Merida, Mexico
Once again I find myself on my way to Cancun. This time, via Merida. I have been wanting to visit Merida for some time but ever since I saw a family take an old home that was practically in ruins and fix it up on an HGTV program, I have been anxious to visit the city.
First off, let’s just say that you can’t compare Merida to Cancun – they are totally different. Merida is an older city with a lot of the charm that I love about Mexican colonial cities: the architecture, the narrow streets, old cathedrals, the hidden gardens and the friendly locals.
The people are much different than in Cancun. Here, most of the residents are natives and not Mexicans that have moved to the city from all over Mexico to make a living off the tourism business (as they have in Cancun). Everyone I met was very approachable. And when you get in a taxi, you don’t feel like you are going to be charged extra for being a tourist (at least not at the rates of Cancun).
Even though I woke early to go for a walk, it was still very hot. In fact, by the time a returned to my hotel I was soaking wet and ready for another shower. (All the locals that were used to the heat looked at me a little funny.) I was interested in seeing the architecture up close and sneaking a peek into some of the courtyards. You see, most of the homes in the center are built with no front yard: you open your front door and you are on the sidewalk. I actually like this because you are able to keep your space private until someone like me walks by trying to see what you have hidden behind those large doors. While some of these doors did not hide much, there were quite a few with beautiful courtyards filled with colorful flowers, furniture and fountains. (The courtyard pictured above was of a hotel – I did not want to post pictures of someone’s private sanctuary. You can see great examples of Mexican courtyards at this .)
To make my way to Cancun, I decided to take a bus (ADO) to see the scenery. Unfortunately, after a while, the scenery (jungle) gets very repetitive. By the way, there are several levels of comfort when it comes to taking a bus from Merida to Cancun. When I arrived at the station I noticed there was a bus leaving in 10 minutes and went with it. It turned out to be cheapest of the three options but it was fine. There is supposed to be a much more luxurious option that leaves more frequently from Fiesta Americana and it is not much more expensive.
Where I stayed: Hotel Residencial, a decent hotel close to the center and not far from the airport. (The taxi ride was only about 140 pesos). The hotel provides free Wi-Fi.
