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