At Home in the Yucatan

We reached the state of Yucatán at just about the mid point of our adventures. It was also the turnaround point; the furthest extent of our journey, the furthest point from home. This meant an internal shift, a recalibration of our travellers mindset now deeply engraved. Suddenly, we were making plans for the way home. While we weren’t merely doubling back the way we had come (there was plenty of adventure to come), the end of it all had entered the conversation. The route, the border crossing and a day on the calendar all were up for discussion.

Our arrival to Mérida*, the state’s capital and by far its largest city, meant something else. We were allowed to stop moving, at last. Arriving a couple days earlier than expected, our total stay in the city would add up to nearly five weeks. More than a month in one spot with no set agenda – our own home under the tropical sun. It is exactly what we need.

This is my intro to Mérida post – first impressions and thoughts on how to spend time here. There are lots of things we might do with our time here, but part of the goal is to slow down and not do too much. The balance will be between going deep in to a place and recharging our batteries. Expect follow up posts with specific things we get up to.

So, why Mérida? What even is this place. It’s very possible you’ve never heard of it, despite its size (let’s say a million residents although it never feels like half that many).

Millions of visitors travel to the Yucatán peninsula, almost all of them sticking to the coast of Quintana Roo. I don’t think it’s an unfair generalization to say that travellers to Mexico have a very weak understanding of where they’re actually going. You get off the plane, get on a bus, get off when told and spend your time at your generic, isolated hotel before reversing the procedure. There’s not a lot of reading up on the history, the region, or even glancing at a map to gain an appreciation of the surroundings. You’re at the beach and that’s good enough. I get it.

But if you do happen to glance towards points unknown, you will see Mérida dead in the center of the ‘upper’ part of the peninsula. Away from the coast, the city is free of resorts and the party crowd, relying instead on community, culture, and a deep history both pre and post colonization (Mérida is celebrating a 400th birthday ring our stay). It’s touted as the safest city in the country, even competing amongst the safest on the continent. It’s big enough to have plenty of amenities (there’s an international airport but expect to come overland from Cancun – 4 hours even on a fast, flat highway), non-stop festivals, a bustling centro. The place caters well to tourists, but that’s far from its design. It offers much without feeling like it has to try overly hard.

Mérida is big but avoids many big city vibes. Our other big city stays (Mazatlán, Morelia, Veracruz) felt different. Unburdened by natural boundaries (the Yucatán is defiantly flat), outside of Centro (which I will address in a separate post) Mérida gives in to sprawl. In all directions lie scattershot residential neighburhoods that feel a bit desolate, at first. There are crumbling structures, empty homes, lumpy sidewalks, and little shade. (The north side is richer, with better homes and services, but suffers from the same sprawl.) On the surface, our neighbourhood honestly looks a bit dodgy. It takes a couple days to see that it really isn’t. Little shops appear on random days of the week, in the evenings people are out on their stoops chatting and drinking, someone comes by and leaves out meals for the well-fed dogs on the block. It has the feeling of an area being reclaimed, a backfilling of old homes – too many built too fast, perhaps. There’s a community spirit that runs strong throughout Mérida. They might not have much, but the people feel rich.

I’ll admit a major draw for me is that Mérida is affordable. This, somewhat in contradiction to the large expat community, overall sophistication and proximity to Cancun et al. Maybe the better way to look at it is that Mérida provides great value. The home we are renting, a couple kilometers south of the center, will cost us about $2000 for a month. This is a two-bedroom place with a private pool and secure parking – very comfy. If you don’t have transportation, it might not make sense. For us, this was a super deal. You cannot find places like this on the Pacific coast, for example. A tip for your trip planning: AirBnB hosts often give major discounts if you stay a whole month so put that in your search before you even start narrowing your options.

There was still trepedation before we arrived. How good would it be, really. I figured there had to be a catch and there wasn’t. Price to ammenities, we’ve never stayed anywhere better. And because we are so comfortable at home, it takes the pressure off of going out and jamming in the sights. There is a proper grocery story within a block, a playing field around the corner, fruit shops, a gas station. If I can go a few days without driving, then I’m winning. The kitchen is adequate (our preference is always to cook) and we have developed a nice routine of swimming, walks, more swimming and some time in the evening for TV (we have separate beds and the TV is expansive – very nice). Gidget is free to explore – she can’t get out. It’s like an alternate-universe version of home and we know it will be hard when it’s time to leave.

A further note on seasons: your stay might be totally different if you arrive later in the year. This place is hot** and you have to take care. Already, we’ve been overly ambitious with midday walks to the Centro, only to be beat down by the sun. Sarah is going for runs around the nearby track. It’s only possible if she gets out there early (when the parrots wake up). In a couple months it will get hotter, and wetter. The rain did come down one afternoon and I had to think hard to remember when last we’d had measurable precipatation. I fear the A/C unit in our old car is growing tired – each time we climb in, it takes a good 20 minutes for the cool to come.

So our reasons for choosing Mérida were mostly practical – it has the best selection of affordable rentals. Also, like much of our route, I was simply curious. We had done the coast of the Yucatán, now how did the other half live? Once you start researching, you’ll see Mérida turn up everywhere. People love it and move here and I can see why (if you can adjust to the heat). Right now, we’re most appreciative of the freedom. Soon, Sarah’s parents will join us for a week and we’ll see what they think of the place. As travellers more comfortable with resorts, how does this compare?

*Our English-speaking tongues really want to put the stress on the ‘i’ – giving us a fine-sounding (but sadly non-real) place called Mare-EE-duh. Show up looking like a pro, confident in where the accent belongs!

**Somehow, this thick heat does not mange to extend to our pool, which remains stubbornly cool. How is it that the ocean feels so much warmer? Our pool barely circulates – what’s the deal?