry Blossom Festival April 8th.  This year the flowers will be blooming!  I stopped by yesterday to check it out.  I will be offering flower and other cards, prints, coasters, and a small variety of other photo craft items.  You can also sign up for pet photography later.

I think there are several different species of trees, some more pink, some more white.  It was challenging to photograph, since there was a fairly strong breeze.

Dress warm, bring your costumed dog for the parade and a chair to listen to the music.

Yucatan Mexico Izamal February 5, 2018

The yellow painted city of Izamal east of Merida is known for several pyramids and the Convento de San Antonio de Padua.  We didn't have time to take a horse and carriage ride around the city and past the pyramids, but I did get some lovely photos of them.

These artistic town signs were in several places we visited.

I loved the lines and simplicity of this shot.

This courtyard is so large that Pope John Paul II used it for a gathering.

Inside the convent

A statue of Pope John Paul II sits in the large courtyard.

This stained glass window was in the back of the balcony.

Beautiful embroidered dresses

Take a horse and carriage ride?

  Kinich Kakmo pyramid

 Itzamatul Pyramid

Mexican friends with Jim

#Izamal #horse and carriage

Cherry Blossom Festival Lexington Park

Sarita, the bride

Smawlie and Sarita

April 2017 interview after the First Annual Cherry Blossom Festival with Sarita, the toy poodle.

Interviewer from radio station WOOF:   Congratulations!  You tied for first place in the dog parade at the Cherry Blossom Festival!

Sarita:   I won?!  Woof, woof!   I am so excited!

Interviewer:   I love your bride costume.  I guess the judge did too. Can you share anything about it?

Sarita:   Only that I just couldn't decide what to wear.  You can never have too many outfits, you know.  Mom's friend Nell helped me choose which outfit to put on right before the parade.  I guess she picked the right one.  My doggy friend DJ recently wore his groom outfit for a photo shoot with me.  He's just so handsome!  Grrrr!

Interviewer:   What was it like to be in the dog parade?

Sarita:   It had me panting!  It was so much fun with all those humans admiring me.  I'm just so adorable!

Interviewer:   I saw your Mom pick out a prize.  What did you win?

Sarita:   She chose a fuzzy fox toy.  I love it!  I love it!  I will play with it every day.  Grrr...

Interviewer:   Great News!  I heard there will be another dog parade next year.  Do you plan to attend next April 8th?

Sarita:   I plan on it.  See if all you big boys can beat me.  I hope all my pup friends come too.  Bring your human along to cheer for us, of course.  Let the competition begin!

Interviewer:   Wonderful!  I saw you over there posing with Smawlie.

Sarita:   Yes, for my winning portrait.  Although you don't have to win to pose.  Woofly friendly guy.

Interviewer:   Thank you so much for speaking with me.  I hope to see you on April 8th, 2018 12-4 pm at Coral Drive and Tulagi Place, Lexington Park, near NAS Gate 2.  The dog parade starts around 12:30pm.  Don't forget there will be vendors selling food and beautiful arts and crafts also.

Sarita:  Yeah, my Mom's one of the vendors!

Yucatan Mexico Merida Feb 4, 2018

A Day In Merida

With only a half day after a late night wedding, we visited a fascinating museum about the history and culture of the Mayans and a dinosaur exhibit for the afternoon before a nice dinner.

We visited the Gran Museo del Mundo Maya
(Grand Museum of the Mayan World)

 Chac Mool-the rain god

 Ek Balam replica of the front part of the Acropolis

 Ek Balam art

 Ball court hoop next to the Ek Balam exhibit

Museum staircase

 

Mexican flag

Fan Vendor from downtown Merida

Merida Colonial downtown vendors.  Merida is known for embroidery and guayaberas, shirts usually made with 4 pockets.

 Amaro Restaurant photos start here

Hanging decorations

 Whimsical folk art was on the edges of the outdoor restaurant.  I loved the pink boots!

 This artwork had a huge sparkly tongue.  Is it a mermaid or a dragon or a dog?  Really fanciful!

Nearby Pancho's restaurant looked interesting.