Images of Yucatán 1: Islas Mujeres Revisited Post Hurricane Gilberto

Images of Yucatán 2: The Shanty Hole Boxes of Holbox

Images of Yucatán 3: Beachcombing for the Origins

Images of Yucatán 4: Swimming with Whale Sharks

Images of Yucatán 5: Onward to Mérida (a.k.a. Ti'ho)

Images of Yucatán 6: Moldy Architextures of the Off-White City 

We had planned to stay on Holbox and chill for the rest of the time, but we were itching for some decent food and true Mexican culture (instead of itching for mosquitoes). What better place to go than Mérida. Same drill, woke up early, this time we had to buy a cheap alarm to wake us up before it was even light out. Caught the first 5:30 ferry. Switched to the bus that was supposedly primera clase but that stopped for everyone. The 4 hour trip took 7 horas, etc. At least the air conditioning wasn't working. It rained pretty much the whole way anyway (the side-effects of tropical depression Chris, we were told). We got to Mérida in a downpour, in time for a late lunch and then it cleared up. 

center of Mérida Zócalo

pigeon boy with balloons

Jess actually got a picture of this kid in the act of catching a pigeon. What he was planning on doing with it is unknown.

always some sort of festivities

young passing the old

Jess captured this one. She put more pictures on her site. She also caught this next one.

carts queued in el mercado 

Mérida mercado 

fish market (shark on the right)

the Guayabera district

Guayaberas were the hot ticket. As were hammocks and Panama hats. 

 

licores

We got hooked on this Mayan liquor called Xtabentun while we were there. Tastes like a Mexican Sambuca (though they called it Anis with honey). We brought a bottle back, as well as some Gusano Rojo Mezcal.

Mezcal (note worm) and Xtabentun

We also sampled some interesting foods. The most memorable thing I had was relleno negro (at a restaurant called Los Alemendros). I didn't snap a picture of it, but it looked more or less like this-- a cauldron of tarry black sludge, not unlike mole, but that tasted like fire, not as in flames, but as in the clayey ashes of a campfire. The base of it was made from some sort of ancho chile that was burned to hell. And then a bunch of stuff like turkey, a hard-boiled egg and some sort of processed mystery meat pâté were added. A true witches broth. We also had lime soup at a few different places that was to die for. We also got some fresh fruits including this one I had never tried before.

dissected pitaya, or dragon fruit

It didn't taste as exotic as it looked, kind of like a bland kiwi. 

Méridian Maidens

caballo

the main church at night

Mérida really livened up at night, and there were all sorts of bands playing and people crowding the plaza and dancing along calle 60. Though we were saddened to discover that the exotic bird sounds you hear in the main plaza were piped in, a la Disney jungle cruise. 

more pigeons, plazas and churches

bicycle, nun, girl in pink dress

 

ONWARD TO MOLDY ARCHITEXTURES OF THE OFF-WHITE CITY

 

(c) 2006 Derek White and Jessica Fanzo. Photos cannot be reproduced or published elsewhere without permission. Just ask.