Monterrico

We have been out of email contact, by choice, for several days.  We took the Boston University Semester Abroad program to Monterrico on the Pacific coast of Guatemala.  Although Monterrico has beautiful mangrove forests full of great white herons and amazing volcanic black sand beaches, the first pictures I want to post are of the "Liberación de Tortugas." The beaches of Monterrico are nesting grounds for endangered sea turtles.  The Guatemalan government has begun to try to help them survive by using donations to buy turtle eggs from locals who otherwise include them in part of their diet.  They incubate and hatch the eggs in a sequestered part of the beach and then allow people to sponsor them.  The sponsors get to release a turtle to the sea, protected from dogs, birds and ATVs.