Ahhhh...rest. Tired feet were complaining, and I know I did the right thing by booking this hotel so close to the historical centre. It would've been a difficulty or expense for us I think to work in a little walkabout after resting if we had been booked at the Fiesta Americana or Hyatt further north. But a walking tour was what I intended for the late p.m., so we just flipped channels on the tv whilst lying in bed until we felt our legs stop aching. We still had taken our lunch relatively recently, so when we decided to get up from bed and continue the adventure we weren't really hungry. I grabbed my ever-present black bag of maps, guides and things and we took off out of our hotel. Time to explore the great zocalo! We had seen it only once--and that was by accident--when we took a ride on a calesa the night before. It was just around the corner from the entrance to our hotel...or so I thought. It can take a while to walk some of these city blocks. The sidewalks are not as wide as those in downtown Dallas and there is no grassy "shoulder" between the walk and the street. In other words, be a little extra cautious and try not to bump into peeps as you go so you don't end up falling in front of an oncoming bus. When we get katty-corner to the zocalo, I paused to take a couple snaps of the cathedral. It may not be as detailed and covered from steeple to church doors with saints, angels, and stained glass, but it was still impressive due to its size (couldn't fit it all into one pic) and history. Walking across the street, towards it I intended to explore the entire interior of the edifice and use up my roll of film, but as I approached an open side door I found out quickly that a Monday afternoon service was taking place. I didn't want to disturb any worshippers, so we aimed for the street to find an opening to cross to the main square. I intended to return some other time to snap some pics and explore. I know we stand out like sore thumbs as tourists...no one else I know wears my kokopeli t-shirt and T is def. not from the same continent. So here comes a dude handing out business cards on the walk in front of the cathedral. In Spanish, he explains that there are some great items for sale at a fantastic price at a nearby store! Just take this card and walk on over there and take a look around! OMG, yesssss!!!!!!! yeah, right. However, I took the card in hopes that would satisfy the man and he would leave us alone. Unfortunately T and I started walking in a different direction so he stopped us and tried to lead us towards the shop he was pitching. Turns out the shop is in an alley running down the side of the cathedral, away from the street. It's a wide alley and is reserved for pedestrians...I didn't have any problems about safety due to the numbers of peeps walking there. After escorting us to the shop entrance, he gave a little wave to a fellow inside and returned to his spot on the walk. T and I glanced around...there is a little of everything here, but our immediate interest was in shirts and Mayan dresses. Mainly for our kids, but also as gifts. T and I at that time had no interest in purchasing clothes for ourselves, as we had several days to go in our holiday and I didn't want to lug too much around before we even got to Campeche the next day. The guy behind the counter was all business and while he didn't speak English well, I got most of his Spanish. Basically, instead of leaving us alone and looking around at our own pace he kept pointing things out to us in shelves, on the walls, folded here, hanging there...of course, eventually he would point out something that T and/or I would like to inspect more closely. Such as little Mayan outfits for girls. Very quickly, the man pulled one out of a plastic bag and unfolded it for T to look at. "You like? You like the color? Too small? Too big?" He's trying to make a sale, but T and I aren't ready to buy anything. We just weren't. We just wanted to explore the shop. Meanwhile, the man pulls out at least two other dresses out of bags and tries to work out prices for them. Uh-uh. He kept talking down the price for the shirts and finally we told him we just weren't interested. The man threw up his hands in exasperation and immediately started stuffing shirts and dresses back into bags showing no more interest in us. Fine by me! So we walked back out into the alley and back to the street running next to the zocalo. The guy who handed us the business card left us alone, so we crossed the street (very busy street...use the crosswalk) without any more hassles. The great zocalo is lined with many tall trees and has walks to the center of it with several benches which were all occupied. We were attracting lots of stares, as we obviously weren't from around there. The very center of the plaza...well, this is what happens when I drag on a TR (I forgot)...has a flagpole with the Mexican flag flying. Despite the trees, T and I were feeling the heat as the sun was still up. Looking around we did spot a few street vendors, but T wanted some ice cream. As it happens, across the street from the northwest corner of the plaza was a heladería. Ice cream, here we come! Dodging traffic once again, we walked into the shop and gandered at the offerings. Mostly sherberts, shakes, smoothies, ice cream and other assorted treats. T settled on a coconut ice cream (I think) and I think I wound up ordering a mango shake. We were told by the guy at the register to find ourselves a seat, and he would take care of our order. T and I went back outside and found ourselves a little table and chairs just under the covered walkway adjacent to the street so we could people-watch. It was apparent that this kind of activity goes both ways. Before long, a little Mayan girl carrying all kinds of curios came up and attempted to sell one of her purses and bracelets, but we declined. Soon after, however, she and two other Mayan princesses congregated on the other side of the pillar our table was adjacent to, apparently discussing who was going to try next and when they would attack (lol). Meanwhile, a waiter appeared at our table with a tray. Two dishes of mango ice cream were served. T and I glanced at each other, puzzled. I told the waiter (in Spanish...gosh I'm good) that the order was wrong and that she wanted a coconut ice cream and I had ordered a mango shake/smoothie. He apologized, taking back the dishes and he walked back into the heladeria telling the cashier to get the orders straight next time. After a short wait afterwards, we were served what we ordered. Other than a little old lady passing by with a sign asking for donations to a local charity, we were left alone...but we knew those little girls were going to try again. Sure enough, right after the waiter took away our dishes another Mayan girl approached us and gave it a shot. Another "no". As we got up to leave, the third little girl (and she was the smallest and youngest of all) walked up and tried to convince us into a sale. "No" again. T and I were both amused and irritated...I guess we can't be upset with kids like we used to like before we got three of our own. We wanted to window shop, and since we knew we weren't going to spend a whole lot of time in that exact part of town later in the trip, I took T across the street to the block opposite the west side of the zocalo. Lots of traffic! We turned south, following the street running on the west side of the plaza. Bleachers were being set up on either side of the road running by the great plaza...I guess some kind of parade or ceremony was being planned for later. The grand building on that block was the governor's palace, and had two serious-looking guards studying us and others walking by...so we didn't spend any time there to gander at this old edifice. We kept walking, not paying much attention to vendors calling us into their shops. Crossing the next street south was a bit of an adventure, as T had to hurry...but couldn't. We barely made it across and our progress was being followed by a female traffic cop. She apparently was "in charge" of that particular intersection and at times would use her whistle to override the what the traffic lights were signaling. T was getting tired again. All that walking up and down stairs on the Ruta Puuc earlier had worn us out not to mention the "walk around the block" just now really was taking a toll on T. We conferred a bit about what to do. It looked like anything south of the zocalo was now out of the question and I made sure T knew we probably were not coming back that way again later. But she wanted to go back, so as I gave in the traffic cop walked up to us and asked if we needed any help. Turns out she was actually one of the specially-trained "policia turistica" of the Yucatecan Police Department assigned to the downtown area to look out for gringo's like us. Since T and I had already decided to turn back to our hotel, there really wasn't much this lady could do for us...except... First I tried it in Spanish, but la policia did not understand what I was trying to say. Then I asked her if she understood any English, but she did not. I was trying to see is she was aware of a shop featured in my Frommer guide called "Minaturas". This shop in Merida was supposed to feature among other things miniatures of famous people in politics, culture, and history and was an art in many parts of Mexico. I believed this was sort of on our way back to the hotel and was hoping we could swing by. T didn't think it was worth our time to even ask, and la policia could only shrug her shoulders and suggest some interesting shops two blocks north, which was on our way anyways. We thanked the cop and crossed the street to start back to the hotel. Instead of retracing our steps, I led T across the street bordering the north side of the zocalo and headed due north past the heladeria we had patronized a few minutes earlier. T was asking where we were, and I assured her we were just taking another way "home" and it was essentially the same distance to get there. More shops, cash exchange outposts, etc., and we didn't stop but once to quickly glance into a place selling shirts...nope, nothing new...and headed onward. The next street to the north I intended to turn right and head east and get to the hotel in another block. I took note that there was a cafe advertising breakfasts at this intersection and told T we would visit there the following a.m., since she had been dissatisfied with the morning meal at the Main Street restaurant. Going east from here, we noticed a number of interesting shops and restaurants and I intended to return to that particular area whenever we returned from the Campeche leg of our trip. On this street I spotted the "Pancho's" restaurant, which did not at all resemble the fast food cafeterias we recall so well back in the States. It basically is a restaurant named after Pancho Villa, and his likeness appears here and there on the wall, etc. We never patronized this place, but I think I would only to satisfy my curiousity if ever I get the opportunity to return to Merida. Darkness was falling, and we decided we should get our evening meal and hit the sack early so we would be in good shape for the trip to Campeche the next a.m. I remembered the flambe we had observed the previous evening at the Main St restaurant, and wanted to return there in part to order the same thing. So, we went to that restaurant and got a table. Here, see, I forgot what we ordered but with 100% certainty I ordered an authentic local dish. I do remember that I noticed xtabentun was on the menu and decided to try it. Xtabentun is a local liqueur that has Mayan origins. I had read about it in my research for tours, and was one of the featured products of a local distillery we were going to explore as the last day tour of our holiday: "Tasting and Gastronomy Tour". The liqueur is essentially made from honey. When I got the large shot glass with the golden liquid, T was curious and wanted a taste. I had a go first, however (hehehe). I have to say it is the most unusual liqueur I have tasted to date. Not to say I am some expert on distilled beverages, but I never had tasted anything like this. It tastes like...liquid licorice. And the funny thing is it acts and looks like any other "liquid" drink, but my impression was once it is in your mouth it felt a little "thicker"...almost like honey. Amazing stuff *yum* I decided right away that we would take back at least one bottle of xtabentun when we packed for our flight home the next weekend. T and I skipped desert, so I didn't get to see a flambe or Mayan coffee or whatever we were hoping for earlier. We just wanted to hit the sack. Once we paid the bill we shuffled just a few feet to the hotel entrance and headed to our room. The next day would be our adventure to Campeche.
BRAVO! :claphappy: BRAVO! :claphappy: BRAVO! :claphappy: Thank you, Michael, for taking the time to post such a wonderful report!
Great reports, Michael. Sounds like you had a wonderful experience. I've been "away" for a while so I didn't even know you were planning a great trip like that.... bravo!! Dave :daveandmo:
Don't worry, Dave. The time it's taking to write the whole thing out, it'll be all finished by next year. :lol: Have you taken a look through parts I - IV? It was a great experience, and I would do it all over again with the caveat that I would have saved an extra week to do everything in the area in depth. Thanx to the hijacking queens for their support...now I gotta start on Part VI!
Gracias Michael !!!!! Your report is fantastic and so detail oriented. :lol: My kind of report ! Waiting for more....por favor !
