mex1

Downtown Merida

Merida is a large city with a population of one and a half million people. Downtown Merida is full of parks and lots of places to sit and relax. There are sidewalk cafes, shops, street vendors and many historical and cultural buildings.

While in Merida we saw very few American tourists. (We think that they all go to Cancun).

Most of the buildings downtown are very old, (100 years or more). Buildings that need to be repaired must be done in its original style.

On Sundays there is a large handicraft market held in the downtown plazas, (all are within six square blocks). Locals display and sell their handmade crafts. We bought beautifully embroidered clothes for very little money. A child's dress, intricately embroidered, cost 400 pesos, (approximately $4 U.S.)

Watch out! They close the main street to cars on Sundays.

Here's Mitch, Max and their cousin, Robert. Word has it they only ran over one foot.

Here's the Hotel Caribe. We stayed at this hotel a couple of years ago. Looks expensive doesn't it? We stayed in their suite last time, (the two windows on the second floor,) and it cost under $80 U.S. a night.

Beautiful enclosed patios are usually hidden behind very plain, exterior doors. If you're driving down the street, you'd never know they were there.

Having breakfast at our hotel was very nice because the food was good and we were serenaded while we ate.

Tough life; right Mitch?

This is a typical street scene. There's vendors on bikes right along with the traffic.

Another typical street scene. One in town and the other when you leave town.

There's a child's birthday party going on at our hotel! The parents all chatted while the kids swam and played. The kids, (6 and 7 year olds) pushed this play structure across the courtyard to the edge of the pool. (Bet they wouldn't let them do that at a hotel in the U.S.) Mitch and Max had fun joining in.

Our night time transportation was this horse and buggy. 100 of these buggies were brought over from Paris, France about 100 years ago. They are still using the same ones today. A 15 minute ride to our hotel cost $3 U.S.

Just having fun!