Michel Piessel, RIP

Today brought sad news that Michel Piessel, explorer, world traveler, and author of many books including The Lost World of Quintana Roo had passed away in October. He was 74. A long obituary can be found in The Telegraph. And there's one that doesn't mention Quintana Roo in the New York Times.

I find this particularly sad. I have written here often about his book. Here, here, and in my soon to be released novel, Tulum. He made that deep an impression on me. I have often walked in his footsteps on the beach from Bahia Soliman toward Tulum and thought about his trek. And I talked with my friend, Andy, about inviting Piessel to Bahia Soliman to see what had happened to the coast of Quintana Roo and Tulum in the half century since he walked our beach. I couldn't find a decent email address to make the invitation; I got distracted by other things. Andy reminded me to reach out; I still didn't find an address. And now this. Too late for his visit.

I've thought many times that the road in Bahia Soliman that runs behind the houses and parallel to the beach should be renamed for him. That seems to me to be a fitting tribute.