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Published: April 25th 2010
Mexican Bar
Doesn't get much more local than this joint... check out the cowboy boots in the doorway!We finally arrived in Merida after our epic journey from Melbourne at 2pm. We had pre-booked accommodation which turned out to be one of the best yet. Set a few blocks from the town square, our detached apartment was in the grounds of a town house and to reach our room we had to walk through their lovely home and garden. The grounds were lovely and a small swimming pool was a great bonus as well as the hammock in our room. Ana, the owner, was informative and with breakfast included we were set up for our days of sightseeing around the area.
Our first evening we hit the town and during our walk we had many people stop to talk to us. One older gentleman spoke to us for a while, during which time we were waiting for the hard sell of something... but 10 minutes later we knew the best places to see, which shops to avoid and that a Mexican dance was happening later in the town square, and no hard sell! We were starting to love this place after only a few hours.
Following dinner and a cocktail (obviously a Margarita) we headed for the
square to see what was happening. A band was playing Mexican music and the whole square was filled with people dancing. After tapping our toes for a while we hit the dance floor with our poor attempt of Mexican dancing, much to the amusement of the locals!
On our first morning we took advantage of a free sightseeing walk through the city centre. The guide was excellent and we learnt plenty of the history between the Mayan people and the Spanish conquistadors. Merida is the location of the first Spanish/Mayan inter-marrying and therefore the birthplace of Mexicans as we know them. Merida is a beautiful city and we amused ourselves visiting the sights, the local market, and enjoying our first taste of Mexican food.
We also met two Aussie and New Zealand travellers, Chris and John, on the walking tour who were looking at doing the same Mayan ruins as us which are only a few kilometres out of Merida. A plan was hatched to hire a car and travel at our own pace seeing more than the regular tours could offer and for a better price. Dinner and drinks followed that evening and we found a lovely
bar with 2 for 1 drinks from 6pm till 8pm... including Margaritas! As a result, our original 8am meet was wisely put back after taking advantage of their great offer!
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SONIA
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HERE IN MERIDA TO STAY
I arrives on April 30, 2010 after a 6 and a half day journey by car from Pennsylvania, USA. YES I drove and all by myself, It was an adventure that took me three and a half days from the border. I drove 12 to 14 hours per day. I stayed in Tampico the first night, Veracruz night two, and Campeche night three. I paid an average of 65.00 US per night. I stayed at better lodgings with secure interior parking because my car was packed with all my belongings. I felt safe most of the time. There were a few stretches of road that were very solitary and had I known I would have traveled different hours but overall I enjoyed the scenery and especially the time driving through the small villages, I have rented a house for the month and I have already found a much cheaper house with three bedrooms for 300.00 US that I will rent for 6 months until I figure out where and what to buy. I love it here so far. The food is great so many choices. The town has so much to offer free music and dancing in the plaza, free movies, free cultural events, folkloric dancers etc, . The buildings the atmosphere and the people are electric. I've been to Progresso the beach it is beautiful. I plan to go to the ruins in a couple of weeks when my husband joins me. I have already adopted a liitle girl from the local dog shelter http://www.evolucionanimal.tk/ The lovely Maya woman Silvia who runs the shelter currently has 143 dogs. She lives on the property with the dogs lovingly caring for each and everyone. She knows each dogs story, she knows their personality and of course each and everyones name. The shelter runs strictly on donations. If you are inclined to visit please do so. She is very welcoming and if you want to volunteer she always needs help bathing the dogs, I was there last Sunday and helped her bathe about 40 dogs. Money goes further here although you can spend alot too. It's all a matter of how you want to do things. So far I spend a few dollars a day on my brakfast and lunch. I will usually make my own breakfast early in the am. Coffee toast oatmeal or the like at about 10 am, I go out and have more coffee some delicious natural fruit drink and some local food like tamales with pupmkin seed sauce very yummy. The cost of that acout 4.00 US. Later in the afternoon I may stop in for a cocktail and snacks Tapas like eggplant dip, empanadas made with a spinich like filling, and a black olive dip served with a cruchy bread that is covered with sesame seeds that you smash to pieces and enjoy the dips. 'Cost of the Teuila and lime juice drink with the three Tapas 110 pesos about 9.00 US. Dinner at the more expensive and trendy places still less than in the states. Merida so far for me alot of fun, a great place to visit or live you'll fall in love just like I have.