Dzibilchaltun is just a short drive from Merida. It’s a fairly small ruins site, but was nice to wander around, and had a really good museum. But the best part was Cenote Xlakah located right amongst the ruins.
Show up at any site in Mexico before nine or ten and you get the place to yourself. Early bird gets the worm here. We really enjoyed this cenote. The water was perfect, there were lillypads to help us feel like frogs, there were thousands of tiny fish, and there were spots shallow enough to stand up, with others deep enough to disappear into darkness.
The kids got into a game where they would collect rocks in between their toes, then jump in and try to keep them there while they swam back. They would have played that for hours. Eventually the tour buses rolled in, though, and put an end to our peace.
Merida. We didn’t spend a lot of time in the city. We walked around a bit, but weren’t immediately taken with the place the way we had hoped to be based on the few things we’d heard. Of course, a few hours isn’t much time to judge. The kids were amazed by our hotel, though. It was an old Spanish style building and we had a “suite” which meant that the room had a second floor with two beds for them. When they first walked into the room and saw the stairway they simultaneous exclaimed, “WOAH!” I laugh every time they are amazed by hotel rooms—of all the things for our kids to be awed by, hotel rooms seem like they should be a bit further down the list.
The Palacio de Gobierno. Always fun to stumble across places like this. Armed guards standing at the door make it seem like maybe it’s not open to the public, but they step aside with a smile, and inside is basically a big free art museum.
A few blocks from the main plaza is Paseo de Montejo, with tons of old mansion to gawk at.
Before heading out of town we hit the Sunday morning market.
Mayapan. One last set of Mayan ruins before heading home to the boat.
15 Comments on “Around Merida”
Wow, love love those chromed up bicycles! Nice to see the banana seats again, they were the best
We’ve seen these bike “gangs” around other plazas in Mexico a few times. They are always nice guys and we end up chatting with them for a few minutes while admiring their style. We’ve kept Lowe’s banana seat – they are the best!
The history in Merida is 65 million years ancient. It’s inside the meteor impact crater centered around Chicxulub a few miles NE which is the event that wiped out the dinosaurs.
Cool.
Merida is not a place for people who don’t like being around people…it hums with humanity…the daily dance of life. You have missed so much.
We have spent five months a year in the Yucatan for the past ten years and for the last two winters we have lived among the locals in Merida. For people who wander it must seem odd to stay in one place for any length of time but in Merida and the surrounding area every year is different with new adventures, new things to see, opportunities to delve deeper into a different culture and life lessons that are taught by staying put and putting roots down. Museums, ruins, architecture, are the clothes shown to the tourist…not the person who wears them nor their thoughts.
It would be interesting to see your family settle down for a year or two in one place and tell us what you have learned from the experience.
ugh
hahaha!
HA! HA! Different strokes for different folks! We’re also nomads, traveling around Europe in an RV. We’re always amazed by fellow campers who drive each year to the same camping in Spain (probably “their” same spot too!), stay for 5 months & return to their home country-repeat for 15-20 years! This seems madness to us. Why own a motorhome if you don’t motor???? People just like to be in their comfort zones-even away from home. We normally last 2 weeks & then get restless….”the only difference between a rut and a grave is depth!” Happy trails!
I don’t get to follow along as often as I use to, but when I do I just smile, great life you are giving your kids – keep loving life!
Thanks, Joe.
Gorgeous pics. I have visited Mexico as a sailor. And then lived in Tulum for close to 5 years. Will relocate back to this beautiful place with my Catamaran after retirement.
I am a male age 78 and have really enjoyed everything about your long term adventure. Fantastic. One thing I always have in mind when reading your blog and enjoying your pictures, is your spiritual life. I know everything you see, experience, and enjoy is God’s creation. You are truly blessed. Question: Where do you as a family worship, in a church, study God’s word, and have fellowship with other believers? I truly believe that we as God’s people, especially young people, need to be introduced to and study the Gospels. Thank you and keep on doing what you are doing and have a Wonderful, Happy, Merry, and Blessed Christmas. Tommy
Thanks for following along and we’re happy you’ve enjoyed our adventures. We’re atheists, but firmly believe that everyone should have the freedom to worship whomever or whatever they wish.
Hi Pat! Thank you for your response! It was very thoughtful. I do envy you and your wife’s decision to your adventure and I must say that the experiences you are having with your children are much to be admired. I know I do. I almost pulled the trigger when my children were ages 12, 10, and 8 to do something similar. I let the world and it’s expectations to dissuade me and have regretted ever since. Regardless of our differences in beliefs, I do admire all that you are doing for you and your family. It is truly wonderful. I will always pray for your safety and well being and that your travels are always happy and satisfying. One other thing: There is no way I could have fixed all the things that you deal with when it comes to equipment, watermakers, transmissions, electronics, etc. That has been one of my most enjoyable parts of following you. Just watching how you have been able to work through the challenges. Truly inspiring. Where there is a will there is a way, My Best! Tommy
,
Hi Tommy, thanks for your reply as well. We’re happy to accept your prayers and good wishes. Having good people looking out for us certainly can’t be a bad thing. Appreciate your following us along. All the best.