Merida here we come

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Leaving Hato Cedral, I really loved it here but looking forward to getting away from the intense heat and mosquitos....

Juan from Aventura who is our guide in Merida over the next 3 days picks us up and literally 7 hours of talking the ear off the guy we arrive at our destination.

We passed some really beautiful villages on the way into the mountain region and at a few stages we got out and the change in temperature is dramatic - its freezing!

A taste of the guide to be discovered - His mobile phone starts ringing, he stops the car in a tiny village on what appears to us to be a pretty sheer slope - puts on the hand brake - jumps out of the car and climbs up onto the roof of the car - we three are sitting there looking at eachother contemplating who would be best capable to drive the car in the likely event of "your man" falling off... When he returns there is an uneasy silence until Ida says in her super accent - its rather strange here - its the first time I have ever seen someone get on the roof of the car to catch a wave for their mobile phone - is it like this all the time in Venezuela? - to which we all explode with laughter..... Of course every person we see now atop a vehicle is practicing the national sport of catching a wave for their mobile phone.

We stay in the most gorgeous hotel - reminds me a bit of the "Pomme Canelle" in Paris for those of you who know it - very art nouveau - original style - with gorgeous rooms all different with little court yard areas looking out to rooms with balconies and stairs covered with tropical plants and lillies - the sound of water from the oasis in the background.... Compared to the basic accomodation in Hato Cedral we feel like we've arrived in the lap of luxury.... Oh the joys of a big shower room and crisp, clean white bed spreads. Its really on of the most charming places I've been in - a little jewel in the city of Merida - Casa Sol -

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