We Survived the Butterflies

Just a quick post to let everyone know that we (Alejandro's family and I) survived the tour which we took yesterday to the Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary at Piedra Herrada, the most accessible of the butterfly reserves to Mexico City.  I had been concerned that Alejandro's father would not be able to make the hike up the mountain.  Indeed, just the walk from the parking lot to the entrance was enough for him.  He sat comfortably in the shade at the entrance while the rest of us made the trek.  (There were loads of people around, food and beverage stands and restrooms nearby... so it's not as if we had left him by himself in the middle of the wilderness.)  The rest of us... Alejandro, his sister, his eight year old nephew, and I... took the hike up into the sanctuary.  We were there for about three hours.  Although I am glad that I had the experience, I also felt guilty for being part of the mass tourism circus which I fear might eventually destroy the delicate ecology of this place.  I will write more about the pros and cons, and post pictures in my next blog entry.