我從天使的領地裡回來--墨西哥看帝王蝴蝶遷徙 I Came Back From The World of Angels

在電視節目上看到帝王蝴蝶從北美的美、加遷徙到墨西哥和中美洲去避冬的過程，感到很不可思議。那麼小而弱的生物可以飛到那麼遠的地方去，又能不約而同的聚集在幾個特別的地方！我曾經到北加的Monterey試圖去找在那裡過冬的蝴蝶，結果是一隻也沒見到。後來才知道牠們都棲息在高樹上，冬天天寒，要到中午以後氣溫升高了才飛得動，一大早去當然看不見。後來找到牠們在墨西哥棲息的地方，覺得很難去，我的西班牙文只有兩三句，要自助到那裡可能有嚴重困難。磨蹭了幾年，看到加拿大小團旅遊公司G Adventures 有出特別團在二月去看帝王蝴蝶遷徙，因為時間不長，所以也不太貴，就決定跟了。


很驚訝領隊居然是說流利西語的道地美國人。（他的西語是在亞特蘭大學的。在pizza 店當經理，所有工作的都是老墨，不學行嗎？）從墨西哥市出發，他一路帶我們吃老墨吃的餐館和小吃攤，美式墨西哥餐館一概不進。讓每個人吃的又好又便宜，也嘗到墨式美食的真味。一路經過比較不為人知的地區，越來越冷。到達山區，旅館裡沒有暖氣，冷得我只想躲在被裡，連吃飯都懶得起來。

蝴蝶在墨西哥有好幾個指定保護區，我們的行程包括其中的兩個棲息地。先到 El Rosario。 我因為出發前已血氧不足，一路都不舒服。現在大約八、九千英尺，一上坡就氣喘，只好一路騎馬，到了地點再下來走。中午時分，有些蝴蝶已經飛出來喝水，大多還在樹上互相緊靠取暖。漸漸的走向林子裡，真是滿天都是蝴蝶，樹梢樹幹和灌木叢上也都滿是。第二天去Sierra Chincua, 更是深入山中。山區很大，聽說每年蝴蝶回來的地方都不一樣，本地導遊在季節開始前必須滿山去找當季的聚集所在。那年的棲息地據說比往年都遠得多，大家就都騎馬進山。到達小山谷裡，又滿是蝴蝶。那天還好不是周末，沒有太多本地遊客，三五散客分享這奇景。整天就是這麼一個景點，所以導遊給我們很多時間，我努力地想拍下這感覺，但是總沒有辦法。蝴蝶實在太小了。陽光透進小山谷，四下寧靜，周遭滿是蝴蝶輕盈飛舞，彷佛是一群小天使圍繞，卻一點聲響都沒有。那一天，我第一次感到天堂大概是什麼樣子。


Ever imagine yourself surrounded by angels or fairies? I know what it's like, since the visit to the Monarch Sanctuaries.

Heard about the Monarch Butterfly migration from Canada and United States to Mexico, it would be nice to actually see them, I thought. But it's deep inland in Mexico with all the unheard of locations, and my Spanish capacity is non-exist for me to find the place. So it remained in my list, not at the top, but stayed there for years.

There are some much smaller group migrates to Monterey and Santa Cruz of California, not really far from where I live. One time I finally put my foot down (literally) and ventured to Monterey to see them. Guess what? I managed not to see a single butterfly that morning. People said they only came down from the tall trees when it gets warmer. But I did not even get a glimpse if any Monarch around. Quickly, I threw in the towel for Monarch's US sighting.

Then found G Adventures (called Gap Adventures at that time) had a eight days short and sweet tour to see the butterflies in their migration sites, and the price was reasonable. (Actually, almost all the G tours are reasonable, in my opinion.) On the last day of 2010, I started the tour from Mexico City, passing through Uruapan, Patzcuaro, and Morelia, cities of the less traveled state of Michoacan, before reaching the highlight of the trip: Monarch Butterfly Sanctuaries of El Rosario and Sierra Chincua.

Both sanctuaries were high in the mountain, Rosario is relatively easier to access, while the location in Sierra Chincua was so deep into the forest, a local guide was essential to actually find it. It was cold, the butterflies were all hurdle together on the fir trees to keep warm. They would wait till midday when the sun got warmer to be able to move around. At one spot, our guide pointed at the side of the path, the butterflies all gathered around the water for the morning drink.  Walked into the woods, many still hugging each other on the tree branches. The sheer number of the butterflies overwhelmed the branches, even with the light of their weight.  They were on the air, everywhere, so light, so many of them, yet totally in silence. For a moment, I wonder if I was among thousands of tiny orange angels.

  

PBS has an excellent program of Monarch Migration, but nothing I watched or read prepared for the stunning experience of surrounding by thousands of butterflies in the deep fir forest.

While we were allowed to have as much time as we wanted to take photos and videos, I had to give in that no matter how hard I tried, no picture can do the magic experience justice.  Best way to describe it would be: I came back from the world of angels.

Note: There are four Monarch Butterfly Sanctuaries in Mexico, you can see the list here.  Best time to visit is December to February.