Not up to much in Merida...

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4/5/09 = A chilled day in Merida


Surprisingly, slept really well on way to Merida; nearly all of the 9hrs. Of course, woke up when the doctors got on to do their swine flu inspection, but then barely blinked as the armed police got on later in the journey…somewhat worryingly, am getting rather used to that now! Arrived at 7:30 and jumped straight into a taxi that charged us 40peso to get to hostel =Nomadas. Great hostel. Free internet, free breakfast, lovely communal courtyard, hammocks to lounge and snooze in…it even had a pool. Awesome and only 105peso. Flaked in a hammock for 5mins, then off for the most important time of day…breakfast. Was right to get excited too. Stacks and stacks of homemade/non-sweet bread ready for toasting, with butter and jam to make it perfect. Yummy. 4 wedgy slices later = full, satisfied and ready to organise next few days. Asked about trip to Chichen Itza = real reason came to visit Merida, but non-surprisingly, ruins were closed due to same old swine flu. Luckily, due to open again on 6th…surely we could stick it out.


Decided on a ‘chilling out’ day since other plans on hold, so got ready and headed into town; really needed some new shoes. Zocalo = much the same as all the others = Cathedral, shops and restaurants. Only difference = astonishing heat. Sweat inducing, limb numbing, breath catching heat. Definitely hottest day so far! Headed straight to a shoe shop a lady at hostel had recommended and hallelujah…several pairs of decent and cheap shoes. Snapped up a pair for just 45peso = £2.50 = bargain. Was only 1pm at this point ,but already had nothing else to do. Only so many Cathedrals and Zocalo’s you can wonder around without getting fed up. Did manage to find an outdoor sculpture gallery that was really cool though. Cool sculptures and positioned in a really clever way, with a beautiful backdrop. Same old problems though…main indoor gallery not open because of flu. Enough already.


Plodded through crazy heat and headed towards fruit market, drinking at least another 2 drinks on way…it’s so hot! Even the breeze was hot. The market was an experience. Hundreds of stalls crammed into a small space, all randomly set out randomly allocated, with tons of people bustling between them. Found fruit section easy enough and got over-excited by cheapness. Got the usual mosquito repellers (or not) = bananas, a melon (50p), a mango to try (bargain at 10p) and an orange fruit with black seeds in it…no idea what it was, but only 20p to try something new. Plodded back to hostel then, bikinis on and out to the pool…still mega hot.


The hostel pool was really cool (no rhyme intended). Quite shallow, with hammocks draped over it. Dunked in water, lotion on and read book for ages. Brilliant place to lay. Lasted a few hours, then changed and off for food at 6ish. Tried a nice place up road and got some tasty stuffed quesadillas with the usual nachos starter - brilliant that they always give you free nachos out here. Dwindled away some time on the internet after that, then back home for fruit and yoghurt desert. Was here that discovered the orange fruit with black pips = papaya…and am really not a fan! Tasted like coffee to me. Mango on the other hand = a big success…defo eat them in the future!


Chatted, then off to boiling hot bed. Merida must always be a hot place, each bed had it’s own giant fan. Fan on and off I went…

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Photos

A tribute to a friend
Here's to...erm...Michelle.