Merida, Mexico

Merida, capital of the Yucatan, is our new home for the next month. The Yucatan has a different "flavor" than the rest of the Mexico, influenced by Mayan culture and the conquering Spaniards. Merida, founded in 1542 by the Spaniard Francisco de Montejo,

today is a cosmopolitan city of over a million residents.

The Palacio de Gobierno (the Governor's Palace) built in 1892, all decked out for Mexican Independence Day on 16 de septiembre.

Merida has several plazas where live, free entertainment is offered practically every night of the week. On Saturday evenings in the Plaza Grande, traditional dancers in Yucatan dress perform the jarana, which means "noise and loud fun of the common people"

The Anthropology and History Museum built in 1909 and once the residence of Governors of the Yucatan, is a magnificent example of Colonial architecture.


Shopping in Merida can be quite of trial. We decided that a good marketing slogan might be
"If you can find it, we'll sell it to you!"

Although we needed new flip flops, we just didn't have the energy
to sort through this pile for a matching pair!


Grocery shopping however, can be an orderly endeavor. As long as Ben is armed with a cup of coffee, he is game for anything!

Across the street from our house is "Tendejon David." Here we can find soda, bottled water, aspirin and chips - the essentials of life!


We ate at a gourmet restaurant overlooking the Monumento a La Patria. This sculpture represents the history of Mexico and is rich with Mayan symbolism. It was carved out of quarry block and took the sculptor Romulo Rozo, twelve years to complete.

The neighborhood eatery on the other hand, has a view of our street complete with laundry.

On a typical Mexican street, you never know what's behind a door. Although we must confess, we were somewhat relieved when our rental agent unlocked the door to the red casa!

Inside, the entire home has been renovated while keeping the integrity of the classic Colonial architecture. The tiled floors are all original and the 20 foot high beamed ceilings help keep the room cool.

Thankfully, the kitchen has been modernized!

The courtyard is a wonderful haven and the pool an added bonus with daily temperatures in the upper 90's.

Here we are pictured on the Paseo de Montejo, considered the "Champs Elysees" of Merida, an elegant tree-lined boulevard.

The Yucatan is famous for its Mayan ruins, beaches, colonial cities, caves and cenotes and we have gone, seen and conquered several...stay tuned.