This morning Bindi and I headed in to Merida on the AutoProgreso. She had a couple places to go to and I tagged along because I wanted to go to Costco, one of her destinations.
The first place she wanted to hit was a jewellery store to see about having some jewellery repaired. The address said C49 X 42 y 44. She said we would get off the bus at 49 and walk from there. The rest of the address didn't say Centro and I wasn't too sure about getting off the bus along C60 but, like Sr B, Bindi seems to have an innate ability to get to wherever she's going, so I didn't question her.
We get off the bus and start walking, hitting a dead end of sorts at about C38. The dead end was a train yard. So around the train yard we went and continued. When we arrived between 42 and 44, we couldn't find a jewellery store. We're standing on the corner inspecting Bindi's city map, trying to figure out where we're supposed to be. A lady on the other side of the street walked past and then turned around to offer assitance. I am always amazed at how helpful the people here are.
Anyways, it turns out that my suspicion was right. Villas la Hacienda is it's own area, separate from Centro and we were a long way from it. I can hear my Merida readers laughing.
So we go back a couple blocks to where we'd seen a taxi parked beside a tienda. We asked the lady there if it was for hire. She checked and came back with a no. The driver was sleeping. We sat down at the little table on the sidewalk to try to figure out what we were going to do...take a bus/combi somewhere or walk until we found a cab.
A young man whom I'd put in his late 20's, came over to help us. Have I mentioned how helpful the people here are? He apologized for his bad English which wasn't as bad as he thought it was. Bindi decided she would try to find the jewellery store another day and that we would just go to Costco. We asked if there were many cabs in the area. He said no and offered to drive us there. He looked hesitant when he offered. I'm guessing that he thought we would be afraid. But Bindi and I both got a good vibe from him so we agreed. We settled on a price and off we went.
Raul said he learned to speak English by watching movies. Really? Wow! After my experience with the movie the other night, and finding out that he learned from movies, I'm sold on the idea. I might have to go buy me some movies with subtitles from the street vendors. We had a good chit chat with him. He got to practice his English and I, my Spanish.
He asked us how we came to be at his house. I think what he was really asking was, "What on earth were you two middle-aged white ladies doing way out here?" LOL The looks we got as we were walking said the same thing.
Raul dropped us off at Costco and just as he was driving off the lot, I realized that I'd left my insulated shopping bag in his van. Darn it! Oh well. I'll call it an extra tip. It's a great bag and I know that whoever gets it will love it.
Thankfully the rest of our day was without incidence.
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You always have to check the colonia or fraccionamientos on an address because street names repeat in the suburbs and sub-divisions. It can get very confusing, especially if the street changes names or has several.
ReplyDeleteVillas Haciendas is off Prolongación de Paseo Montejo. Where the 7/11 is south of Home Depot. The cross street is Camera Comercio.
It sounds like it all turned out well and you had an adventure. I like your attitude.
regards,
Theresa
Thanks, Theresa. I was pretty sure that Villas la H was its own colonia or Frac, but Bindi couldn't find it on her map so she thought perhaps it was the name of a shopping area and that it was in Centro.
ReplyDeleteAll's well that ends well. The big joke for the rest of the day was about the cute young guy we picked up...lol.
Every time I go to Merida, (I'm live in Austin but have a house there) I always buy a new map of Merida at Sanborn's there on the corner of Paseo Montejo down from Starbucks. Generally, you can get an updated one once a year and you're okay with all the new Fracs they are adding constantly. Fortunately the colonias are older than dirt and don't change. I like your attitude too. Pretty gutsy for a couple of gringas to accept a ride from a local, but sometimes you have to go with your gut. Honestly, I've walked over a mile and a half along a busy street and never got passed by a bus, combi, or taxi. It was hot mad and thirsty. But that's part of the charm of Merida.
ReplyDeleteJack, thanks for visiting my blog. Raul did tell us that new fracs get created and that V la H was a new one. Thanks, also, for letting me know where we can get new maps. Bindi's is a couple years old.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your and Theresa's compliment about my attitude but I truly don't see anything remarkable about it. I love Yucatan and the Mayans and I view our new life here as one big adventure.