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      "body": "Congratulations @roomsforchange! You received a personal award!\n\n<table><tr><td>https://steemitimages.com/70x70/http://steemitboard.com/@roomsforchange/birthday1.png</td><td>Happy Birthday! - You are on the Steem blockchain for 1 year!</td></tr></table>\n\n<sub>_You can view [your badges on your Steem Board](https://steemitboard.com/@roomsforchange) and compare to others on the [Steem Ranking](http://steemitboard.com/ranking/index.php?name=roomsforchange)_</sub>\n\n\n**Do not miss the last post from @steemitboard:**\n<table><tr><td><a href=\"https://steemit.com/steemitboard/@steemitboard/steemitboard-witness-update-2019-05\"><img src=\"https://steemitimages.com/64x128/http://i.cubeupload.com/7CiQEO.png\"></a></td><td><a href=\"https://steemit.com/steemitboard/@steemitboard/steemitboard-witness-update-2019-05\">SteemitBoard - Witness Update</a></td></tr></table>\n\n###### [Vote for @Steemitboard as a witness](https://v2.steemconnect.com/sign/account-witness-vote?witness=steemitboard&approve=1) to get one more award and increased upvotes!",
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      "parent_permlink": "mexico",
      "author": "roomsforchange",
      "permlink": "mindfulmrida-agreenerguidetothewhitecity-qumvi36awb",
      "title": "Mindful Mérida - A Greener Guide to the ‘White City.’",
      "body": "<center>https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/IMG_6215.jpg</center> <br/>[mashshare]\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35456\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/IMG_6215.jpg\" alt=\"Mérida was named the American Capital of Culture for a second time in 2017.\" width=\"740\" height=\"514\" /><br/> Mérida was named the American Capital of Culture for a second time in 2017.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMérida — the vibrant capital of the Mexican state of Yucatán — gets its nickname, <em><strong>La Ciudad Blanca</strong></em> (The White City), from the white limestone remains of the ancient Maya city T’hó that was used as a building material for the new one; although locals today will tell you that it also has to do with the safety, cleanliness of the city’s public areas, and general high quality of life.\r\n\r\nIndeed, with a population of one million, booming tourism and a thriving expat community, Mérida is quickly gaining in popularity, while at the same time preserving its colonial charm, Mayan heritage, and excelling in environmentally-friendly efforts.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35460\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/IMG_5183.jpg\" alt=\"Paseo Montejo, a wide tree-lined avenue lined with elegant homes, is often referred to as Mérida’s “Champs Elysees”.\" width=\"740\" height=\"548\" /><br/> Paseo Montejo, a wide tree-lined avenue lined with elegant homes, is often referred to as Mérida’s “Champs Elysees”.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nCentrally located within the Yucatán Peninsula, Mérida serves as a convenient base for exploring the area’s archaeological sites, nature reserves and precious <a href=\"http://www.pueblosmexico.com.mx/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Pueblos Mágicos</a>. Check out our <a href=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/beyond-chichen-itza-a-responsible-travelers-guide-to-yucatan/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Responsible Yucatán</strong></a> guide for ideas on how your trip can truly benefit the whole region.\r\n\r\nMérida was named the <strong>American Capital of Culture</strong> for a second time in 2017. Here’s what makes it so special and how to enjoy the city in a thoughtful way:\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2 style=\"color: #96aa66;\"><strong>Sightseeing</strong></h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLike most colonial cities, Mérida features leafy plazas, beautiful old churches, narrow cobbled streets and picturesque multi-colored facades (paradoxically, it’s hard to spot any white in the colorful Old Town).\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35457\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/IMG_E6015.jpg\" alt=\"Paradoxically, it’s hard to spot any white in the colorful town center of La Ciudad Blanca.\" width=\"740\" height=\"487\" /><br/> Paradoxically, it’s hard to spot any white in the colorful town center of La Ciudad Blanca.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe focal point is <strong>Plaza Grande</strong>, bordered by the beautiful arches of the <strong>Ayuntamiento</strong> and the impressive hispanic <strong>Mérida Catedral</strong> built using stones from ancient Mayan temples.\r\n\r\n<strong>Casa de Montejo</strong>, a 16th-century mansion, is a landmark of colonial architecture and well worth a visit, as is the pastel-green <strong>Governor’s Palace</strong> with awe-inspiring murals by artist Fernando Castro Pacheco depicting the brutality of the Spanish conquest and struggle of the Maya.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35462\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/IMG_5259.jpg\" alt=\"A visit to Palacio del Gobierno to admire paintings by artist Fernando Castro Pacheco is a must.\" width=\"740\" height=\"521\" /><br/> A visit to Palacio del Gobierno to admire paintings by artist Fernando Castro Pacheco is a must.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAcross the square <a href=\"http://www.merida.gob.mx/capitalcultural/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Centro Cultural Olimpo</strong></a> boasts a broad offering of events such as traditional dance performances (beautiful!) and concerts. There’s also traditional costumes and dances on the square every Monday night at 8pm.\r\n\r\nThe traditional music and dance of Yucatan is known as Vaqueria Regional. It plays an important role in the Vaquerías Feast which was originally associated with the branding of cattle on Yucatecan haciendas.\r\n\r\nFurther north lie the leafy <strong>Plaza Santa Lucia</strong> famous for its traditional Yucatecan serenade which takes place every Thursday evening; <strong>Plaza de Santa Ana</strong>, a neighborly hub where locals come to socialize, dance and eat; and <strong>Paseo Montejo</strong>, a wide tree-lined avenue lined with elegant homes.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35465\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/IMG_5328.jpg\" alt=\"On Sundays, Paseo Montejo is closed off to traffic — a fantastic initiative to make the city a little greener.\" width=\"740\" height=\"461\" /><br/> On Sundays, Paseo Montejo is closed off to traffic — a fantastic initiative to make the city a little greener.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOn Sundays, Paseo Montejo comes to life with cultural events, folkloric markets and families cycling and rollerskating on the street closed off to traffic — a fantastic initiative to make the city a little greener.\r\n\r\nThe only vehicle you’ll see there on Sunday mornings is the <strong>city recycling truck</strong> — if your hotel doesn’t recycle why not bring your cans and bottles and join the locals in their eco Sunday routine.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35466\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/IMG_5344.jpg\" alt=\"Punto Verde Movil — recycling on wheels.\" width=\"740\" height=\"488\" /><br/> Punto Verde Movil — recycling on wheels.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFor history lovers, the world-class <a href=\"https://www.granmuseodelmundomaya.com.mx/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Gran Museo del Mundo</a> Maya de Merida is a must-visit. Full of interesting artifacts and information, the museum puts the Yucatán’s ancient history and more recent colonization into context as you explore the region.\r\n\r\nThe much smaller but well curated <a href=\"http://www.palaciocanton.inah.gob.mx/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Museum of Anthropology and History</strong></a>, housed in an stunning mansion on Paseo Montejo, showcases photography and Maya relics.\r\n\r\nThe <a href=\"http://yucatantoday.com/popular-art-museum-casa-molina/?lang=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Popular Art Museum</strong></a> features objects and art from around Mexico including typical dress and ceramics. Located in <strong>Mejorada Square</strong> (right next door to the famed restaurant <strong>Los Almendros</strong> serving up all the iconic Maya dishes), it is something of a hidden gem.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35471\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/1_S_bReRvLOlGywrlMsCYQ1A.jpeg\" alt=\"Museum of Anthropology and History is housed in an stunning mansion on Paseo Montejo.\" width=\"740\" height=\"482\" /><br/> Museum of Anthropology and History is housed in an stunning mansion on Paseo Montejo.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe <strong><a href=\"http://yucatantoday.com/macay-museum/?lang=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Contemporary Art Museum</a></strong> (MACAY), located next door to the Cathedral, is set around a lush courtyard and regularly shows exhibitions by Yucatan artists who promote local traditions and the beauty of their region.\r\n\r\nSmall galleries can also be found around Santa Ana square (check out <a href=\"https://www.sohogalleriesmx.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Soho Galleries</a> and <a href=\"https://www.nahualli-gallery.com/home\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Nahualli Casa de los Artistas</a>) which show more upbeat, contemporary art. <a href=\"http://www.fundaciondeartistas.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Fundación de Artistas</strong></a> is a nonprofit operation offering art exhibitions &amp; cultural events in a traditional 19th-century home.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35449\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/IMG_6005.jpg\" alt=\"Stop by this nonprofit operation offering art exhibitions &amp; cultural events in a traditional 19th-century home.\" width=\"740\" height=\"480\" /><br/> Stop by this nonprofit operation offering art exhibitions &amp; cultural events in a traditional 19th-century home.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou could also get your culture fill and support local performing arts by attending a show, concert or play at one of the great theatres that line Calle 60 around <strong>Parque Hidalgo</strong>, such as the beautiful Teatro José Peón Contreras.\r\n\r\nWhile a romantic horse-drawn carriage ride might be tempting, try to resist for the sake of the horses. The best way to tour Merida is on foot, and getting lost in the maze of pastel-colored streets is one of the city’s biggest charms.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35454\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/IMG_6163.jpg\" alt=\"Not a ‘museum type’? There’s plenty of street art and heavenly architecture to admire.\" width=\"740\" height=\"464\" /><br/> Not a ‘museum type’? There’s plenty of street art and heavenly architecture to admire.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2 style=\"color: #96aa66;\"><strong>Eating</strong></h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOne of Mérida’s biggest draws is its gastronomy. In fact, the Tourist Business Council of Yucatán <a href=\"http://www.theyucatantimes.com/2018/07/merida-seeks-to-seduce-tourists-with-regional-food/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">just announced</a> that it will be through the local gastronomy that the tourist promotion of the state will be strengthened, for which they are already preparing an encounter of chefs from all over the Peninsula.\r\n\r\nThe goal of launching a series of projects promoting Yucatecan cuisine as the main features is to make tourists stay more than one night in Mérida, and elsewhere in the state of Yucatan, rather than entice day-trippers whose contribution to the local economy is not as great.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35468\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/IMG_5857.jpg\" alt=\"Local markets, like Mercado Lucas De Galvéz, are bursting with local produce. And bustling with local life.\" width=\"740\" height=\"524\" /><br/> Local markets, like Mercado Lucas De Galvéz, are bursting with local produce. And bustling with local life.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLocal markets, like the bustling <strong>Mercado Lucas De Galvéz</strong> and <strong>Mercado Santiago</strong>, are bursting with exotic fruits and vegetables. Wander the markets and taste local flavours such as spicy <em>habaneros; chaya </em>— a spinach-like green, tortas with cochinita, kibis and local variations on tamales.\r\n\r\nIf you’re interested in reducing your environmental footprint, why not bring your reusable bags and buy fresh produce, snacks and even souvenirs in bulk here (spices like <em>achiote</em> and salsas that are fun to cook with when you get home?).\r\n\r\nYou may also refill your reusable water bottle with one of the delicious natural fruit juices sold at the entrance.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35467\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/IMG_5842.jpg\" alt=\"Get your culinary souvenirs at one of the city markets.\" width=\"740\" height=\"488\" /><br/> Get your culinary souvenirs at one of the city markets.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnother place where reusable bags abound is <a href=\"http://yucatantoday.com/slow-food-yucatan-fresh-market/?lang=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Slow Food Merida</strong></a> market. This weekly event is an initiative of <a href=\"http://yucatantoday.com/?p=13547\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Slow Food Yucatán</a>, the local branch of an international movement which promotes local production of food, preservation of regional culinary traditions and healthy eating.\r\n\r\nHere expats and locals mix every Saturday morning in appreciation of all things organic, local, artisanal, free range and home-made. Basically a conscious foodie paradise. There are several bustling cafes, such as <strong>Cafe Organico</strong>, where you can people-watch while sipping your fair trade coffee.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35452\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/IMG_6084.jpg\" alt=\"Slow Food Merida Saturday market is basically a conscious foodie paradise.\" width=\"740\" height=\"555\" /><br/> Slow Food Merida Saturday market is basically a conscious foodie paradise.\r\n\r\nSunday market on Plaza Grande, known as <strong>Mérida en Domingo</strong> provides an opportunity to sample all of Yucatecan classics such as <em>papadzules</em>, <em>salbutes</em> and <em>sopa de lima</em>, while supporting genuine family businesses (and enjoying authentic family-style cooking!).\r\n\r\nIn the evenings look out for <em>marquesitas</em> carts — turns out Nutella and sharp savoury cheese do mix… Or join the locals at <strong>Heladería Colón</strong> for a refreshing evening treat of <em>champola</em> — a scoop of ice-cream with coconut milk.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35473\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/1_XtYnFCxPVGugOdo12DDq3w.jpeg\" alt=\"Sunday market on Plaza Grande provides an opportunity to sample an authentic sopa de lima and other classics.\" width=\"740\" height=\"485\" /><br/> Sunday market on Plaza Grande provides an opportunity to sample an authentic sopa de lima and other classics.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you want to try your hand in the kitchen, a number of local chefs offer cooking classes, or you can indulge in Maya fine dining at <a href=\"http://www.nectarmerida.com.mx/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Nectar</strong></a>, <a href=\"http://www.apoala.mx/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Apoala</strong></a> or <a href=\"http://www.kuukrestaurant.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>K’u’uk</strong></a> and appreciate the local culinary talents of chefs such as Pedro Evia, who proudly aims to bring the best out of Yucatecan ingredients and to feed first and foremost our souls.\r\n\r\nFor a more low key experience, try a mouth-watering breakfast of <em>huevos motuleños</em> at the reassuringly named <strong>Huevos Motuleños</strong> cafe.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35459\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/IMG_5163.jpg\" alt=\"A plate of awesome. Breakfast of huevos motuleños at the reassuringly named Huevos Motuleños Cafe.\" width=\"740\" height=\"483\" /><br/> A plate of awesome. Breakfast of huevos motuleños at the reassuringly named Huevos Motuleños Cafe.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nDo as the locals do and head to one of the hole in the wall establishments that serve tasty home-cooked lunches for the tightest of budgets. One of the hidden gems (sorry, Meridanos!) is <strong>El Rincón del Sabor</strong> on Calle 47/66. Try their amazing <em>queso relleno</em> or <em>cochinita</em>.\r\n\r\nGo there on a Monday for the Yucatan-only and Monday-only plate of <a href=\"https://theothersideofthetortilla.com/2014/11/frijol-con-puerco-recipe/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">frijol con puerco</a> (pork with beans, literally, but there’s so much more to it). It’s a flavour so typical of the area that you can even get a frijol con puerco ice cream, courtesy of <a href=\"https://www.polagelato.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Pola Gelato</strong></a>.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35455\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/IMG_6173.jpg\" alt=\"Frijol con puerco — a flavour so typical of the area it made its way into gelato.\" width=\"740\" height=\"489\" /><br/> Frijol con puerco — a flavour so typical of the area it made its way into gelato.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you’re a veggie traveler and the very sound of the word ‘puerco’ brings out the PETA activist in you, fear not: the dish is so popular that there is even a vegan version! <a href=\"http://www.inspiringfood.com.mx/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Restaurant Nümen</strong></a> does their bit to make Mérida a little more planet-friendly by serving 100% vegan takes on local classics, including this Monday special (#MeatlessMondays — how handy). Think of it as… frijol <em>sin</em> puerco :)\r\n\r\nMeatless pork recipes aside, you will be spoiled for choice in Merida. Popular spots catering to plant-based diets include Avocado; Maiz, Canela y Cilantro and Lo Que Hay. Regional Yucatecan classics like papadzules found all around the city are also vegetarian. Check out <a href=\"http://charlieontravel.com/vegetarian-merida-mexico/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Charlie’s guide</a> for more ideas.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35453\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/IMG_6087.jpg\" alt=\"Quesadillas with cactus anyone? Veggie visitors will be spoilt for choice.\" width=\"740\" height=\"472\" /><br/> Quesadillas with cactus anyone? Veggie visitors will be spoilt for choice.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nDon’t leave the city without a visit to <strong>La Chaya Maya</strong> where your delicious <em>relleno negro</em> or <em>papadzules</em> will arrive with a basket of fresh warm tortillas made right in front of your eyes, and can be washed down with a chaya margarita.\r\n\r\nThere’s also <a href=\"http://mercado60.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Mercado 60</strong></a>, a food hall with close to 20 food choices from the Yucatan and beyond (Oaxacan tlayudas or Yucatecan craft beer made with water from a cenote anyone?).\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35451\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/IMG_6080.jpg\" alt=\"Slow Food Yucatán — the local branch of an international movement which promotes local food, preservation of regional culinary traditions and healthy eating.\" width=\"740\" height=\"469\" /><br/> Slow Food Yucatán — the local branch of an international movement which promotes local food, preservation of regional culinary traditions and healthy eating.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2 style=\"color: #96aa66;\"><strong>Shopping</strong></h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nChances are that you’ll spend at least part of your Mérida vacation shopping for handicrafts. Here you can find the finest hammocks in the world, detailed carvings of ancient Maya sculptures, works of silver and pewter, Talavera ceramic plates, and many other unique treasures.\r\n\r\nIf ‘other unique treasures’ makes you think ‘Maya Chocolate!’, head to <a href=\"http://www.diamantedechocolate.com/index.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Chocol Haa</strong></a> on Paseo Montejo. You’ll get a short but interesting tour of their tiny chocolate museum, brilliant samples and organic chocolate packs to go in their on-site store.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35474\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/1_WxItwj7mRJ0pYGRYQ4xjcw.jpeg\" alt=\"Embroideries of the hipiles — dresses or tunics worn by the women of the region- traditionally convey some sort of meaning within the local community.\" width=\"740\" height=\"555\" /><br/> Embroideries of the hipiles — dresses or tunics worn by the women of the region- traditionally convey some sort of meaning within the local community.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFor the fashionistas out there, Yucatán is famous for the guayabera, a loose fitting men’s shirt with tucks and pockets. Traditional guayaberas are white, made from cotton or linen and often embroidered. While sold in the markets and on the streets, we recommend you also check out <a href=\"http://www.guayaberasjack.com.mx/wp/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Guayaberas Jack</strong></a>, one of the oldest stores in town.\r\n\r\nYou’ll also find <em>hipiles</em> — dresses or tunics worn by the women of the region. Hipiles are often white with colorful embroidered designs that traditionally convey some sort of meaning within the local community. Always look at labels, ask questions and make sure your Maya fashion items are hand-made by the local Maya producers, and not in China or elsewhere.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35464\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/IMG_5307.jpg\" alt=\"Always look at clothing labels and make sure your Maya fashion items are hand-made by the Maya, not in China.\" width=\"740\" height=\"477\" /><br/> Always look at clothing labels and make sure your Maya fashion items are hand-made by the Maya, not in China.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe early inhabitants of Mérida “discovered” a plant that had been a well-known staple to the indigenous Maya of the Yucatan Peninsula: <a href=\"http://yucatantoday.com/henequen-yucatans-green-gold/?lang=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>henequen</em></a> (sisal). A versatile, spiky, cactus-like bit of green that yielded valuable hemp, it soon earned the name “green gold” (<em>verde de oro</em>) because of the wealth it lavished upon the wealthy <em>hacienderos</em> who farmed this cash-rich crop.\r\n\r\n<em>Henequen</em>, still grown and processed in the Yucatan today, has been gradually replaced by man-made fiber that is stronger and cheaper to produce: nylon. That, plus competition from many of the world’s developing nations, has put an end to sisal as a major Yucatan export.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35463\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/IMG_5304.jpg\" alt=\"Support a dying industry by purchasing products made of henequen, such as baskets, hats, handbags and wallets.\" width=\"740\" height=\"463\" /><br/> Support a dying industry by purchasing products made of henequen, such as baskets, hats, handbags and wallets.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSupport this dying industry by purchasing products made of henequen, such as baskets, hats, handbags and wallets. Many can be found at the aforementioned “<strong>Merida en Domingo</strong>” Sunday craft market or <a href=\"http://yucatantoday.com/la-casa-de-las-artesan/?lang=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Casa de Artesanias</strong></a>.\r\n\r\nYou’ll not only bring a part of Yucatán home — you’ll show appreciation for the tradition and the proud hands that made each product.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35475\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/1_eyqavKAJt5_ySmEepcKVDQ.jpeg\" alt=\"Casa T’hó on Paseo Montejo. Local shops and concept stores are a delight for fashion and interior design lovers alike.\" width=\"740\" height=\"493\" /><br/> Casa T’hó on Paseo Montejo. Local shops and concept stores are a delight for fashion and interior design lovers alike.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe hammocks that you’ll find in Mérida are of a high quality and made from cotton string that’s woven into a fine mesh. They’re extremely popular and commonly used throughout the region. <strong>Hamacas Mérida</strong> stocks a great selection, including <a href=\"http://cielohamacas.com.mx/index.php/site/fairtrade\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Cielo Hamacas</strong></a> which are fair trade and the only B Corp certified company on Mexico of this sort!\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.coquicoqui.com/merida/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Coqui Coqui</strong></a> hotel’s perfume shop offers a true sensory (or scentory) feast. The natural tropical scents of the Yucatan region inspire every fragrance of its dedicated collection, as does the landscape, people, culture and lifestyle, in addition to the state’s rich, centuries-old history of perfume production.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35448\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/IMG_5865.jpg\" alt=\"Local salsas and condiments make for practical tasty gifts.\" width=\"740\" height=\"527\" /><br/> Local salsas and condiments make for practical tasty gifts.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2 style=\"color: #96aa66;\"><strong>Sleeping</strong></h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhile there are a few usual suspects of international chain hotels (mostly business-oriented), Mérida is one of those rare destinations where it’s actually pretty hard NOT to sleep in a charming locally owned hotel. The city is dotted with colonial homes transformed into cozy gems for every budget, often hidden behind massive doors and iron gates.\r\n\r\nPrecisely because most of them are in what used to be private homes and haciendas, you will get a feel of living like a local while experiencing the best in service and hospitality.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35450\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/IMG_6017.jpg\" alt=\"The city is dotted with colonial homes transformed into cozy hotels, often hidden behind massive doors and iron gates.\" width=\"740\" height=\"523\" /><br/> The city is dotted with colonial homes transformed into cozy hotels, often hidden behind massive doors and iron gates.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.rosasandxocolate.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Rosas &amp; Xocolate</strong></a> is not the only boutique hotel in town, but it is certainly one of the best. Housed in two bright pink colonial mansions on Paseo Montejo, the 17-room design-focused hotel is bursting with vivid color and period features.\r\n\r\nThe inner courtyard houses a serene palm-fringed pool. And we applaud the supply of complimentary bikes for guests — our second favorite way to get around town, not only on Sundays…\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35476\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/1_4B6YdQEXz0w7gUAt7-mP8A.jpeg\" alt=\"Rosas &amp; Xocolate hotel provides complimentary bikes for guests- useful not only on Sundays.\" width=\"740\" height=\"461\" /><br/> Rosas &amp; Xocolate hotel provides complimentary bikes for guests- useful not only on Sundays.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOriginally the house of a famous mathematician, the restored <a href=\"http://www.hotelcasasanangel.com/about-us/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Casa San Ángel</strong></a> is up there with the most eco-friendly hotels in town. Water is heated with solar energy; they use biodegradable toilet paper to minimize impact on the city’s fragile drainage system; all of the toiletries are also biodegradable and made from Neem, a tree endemic to India that grows locally in Yucatán.\r\n\r\nYou can even purchase non aggressive sunscreen and insect repellent on site. Every Saturday night enjoy “la Noche Mexicana”, a colorful fiesta right on the hotel’s doorstep.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignnone wp-image-35461\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/IMG_5218.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"740\" height=\"485\" /><br/>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nA few blocks away, <a href=\"https://www.casadelmaya.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Casa Del Maya</strong></a> is a lovingly restored colonial-style home that enchants with Yucatecan charm and celebrates the rich culture and craft of the Mayas.\r\n\r\nThe rooms are furnished with hand made Mayan furniture, and decorated with Oaxacan textiles. Delicious breakfast, walking distance of many fine restaurants, great hospitality, this is everything a B&amp;B should be.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35477\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/1_RE8DR0fJbItFAcmYx5cvBg.jpeg\" alt=\"Mérida is one of those destinations where it’s actually pretty hard NOT to sleep in a small locally owned hotel.\" width=\"740\" height=\"517\" /><br/> Mérida is one of those destinations where it’s actually pretty hard NOT to sleep in a small locally owned hotel.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nVegetarians and omnivores alike will love the <a href=\"http://www.thediplomatmerida.com/hotel-overview.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Diplomat Boutique Hotel</strong></a> where free homemade veggie breakfasts are a highlight, loaded with fresh fruit from the market, homemade breads, quiche with quinoa crust and breakfast tacos.\r\n\r\nThe boutique property has just four guest rooms, so the vibe is intimate and service personal. Each of the contemporary rooms features historic pieces such as wrought-iron beds, while modern bathrooms are equipped with walk-in rainfall showers and organic toiletries infused with local honey.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35458\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/IMG_E6244.jpg\" alt=\"Mérida is quickly gaining in popularity, while preserving its colonial charm, Mayan heritage, and excelling in environmentally-friendly efforts.\" width=\"740\" height=\"540\" /><br/> Mérida is quickly gaining in popularity, while preserving its colonial charm, Mayan heritage, and excelling in environmentally-friendly efforts.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you have ever heard anything about <a href=\"http://www.hoteljulamis.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Julamis Hotel</strong></a>, it’s most likely chef/hotelier Alex’s famous breakfasts. His creativity is nothing short of inspiring. Combining simple, local ingredients and his passion for cooking, Alex will start off your day with mouth-watering dishes, ensuring you have the necessary energy to explore the wonders of Mérida.\r\n\r\nOnce you are done for the day and ready to relax back at the hotel, don’t forget to join Alex for an evening tequila tasting on the beautiful Julamis rooftop.\r\n\r\nHotels like these remind us why small independent businesses are still very much the definition and the lifeblood of hospitality, and in Mérida the case couldn’t be stronger. Go, explore this gem of a city for yourself.\r\n\r\n<em>Photography: Gabriela Sijer</em>\r\n\r\n[rad_rapidology_inline optin_id=\"optin_4\"]\r\n\r\n[rp4wp] <br /><center><hr/><em>Posted from my blog with <a href='https://wordpress.org/plugins/steempress/'>SteemPress</a> : https://www.roomsforchange.com/mindful-merida-a-greener-guide-to-the-white-city/ </em><hr/></center>",
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      "parent_permlink": "culturalsensitivity",
      "author": "roomsforchange",
      "permlink": "howtoobserveandpracticeculturalsensitivity-bif9yzoni9",
      "title": "How to Observe and Practice Cultural Sensitivity",
      "body": "<center>https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/40119322201_da0f9957eb_c.jpg</center> <br/>[mashshare]\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignnone wp-image-35435\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/40119322201_da0f9957eb_c.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"740\" height=\"555\" /><br/>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhen you climb a mountain, pass by a highland village, or immerse with a tribe, you need to be consciously aware that you’re a stranger. Your presence alone disrupts the natural flow and dynamics of the place. Imagine if you actively do things that you’re not supposed to do. That will truly exacerbate the situation! Worse, you may inadvertently change the culture of that community.\r\nExpedition and Wilderness Emergency Medical Services Physician Dr. Ted Esquerra and outdoor adventure guru Ramon Jay Jorge share to us the proper way to observe cultural sensitivity and the proper behavior to exhibit when interacting with mountain communities.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2 style=\"color: #96aa66;\"><strong>Do’s</strong></h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignnone wp-image-35434\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/37703702214_d03920fb2f_c.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"740\" height=\"555\" /><br/>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Study the place, its culture, and political and economic setup where you will pass by or immerse.</li>\r\n <li>Be courteous to anyone you meet along the trail.</li>\r\n <li>Upon arrival, signify the intention of your visit to the chieftain, elder, tribal council, or barangay captain of the community.</li>\r\n <li>Stay in one place where you can be seen by the majority of the community members or elders.</li>\r\n <li>If you intend to hire porters/beasts of burden, deal only with the community coordinator.</li>\r\n <li>Accept food offerings of the community with expressions of gratitude.</li>\r\n <li>Ask permission to any community member when doing/asking something (e.g. ask to fetch water in a well).</li>\r\n <li>Treat mountains, caves, rivers, etc. as sacred places. Most of the resident tribal communities consider these places as gods, havens of the gods, or holy grounds.</li>\r\n <li>Join community gatherings, activities, and celebrations only if invited to do so.</li>\r\n <li>If you are invited to teach, teach only what can be appreciated by the community.</li>\r\n <li>Respond appropriately to friendly gestures.</li>\r\n <li>Respect their beliefs and superstitions.</li>\r\n <li>Observe silence. These folks enjoy the tranquility and peace of their environment.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2 style=\"color: #96aa66;\"><strong>Don’t’s</strong></h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignnone wp-image-35433\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/26245087538_4452d9a3a6_c.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"740\" height=\"555\" /><br/>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Don’t drink alcohol, take drugs, or make revelries in tribal areas. This is common sense, but you’ll be surprised as to how many visitors would do this.</li>\r\n <li>Don’t expect luxuries. Accept and appreciate what they have.</li>\r\n <li>Don’t ask for anything. The problem with social climbers/trekkers is that they ask for conveniences—their conveniences.</li>\r\n <li>Don’t be boisterous, arrogant, vulgar, or rude. Be polite.</li>\r\n <li>Don’t wear indecent or offensive clothes.</li>\r\n <li>Don’t show off gadgets, cell phones, jewelry, or other items that are alien to the community.</li>\r\n <li>Don’t do these things without asking permission first:\r\n<ul>\r\n <li>taking photos</li>\r\n <li>approach women, children, and old people</li>\r\n <li>visiting ritual sites and burial grounds</li>\r\n <li>enter homes and properties</li>\r\n <li>touch ornaments. They may be sacred items for the community.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</li>\r\n <li>Don’t correct or make fun of their beliefs. Each community has its own distinct and unique beliefs.</li>\r\n <li>Don’t comment or show disapproval to some “grotesque” rituals such as breaking of chicken’s neck in a tribal dance.</li>\r\n <li>Don’t kiss, hug, or do indecent acts in front of a community member.</li>\r\n <li>Don’t laugh or giggle in front of the community. That’s because even if you didn’t mean anything, they might assume that you’re making fun of them.</li>\r\n <li>Don’t leave trash behind, whether biodegradable or non-biodegradable.</li>\r\n <li>Don’t pollute rivers, creeks, wells, and other water sources.</li>\r\n <li>Don’t vandalize such as etching your name on artifacts or rock walls.</li>\r\n <li>Don’t destroy traps set by community hunters. Don’t hunt!</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2 style=\"color: #96aa66;\"><strong>Preventing Culture Contamination</strong></h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignnone wp-image-35436\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/26245086868_5a15c56a63_c.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"740\" height=\"555\" /><br/>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<ol>\r\n <li>Pay the local only the amount that was agreed upon. Do not bribe or give tips. When you introduce the concept of bribing or tipping to a normally honest community, you change their idea about money. This later manifests to exorbitant rates and questionable fees, which we all complain about.</li>\r\n <li>Don’t visit a remote community as a large group. Remember that these people are wary of single strangers, so you can imagine what they are thinking if they see a group of strangers.</li>\r\n <li>When taking photos, be unobtrusive. Don’t ask people to pose for you. Keep a distance between you and the subject that you’re shooting.</li>\r\n <li>Avoid teaching things or giving stuff that the community doesn’t need.</li>\r\n <li>Avoid showing interest in buying items from the community. Never establish trade without the knowledge of the elders.</li>\r\n <li>Don’t introduce another paradigm that is alien to the community such as playing loud disco music in a community that values their own music.</li>\r\n <li>Never assure the community that your knowledge, medicine, food, equipment, tools, etc. are better than theirs.</li>\r\n <li>Tribal communities are fond of communal eating. Don’t eat separately from a family or a group.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nThe most meaningful travel happens when you go down deep, listen to the stories, and immerse in the ways of life of these wonderful people. It’s incredibly inspiring to see how they value their environment and culture.\r\nHowever, you should remember that you are just a visitor. No matter how you think highly of yourself, you are the odd person out. As thus, you should leave as little trace as possible, whether it be on the environment or with the cultural practice of the people.\r\n\r\n<em>Author: <strong>Gian</strong> and <strong>Sheila</strong> from <a href=\"https://adrenalineromance.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Adrenaline Romance</a>. Rock climbers. Mountaineers. Sweethearts on adventure. <a href=\"https://adrenalineromance.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Adrenaline Romance</a> is a photoblog that belongs to a loving couple who has an eternal lust for adventure, in the Philippines and beyond.</em>\r\n\r\n[rad_rapidology_inline optin_id=\"optin_4\"]\r\n\r\n[rp4wp] <br /><center><hr/><em>Posted from my blog with <a href='https://wordpress.org/plugins/steempress/'>SteemPress</a> : https://www.roomsforchange.com/how-to-observe-and-practice-cultural-sensitivity/ </em><hr/></center>",
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      "title": "Fabulous Fake - A Brief History of Cancún",
      "body": "<center>https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/cancun-1235489_1920.jpg</center> <br/>[mashshare]\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35422\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/cancun-1235489_1920.jpg\" alt=\"Nothing existed in the area — beyond unspoiled beachfront and tropical jungle — when construction began in the 70's.\" width=\"740\" height=\"363\" /><br/> Nothing existed in the area — beyond unspoiled beachfront and tropical jungle — when construction began in the 70's.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nEnvironmentalists frequently describe Cancún as a textbook example of environmentally-destructive Big Tourism. They claim the explosion of the resort city paid no attention to the natural context and in the process destroyed many ecosystems, including the unique <a href=\"https://news.vice.com/article/the-mexican-government-greenlights-the-destruction-of-mangroves\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">mangroves</a> that once lined the coast.\r\n\r\nIndeed, this spring break hot spot in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo on the Yucatan Peninsula ticks off pretty much all the boxes of what authentic, sustainable, responsible travel experience should not be.\r\n\r\nThe city made it to the top of The Telegraph’s honorable list of <a href=\"https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/lists/Fabulous-fakes-six-towns-built-purely-for-tourists/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Fabulous Fakes </a>— beating Dubai and Atlantic City — a line-up of destinations that were designed purely for tourism rather than rising slowly as genuine organic communities.\r\n\r\nAlmost nothing existed in the area — beyond unspoiled beachfront and tropical jungle — when construction began around 1970. The official population of Cancún at the time was… 3, and the Mexican government was forced to finance the first hotels in the hope of attracting visitors.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35423\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/ivan-bandura-517019-unsplash.jpg\" alt=\"Cancún is often described as a textbook example of environmentally-destructive Big Tourism.\" width=\"740\" height=\"555\" /><br/> Cancún is often described as a textbook example of environmentally-destructive Big Tourism.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIt worked. Fast forward 50 years, the area is home to resorts with over 50,000 hotel rooms, the population is nearing a million, and the annual visitor number exceeds 5 million. It has also led to the transformation of the neighboring former quiet village of Playa del Carmen into the centrepoint of what we know today as the “Riviera Maya”.\r\n\r\n(Further south Tulum is dealing with overdevelopment and overtourism issues of its own. With its eco-chic hotels, yoga retreats, Mayan ruins, luscious jungles and turquoise ocean, the Mexican town of Tulum has become the new bohemian hotspot. But at a <a href=\"https://www.dw.com/en/tiny-tulum-goes-from-beach-paradise-to-eco-nightmare/a-43231319\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">devastating cost</a> to the environment.)\r\n<blockquote>Cancún has grown to be a first world city with 5 star hotels and shopping, and third world services just a few miles away.\n</blockquote>\r\nAnd while Cancún’s contribution to the Mexican economy at large cannot be overlooked, with its foreign chain hotels, international all-inclusive resorts, water-intensive golf courses and regular cruise ship arrivals, examples of tourism leakage and environmental decline abound.\r\n\r\nThe original plan called for a tourist zone and a separate residential area for the locals. But as tourism grew, it attracted an unprecedented influx of migrants from Mexico’s impoverished southern states in search of employment. They settled on the ouskirts of the city, where the makeshift homes feel a world away from the luxuries of the hotel zone.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35425\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/sunset-85070_1920.jpg\" alt=\"Cancún has grown to be a first world city with third world services just a few miles away.\" width=\"740\" height=\"495\" /><br/> Cancún has grown to be a first world city with third world services just a few miles away.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMany of those neighborhoods lack basic services. Local residents recently celebrated the 15th anniversary of a giant pot hole that still hasn’t been fixed. They even threw a <a href=\"http://noticaribe.com.mx/2018/02/18/tiene-bache-su-festejo-activistas-denuncian-mal-estado-de-calles-en-cancun-con-protesta-atipica/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">birthday party</a> — it was the <em>quinceañera</em> afterall…\r\n\r\nEssentially, Cancún has grown to be a first world city with 5 star hotels and shopping, and third world services just a few miles away, which raises uncomfortable questions about the benefits of tourism.\r\n\r\nWages for workers in the tourism industry are low and benefits rare, while hotel owners pay few taxes and often hire through outsourcing to avoid paying social security contributions. Workers are employed on insecure, short-term contracts, with unpaid overtime a common complaint. Moreover, intermediary recruitment companies tend to prevent workers from forming unions or demanding protections.\r\n\r\nWhile exact information on labour conditions is hard to come by as a lot of it goes unreported, environmentalists do have the data at their disposal.\r\n<blockquote>By destroying the same natural attractions that it tries to sell, the area is killing the goose that lays the golden eggs.\n</blockquote>\r\nThe changes to the landscape have been so rapid that it’s difficult to take in. For context, in 2006 Playa del Carmen was believed by some sources to be the fastest growing city in the world.\r\n\r\nSuch accelerated coastline overcrowding has affected vegetation, sand dunes ecosystem, and turtle nesting sites. The extensive sand-mining in support of large scale construction projects have contributed to erosion of beaches. The creation of the necessary tourism infrastructure such as airports, roads, resorts or golf courses, have been accompanied by extensive deforestation, destruction of mangroves and filling of wetland areas, despite them having legal protection under Mexican law.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35424\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/justin-aikin-653198-unsplash.jpg\" alt=\"Large scale construction projects have contributed to erosion of local beaches.\" width=\"740\" height=\"416\" /><br/> Large scale construction projects have contributed to erosion of local beaches.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAs for the mangroves, aside from being home to thousands of birds and other animal species such as crocodiles, they were the breeding and regenerative ground for fish that are exploited commercially, as well as an effective way of breaking the destructive force of hurricanes. They also used to restrict the rapid flow of freshwater into the marine environment, creating the conditions that are ideal for the development of coral reefs.\r\n\r\nThat’s no longer the case. A fragile marine ecosystem that it is, the Great Mesoamerican Reef is under a serious threat not only because of the loss of mangroves, but mainly due to shoreline resort development, trampling by excessive numbers of divers, ship groundings and pollution from sewage. Ironically, the reef provides storm protection to the very shoreline hotels that destroy it; and contributes to the development of white sand beaches that Cancún is so famous for in the first place.\r\n<blockquote>Success of Cancún is based upon the natural resources of sun, sand, and sea. Except sun, they are now subject to depletion.\n</blockquote>\r\nSadly, the reality is that most large hotel developers look for a return on investment of two to three years. As a result of this short-term thinking, investors have no interest in the future of the destination, and therefore show little commitment to the environmental and social impact.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35421\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/cancun-1229696_1920.jpg\" alt=\"Developers show little commitment to the environmental and social impact of their projects.\" width=\"740\" height=\"322\" /><br/> Developers show little commitment to the environmental and social impact of their projects.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nTurns out it’s bad for business, if nothing else.\r\n\r\nResearchers such as Greenpeace Oceans campaigner and biologist Dr Miguel Rivas are pointing out that uncontrolled development is spoiling the natural attractions that bring in visitors in the first place. As he told <a href=\"https://www.equaltimes.org/uncontrolled-development-turns?lang=en#.W24Y4dJKg2x\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Equal Times</a>: “In Riviera Maya we are worried by a growth model that doesn’t take into account the carrying capacity of the area. In destroying the same natural attractions that it tries to sell, the area is killing the goose that lays the golden eggs.”\r\n\r\nOr as Nadia Padilla of <a href=\"https://greencancun.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">GreenCancun.org</a> puts it, the success of Cancún is \"fundamentally based upon the natural resources of sun, sand, and sea. Except sun, they are now subject to depletion.\"\r\n\r\n[rad_rapidology_inline optin_id=\"optin_4\"]\r\n\r\n[rp4wp] <br /><center><hr/><em>Posted from my blog with <a href='https://wordpress.org/plugins/steempress/'>SteemPress</a> : https://www.roomsforchange.com/fabulous-fake-a-brief-history-of-cancun/ </em><hr/></center>",
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      "permlink": "beyondchichenitza-aresponsibletravelersguidetoyucatn-7hycre4bz2",
      "title": "Beyond Chichen Itza - A Responsible Traveler’s Guide to Yucatán",
      "body": "<center>https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/IMG_6292.jpg</center> <br/>[mashshare]\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35366\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/IMG_6292.jpg\" alt=\"Say ‘cheee-chen’. Exploring Yucatán means so much more than a day trip to the Chichen Itza archeological site\" width=\"740\" height=\"495\" /><br/> Say ‘cheee-chen’. Exploring Yucatán means so much more than a day trip to the Chichen Itza archeological site.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFor millennia, the Yucatán Peninsula in southeastern Mexico has been home to the Maya, indigenous people whose magnificent civilization thrived centuries before the arrival of the Spaniards.\r\n\r\nCancún, the centrepoint of what we know as the Riviera Maya, is the main tourism draw. But the interior of the peninsula offers plentiful opportunities to go deeper, and experience the vibrant life — ancient and modern — of the Maya, who still live in Yucatán, speak the language of their ancestors and maintain many of the old ways.\r\n<blockquote>The key to making sure your visit is more beneficial to the region is to get out of your hotel and explore all Yucatán has to offer.\n</blockquote>\r\nParadoxically, with the rising numbers of savvy responsible travelers looking for respectful ways to experience other cultures, traditional Maya lifestyles may have a greater chance of surviving.\r\n\r\nWhether your base is Riviera Maya or Yucatán’s capital Mérida (check out our Mindful Mérida guide — coming soon!), the key to making sure your visit is more beneficial to the region is to get out of your hotel and explore all — or at least some — of what Yucatán has to offer.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35364\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/IMG_5796.jpg\" alt=\"Cenotes are sacred in Mayan culture — it’s where Mayans would make offerings to the gods.\" width=\"740\" height=\"542\" /><br/> Cenotes are sacred in Mayan culture — it’s where Mayans would make offerings to the gods.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd the offer is pretty astounding.\r\n\r\nThe Yucatán Peninsula is one of the most culturally and biologically rich regions in the world. A vast variety of flora and fauna can be found in the biosphere reserves, lakes, <a href=\"https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2013/08/sacred-cenotes/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">cenotes</a> and coral reefs, while Mexico’s Mesoamerican culture is present in the numerous archeological sites that reveal mysteries of the Mayan civilization.\r\n\r\nVibrant colonial cities are dotted throughout the peninsula so whether you are searching for ecotourism, culture fill or a thrilling adventure, there is nowhere quite like Yucatán.\r\n\r\nFind quaint fishing villages, small rustic hotels, and local beach side family-run restaurants. Enjoy the crystalline waters of the Caribbean and appreciate the protected Great Mayan Reef. Step into the heart of Mayan culture and be transported by ancestral traditions that several communities in the area have preserved.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35368\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/IMG_E5532.jpg\" alt=\"Step into the heart of Mayan culture and be transported by ancestral traditions.\" width=\"740\" height=\"505\" /><br/> Step into the heart of Mayan culture and be transported by ancestral traditions.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIn other words, don’t just take a day trip to Chichen Itza…\r\n\r\nYou probably heard of this ancient city of the Maya before, especially since it joined the list of the New Wonders of The World in 2007. It had always been very popular — it’s also a World Heritage Site — but after 2007 the amount of visitors has at least doubled. Its popularity is well earned, no doubt, but as a result thousands of tour buses arrive at its gates with millions of visitors each year.\r\n\r\nIf it’s an absolute must on your trip (everybody loves a UNESCO site, heck, I even went myself… it’s hard to argue this one, although it turns out we might be <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2017/aug/30/unescocide-world-heritage-status-hurt-help-tourism\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">loving them to death</a>); try to be there as soon as they open or book a sunrise tour. Top tip: avoid cruise ship arrival days.\r\n<blockquote>Hacienda Chichen is a sanctuary of life that happens to have a hotel inside.\n</blockquote>\r\nBetter still, get in before the crowds through a secret entrance by staying at the historic (built from ancient stones) eco hotel <a href=\"http://www.haciendachichen.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Hacienda Chichen</a>. That’s right, as their guest you gain access to Chichen Itza pyramids through a private garden gate! It’s a family run place that employs local Maya people and represents all their traditions, such as (organic) Maya cooking and crafts. They also offer responsible tours, are part of <a href=\"https://www.packforapurpose.org/destinations/north-america/mexico/hacienda-chichen-resort/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Pack for a Purpose</a>, conserve water, care for the wildlife, recycle… You name it — they do it. As owner Belisa puts it, <em>“Hacienda Chichen is a sanctuary of life that happens to have a hotel inside”</em>.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35369\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/IMG_E5545.jpg\" alt=\"Explore lesser known archaeological sites in the area — ALL Mayan pyramids are ‘wonders of the world’.\" width=\"740\" height=\"555\" /><br/> Explore lesser known archaeological sites in the area — ALL Mayan pyramids are ‘wonders of the world’.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nHowever, if you’d like to skip Chichen Itza altogether and take in the grandeur of the ancient Maya in more peace and quiet, head to one of the other much underrated archaeological sites in the area. They truly all are ‘wonders of the world’.\r\n\r\nStarting with three alternative archeological sites, here are <strong>our top Yucatán picks</strong> to forgo the crowds and ensure our tourism dollars are more evenly spread throughout the peninsula:\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2 style=\"color: #96aa66;\"><strong>Ek’ Balam</strong></h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOne of the most impressive ceremonial centers in the peninsula, Ek Balam is the most recent archaeological zone in the region opened to the public. Imagine the rituals that took place in the ball game (<em>Pok Ta Pok</em>), admire the tower and the recently restored jaguar mouth on the front of the main temple.\r\n\r\nWith its majestic palace and grounds, Ek Balam seems literally untouched by time. The amazingly well-preserved sculptures uncovered at Ek Balam are exciting to both newcomers and repeat visitors alike. And, since it seems out of the way for most tourists, you will likely have the place almost all to yourself, save for countless iguanas.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35373\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/IMG_5731.jpg\" alt=\"You will likely have the place almost all to yourself, save for countless iguanas.\" width=\"740\" height=\"463\" /><br/> You will likely have the place almost all to yourself, save for countless iguanas.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMake a pit stop at the small pueblo of Temozón, home of the best smoked meat in the area. Places such as El Negrito Ahumado or Carnes Concepción serve up Yucatán chorizo and other smokey delicacies.\r\n\r\nConsider staying at the nearby small but soulful <a href=\"http://www.genesisretreat.com/sustainability-profile\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Genesis Eco Hotel</a>, which attracts travelers interested in a sampling of local culture, archaeology, flora, fauna, nature, and architecture. They will even organize one of a kind community-based activities, such as an invitation into Maya homes, not as a passive observer, but as a participant. You will grind corn on an ancient metate and make tortillas with their neighbour, Guadalupe. You will learn about embroideries of traditional dresses, hammock weaving, and what the Maya can teach us about living more simply.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2 style=\"color: #96aa66;\"><strong>Uxmal and Ruta Puuc</strong></h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35365\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/IMG_6063.jpg\" alt=\"Me, Myself and Maya. Skip Chichen Itza and take in the grandeur of the pyramids in more peace and quiet.\" width=\"740\" height=\"491\" /><br/> Me, Myself and Maya. Skip Chichen Itza and take in the grandeur of the pyramids in more peace and quiet.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThis impressive Mayan city lies around 1.5 hrs south of Mérida, along the <a href=\"https://www.visitmexico.com/en/main-activities/puuc/live-the-historic-magic-of-the-puuc-route\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Puuc Route</a> of the Maya world. Uxmal is the largest and best preserved of the Puuc sites. It’s known for its rounded-edge pyramids, typical of the Puuc style; temples with intricately detailed facades; and constant evocations of Chaac, the god of the rain. It’s considered one of the most powerful cities in the ancient Mayan world.\r\n\r\nWhile Uxmal is a popular visitor destination, it is much quieter than Chichen Itza and there are still some pyramids that allow a somewhat steep but very rewarding climb. The site itself is surrounded by a dense forest, and the whole experience really does make you feel as if you were taken back in time to when elaborate Mayan ceremonies were still taking place.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35374\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/IMG_5759.jpg\" alt=\"Uxmal makes you feel as if you were taken back in time to when Mayan ceremonies were still taking place.\" width=\"740\" height=\"555\" /><br/> Uxmal makes you feel as if you were taken back in time to when Mayan ceremonies were still taking place.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe so-called Ruta Puuc is a fascinating self-drive day trip. Along the route you’ll find other archeological sites (Kabah, Sayil, Labna), the <a href=\"http://yucatantoday.com/caves-yucatan/?lang=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">caves of Loltún</a>, historic haciendas (Yaxcopoil, Ochil, Temozon), numerous cenotes (natural sinkholes) and charming Maya villages and towns like Ticul or <a href=\"http://www.theyucatantimes.com/2015/04/oxkutzcab-the-deep-south-of-yucatan/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Oxkutzcab</a>, worth stopping by.\r\n\r\nDo yourself a favour and grab lunch at El Principe Tutul Xiu in Ticul and feast on authentic home-cooked Yucatecan classics (we recommend <em>sopa de lima</em> followed by <em>papadzules, relleno negro</em> or <em>poc chuc</em>, and a long siesta…).\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2 style=\"color: #96aa66;\"><strong>Dzibilchaltún</strong></h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThis impossible-to-pronounce archaeological site lies mere 10 miles north of Mérida, so no excuses for those staying in the capital ;) The site is a comparatively small one, but it makes up for it in history. It was continuously occupied for about 3,000 years right up until the arrival of the Spanish, and is known to be the longest functioning city of the Mayan world. It was once a wealthy port that had a peak population of about 20,000, although it declined with the rise of Chichen Itza.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35372\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/IMG_5483.jpg\" alt=\"Swim among the waterlilies at Dzibilchaltún’s cenotes.\" width=\"740\" height=\"503\" /><br/> Swim among the waterlilies at Dzibilchaltún’s cenotes.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe most famous structure here is the Temple Of The Seven Dolls (Templo de las Siete Muñecas), so named because of seven small dolls or figurines found inside. Visit on the Spring and Fall equinoxes to view the phenomenon marking the beginning of the planting and harvesting seasons: Maya super-minds designed the doorways to capture the light of the rising sun on those days.\r\n\r\nThe most important findings are housed in a small but well curated on-site museum. There are also cenotes in which you’re welcome to swim. Most importantly, on a good day Dzibilchaltún is virtually tourist-free.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35383\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/1_u95hRoGfWXFs1o86l0X5Rg.jpeg\" alt=\"Visit Templo de las Siete Muñecas on the Spring and Fall equinoxes to view the light phenomenon.\" width=\"740\" height=\"513\" /><br/> Visit Templo de las Siete Muñecas on the Spring and Fall equinoxes to view the light phenomenon.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2 style=\"color: #96aa66;\"><strong>Progreso</strong></h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAs an add on to Dzibilchaltún, why not visit the coastal town of Progreso. It’s the Mérida locals’ seaside hang out spot of choice, and a welcome escape from the city heat. Progreso boasts one of the longest piers on the planet — at four miles it’s so long it has its own road. The pier is right next to Malecon Beach, which offers pristine sands and a cool ocean breeze.\r\n\r\nPick up traditional jewelry or hand-woven blankets from the local craftsmen. Or just grab a cerveza and a fresh ceviche from one of many beach side bars and soak up the vibes. For more inspiration and practical tips check out <a href=\"https://www.featherandthewind.com/blog/day-trips-merida-progreso-yucatan-mexico\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">this post</a> by Feather and the Wind.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35367\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/IMG_6466.jpg\" alt=\"Grab a cerveza and a fresh ceviche from one of many bars by Progreso pier and soak up the vibes.\" width=\"740\" height=\"530\" /><br/> Grab a cerveza and a fresh ceviche from one of many bars by Progreso pier and soak up the vibes.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2 style=\"color: #96aa66;\"><strong>Celestún</strong></h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnother unforgettable escape from Mérida is the Celestun Biosphere Reserve which is a refuge to colorful colonies of flamingos that paint the sky pink, especially at dusk and dawn. Take a boat ride and hope for a spectacular flight of thousands of birds that live in the calm waters of the mangroves.\r\n\r\nYou will also feel the contrasts caused by the estuary’s fresh water mixing with the water flowing from underground rivers beneath the peninsula (hence the cenotes) and the salt water currents of the Gulf of México. Eagles, woodpeckers, hummingbirds, herons, and pelicans all live there, making it a bird lovers paradise.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35377\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/IMG_E5642.jpg\" alt=\"Don’t leave without trying the coconut &amp; mango shrimp at one of the palapa restaurants on the beach.\" width=\"740\" height=\"545\" /><br/> Don’t leave without trying the coconut &amp; mango shrimp at one of the palapa restaurants on the beach.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nDon’t go straight back to your hotel — finish the day in one of the thatched-roof palapas on the beach in the quiet Celestún fishing village. Support the local fishermen by sampling the best fresh fish and seafood in the region (including a delicious specialty from the nearby state of Campeche — camarones al coco — coconut shrimp!).\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2 style=\"color: #96aa66;\"><strong>Valladolid</strong></h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhile we’re at local culinary specialties, find a cozy restaurant and enjoy the traditional <em>lomito en escabeche</em> in Valladolid — an easy drive from both Cancún and Mérida. This charming city, built on the Mayan ceremonial center of Zací, is one of the oldest and most fascinating cities of the peninsula, and one of Mexico’s <em>Pueblos Mágicos</em>.\r\n\r\nTake a walk in the Francisco Cantón Rosado central park with its majestic churches built from the stones of the ancient city. Visit Convent of San Bernardino de Siena for a brief history lesson. Stroll through the cobbled streets or head to the market of Donato Bates Herrera and snack on <em>tamales, kibis, tacos de lomito </em>and finish with<em> atole dulce</em>.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35371\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/IMG_5170.jpg\" alt=\"Kibis, Yucatan variation on middle eastern falafel, arrived in the peninsula with Lebanese immigrants.\" width=\"740\" height=\"554\" /><br/> Kibis, Yucatan variation on middle eastern falafel, arrived in the peninsula with Lebanese immigrants.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nValladolid is also a great base for exploring the cenotes (don’t just make it a day trip — why not stay a night or two). It’s even home to one cenote located within the city itself. Check out Raphael Alexander’s <a href=\"https://www.journeywonders.com/what-is-a-cenote/\">recommendations</a> for cenotes around Valladolid and Anna Everywhere’s comprehensive <a href=\"http://annaeverywhere.com/best-cenotes-tulum/\">cenote guide.</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2 style=\"color: #96aa66;\"><strong>Río Lagartos</strong></h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhile Celestún might be a little too far to visit from Riviera Maya, Río Lagartos Biosphere Reserve with its own impressive flocks of flamingos sits within a 3 hour drive from both Mérida and Cancún, and offers a true peek into the real life outside of the popular tourist destinations.\r\n\r\nA naturalist, birding and fishing guide, and one of the pioneers of Yucatán ecotourism — <a href=\"http://www.riolagartosnaturetours.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Diego Nuñez</a> and his cooperative — is a safe choice for all your eco adventures such as a boat trip to Las Coloradas, Crocodile Night Tours and all things bird watching.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35375\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/IMG_E5607-1.jpg\" alt=\"Take a boat ride through the mangroves for an unforgettable wildlife spotting experience.\" width=\"740\" height=\"529\" /><br/> Take a boat ride through the mangroves for an unforgettable wildlife spotting experience.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nDon’t miss the nearby San Felipe — a colorful fishing village with charming wooden houses, once a site of commercial exchanges between the ancient Maya! Sample catch of the day in one of the local restaurants (e.g. Vaselina), visit the small walled island of Cerritos, indulge in Mayan mud baths, or simply join the locals as they gather on the malecón to enjoy a warm evening\r\n\r\nCommunity-based tourism company Totonal Viajes offers <a href=\"https://www.totonal.com/en/tours/yucatecan-pinks-greens-blues-ecotouristic/#1441873848705-137dadc4-4794e296-f6dc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">similar itinerary</a>, as well as a beautiful 2-week self-drive “<a href=\"https://www.totonal.com/en/tours/encounter-with-the-true-mayan-culture-ecotouristic/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Real encounter with the Mayan culture</a>” trip, which includes an interaction with a Mayan cooperative, <em>jícara</em> engraving workshop, listening to Mayan tales and a visit to an ecotourism center where you will discover the interesting Mayan bees, better known as <em>meliponas</em>. You won’t find all-inclusive resorts with folksy evening performances on this trip.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35376\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/IMG_E5627.jpg\" alt=\"Río Lagartos and San Felipe offer a peek into the real life outside of the popular tourist destinations.\" width=\"740\" height=\"494\" /><br/> Río Lagartos and San Felipe offer a peek into the real life outside of the popular tourist destinations.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2 style=\"color: #96aa66;\"><strong>Izamal</strong></h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnother <a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pueblo_M%C3%A1gico\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Pueblo Mágico</a>, Izamal, is where three cultures mix: the ancient Maya, the colonial, and the present. Look no further than the Franciscan convent built over a Maya pyramid for proof. The charming quiet town filled with cobblestone streets and romantic iron lampposts is entirely painted yellow… all the colonial buildings, the market, convent, everything!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35381\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/IMG_E6387.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"740\" height=\"516\" /><br/> Visit Izamal in the afternoon to appreciate the yellow city turn gold in the setting sun.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nTry to resist horse-drawn carriage rides. Instead, be sure to visit to the homes where local artisans work their magic creating unique crafts. There is a handcraft route you can take to see the workshops where hammocks are woven, papier maché dragonflies are crafted, and wooden jaguars carved. Other memorable souvenirs include jewelry made from the cocoyol seeds and the tips of the henequen plant. Stop by the Hecho a Mano store on the main square and the Centro Cultural y Artesanal.\r\n\r\nTo really enjoy Izamal, plan to be there in the afternoon to appreciate the yellow city turn gold in the setting sun. Stay after sunset for the magical Light and Sound Show — “Izamal, Ciudad Luz.” It will give you insight into the culture of the Maya who are living in and around Izamal.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35380\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/IMG_E6354.jpg\" alt=\"John Paul II expressed his support for the Mayan culture and identity during his visit to Izamal in 1993.\" width=\"740\" height=\"555\" /><br/> John Paul II expressed his support for the Mayan culture and identity during his visit to Izamal in 1993.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2 style=\"color: #96aa66;\"><strong>Yucatecan Food</strong></h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe Yucatán peninsula evolved in isolation from the rest of Mexico until recent decades, and its cuisine is a curious blend of native, European, Caribbean, and Middle Eastern flavors and techniques. Look beyond tacos and burritos. Seek out family run restaurants and road side bars frequented by locals, and you’ll discover culinary Maya heaven.\r\n<blockquote>Look beyond tacos and burritos and you’ll discover culinary Maya heaven.\n</blockquote>\r\nSome of the most recognizable tastes are <em>achiote</em>, sour oranges, lime juice and pickled onions. Most recipes are meat based (turkey, pavo, is common), but veggie travelers will also find plenty of authentic local options- check out <a href=\"https://www.ayewanderful.com/vegetarian-food-in-mexico/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ameeta’s guide</a>.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35378\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/IMG_E5689.jpg\" alt=\"Salbutes and panuchos abound in yucatecan homes and bars, starting at breakfast.\" width=\"740\" height=\"529\" /><br/> Salbutes and panuchos abound in yucatecan homes and bars, starting at breakfast.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nTo truly get to know the wonderful Maya culture through its food, look out for these standout dishes: <em>Cochinita Pibil, Papadzules, Panuchos, Salbutes, Sopa da Lima, Kibis, Poc Chuc, Queso Relleno, Huevos Motuleños, Relleno Negro, Brazo de Reina</em>; and last but not least — the queen of street food — <em>La Marquesita</em>.\r\n\r\nMaya cooking really does deserve a thorough post of its own. Check out what foodie travelers <a href=\"https://foodfuntravel.com/yucatan-food-mayan-food-guide/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Tommo and Megsy</a> and <a href=\"https://xyuandbeyond.com/food-in-the-yucatan/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Faith and Alan</a> say about their Yucatán food experience.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35379\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/IMG_E5690.jpg\" alt=\"Road side restaurants offer the most authentic flavours and a chance to chat with friendly locals.\" width=\"740\" height=\"555\" /><br/> Road side restaurants offer the most authentic flavours and a chance to chat with friendly locals.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOne of the great rewards of travel is the opportunity to understand ourselves and our cultures through others. Travel promotes tolerance and forces us out of our cultural short-sightedness and ‘single stories’.\r\n\r\nIn the case of the Maya, there is an undeniable symbiotic relationship between cultural heritage, tourism, and a national identity. Travel to Yucatán without cultural expectations — it often leads to falling for contrived ‘folk’ attractions.\r\n<blockquote>Sometimes the greatest wisdom is in simplicity.\n</blockquote>\r\nInstead, practice culturally respectful tourism that lets you directly engage with the beautiful Maya people, their food, history, crafts, music and traditions; and which provides a sustainable evenly-spread economic boost without the devastating cultural and environmental impacts and <a href=\"http://beachmeter.com/tourism-leakage-does-your-money-contribute-locally/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">leakage</a> of Big Tourism.\r\n\r\nGo beyond the comforts of Cancún’s all-inclusive resorts, Tulum’s ‘eco-chic’ and the luxuries of Mérida’s haciendas. As the Mayan elder Don Carlos Barrios once said, “<em>sometimes the greatest wisdom is in simplicity.</em>”\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<em class=\"markup--em markup--p-em\">Photography: Gabriela Sijer</em>\r\n\r\n[rad_rapidology_inline optin_id=\"optin_4\"]\r\n\r\n[rp4wp] <br /><center><hr/><em>Posted from my blog with <a href='https://wordpress.org/plugins/steempress/'>SteemPress</a> : https://www.roomsforchange.com/beyond-chichen-itza-a-responsible-travelers-guide-to-yucatan/ </em><hr/></center>",
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      "permlink": "zootopia-7factsaboutthezoos-thegoodthebadandtheugly-8929baq8z3",
      "title": "Zootopia - 7 facts about the zoos - the good, the bad, and the ugly",
      "body": "<center>https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/DSC_0164.jpg</center> <br/>[mashshare]\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35347\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/DSC_0164.jpg\" alt=\"It’s more important than ever to try to understand how zoos actually function, and make an informed decision about which — if any — zoo to support.\" width=\"740\" height=\"491\" /><br/> It’s more important than ever to try to understand how zoos actually function, and make an informed decision about which — if any — zoo to support.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhen I was a little girl my grandma took me to the zoo. My most vivid memory of that trip is seeing a polar bear sitting on some ice, but mostly surrounded by lush greenery, looking lethargic and miserable, and me thinking <em>‘that bear does not belong here’</em>.\r\n\r\nMy encounter did not push me to become a biologist, or a vet, or engage in any other scientific matter — which is what some proponents of zoos claim to be their influence on children. Instead, it inspired me to become an ‘explorer’ (my 6-year-old mind fixed on Dora and convinced it was a legit profession), and to one day see the polar bears in their natural environment.\r\n\r\nBack in the day, a weekend trip to a zoo or an evening at the circus was standard family time out.\r\n\r\nLuckily, we’ve mostly moved on from circus animal acts since, transitioning to less or more state-of-the-art performances of 100% human circus troops, such as the famed awe-inspiring Canadian Cirque de Soleil.\r\n\r\nBut zoos have stuck around.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35346\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/DSC_0124.jpg\" alt=\"Modern zoos are aware of the conditions needed to mirror the natural habitat and maintain proper health and behavior of the animals.\" width=\"740\" height=\"491\" /><br/> Modern zoos are aware of the conditions needed to mirror the natural habitat and maintain proper health and behavior of the animals.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIt’s true that today zoos don’t just cater to the recreational needs of visitors, but also contributing to research and conservation of animals. However, the way wildlife is inevitably being forced to live in unnatural conditions still raises concerns about their well-being in the confines of the gardens.\r\n\r\nWith zoo authorities claiming to be imperative in saving endangered animal species on one side, and animal rights organizations vocal on the issue of animal abuse on the other; it’s more important than ever to educate ourselves on what goes on in the enclosures, try to understand how zoos actually function, and make an informed decision about which — if any — zoo to support.\r\n\r\nHere are some facts to consider before your next visit:\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2 style=\"color: #96aa66;\"><strong>1. A brief history.</strong></h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe concept of zoo is nothing new — captive animals have been entertaining ancient Egyptians and Mesopotamians. A zoo discovered in Egypt in 2009 and was believed to have existed in 3,500 BC. Evidence of elephants, wildcats and hippopotamus was discovered at the location.\r\n\r\nLater, in medieval England, Henry III moved his private royal menagerie to the Tower of London for public viewing. For a fee, Londoners would be treated to glimpses of animals like lions, camels and lynxes. And if they brought a dog or cat to feed the lions, their entrance fee would be waived.\r\n<blockquote>The way wildlife is inevitably being forced to live in unnatural conditions still raises concerns about their well-being.\n</blockquote>\r\nThe first zoological garden as we know it today, the Imperial Menagerie in Vienna, Austria, was established in 1752 and continues to attract visitors to this day. In 1793, in Paris the menageries of French aristrocrats were taken by leaders of the French Revolution and relocated to the Ménagerie du Jardin des Plantes. Animals were kept in small display areas, with as many species as space would allow.\r\n\r\nBerlin Zoo followed in 1844. It is home to the world’s largest wildlife collection of nearly 20,000 animals from over 1,400 species and has set modern day zoo standards.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35344\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/DSC_0044.jpg\" alt=\"The concept of a zoo is nothing new — captive animals have been entertaining ancient Egyptians and Mesopotamians.\" width=\"740\" height=\"463\" /><br/> The concept of a zoo is nothing new — captive animals have been entertaining ancient Egyptians and Mesopotamians.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2 style=\"color: #96aa66;\"><strong>2. Just like home — or is it?</strong></h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe modern zoos are very aware of the conditions needed to mirror the natural habitat as closely as possible and maintain proper health and behavior of the animals.\r\n\r\nActivities are arranged to help keep them mentally alert and physically active, which to some extent eliminates the boredom, deterioration, and eventual degradation of the animal at the zoo.\r\n\r\nSome habitats a zoo simply cannot replicate.\r\n\r\nHowever, none of it replaces hunting, migration, and other natural patterns. Locking wild animals up deprives them of the much-needed freedom. This is worst for animals that need to migrate and/or move around a lot.\r\n\r\nClearly, that was the case for my polar bear — a polar bear’s natural range may be about a million times the size of a zoo enclosure! <a href=\"http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/lowland-gorilla/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Lowland</a> gorillas in the wild have a range of up to 16 miles.\r\n<blockquote>Wild animals are connected to their natural surroundings and this bond is broken when they are put into artificial settings of a zoo.\n</blockquote>\r\nSo while some species, such as lemurs, can thrive in captivity, the likes of elephants have the need to travel long distances, and in large groups. Confining them into small spaces deprives them of their migratory nature. A herd of 40+ elephants is known to travel between 30–50 kilometers every day!\r\n\r\nSimilarly, predatory animals, such as lions, will not get the chance to hunt, making them more aggressive if they are not properly taken care of.\r\n\r\nThat is a habitat which a zoo simply cannot replicate. Wild animals are connected to their natural surroundings and this bond is broken when they are put into artificial settings of a zoo.\r\n\r\nIf and when they are eventually released in the wild, they find it difficult to adapt to the new environment, which is far different from the zoos. And for those born in the zoo, it would be like a double-edged sword — being released into the wild risk their survival as they lack the natural capabilities to hunt for themselves.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35354\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/DSC_0034.jpg\" alt=\"Predatory animals, such as lions, will not get the chance to hunt, making them more aggressive if they are not properly taken care of.\" width=\"740\" height=\"463\" /><br/> Predatory animals, such as lions, will not get the chance to hunt, making them more aggressive if they are not properly taken care of.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2 style=\"color: #96aa66;\"><strong>3. Survival of the fittest.</strong></h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nCaptive breeding programs are implemented to help preserve animals that have decreased in number, which is a good way to prevent extinction of some species. In fact, as is the case for some species, zoo populations may be all we have left.\r\n\r\nZoos around the world work together to preserve them. These connections make it possible to bring a pair of animals together to begin the mating process so that the species can continue living. If these rare animals were forced to find each other in the wild, the result could be very different.\r\n<blockquote>In case of some species, zoo populations may be all we have left.\n</blockquote>\r\nSan Diego Zoo Global helped pioneer artificial insemination for pandas, and this science has been a cornerstone of saving the species. They continue to work closely with partners on breeding and reintroduction programs today. In addition, they support protected reserves in China where pandas can live safely and thrive in their natural environment.\r\n\r\nOther past success stories include the regeneration of Arabian Oryx, Golden Lion Tamarin, Puerto Rican Parrot, <a href=\"https://www.voanews.com/a/california-condor-a-rare-environmental-success-story/4039172.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Californian Condor</a> and the Przewalski Horse.\r\n\r\nUnfortunately, this is sometimes a marketing gimmick rather than an true mission. And while some establishments are genuinely trying to do their best to let animals mate, it is quite common to have the new offspring kept at the same zoo, be moved to another one, or sold to raise money, which essentially does nothing for the numbers of the species in the wild.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35351\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/IMG_9671.jpg\" alt=\"Buy one, save one. San Diego Zoo gift shop actively supports their panda conservation work.\" width=\"740\" height=\"555\" /><br/> Buy one, save one. San Diego Zoo gift shop actively supports their panda conservation work.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2 style=\"color: #96aa66;\"><strong>4. Learning. The hard way.</strong></h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLarge exotic animals secured in enclosures is what allows scientists to perform studies and research.\r\n\r\nSome modern zoos work with colleges and universities to create thorough degree programs. The zoos have training and residency programs for veterinary and zoology students so they can train first hand and become world-class zoological medicine specialists.\r\n\r\nFor the general public, these days zoo authorities place a greater emphasis on engaging and educating visitors rather serving as merely a recreational venue. Many school children visit zoos to learn more about endangered species and how to conserve them via interactive displays.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35352\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/IMG_9676.jpg\" alt=\"Zoos do make an effort to educate. Overdevelopment and overtourism in Bali? Subject for another post…\" width=\"740\" height=\"555\" /><br/> Zoos do make an effort to educate. Overdevelopment and overtourism in Bali? Subject for another post…\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe signboards in zoos provide useful details about animals including their scientific name, habitat, origin, diet, etc. We can can easily dive into the animal world without having to travel to far off places.\r\n\r\nBut then again, for most zoo visitors it’s little more than a fun day out. Most go to look at the animals and nothing more, and children learn early on an animal in captivity can be entertainment.\r\n\r\nAnd if the animals do not exhibit their natural behavioral traits in zoos, is studying a zoo animal going to reveal much about its natural instincts?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35350\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/IMG_9568.jpg\" alt=\"Zoos are, first and foremost, for our entertainment and have always existed primarily to serve the human gaze.\" width=\"740\" height=\"555\" /><br/> Zoos are, first and foremost, for our entertainment and have always existed primarily to serve the human gaze.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2 style=\"color: #96aa66;\"><strong>5. By the people, for the people.</strong></h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYes, the conservation and education aspects do matter, but statistically no more than a fifth of the animals in any given zoo belong to rare or endangered species.\r\n\r\nZoos are, first and foremost, for our entertainment and have always existed primarily to serve the human gaze. This isn’t just an ethical problem. Most animals simply don’t want to be stared at — it causes a huge deal of distress.\r\n\r\nThe fact that animals are placed in captivity for the purpose of human entertainment, has been subject to an ongoing philosophical debate, and is one of the main reasons of the existing anti-zoo campaigns.\r\n\r\nThe other side of the coin is that for many of us around the world, zoos represent an (only) opportunity to experience seeing species that would be impossible to do otherwise.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35348\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/DSC_0190.jpg\" alt=\"The fact that animals are placed in captivity for the purpose of human entertainment, has been subject to an ongoing philosophical debate.\" width=\"740\" height=\"532\" /><br/> The fact that animals are placed in captivity for the purpose of human entertainment, has been subject to an ongoing philosophical debate.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2 style=\"color: #96aa66;\"><strong>6. Zoochosis is real.</strong></h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nNo matter how good the facilities in zoos are, animals tend to suffer in the confines and constantly live in psychological pressure, which tends to reflect in their abnormal behavior. Animals born in a captive environment most likely never get to see the world outside the confines.\r\n\r\nLocked up for an indefinite period of time, these animals don’t know how to cope with their newfound stress, anxiety, and constraints. And rightly so — being in enclosed spaces that can only attempt to recreate a natural wild habitat is like putting a human in a super sized doll house for the rest of his life.\r\n<blockquote>It’s delusional to think that it is our right to see exotic wildlife like gorillas, dolphins, and elephants in every major city.\n</blockquote>\r\nUnsurprisingly, scientists started to observe the psychological impact that this sort of confinement is having on zoo animals and the results aren’t good. The term “zoochosis” was coined in 1992 by Bill Travers to characterize the obsessive, repetitive behaviors exhibited by animals kept in captivity.\r\n\r\nThe short documentary <a href=\"http://www.onegreenplanet.org/news/zoochosis-what-really-happens-to-animals-in-captivity-video/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">“Zoochosis”</a> digs into the underlying causes of these abnormal, seemingly mindless behaviors.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35345\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/DSC_0084.jpg\" alt=\"Repetitive abnormal, seemingly mindless behaviors are frequently exhibited by animals kept in captivity.\" width=\"740\" height=\"462\" /><br/> Repetitive abnormal, seemingly mindless behaviors are frequently exhibited by animals kept in captivity.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2 style=\"color: #96aa66;\"><strong>7. Safe haven?</strong></h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nZoo animals receive proper nutrition and medical care and are supervised by well trained zookeepers and in most cases extremely caring staff who are willing to help them in the event of emergencies.\r\n\r\nThey receive regular screenings, quarantine procedures, parasite removal etc. Treatment teams at most zoos include veterinarians, pathologists, technicians and other specialists who can create and maintain virtually any care plan for the creature in need.\r\n\r\n(Fortunately, because it turns out animals in captivity require a lot of treatment. Psycho-pharmaceuticals related to the aforementioned zoochosis are in high demand, the animal pharmaceutical industry is booming, and the subject is largely taboo.)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35349\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/DSC_0255.jpg\" alt=\"Zoo animals in most cases receive proper nutrition and medical care and are supervised by well trained and caring zookeepers.\" width=\"740\" height=\"487\" /><br/> Zoo animals in most cases receive proper nutrition and medical care and are supervised by well trained and caring zookeepers.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFinally, with the rise in poaching of wild animals for fur, ivory and other parts with supposed medicinal benefits, zoos appear to be a safe space for those in-demand species. Although poachers have been able to break into zoos to take animals in the past, this is not a frequent occurrence and is normally not successful when it does occur.\r\n\r\nThe question is, is this a long term solution to the poaching problem? Zoos can protect the individual, say, rhino, but in exchange for protection the rhino loses its habitat.\r\n\r\nLife in a zoo is thus a zero sum game and is far from an antidote for education, raising awareness and changing the mindset of those who create demand for its horns.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35353\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/DSC_0005.jpg\" alt=\"Zoos can protect a rhino from poachers, but in exchange for protection the rhino loses its habitat.\" width=\"740\" height=\"491\" /><br/> Zoos can protect a rhino from poachers, but in exchange for protection the rhino loses its habitat.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOur desire to interact with animals is a good impulse. But if not zoos, then what?\r\n\r\nLaurel Braitman, author of <a href=\"https://www.amazon.com/dp/1451627009/?tag=slatmaga-20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Animal Madness,</a> offered a prescription while <a href=\"http://www.slate.com/blogs/wild_things/2014/06/20/animal_madness_zoochosis_stereotypic_behavior_and_problems_with_zoos.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">talking to Slate</a>: <em>“End zoos as we know them and replace them with hands-on petting zoos, teaching farms, and wildlife rehabilitation centers, where people can interact with the kinds of animals who often thrive in our presence, such as horses, donkeys, llamas, cows, pigs, goats, rabbits”</em>.\r\n\r\nShe highlights that it’s delusional to think that <em>“it is our right to see exotic wildlife like gorillas, dolphins, and elephants in every major city … especially since it often costs the animals their sanity.”</em>\r\n\r\nI have yet to see a polar bears in the wild, in case you’re wondering.\r\n\r\nAnd I better hurry. Since my encounter with the sad looking bear, their population in the wild decreased significantly, largely due to human-induced climate change and melting glaciers, oil and gas extraction and marine pollution.\r\n<blockquote>Wildlife, afterall, belongs in the wild.\n</blockquote>\r\nSeveral zoos have greatly contributed to the survival of the species. Without their ongoing research and conservation efforts there may not be any polar bears left by the time I finally make it to the Arctic Circle.\r\n\r\nBut I remain skeptical about the very nature of the zoo. Wildlife, afterall, belongs in the wild.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<em>Photography: Gabriela Sijer</em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp; <br /><center><hr/><em>Posted from my blog with <a href='https://wordpress.org/plugins/steempress/'>SteemPress</a> : https://www.roomsforchange.com/zootopia-7-facts-about-the-zoos-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/ </em><hr/></center>",
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      "title": "Bee Sustainable  - How Independent Hotels Create Eco Buzz By Beekeeping",
      "body": "<center>https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/beekeeper-2650663_1920.jpg</center> <br/>[mashshare]\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35328\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/beekeeper-2650663_1920.jpg\" alt=\"Rooftops of some of the trendiest lodgings are being used for beekeeping.\" width=\"740\" height=\"494\" /><br/> Rooftops of some of the trendiest lodgings are being used for beekeeping.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nHotels have taken the local produce movement to new heights. Literally. Rooftops of some of the trendiest lodgings are being used for beekeeping.\r\n\r\nWhen most people think of sustainability in hospitality, they imagine reusing their sheets and towels. Turns out aside from the laundry rooms in the basements we should start looking up to the roofs.\r\n\r\nYou’ve probably heard by now, that if bees disappeared off the surface of the planet, all life would disappear. No more bees, no more pollination, no more plants, no more animals, no more man. If all of us humans disappeared - the planet would flourish.\r\n\r\nBees are the world’s biggest ecological problem that has been seriously under the radar. Hotels have realized that roofs haven’t had much use before, and can now be used for such a great cause.\r\n\r\nIn response, from Portland to Paris honeybees have taken up residence in hotels’ unused spaces and are busy doing what they do best: pollinating plants and making honey.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35329\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/damien-tupinier-733457-unsplash.jpg\" alt=\"Guests who never thought about where their food comes from get a little insight into that side of the business.\" width=\"740\" height=\"493\" /><br/> Guests who never thought about where their food comes from get a little insight into that side of the business.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe hives are part of a beekeeping movement that has a two-fold purpose: to save the species, which has been decimated; and to bring hyper-local honey to guests staying at these hotels — talk about local ingredients!\r\n\r\nFrom the standpoint of the beekeeping community, the hotel trend is appropriate because it raises awareness of honey bees and their importance. The hotel gets prime quality for use in a variety of areas, from spa treatments (honey wax anyone?) to cocktails. Guests who never thought about where their food comes from get a little insight into that side of the business. It’s all a win win.\r\n\r\nWe see that major brand names and chain hotels (here are <a href=\"https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/honey-bee-hotels/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">five notable examples</a>) are getting involved and adding beekeeping across their portfolios, which is great.\r\n\r\nBut it’s the independent hotels that have created a major, well, buzz, as they can achieve real progress by forming local partnerships and becoming an integral part of the community.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35330\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/jet-set-bee-hive-waldorf-2.jpg\" alt=\"Look out for a hive at your next hotel — the buzzy trend keeps on growing.\" width=\"740\" height=\"493\" /><br/> Look out for a hive at your next hotel — the buzzy trend keeps on growing.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAt the Montage Deer Valley in Park City, Utah — the Beehive State — dandelion and lavender honeys are popular and are served at … Buzz, the resort coffee shop.\r\n\r\nCarmel Valley Ranch in Central California has been known to serve honey-based delicacies such as elegant ice cream that’s a delicate mix of honey scented with lavender. From their own beehive, of course. Guests can give thanks for these sweet dishes to the 70,000 Italian bees which work overtime to provide honey for the upscale 500-acre resort hotel.\r\n\r\nThe hotel also runs a program called the <a href=\"http://www.carmelvalleyranch.com/play-for-all-ages/activity-field-guide/bee-happy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bee Experience</a> that introduces guests to beekeeping. The Amazing World of Bees will awaken the senses as you experience beekeeping at its fullest. From hive science demonstrations to honey extractions, you’ll learn the latest buzz about these important pollinators. Each class begins in the Organic Garden with a hive science discussion and demonstration, accompanied by refreshing honey-lavender lemonade. Then you’ll suit up and head into the Apiary, before tasting honey from different hives, infused with the flavors of the herbs growing nearby. Delightful.\r\n\r\nSan Francisco’s Clift hotel, which introduced bees to its 16-story-high roof in 2016, hosts multiple hives on its rooftop and features its roof-made honey with cheese and charcuterie board appetizers. Or how about the Peerless Purple drink with gin-infused lavender, honey syrup and lavender bitters.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r <img class=\"wp-image-35327\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/annie-spratt-137316-unsplash.jpg\" alt=\"The honey can be found in everything from beers to body balms and other hotel amenities.\" width=\"740\" height=\"493\" /><br/> The honey can be found in everything from beers to body balms and other hotel amenities.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nApproximately 350,000 bees reside at the <a href=\"https://blog.brownpalace.com/bee-royalty-honey/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Brown Palace Hotel and Spa</a> in downtown Denver, Colorado. Their rooftop accommodations have clever names like the Buzzidential Sweet and Mile Hive City. There, they produce the honey, or “liquid gold”, which is sold by the jar in the hotel’s gift shop. The nectar is also utilized in the in-room line of amenities, in several of the treatments at the expansive spa, and even in the barrel-aged Breckenridge bourbon available at the Ship Tavern bar.\r\n\r\nPortland’s Hotel Lucia, Hotel deLuxe, and Sentinel have had some new guests check in too. In an effort to promote local companies and bring the true flavor of Portland to its guests, they have partnered with honey producer Bee Local, who has installed honeybee hives on the rooftops. The honey has become a featured ingredient in dishes and cocktails at Hotel Lucia’s Imperial, and the Driftwood Room and Gracie’s at Hotel deLuxe. Bee Local Honey is also available for sale in airline-friendly jars at all three hotels.\r\n\r\nClearly, it’s not just the bees that are benefiting from their hip new accommodations. Hotel guests are reaping the rewards as well, as the honey can be found in everything from beers to body balms and other amenities.\r\n\r\nLook out for a hive at your next hotel — the buzzy trend keeps on growing.\r\n\r\n[rad_rapidology_inline optin_id=\"optin_4\"]\r\n\r\n[rp4wp] <br /><center><hr/><em>Posted from my blog with <a href='https://wordpress.org/plugins/steempress/'>SteemPress</a> : https://www.roomsforchange.com/bee-sustainable%e2%80%8a-how-independent-hotels-create-eco-buzz-by-beekeeping/ </em><hr/></center>",
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      "title": "Top TED Talks For The Responsible Traveler",
      "body": "<center>https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Screenshot-2015-01-08-10.49.49.png</center> <br/>[mashshare]\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignnone wp-image-35281\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Screenshot-2015-01-08-10.49.49.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"740\" height=\"487\" /><br>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nTED talks have become such a source of learning and motivation in our daily lives that it's hard to ignore them when it comes to inspiring travel as a force for good. We have gathered best TED talks on responsible travel and sustainable tourism that discuss some god news in tourism, some bad news in tourism, and how you can make a difference.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/sBaiRpIpPKQ\" width=\"740\" height=\"420\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"></iframe>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nTravel has improved over the years in some ways, but it has come off the rails in others. It's great that a journey from Europe to the U.S. takes eight hours instead of several weeks in the hull of a rat-infested sailboat boat, but tourism is also homogenizing the planet's cultures and growing unsustainably. How can Stockholm, for example, find room for twice as many tourists in the summer in popular areas where it's already so crowded visitors can barely move down the street? And with the packaged, tight itineraries that bring visitors from one attractions to the next, how are visitors supposed to make natural contact with locals? Doug Lansky, travel writer, tourism industry advisor, and author of the thought-provoking new visual book TRAVEL: The Guide, takes us on a journey to find the Holy Grail of tourism: sustainable, profitable, and authentic travel.\r\n\r\n\"Travel like a guide book writer, not a guide book reader.\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/GErjagMyrYk\" width=\"740\" height=\"420\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"></iframe>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nJudith Fein is an award-winning travel journalist who has contributed to more than 100 publications. She is an acclaimed speaker and workshop leader, and is also the author of \"LIFE IS A TRIP: The Transformative Magic of Travel\" and the new \"THE SPOON FROM MINKOWITZ: A Bittersweet Roots Journey to Ancestral Lands.\" She is the Executive Editor and co-founder of the popular and much-respected group travel blog. Her TedX talk \"Deep Travel\" is about why authentic interaction is the best way to travel. But how do you get beneath the surface and have meaningful, memorable, and unique travel experiences? How can you be a peacemaker, goodwill ambassador and deep traveler every time you hit the road?\r\n\r\n\"We're not just tourists when we travel. We're ambassadors. We're peacemakers. Anthropologists. We're even storytellers. We presents points of view that people don't see in the media.\"\r\n\r\n\"Life is not separate from travel. Life IS travel. Travel IS life. Wherever you go, wherever you are.\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/Fj24YS0Eb-8\" width=\"740\" height=\"420\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"></iframe>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAfter years of travelling, Joe found that the most dangerous worldview is that of those who have never viewed the world. The more we travel, the more we learn and the less we fear our world. We can help people to fear less. Co-founder, Joe Diaz, launched AFAR in 2009 with co-founder Greg Sullivan. AFAR has quickly become one of the world’s most critically acclaimed travel media brands. Its flagship magazine is the only travel publication to be nominated for three National Magazine Awards with its most recent nomination in “Best Overall Photography.” It also the only travel publication to be named “America’s Best Travel Magazine” every year since its launch. In 2016, AFAR.com was considered the Best Overall Website in Travel by Folio. Its digital platform is designed to provide frequent and discerning travelers with the best in content and tools to inspire, enable and guide deeper, richer, and more fulfilling experiences. The company’s nonprofit foundation, Learning AFAR, provides scholarships to lower-income high school students to go on life changing trips to transform themselves and their communities. AFAR Experiences hosts travel events for global citizens around the world. Finally, AFAR works with top brands, hotel companies and destinations to provide content, inspiration and advice to effectively connect with and serve discerning travelers. Joe was born in Palm Springs, CA and grew up in a bi-cultural family with his father from Spain and mother from San Francisco. He graduated from Duke University and joined Teach for America where he taught in Phoenix, Arizona. Joe went on to found a successful real estate investment company, which he sold in 2006 before embarking on living life AFAR. He passionately believes that experiential travel is the best form of education and the more people who travel in a curious and open-minded way, the better our world will be.\r\n\r\n\"The most dangerous worldview is the worldview of those who have never viewed the world.\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/kLRanIhp2jg\" width=\"740\" height=\"420\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\"></iframe>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOld need not mean the end for countless aging Japanese towns as Alex Kerr fosters \"sustainable tourism\" one rejuvenated building at a time. In his TED talk Alex shows how tourism can not only be a way to preserve culture, but also to revive it. Alex found a way to not only increase international, but also domestic tourism, as well as breath a new life into abandoned Japanese village and towns.\r\n\r\n\"People are attracted by what I call 'the appeal of nothing special. Once you've seen the Louvre and the Eifel Tower, the real appeal of Paris is in its little back streets.\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/AlCqyZEXM1I\" width=\"740\" height=\"420\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"></iframe>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWe live in a world of consumption. Before you buy your next item for your \"man cave\" or \"she shed,\" think again. Adventure and exploration is the best way to learn and expand your horizons. The idea here is simple and enlightening, that one should have a passport full of stamps rather than a house full of stuff. Travel more. Buy less. Luis was born in Mexico City, grew up in California and found home in Oregon. He has spent 20 years working around the World in the digital start-up and adventure travel space helping iconic brands like Disney, REI, and The Clymb create meaningful experiences-based businesses. His purpose is to inspire and enable others to have transformative travel experiences, with the knowledge that travel can be a force for good.\r\n\r\n\"One is reminded, at a level deeper than all worlds, how making a living and making life sometimes point in opposite directions.\" Pico Iyer\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/TVtgb153S6I\" width=\"740\" height=\"420\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"></iframe>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAziz Abu Sarah is a Palestinian activist with an unusual approach to peace-keeping: Be a tourist. The TED Fellow shows how simple interactions with people in different cultures can erode decades of hate. He starts with Palestinians visiting Israelis and moves beyond ...\r\n\r\n\"Tourism is the best sustainable way to bring down those walls and to create a sustainable way of connecting with each other and creating friendships.\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/0Lud6xAWN_c\" width=\"740\" height=\"420\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"></iframe>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nTravel and tourism have tremendous power to drive conservation, promote peace and bring economic value to those who need it most. But often it does the opposite. CEO of the Adventure Travel Trade Association, Shannon Stowell, in an entertaining and educating way, describes how to choose a better vacation that can change the world for good. An adventurer and traveler, with more than 25 years of business experience in adventure travel, e-commerce, outdoor retail, and environmental science, Shannon Stowell promotes the power of travel done right. He advocates for responsible tourism as a tool for destinations to position themselves at the intersection of commerce, conservation and community, and has been advising and speaking around the world in that capacity for the last 14 years. Pursuing the vision that it could be a powerful force for good in the tourism industry, Shannon Stowell has led the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) as CEO since 2004, and has served on the boards of both the Global Sustainable Tourism Council and the Adventure Travel Conservation Fund.\r\n\r\n\"Adventure travel can be an immunization against tourism being a force of destruction.\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/uSF8FZDklf0\" width=\"740\" height=\"420\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"></iframe>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n\"If you look at life as a process of gathering experiences, stories and memories, which is all we're left with in the end, then rushing blindly from one place to another doesn't make a lot of sense.\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/2QlHLOrRFtI\" width=\"740\" height=\"420\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"></iframe>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThrough his personal experience as a tourist, Andreas Pantazatos, Co-Director of the Centre for Ethics of Cultural Heritage and professor at the Philosophy Department at Durham University, argues that tourists have an ethical responsibility towards heritage. In his fascinating Talk, he explains that, by sharing their experiences, tourists shape the meaning and the future of the heritage sites they visit and therefore become stewards of them. His curiosity for how we deal with the past shapes his research and teaching interests. He is Co-Director of the Centre for the Ethics of Cultural Heritage and he teaches and researches normative and professional ethics at the Philosophy Department of Durham University, UK. His main interests are philosophy of cultural heritage and archaeology, ethics of stewardship, ethics of museum governance and trusteeship, epistemic injustice and cultural heritage. He shares his passion for these issues with his postgraduate students on the innovative module “Ethics of Cultural Heritage” that he designed a couple of years ago.\r\n\r\n\"We become stewards of the sites we visit. As tourists in the 21st century we share our experiences with friends, family and others. But when it comes to heritage, we share more than experiences - we distribute knowledge about the past.\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/kYXiegTXsEs\" width=\"740\" height=\"420\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"></iframe>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAfter spending 4 months a year for the last 30 years living out of a suitcase, Rick Steves reflects on the value of thoughtful travel. Sharing lessons learned from Iran to El Salvador and from India to Denmark, Steves tells why spending all that time and money away from home has broadened his perspective, enriched his life, and made it clear to him, as he says in his talk, \"fear is for people who don't get out very much.\"\r\n\r\n\"Don't tell me how educated you are, tell me how much you've traveled.\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/pfU9IIDBLKY\" width=\"740\" height=\"420\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"></iframe>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nDr. Dioko will tell you how to travel with integrity and responsibility. (Video produced by Eric) Prof. Leonardo (Don) Dioko is at the Institute for Tourism Studies, Macau (IFT) and is the Director of IFT’s Tourism Research Centre (ITRC), which principally conducts policy research commissioned by the Macau SAR Government. The most significant of these studies is the Centre’s long-running annual study on Macau's Tourism Carrying Capacity, which began in 2003 and continues today to inform much of what we know about how Macau’s residents and its millions of visitors think, feel, and react to the tremendous change brought about by the almost inscrutable and oft-misunderstood force of tourism. Having arrived in Macau 25 years ago when visitors numbered only 6M/year, Don’s work and core research have allowed him and his colleagues to systematically and continuously observe some of the most important long-term socio-economic trends in Macau driven by rapid tourism growth. His work has led Don to believe that tourism growth can be a force for good as much as it can be a force for harm.\r\n\r\n\"Social media destroyed the serendipity of our travels. Instead of us discovering on our own, we tend to look at those must see and to-do lists, and this destroys a very important part of tourism - the art of getting lost.\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/-2Bd8pNYH8A\" width=\"740\" height=\"420\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"></iframe>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIn this TEDx Talk, travel author Francis Tapon shares some of his traveling adventures, which include walking across America four times and spending three years visiting all 25 Eastern European countries. He discusses how travel can be a catalyst for transforming your life, giving you insights that are hard or impossible to achieve through other means. He also shares a personal story about his father, who motivated him to keep pursuing his dream of visiting every country in the world. Speaker's bio: Francis Tapon was born and raised in San Francisco, California and has traveled to over 80 countries. His mom is from Chile and his dad is from France. He co-founded a robotic vision company in Silicon Valley. He consulted at Hitachi Data Systems and Microsoft. He thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail. In 2007, he became the first person to do a round trip on the Continental Divide Trail. He's walked across Spain twice. He wrote \"Hike Your Own Hike: 7 Life Lessons from Backpacking Across America.\" After spending three years in Eastern Europe, he wrote \"The Hidden Europe: What Eastern Europeans Can Teach Us.\" He plans to visit all 54 African countries in 2013-2016. He has a degree in Religion from Amherst College and an MBA from Harvard Business School.\r\n\r\n\"If you've lost something, or if you're at a point where you're looking to bring it to the next level in your life, go someplace exotic, different, completely foreign - that will transform you and change you because you've fired neurons in your brain that you never fired before, and you will become a better person.\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/XmR3_wanGfQ\" width=\"740\" height=\"420\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\"></iframe>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[rad_rapidology_inline optin_id=\"optin_4\"]\r\n\r\n[rp4wp]<br /><center><hr/><em>Posted from my blog with <a href='https://wordpress.org/plugins/steempress/'>SteemPress</a> : https://www.roomsforchange.com/top-ted-talks-for-the-responsible-traveler/</em><hr/></center>",
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      "title": "The Great Train Journeys: Travel Green from LA to Seattle on the Coast Starlight",
      "body": "<img class=\"wp-image-35231\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/train.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"740\" height=\"485\" /> \n\n\"Todos a bordo. Allen aan boord. Tous à bord. Alle an Bord. Tutti a bordo. However you say it, we mean it: All Aboard and Welcome to Amtrak.\"\n\nThe US national rail operator, <a href=\"https://www.amtrak.com/why-amtrak.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" shape=\"rect\">Amtrak</a>, not only strives to exceed each passenger’s expectations with go-the-extra-mile customer service on board of each train, but – most importantly - connects America in a <strong>safer, greener and healthier way</strong>. Traveling by rail contributes less per passenger mile to greenhouse gas emissions than either cars or airplanes.\n\n<img class=\"wp-image-35212\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/DSC_0748.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"740\" height=\"491\" /> \n\nReducing carbon footprint on your US vacation is therefore as simple as <strong>experiencing the country at ground level</strong> — not from 35,000 feet above. Whether it's taking in the excitement of the great US cities, or marveling at the magnificent vistas of the majestic Rocky Mountains, why not get up close and personal with the places and people of this vast and diverse nation.\n\nWith more than 21,000 miles of track serving the United States (and parts of Canada) and more than 500 station stops in 46 states, you can truly get a sense of the scale of the country. <a href=\"https://www.amtrak.com/deals-discounts/multi-ride-rail-passes/rail-passes/take-the-trains-across-america-with-usa-rail-pass.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" shape=\"rect\">USA Rail Passes</a> let you explore at your leisure, hopping on and off the train at the destinations of your choice.\n\n<img class=\"wp-image-35218\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/gallery-1501705820-coast-starlight-1a.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"740\" height=\"597\" />\n\nEn route daily between Los Angeles and Seattle since the 1940s, the historic <a href=\"https://www.amtrak.com/routes/coast-starlight-train.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" shape=\"rect\">Coast Starlight train</a> is widely regarded as one of the most spectacular of all train routes in North America. The 36-hour trip covers 350 miles and takes you through <strong>Portland, the San Francisco Bay area and Santa Barbara</strong>, making some 30 stops along the way.\n<blockquote>Why not get up close and personal with the places and people of this vast and diverse nation.</blockquote>\nThe scenery along the route is unsurpassed. The dramatic snow-covered peaks of the Cascade Range and Mount Shasta, lush forests of Oregon, fertile Californian valleys and vineyards, and long stretches of Pacific Ocean shoreline provide a stunning backdrop for your journey.\n\n<img class=\"wp-image-35216\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/IMG_6812.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"740\" height=\"555\" />\n\n<br clear=\"none\" />This legendary train features Superliner Sleeping and Dining Car accommodations and spectacular views from the <strong>360 degrees glass observation deck</strong> with floor-to-ceiling windows, or the Lounge Car. Passengers can also lounge in swivel chairs so they can get a wide view.\n\nDifferent seating arrangements are available and vary by price.\n\nCoach passengers enjoy fairly big, comfortable seats, plenty of legroom, along with Just-for-You Express Meal Service, where coach passengers can select from a limited daily menu featuring specially priced, freshly prepared lunch and dinner selections with the convenience of at-seat delivery.\n\nBusiness Class will get you seating in a dedicated car, free Wi-Fi (though you most likely will be too busy staring through the window to use it), two bottles of water, an onboard credit for food and beverage purchase or afternoon wine tasting.\n\n<img class=\"wp-image-35222\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/IMG_6888.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"740\" height=\"555\" /> \n\nMeals are included in the fare for Sleeper and 'Roomette' passengers (and are surprisingly edible - unlike plane food... There are even some veggie options), as is access to the <strong>Metropolitan Lounge</strong> in Los Angeles and Portland where you can enjoy complimentary snacks, fresh fruit and coffee. Your cabin will come with a bed for overnight comfort and your very own sightseeing window.\n\nWith this ticket type you will also get access to The Coast Starlight's renowned remodeled 1950 <strong>\"Parlour Car\"</strong> that evokes that era of rail travel.\n\n<img class=\"wp-image-35227\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/IMG_7095.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"740\" height=\"455\" /> \n\nA very fitting beginning to such an epic train journey is one of the few remaining America's great train stations - the <strong>Union Station</strong> in Downtown LA. Opened in May 1939, the Spanish Mission style was blended with art deco to create a monument to travel. Train travel had helped knit the vast territory of the United States together, after all, and every major city wanted a rail terminal that proclaimed its significance and prosperity.\n\n<img class=\"wp-image-35214\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/DSC_0768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"740\" height=\"491\" /> \n\nEven now that aircraft have taken most of the market for long-distance travel, LA's main station remains a magnificent piece of architecture. Listed on the National Registry of Historical Places, its lofty halls are topped with timber ceilings, supporting stunning chandeliers above floors of patterned tiles. Passengers, regardless of the class of travel, wait for their departures in rows of comfortable cushioned armchairs, illuminated by natural light from stunning tall windows.\n<blockquote>LA's main station remains a magnificent piece of architecture.</blockquote>\nThe journey ends in <strong>Seattle's King Street Station</strong>. Built in 1906 and recently renovated, it's yet another great monument to the golden age of the US Rail. Make sure to check out the omnipresent marble panels, elegant chandeliers, original brass signage, and the mosaic flooring.\n\n<img class=\"wp-image-35207\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/DSC_0680.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"740\" height=\"516\" /> \n\nIf you're hopping on board as a means of getting to one of the West Coast's numerous natural and cultural heritage sights, check out the innovative <a href=\"https://www.amtrak.com/planning-booking/trails-rails-heritage-appreciation.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" shape=\"rect\">Trails &amp; Rails program</a> between the <strong>US National Park Service</strong> and Amtrak. The partnership provides train passengers with educational opportunities to foster an appreciation of the region's heritage and renews the long tradition of associating railroads with National Parks - afterall since the beginning of the 20th century, railroads played an active role in developing America's national parks.\n\n<img class=\"wp-image-35228\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/PACIFICPARLOURCAR-vi.jpg\" alt=\"Dinner in the Parlour Car. Who knew train food can be that much better than plane food!\" width=\"740\" height=\"458\" /> \n\nThe company is also committed to increasing energy efficiency by improving operating practices and conservation measures as well as reducing emissions. In addition to rail travel offering lower emissions per passenger mile, they have partnered with <a href=\"https://carbonfund.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" shape=\"rect\">carbonfund.org</a> to provide passengers with the choice of <strong>purchasing carbon offsets</strong> along with their Amtrak ticket. In 2016, our passengers purchased 101 metric tons of CO2 offsets.\n\nTo get a sense of how your travel on Amtrak will impact your carbon footprint, enter the city and state of your origin and destination, along with the number of passengers into their helpful <a href=\"https://carbonfund.org/partners/amtrak/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" shape=\"rect\">Rail Offset Calculator</a>.\n\n<img class=\"wp-image-35221\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/IMG_6883.jpg\" alt=\"Amtrak has been reducing fuel and energy usage with a few initiatives including energy efficiency upgrades.\" width=\"740\" height=\"555\" /> \n\nAll of the trains and Amtrak-owned station concourses and food courts feature onboard recycling receptacles for bottles, cans and paper. As part of an ongoing effort to <strong>attract more cyclists</strong>, the company has introduced an enhanced bike service program designed to provide as much convenience as possible to passengers traveling with their bikes.\n\nAmtrak has been also reducing fuel and energy usage with a few initiatives including <strong>energy efficiency upgrades</strong> and implementation of our Green Power Purchasing Policy. For more information on their sustainability initiatives, goals and greenhouse gas inventory, take a look at the Amtrak <a href=\"https://www.amtrak.com/about-amtrak/sustainability.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" shape=\"rect\">Sustainability Story</a> or a more detailed <a href=\"https://www.amtrak.com/about-amtrak/sustainability/sustainability-reports.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" shape=\"rect\">Sustainability Report</a>.\n\n<img class=\"wp-image-35232 size-full\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Travel-Green-Energy-Efficiency.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"194\" />\n\nAs an added bonus, traveling on a train allows you to disconnect, destress and discover (or rediscover)<strong> the beauty of slow travel</strong> - you'll have plenty of time to mindfully enjoy your meals, read or most of all, talk to fellow train passengers. We're all guilty of not talking to each other enough today.\n\nAs Pamela Petro put it in her beautifully descriptive <a href=\"https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/journeysbyrail/8257201/Coast-Starlight-Seattle-to-Los-Angeles-by-train.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" shape=\"rect\">Telegraph article</a>:\n\n<em>\"Here's the great thing about being a train passenger: motion without responsibility. When the sun rises, or the conversation ends, or when you wake up and look out the window, the world is new. Sometimes unrecognizably, dizzyingly so. To me this is the crux of earthbound magic, and in the US no train conjures it better than the Coast Starlight.\"</em>\n\n<img class=\"wp-image-35217\" src=\"https://www.roomsforchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/IMG_6837.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"740\" height=\"555\" /> \n\nSo go ahead, break free of congested airports and freeways. Explore rocky coastlines, glide beside majestic mountains and immerse yourself in the creativity and energy of the great cities. You'll be seeing the best of the country's western landscapes, without having to worry about keeping your eyes on the road.\n\nPlus, you'll have plenty of time to reflect on your <strong>environmental good deed</strong> for the planet and dream up your next green vacation.\n\n<em>Photography: Gabriela Sijer</em>",
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