Merida, Yucatan Mexico – November 1999

Day of the Dead

Celebrations surrounding the Day of the Dead happen this month in Mexico. November 1st is set aside for honoring adult spirits, and November 2nd for the spirits of children.

It is a festive, carnival-like time in Merida, based on the traditional belief that once a year, the spirits of the dead return home to visit their loved ones. A symbolic altar is prepared in the house, decorated with candles, flowers, sweets and breads, made in the shape of skulls and crossbones, along with some of the favorite things in life of the spirits expected to visit (such as their favourite beer, or for children, a favourite toy.)

The traditional food for the day is mucbil pollo which is a kind of chicken pie, in a corn dough crust, which is buried with hot coals, where it cooks underground.

Modern Mérida was founded in 1542 by Spanish colonists who built their capital over the remains of an ancient (12th century) Mayan city. Since that time, Mérida has been the cultural center of the region.

In fact, recently Merida won the honor of being the “Cultural Capital of the American Continent” for the year 2000 in a competition among cities throughout North, Central, and South America. Here is Merida on the map:

What To Do First

If you arrive by bus, don’t get depressed by the first glimpse you get of Merida. The bus station is in Merida’s least attractive section of town. The streets surrounding the bus station in the south are notorious for prostitution and are not considered safe at night by most locals.

As you exit the bus station doors, downtown is three blocks to the left, then four blocks to the right. If you arrive at night, though, don’t walk; for the reasons stated above, take a taxi downtown, which should cost you about 30 Pesos. Public transportation is inexpensive and reliable in Merida, except in the south side of the city, e.g. near the bus station.

When downtown, the first thing you should do is pick up a copy of the free local magazine called “Yucatan Today.” You can find copies in most hotels and travel agencies, and it’s the most up to date written guide to Merida available in English. You will need the street maps published there asap, because none of the guide books cover enough territory.

Key Attractions

Merida is, as you would guess, culturally rich. It is the home of the American continent’s oldest Cathedral, a variety of classical Spanish (and French!) architecture and urban design, several public and private universities, institutes and museums, and a population of approximately one million people.

The city is probably best known, though, as the point of entry for exploring the ancient Mayan world. Archeological zones such as the the pyramids at Chichén Itzá and Uxmal make popular day trips. Several subterranean rivers (”cenotes”) attract swimmers, scuba-divers, and naturalists. Some of these rivers enter intricate systems of caves which were used by the Maya for performing secret religious ceremonies (see rivers and caves).

National parks and the wild flamingo populations of nearby Celestún are popular day trips as well. Merida fits into the ruins travel circuit quite easily. Two daily buses travel back and forth between Merida and the ruins at Palenque. And for approximately US$20, you can travel by bus from Merida to the Mayan ruins in Belize and Guatemala.

Yucatan’s geography and tropical climate differ from the rest of México, more closely resembling that of Cuba or Florida. Mérida is situated nine meters above sea level. Twenty minutes outside of the city is the 18th century port of Progreso, where the Gulf of Mexico joins the Caribbean Sea. Very inexpensive buses leave Mérida every half-hour for the beach. Unlike heavily trafficked tourist areas such as Cancún, Progreso is a beach community enjoyed almost exclusively by native Yucatecans. The only months of the year that the beach is very busy are July and August, when the tradition here is for everyone to take the month off from work and spend it at the beach.

Nightlife in restaurants and bars along the beach’s “malecon” however, is lively throughout the year. There are even more remote and tranquil beaches than Progresso, such as in the nearby towns of Telchac and Santa Clara.

Eating Out

“Santa Ana” is the downtown neighborhood which leads into Paseo Montejo, the main avenue in the north. This is an excellent area to get very inexpensive traditional Yucatecan foods in outdoor market type restaurants.

Eladios is a very popular pub where beer is expensive, but the food is free. You are served a variety of excellent Yucatecan foods for as long as you continue drinking. There is live music, lively conversation, and lots of fun. There are rarely tourists in Eladios because it’s out of the zocalo zone and because they’re too busy to advertise.

Billy Pizza on Paseo Montejo has really good inexpensive thin crust pizzas with a loud rock-n-roll kind of atmosphere.

Café La Habana on the corner of Calle 62 and Calle 59 is a good place for coffee/expresso and desert, or for something more substantial, and it’s open 24 hours.

Restaurante Leo is maybe the best place for tacos in town.

Las Mil Tortas for “tortas” (Mexican sandwiches), the equivalent to TacoBell here. They may not be the best for your waistline, but they’re delicious and inexpensive.

For something more upscale, the best beef in town can be found at the Argentine, La Cabaña del Gaucho, or for seafood Soberanis. Inexpensive Italian food with quiet, romantic atmosphere: Luigi’s in colonia Itzimná.

Merida Fast facts

The Mexico circuit for independent travellers usually includes a list of places like Mexico City, Oaxaca, Chiapas, Quintana Roo, and often lastly, the tropical, southeastern state of Yucatan, where Merida is the capital city.

Some travellers, though, start in South America and work their way upward, Merida being one of their first major Mexican stops. As a result, whether you’re heading north or south when you reach Merida, you’ll likely find other travellers here who’ve already been where you’re going and will be ready to swap stories with you.

Accommodation

In general, accommodations are relatively expensive in Merida. If you’re coming to Merida from Chiapas or Guatemala, you need to prepare yourself for a slight shock of price increases. Of course, it’s still very inexpensive compared to areas like Cancun, Cozumel, or Isla Mujeres.

Guide books like Lonely Planet and Rough Guide give some idea of the range of accommodations. As usual, there are also great finds that are not in any of the guidebooks for one reason or another, and it’s always best to stay at a place that has been recommended to you first hand by other travellers.

Stop for something cold to drink at the Café Express, just north of the zocalo on Calle 60, and you’ll likely meet other travellers (if you haven’t already) who can give you first hand tips on accommodations.

Also, the free tourist information service provided by the State Office of Tourism, one block north of Café Express on Calle 60, is a good place to investigate because they stock economical flyers from guest houses and hostels too small to do big advertising.

One thing to keep in mind about accommodations is that Merida is a busy city. Fodors suggests that light sleepers check out accommodations north of the zocalo along Paseo Montejo, a beautiful tree-lined avenue that looks like something right out of Paris.

This is good advice for anyone who wants to stay where locals actually enjoy living. Very few Yucatecan people live near the zocalo, and because of their “zocalo complex” many tourists never get to see actual Yucatecan neighborhoods.

Money Transfers

For quick money transfers, your best bet is Western Union. The franchise in Merida is owned by a furniture store called Electra, next to Café Express on Calle 60, just north of the zocalo.

Medical Care In Merida

If you happen to be in Merida when you need medical attention, you’re lucky. The city is a center for physician training, and many local physicians have established relationships / admitting privileges with U.S. hospitals in Miami.

Patients requiring specialized care frequently come to Merida from surrounding states and countries. Centro Medico de las Américas is a first rate hospital, where you can find a specialist in any field. Clinica Merida is also very highly recommended.

The Author

Richard Wright is a Canadian who lives in Merida, where he runs an economical B&B called “Tranquilo“.

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