Brazilian students change my perspective

As we disembarked our ship in the little town of Progreso, Mexico my friend Ivana and I were looking for something interesting to do to fill our short day in this sleepy yet cute little town. We wandered around and came upon some local markets where treasures of all kinds were up for sale. Fancy a hammock to a hat? What about a tour pretty lady, you look like a movie star? Or just something cool to drink whilst you have your photo taken with a tame iguana, dressed in all it's finery complete with red lips.
We settle on a tour that will set us back fifteen US dollars and promises that we will see Flamingos and a Mayan temple. It will commence in exactly twenty minutes and we pay up.
We board the bus to our tour and pull out of the little town towards the Mayan ruins and flamingo sighting. The Mayan guide informs us that first of all before we stop at the Mayan Temple that we will be experiencing an ancient Mayan Salt Mine. We disembark the bus and we are surrounded by bright orange pools of water, fenced off into perfect squares with ancient rotting wood. The mines were in use until recently and pink salt was mined here. The same chemicals that stain the salt pink also give the local flamingos the pink colour they are well - known for. The guide leans down and expertly plucks a chunk of salt from the glistening water handing it around for the small group to sample. We spend several more moments at this spectacular place and I am enamoured, taking as many photos as I can. It's like nothing on earth, red water juxtaposed against blue rocks, in natures perfect contrasting colours the surrounding ground shimmering like diamonds.
A large temple looks down on us imposingly and we decide to mount it to the summit. We stop along the way at intervals to take photos so that we can remember this day for years to come. Reaching the summit there is an unusual surprise of a crucifix at the top. It's old and has been bound together with twine. We take our photos and head down stopping to collect a few token souvenirs from the locals - some hand -made handkerchiefs.
On the way back the guide asks if anyone has any questions and I gingerly ask where are the flamingos that we were promised as I have neglected to see them. He asks the driver to stop the bus for us and we get out. No wonder we didn't notice them, they were several kilometres away not close up at all. We are a little let down, but the Mayan Salt Mine was such a wonderful surprise that we are not that upset.