An Evening in Merida

Well, I didn't succeed in posting before 3 days had passed but that's ok. Not too much has happened.

Tonight we went into Merida with neighbour Bindi and W and S, who also own a unit on our floor. They've recently purchased a new-to-them house in Merida so we went to see it. Lots has been done in the courtyard and it's gorgeous. The kitchen is being worked on and it's going to be fabulous. The house is built in a U shape with 4 bedrooms on one side.  Each bedroom has a door leading into the next bedroom, as well as a door to the outside. I found this flow-through odd but I suspect it's actually fairly common in older homes such as theirs which was built in the 1920's.

We stopped for a drink just outside Teatro Peon Contreras. I mentioned having gone to the symphony there in March. S and Bindi have never been but would like to so S, who is a native Spanish speaker, is going to find out if there's a symphony in the next few days. If so, we're going to go get ourselves cultured.

We went down to the park that's at the end of Paseo Montejo. S told me the name of it but I've forgotten. The big Christmas tree was being lit and we made it with just a few minutes to spare. They did a 1 2 3 countdown and then played a trick on the crowd by pretending the lights weren't working. They did this a couple of times. Well, karma and all that...it turned out the lights really didn't work. After fiddling with them for a few minutes, the lights came on. The tree is gigantic! This is probably only about a third of it.

 

Then we went to the Cafeteria Impala, which is also located at the end of Paseo Montejo, for a bite to eat.

 

 

 

Good food at a great price. I couldn't eat it all so I brought home leftovers for lunch tomorrow.

 

It's been very hot out here at the beach so I was expecting it to be even hotter in Merida but I found it to be quite pleasant although Sr B, who happens to be half polar bear, said it was too hot.

 

It would have been nice to stay longer but the last bus to Progreso is at 10 so we had no choice but to leave.

 

 

 

 

My Merida Adventure

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.

Thursday

We had planned on going in to Mérida this morning to pick up some papers from our lawyer but guess who showed up? Glass Guy!

He and his partner got the new shower door installed and it looks great. The old frame had been placed against the wall so there's a gap between the tile in the shower stall and the tile they used for the baseboard. We'll have to patch those up next trip. Hopefully the plaster doesn't get too much water damage before then.

After he got it installed, he said he had to go get the silicone. Why didn't he bring it with him? Because this is México...lol. So many things are done so oddly here that you just have to laugh. We told them they could take the old doors and frame. What are we going to do with them? So he and his partner loaded them up on their vehicle which just happened to be.....a scooter. LOLOL Oh man. I wish I'd had my camera handy to get a picture of that. They laid all the pieces sideways between them and off they went.

We had no idea how long he was going to be. We figured he'd be back in about half an hour but it was more like 2.

We finally made it to Mérida. We tried to find the lawyer's office but we couldn't remember exactly how to get there and I didn't have the map that we'd been given a year ago when we came to finalize the paperwork. We drove around but gave up. So we went to Sam's Club and got a taxi to take us there and then back to Sam's where we had parked the car.

Mérida is divided into many colonias, or subdivisions. The streets are numbered but each colonia has their own numbering system. You can be driving on 23rd Street but as soon as you enter another colonia the street number changes. This makes it really easy to get lost.

After the lawyer, we went to Home Depot to pick up a few things. Then to a couple of pottery places to see what they had and then home.

Just outside of Progreso, we saw a woman on a scooter with a large cardboard box, the shape reminiscent of something one would put a large picture in...more flat than cubic shaped. The box was upended in front of her face. We thought she was driving the scooter and wondering how the heck she could see to do that. As we passed her, we saw that she was actually the passenger. That gave us a good laugh, especially after Glass Guy.

We didn't get home until about 5:30. I took some fish out to thaw and Owen showed up. And then Bindi. So I decided to ask them to supper and took another package of fish out. We didn't eat until probably close to 10pm, but I've read that late suppers are typical in México. Perhaps because it's cooler then.

The power was out briefly a couple of times yesterday and today. But only about half an hour instead of most of the day.

I've received my first bug bites of the trip. I hadn't posted about it earlier because I didn't want to jinx myself. ChlorTripolon to the rescue.

But no ants today!

Wednesday

The internet was out all day Wednesday, so I'm posting this one a day late.

I had made arrangements to meet up with Theresa from What do I do all day? . I took the AutoProgreso bus into Mérida, getting there a half hour late. Poor Theresa was waiting for me. Theresa took me to several fabric stores. She is a kindred spirit. She and I were looking at different fabrics, touching many of them. Anyone who sews knows the allure of a beautiful piece of cloth. One of the perks to being an adult is that you're allowed to look with your fingers and not just your eyes...lol.

Fabric shopping is a very different experience from NOB. You tell a clerk how much fabric you want and they measure it off the bolt, right there. The clerk gives you a piece of paper with your purchase and price on it and then takes your fabric to the pick up area. You pay your "bill" at one counter and then go to the pick up area to get your fabric. I've read that this is fairly typical for many types of stores.

I bought 3 pieces to make myself some shirts for work and a couple of pieces to make DGD (Dear Granddaughter) some dresses. They have fabric that is smocked on the top and not on the bottom. The bottom is even finished. Making a sundress is just a matter of sewing a seam up the back and adding straps, if desired. It just doesn't get any easier than that.

We shopped until Theresa dropped. Well, not literally, but we had to take a break from all the walking. So we went and sat in the Gran Plaza Square and visited a while. We had a lady take our picture but I promised Theresa I wouldn't post it. She was feeling all self-conscious about her appearance, though I don't know why. She's a beautiful lady, inside and out. I had a great time hanging out with her. Thanks for a wonderful day, Theresa.

Took the bus back to Progreso and fell asleep on the way. I'm as bad as a baby for that...put me in a moving vehicle and I'm out like a light. I took the van home and got back about 3:00.

Glass Guy had come shortly after Señor B drove me down to the bus in the morning and told the neighbour that he'd be back at 3:00 but he never showed up.

At 4:00, a bunch of us from the complex went to a Méxican Fiesta which featured a pig roast. There were traditional dances from the states of Jalisco and Yucatán. A mariachi band entertained us after supper. The food was very good but insufficient. Many folks were still hungry. It was supposed to be all you could eat but nobody could figure out how to get a second plate. I'm not sure if anyone asked.

We all left around 8:30. It felt so much later. I was so tired I was even in bed before midnight...lol.

I had looked for some ant killer while in Mérida but couldn't find what I was looking for. There haven't been any ants in the condo for a couple days, touch wood.

The light in the laundry room is blown out. We bought a new bulb but, with 9 foot ceilings, changing out the old one could be an adventure.

A Day in Mérida

SURPRISE!!!!!

The power went out again at 8am but nobody knew about it. We were making eggs and toast for breakfast (yes, I was actually up that early...lol). We have a gas stove so no issues with the eggs. The toaster, of course, uses electricity. The first batch of toast was almost done when the power went out so we had to share the 2 slices. Hopefully the power related repairs are done soon.

After breakfast, Bindi and I went in to Mérida. There's a van that picks up a block over so we took that downtown and took the AutoProgreso in to the city.

On Sundays, several streets downtown are shut down for foot traffic. It was so cool. Lots of vendors set up in the main square and free entertainment, too. While we were there, there was a puppet show happening. It would have been fun to watch had our Spanish been up to it. I could pick out the occasional word and it sounded like it was something about the environment but I could be waaaaay off base. It was so neat to see families out and about enjoying the day and each other.

We came across a beautiful church. I would have liked to take some photos of the interior but there were people inside and, although there was no sermon, they were clearly observing their faith. I thought it would be disrespectful to take pics while they were there.

We met up with 2 other couples from the complex and they took us to some places they like to go to. We went to a market and one of the ladies in the group took a photo of one vendor's display of oranges. The vendor threw something at her, a bottle cap perhaps, and said something we didn't understand. But we did understand that she didn't like the idea of the photo being taken.

Then we went to the Hyatt for supper. We all had the buffet and a limonade. The waiter had told us that the buffet was 180 pesos but the bill said 225. In hindsight, I think the waiter may have added the tip in but I don't know that for sure. Anyways, the meal wasn't worth the price, in my opinion. The food was just ok, nothing spectacular. The limonade was really good, though.

We had purchased a round trip in Progreso and the Hyatt was on our way back. When we boarded the bus to continue our trip home after supper, we had to pay another 15 pesos to get home. We had hoped to be able to use our ticket stub showing that we had paid for a round trip but it wasn't to be. I was tired from walking around in the sun all day (yes, I used sunscreen) so I slept on the way home. I don't even remember the ride...lol.

Bindi had called her husband to let him and Señor B know that they were on their own for supper. When we got back, the guys weren't home. We figured they had gone for supper. They had. I didn't have a key for the condo (we really should get another set cut) so I had to hang out at Bindi's place until the guys got home.

After a short visit, we came home. Only killed 2 ants tonight.

Small Stuff

How do I title a day that's made up of small, miscellaneous comings and goings? Most of our days are like that and I never know quite what to put for the title.

Today started out pretty slow. Breakfast, housework and then some time in the sun on the front balcony.

After lunch, we were just hanging around the condo and D & V, residents who live on the floor above us, came by. They were headed into Mérida and invited us along. We picked up a hinged doorsweep to try to keep those pesky ants out, as well as some hardware to prop up the bathroom vanity. It still hasn't been fixed so I guess we're on our own.

D had to pick up a painting she'd had done and I looked through the artist's portfolio to see if I wanted him to do something for us. He can make any changes to the pictures that a person wants. Prefer blue tones instead of orange? He can do that. Want the picture divided to make a set of three paintings instead of one? He can do that, too. He said it would take a week to finish and we felt that was cutting things too close to our departure date. He has some beautiful pieces so we'll pay him another visit when we come back in Nov.

After we got back, we had planned on picking up a few groceries because our cupboards are bare. We had intentionally kept things sparse because of the impending power outage. Then we remembered that we'd heard earlier today that the power will be out again tomorrow. So we decided against a grocery run. We do need a few dry goods (and coke. We're out and I'm going through withdrawal...lol) so we'll get those tomorrow since we won't be able to do much at home. I've filled jugs and buckets with water and have a load of laundry in the dryer so we can have clean towels for tomorrow.

Owen & Bindi stopped by and, over a few drinks and snacks, told us all about their trip to the cenotes. They did "the 3 cenote tour." I'm not sure where it is but apparently there are videos on YouTube. They were gone all day and quite enjoyed the trip. When Señor B is off his crutches, we might have to go.

So far, no ants on the floor but I found 3 in the kitchen towel drawer. Señor B pulled the drawer out and I saw the inlet for the gas for the stove. I wonder if they might be coming in that way. I have 4 drawers in a vertical row and the ants only show up in the towel drawer. Maybe Owen can take a look for us. Señor B is unable to get on the floor and I won't have a clue what to look for, being a girl and all...lol.

The Glass Guy still hasn't shown up. Or if he did, we weren't home. We'll have to get hold of him again and see what's up. Back home, this failure to show would be unacceptable and I'd be stinking mad. But here, it's just the way things are. One has to be able to go with the flow to live here. When we first bought the condo, we were so frustrated by how slowly things move but we've become used to it. It can still be frustrating, especially when we only have a certain amount of time in which to get things done, but there's no way we can change an entire culture. So we're slowly adapting to the mañana philosophy.

Trip to Merida

Señor B and I went to pick up a few groceries this morning. You can buy liquor in the grocery stores here. The store we frequent has a whole aisle dedicated to it. It's just so weird to see booze along with the groceries. But they're not allowed to sell it before 11am so if you're planning on picking some up, you have to make sure you're checking out after 11. Just another one of those cultural differences that makes us smile.

Something else you can buy here...3 litre bottles of coke. I'm in heaven!

Then the girls and I took the AutoProgreso bus into Mérida. We wanted to buy some authentic Mayan items, not any of that tourist dime-a-dozen crap that you can find just about anywhere. Our neighbour told us where we could find a market that was Mayan vendors who come from out of town every weekend, but we didn't see them.

We stopped at the tourist information centre and the gal there seemed less than happy to help us. Her surly face and complete lack of enthusiasm was quite off-putting. She sent us to some bazaar but it was all that tourist junk.

So we went back to the Gran Plaza which is the main square in Centro, the area of Mérida that we were in. Some guy started talking to us and took us to a store that sold Mayan stuff. We thanked him and looked around but didn't see anything that we wanted to buy.

So back to the Plaza. Another guy took us to another store. He said that, for the opportunity to practice his English, he wasn't going to charge us for taking us there. We were a bit dumbstruck. Were we supposed to tip these guys? The first guy was still so very gracious when he left us, even though we didn't give him anything. Knowing when it's customary to tip is still a challenge to us. We don't mean to be rude by not tipping. We're just not always sure when it's expected and when it's not.

Anyways, we still didn't see anything we wanted and we were getting hungry, so we went for lunch. We went to the same restaurant that I went to for the bloggers conference. Las Vigas. Good food and the owner speaks English. I had the Tex Mex enchiladas and the girls both had lasagne. We got a pitcher of lemonade to share. Total cost was 184 pesos, or a bit less than $18.00 For the 3 of us!

Then we took the bus back to Progreso. It was a wasted trip, shopping wise, but it was an outing. I'm so disappointed we didn't find the market we had hoped for. I know that I had said Monday was Méxican Revoltion Day but today is actually the day. In México, when the holiday falls on the weekend, they tend to make the Monday just prior, the day off. There was to be a big festival in Gran Plaza tonight so I'm wondering if the vendors weren't allowed to set up today. Our neighbour had said the vendors are there until late in the evening but if there were other things going on, maybe they couldn't be there. I have no idea. I'll have to ask her.

My bug bites... The one on my thigh is ok. The one on my leg...well...I might go see a doc tomorrow. The chlortripolon that L gave me has worked wonders for the itch. The swelling is down a bit but the redness is increasing. My entire calf is red from my knee to my ankle and it's wrapping itself further and further around my leg. Plus, I have a blue-ish area at the top of my calf that looks like a bruise. It's just so weird that it might be worth having it looked at. We'll see what it's like in the morning.