Veracruz.mx

Veracruz.mx
Touristic Newsletter
No 9
April
2012
[email protected]
01-800-8372887
VeracruzTurismo
Suggested Destination: Tecolutla, Veracruz
Tecolutla, home of amazing natural beauty with all tourist facilities
needed. Enjoy the sun, its beaches, the river and its mangroves.
Considered as a major tourist destination in the northern region of the
state of Veracruz, TECOLUTLA, located where the coastal area known
as Costa Esmeralda begins, offers an excellent hotel infrastructure, for
all budgets as well as exquisite cuisine with fresh seafood and from the
river, besides its wide array of amusement and recreational options:
MARINE MUSEUM, which has sheltered for almost 43 years a skeleton
of a mythical sea monster stranded on its beaches since 1969, also
displays a wide variety of marine and freshwater species, and shows
the tradition and culture of the municipality as it also exhibits crafts
of the region, and art and fishing equipment of the local tecoluteño
fishermen.
TURTLE CAMP “Vida Milenaria”, proudly founded in Tecolutla, this
site makes an important contribution to the conservation of 3 of the
5 species of sea turtles that spawn in the coasts of Veracruz: Atlantic
ridley, green and hawksbill; here, more than 70,000 turtles are annually
freed thanks to the work of all volunteers who are part of this great
cause and whose reward is reflected in the smiles of thousands of
children and adults involved in the release of turtles to the open sea
from May through August.
AQUARIUM, displays endemic and migratory species that are part of
the Environmental Management Unit (UMA)
NATURAL BEAUTIES like the Piedras Altas reef formed by very high
reefs that offer a mystical landscape, or Bajo Negro where you can
snorkel or visit the pier of the Tecolutla River, near to the Atlantic Ocean.
There you can take a boat for an amazing ride through the bowels of
the mangroves, visiting the Cueva del Pirata, the Salón del Silencio and
the estuary of the Mojarra, and admire how the birds fly peacefully or
the open jaws of the crocodiles that remain motionless, and the old
majestic ceiba trees and the rays of light that seem like spears that dance
all around. The marshes called Ciénegas del Fuerte in Ricardo Flores
Magón is the only floodplain forest registered as a protected natural
area in the state of Veracruz; riding on a canoe through its mazes is a
memorable tour.
NATURE TOURISM in Costa Esmeralda: here you can practice various
activities provided by local service operators, La Victoria and Ecos de
Costa in the community of Guadalupe.
CRAFTS made from various natural raw materials and also the
manufacture of cocada, a regional coconut candy made of coconut’s
meat and other natural fruit flavors, which originates the Coconut
Festival held every year in late February and holds the Guinness record
of the largest Dulce de coco in the world.
Turtles of Veracruz
Sea turtles have existed for over 150 million years, they have
been able to survive all the climatic changes of the planet and in
Veracruz you can see them all.
Five species of sea turtles nest in the coasts of Veracruz and they begin
to arrive in the month of April. As they are considered as endangered
species, catching or selling them is a federal environmental crime,
punishable with up to 12 years of jail. Although significant progress has
been made in protecting sea turtles, constant messages are addressed
to the population to avoid hurting or killing them, as well as eating
their meat and eggs or use their skins or shells for other purposes,
especially considering that, on average, only one in a hundred turtles
survive and reach the sea.
Species that nest in Veracruz
The Lora Lepidochelys kempii; the White turtle Chelonia mydas,
the Carey turtle or Eretmochelys imbricata, the Loggerhead Caretta
caretta and the Leatherback, Dermochelys coriacea.
Places where these species arrive to
The first to arrive to our shores is the Lora in the month of April to
early July, to the northern part of the state and number of arrivals has
increased.
The White appears at the end of May through September in the
northern and central regions of the state.
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Carey and Loggerhead turtles make their appearance from May to July.
The Leatherback turtle, the largest species in the world, has no shell
and instead of bone it has skin; it arrives to our coasts in the months of
May to July.
We have implemented 20 turtle camps.
To help species spawn in the waters of Veracruz, special camps have
been installed so they can lay their eggs in safe and protected areas,
and these are operated in coordination with the federal authorities.
The most important camps are located at:
•
Punta Puntilla, El Salado, Capulteolt, Arrecife and Zapotitlán,
located in the municipalities of Catemaco, Mecayapan and
Tatahuicapan de Juárez, in the zone called “Los Tuxtlas”
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Playas Arrecifales or reef beaches in Veracruz and the coasts of
Boca del Río and Antón Lizardo, in charge of the Aquarium of
Veracruz.
Campamento Tortuguero Ayotzintli AC in Lechuguillas, Vega de
Alatorre.
Campamento El Raudal in Nautla.
Campamento Tortuguero Vida Milenaria AC in Tecolutla.
Campamento Tortuguero de Cazones.
Campamento Tortuguero in the northern coast of Tuxpan.
Campamento Tortuguero Cabo Rojo-Majahual
These sites release turtles from the months of June through October
and are experiences worth living that compel us to continue preserving
life on the planet.
www.veracruz.mx
Come and scuba dive among shipwrecks!
An
incredible experience among reefs surrounded by
history, shipwrecks and an endless array of legends.
Since the time of the Spanish conquest, immigrants’ ships arrived
to the waters surrounding Veracruz in search of new lands to settle.
Later other invaders also came but with belligerent intentions, pirates,
looters, traders, merchants and others from different nationalities. As a
consequence of these events, it is estimated that in the depths of the
coast near the port lie more than 800 shipwrecks dated back to more
than 500 years. Although no precise number of shipwrecks is available,
the Underwater Archaeology subdivision of the National Institute of
Anthropology and History (INAH) stated that it has documented at
least 500 sunken galleons in the Gulf of Mexico during the 300 years of
domination by the Spanish Crown which are difficult to find.
However, the warm and clear waters allow divers, from beginners to
more experienced, to explore boats, as they have different depths,
histories and degrees of difficulty. This makes the port a great place for
diving and adventure lovers.
The Gunboat Riva Palacio is the most visited ship because there is no
need to be an advanced diver to explore the outside of the vessel;
another option for beginners is El Hidalgo, a steamboat, both sunk in
the vicinity of Isla Verde.
In the Isla de Enmedio, in a muddy area, the ship known as Las
Ametralladoras is located, and belongs to the Navy and is a refuge for
many fish. In Anegada de Afuera you can find the Ana Elena, a fishing
boat that sunk in a sand hole formed by the reef. In the navigation
channel there are some remains of the brig Sommers, sunk in December
1846 but no one can dive close to it as it is protected by the National
Institute of Anthropology and History, making its coordinates a secret
for local fishermen and highly specialized divers. In the area you can
also find a cargo ship called El Águila and the El Rielero boat named so
for its cargo of railroad rails, among other ships that sunk due to bad
weather, accidents or attacks.
Ironically, these big steel wrecks are home to hundreds of species of
flora and fauna of the Gulf of Mexico, adding a touch of color and
harmony to the corroded structures.
Silence Procession in Cordoba. On Holy Friday, April 6th, the
image of Our Lady of Solitude will be taken out to the streets at 8:00
pm, accompanied by hundreds of people who come to offer their
condolences for the death of his Son, Jesus Christ. During the procession
the streets are quiet, portals, musicians and people stay silent as a sign
of respect to the image of the Virgin Mary that according to tradition is
the protector of Córdoba and was made by angels.
Other processions worthy of admiration are those of Santiago Tuxtla
and Xico.
Black Christ of Otatitlán Festivity. This is held on April 28th and
29th and gathers diverse ethnic groups including mixes, zapotecas,
nahuas, popolucas, chinantecos, mazatecos and chontales, plus
thousands of worshipers that come each year come to the temple to
worship the Black Christ. It is a festivity full of syncretism because at
the end of the mass shamans and healers practice limpias (spiritual
cleaning) and remedies for the “evil eye” and bad luck among others.
Otatitlán was a market for indigenous traders where Yacatecuhtli, the
black deity of merchants called pochtecas was worshiped; hence there
are several legends that explain the arrival of the Black Christ to the
town.
The first one relates it to a common origin and kinship with the
famous black Christ of Esquipulas in Guatemala and that of Chalma
in Mexico; the second version says it arrived on a raft that got stuck
in this place between tamarind trees, and the last one refers to how
the missioners replaced Yacatecuhtli’s image for the Black Christ
to facilitate evangelization. Without doubt, there is a true faith and
devotion professed to the Black Christ of Otatitlán.
And the Carnivals continue: From April 11th to the 16th, Naranjos,
Amatlán celebrates the twentieth anniversary of carnival celebrations
or carnestolendas, with the name “Carnival of the New Era” where
there will be lots of fun including the burning of “bad mood”, the burial
of Juan Carnaval, and artistic performances of several musical groups,
famous bands, dances, floats and festival batucadas.
Coatepec Coffee Fair: From April 30th to May 15th, the 42nd edition
of the Coatepec Fair will take place including many activities such as
the coronations of the royal court, cultural shows, crafts, dance, artistic
forum, rodeo, palenque (rooster fights and fair), and of course the
traditional Coatepecano aromatic coffee as the main ingredient of this
spectacular fair.
did you know...?
• This year Tecolutla broke the world record of the largest coconut candy with the preparation
of a 226 meter long piece of cocada (741.5 ft), the traditional candy of the municipality.
• In the region of La Mancha more than 30% of the shorebirds in the country may be admired,
as well as a variety of wetlands and other ecosystems such as mangroves.
• San Rafael was part of the municipality of Martinez de la Torre until it was appointed as an
independent municipality in 2003; it is the municipality number 211 of Veracruz and bears
the first name of the person responsible for the legalization of the lands Rafael Martinez de
la Torre and the adjacent municipality bears his last names.