Blogs from Merida, Yucatán, Mexico, North America - page 2

We have been told that it is best to arrive at Chichen Itza early to avoid the crowds and the heat. Our driver Alberto picks us up at 7 and we are at Chichen Itza by 8.30. There is hardly anyone here we buy our tickets. Our guide, Omar, checks that we have both tickets. In fact you need to buy a ticket at each window and then give one ticket to one ticket collector and the other to the other ticket collector (follow?). Chichen Itza is the archeological site in Mexico. Catherine is relieved because you can’t climb anything and the site is close to sea level also there are no tunnels. As we arrive the souvenir sellers are setting up. It must take them hours carefully laying out everything. I’m thinking 2 hour set ... read more

Today is earmarked for exploring Mérida (it looks as if it will take all of 5 minutes) and sussing out where everything is for exploring the region over the next few days. We get up quite late (around 9am) and go out for breakfast. We both have fried eggs on a bed of fried potatoes, mushrooms and peppers with grated cheese. It’s really yummy. Then we set off to explore. When the Spanish conquered the Mayan town on this site, they found a settlement of lime-mortared stone structures that reminded them of the Roman town of Mérida in Spain, so this place was named after it. We walk down Calle 60 which is supposed to be the street where everything is happening. Actually there is not much happening but it does take us to the main ... read more

Mon 5-Tues 6 November - Day 10 to 11 - Mérida We were now off to Merida after a full day on bus from Palenque to Merida. After a short walk to the bus terminal after breakfast at Palenque, we boarded a first class bus and the journey took the whole day. It was very comfortable. Capital of the Yucatan province, the 'white city' of Mérida is a pleasant mixture of colonial buildings, churches and plazas. There were several wide French-style avenues, particularly Calle 60. This was lined with beautiful old buildings, some run down and some beautifully restored. The markets simply overflow with beautiful weavings, hammocks and batiks, making this a great place to buy handmade crafts and souvenirs if one wanted to. At night the city comes alive with live theatre and concerts. On ... read more

From Bacalar to Mérida, it was a 5 hour bus ride, but the bus was comfortable and I enjoyed the ride. I arrived to Mérida at 7PM and walked about 20 minutes to my hostel (Nomadas Hostel). On the way, I say the main square and the city looked very nice. After the check-in, I went back to the main square (5 min walk) and had dinner in a small restaurant. They had exactly what I needed : a good chicken soup with rice. Perfect! :-) Since I had been feeling better since midday, I went from the restaurant to the main square where a lot was going on. There were people playing drums, dancing typical dances and there was a show of ancient Maya ball play. There I met a few very nice Mexicans : ... read more

1.5. Wir essen Frühstück in einem bunten Café mit esoterisch-hinduistischen Wandbehängen und einem Rasta-Mann, der in einer Ecke Didgeridoo spielt. Die scharfe Sauce und die 34°, die bereits um 9Uhr herrschen, treiben uns den Schweiss aus allen Poren. Im DiveMex haben sie leider schlechte Neuigkeiten, der Hafen ist auch heute noch und voraussichtlich auch morgen geschlossen. Wir beschliessen weiter zu reisen und besorgen Bustickets nach Valladolid. Dort beziehen wir Quartier in einem schönen Kolonialstil-Hotel und machen uns gleich auf einen Spaziergang. Wir schlendern durch enge Gassen mit pastell- und erdfarbenen Fassaden, vorbei an offenstehenden Türen, die Einblick geben mal in vollgestopfte Läden, mal in gekachelte Stuben, wo die ganze Sippe auf Plastikstühlen rund um einen plärrenden Fernseher versammelt ist, mal in schattige Hinterhöfe. Auf den Strassen sehen wir überall VW-... read more