Merida Trip Report, Day 3
Sunday we'd all agreed would be our most laid-back day, where we'd hang out, walk around the plazas, and generally just enjoy the Merida Sunday scene. C, P and N went to an early mass in one of the old churches, and we all met up afterward for breakfast. The previous day, we'd eaten at a little cafe just across the street from our hotel. Today, I wanted to try out a breakfast buffet I'd seen a few blocks away. There was nothing touristy about it, and judging from the families, it was geared toward locals. The buffet was a mix of Mexican and Yucatecan food: some nice fruits like papayas and melons, lots of breads, flan and bread pudding, eggs with some type of spinach, and lots of meats.
I got some pastries and fruit, then contented myself with meat, lots and lots of meat, big heaping plates full, scooped into the tortillas we were provided, then wrapped up with eggs. I ate way too much.
Afterward, we all walked around to take in some of the Sunday sights. Sunday, in Merida, is a time of family relaxation and enjoyment out in the streets. Surprisingly, things didn't seem to start too early, unusual for such a tropical locale, but this may have been because the Meridians went to church first. By late morning, things had picked up. In one of the smaller plazas was salsa music and dancing, as well as folks selling their wares, from antiques to coin dealers. In the biggest plaza, the entire square was taken up with vendors of all sorts.
Very quickly, I got separated from the rest of the crowd, and just made my own way around. It didn't take me long to look through most of the vendors, who were selling mainly touristy trinkets and shirts. Somehow, however, I saw a door open in the square that I hadn't noticed before, and walked in to what turned out to be a modern art museum. It was quiet, and chill, almost completely devoid of people except for the few curators who directed me from one exhibit to the next. I wish I'd taken pictures, but all I got were a couple of outdoor sculptures. I could see how living in Merida would present itself with a limitless art and cultural opportunities. Yes, the city had its fair share of old architecture and art, but it WAS a university city, and with that came a fare share of contemporary and modern art as well.
Probably barely noon, and I was already hot and sweating, so I went back to the hotel for a quick break, then went back out again early in the afternoon. Once again, since I was by myself, I felt nothing constraining me and started making my way out of the centro district. As I walked the sidewalks became more narrow, the businesses and walkers more local, the streets hotter. Packed into every crevice imaginable were flea markets and fruit markets, stores of every kind. Though the higher end clothing stores were closed on this Sunday, the lower end markets were teeming, with soccer shirts, beauty projects, toys, everything imaginable. I walked through a three level department store that looked like a smaller version of K-mart, and just kept walking.
By this time I was soaked, but kept walking--hey, the locals were sweating in this 100-plus degree heat. I hoped to find something interest to buy and take back home, but alas, Mexican flea markets don't seem to be any better than their U.S. counterparts. Still, it was fun watching people navigate through the crowds. Unlike some cities I'd visited (Paris, notably), I didn't feel in danger of theft or other crime.
The folks, as a whole, were gentle, easy going, and apparently had a live and let live attitude.
As fun as things were, however, I could only take so much before the heat did me in, and by about 4:00, I went back to the hotel, changed, and went to the courtyard pool. I stayed out in the pool for more than two hours, eventually catching up with D and C, and P and N, all of whom came out at different times to themselves cool off.
As the evening wore on, P and N decided to have a date night and go out to eat alone. D and C came with me. We ate at La Belle Epoque or something like that, finally something a little less touristy than the previous two nights' fare--though this restaurant was also located on a major square. The waiters didn't speak English, so D and C had a little more trouble with the menu, but ordered what looked like it described a meat plate, while I tried a meal of garlic bread, Sopa Limon (basically a tortilla chicken soup with lime) and a club sandwich. Mine was good, but D and C didn't like theirs too much.
Afterward, we went out looking for dessert; Don got a frozen treat from the convenience store, and I got an oversized ice cream cone from a vendor. Mine was great, but without preservatives (and in the heat), I had to eat quickly to keep it from turning to mush. We walked around looking at the market until the sun went down.
We walked back to the hotel, and made our plans for leaving early in the morning.
Labels: Merida
posted by Wesley Deaton @ 6:47 PM
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