Merida

Kim, Arturo and I took a little side trip to Merida Sunday the 1st. It was big fun. I had not been in 11 years and let me tell you, things have changed a lot and a little since then.

We made a reservation a day ahead at the Hotel Santa Lucia - $350 per night each room. Good central location and it's nice to have a destination in mind. We left Cancun taking the free road at around 10:30am give or take. I like the free road in that you drive through a lot of little towns - but that also means more topes, more speed reductions and more time driving. In many places there was still a lot of water from Wilma, casitas half submerged and on most buildings you could see where the flood waters reached the sides of the buildings. Amazing to see. We got into Merida maybe around 3 or so, and easily found our hotel. Centro has not changed. I love it. I love the way the buildings are right on the sidewalk - and how everything is so narrow and looks so old. Time has progressed obviously with so many internet cafes around, but other than that, at first look, it all seemed the same. I like that.

I had a near siting - I am going to be cryptic so don't ask for an explanation - of a look-alike so look-alikey it was almost frightening. I wonder if someone was trying to tell me something.

Anyway, after settling into our rooms (their bathroom stunk from the sewer - not pleasant. Mine was fine but that's how those old hotels are), we set out on foot to find a place to get some food. We went to the Main Plaza - Plaza del Armes I guess, surrounded by the Palacio de Gobierno and the Catedral de San Idelfonso - the oldest cathedral on the American continent.
We grubbed (finally got my bottle of Pino Negra!) on some comida yucateca - panuche, tamal, cochinita pibil, pollo pibil and my all time favorite, papadzules. We then walked around the area and people- and building- watched. A TON of tourists there, I was surprised, not having remembered so many from way back when. It's a good thing - glad to see that Americans come to Mexico to actually see some culture and history instead of swilling down cheap booze at Señor Frogs.

We spent that first evening listening to music in front of Parque Hidalgo (I am pretty sure that was the one, I could be wrong. Kim?) and having a couple of beers watching the people go by.

The next morning we agreed to check out of the Hotel Sta Lucia and find something else. The smell was just too much. We had breakfast at the Cafe Habana around the corner (awesome coffee) and then checked out some hotels. We landed on the Hotel Reforma on Calle 59 - a bit closer than the Sta Lucia but not really by much. The building had some great character and was old - very charming. The rooms, well, at least Kim and Arturo's didn't smell! Mine was okay, twin beds, big hole in the ceiling, but a room is a room as far as I know. Plus the parking was much closer and I think that made everyone feel better.

We checked out the Macay Museum - spent some time in there. It was beautiful, and huge, and free (amazing). After a few hours in there we set off for the mercado. I had been there years ago, and I knew that they had recently built another building for it, so I wasn't sure what we would see. The walk there got busier and busier with less tourists, fine by me, and finally we found it. It has changed in that the original one was emptier, so we crossed over to the newer one and checked it out. Not as much charm but the same stuff.
All the concrete-ness of it all was sort of sad to me, but business is business and they are not catering to the memories and whims of some chick from Oregon.

Later we went to the governer's palace with its huge murals and paintings depicting some of the history of Merida and the Yucatan. We spent some time in the cathedral as well, it is an absolutely breathtaking structure. I am having a hard time uploading the picture so I'll do it on another post.

Grabbed some dinner (crepas chaya) at a Vegetarian joint across from Hotel Reforma, then we went back to the hotel and chilled for a little while. After a couple beers, we headed back to the Main Plaza and watched a Yucatecan dance show. Very fun. Picures of that in the next post too. By then it was 10pm so we went back to the hotel, had some beers in Kim and Arturo's room and then hit the sack around 11 or so.

Time for a break. I will continue with more pics and Tuesday's activities in the next post.