Nancy and Fred's Last Day

Saturday was Nancy and Fred's last day in Mérida.  It was a sunny and very warm day.  In the morning we walked down to Café La Habana to have a typical Yucatecan breakfast of "huevos motuleños"... the same breakfast that we had on their first morning in Mérida. 

 

A little later we went to the Mérida English Library to attend a lecture and slide show on Mayan archaeology.  It had been announced when we were there earlier in the week for the house and garden tour.  The speaker was a native of Ohio who now lives in Mérida.  He has devoted himself to finding and photographing little known Mayan sites in the Yucatán.  There are more than 2000 sites just in the state of Yucatán, which means that there is a Mayan ruin every few miles.  Many of them consist of just a building or two, and have not been studied by archaelogists.  The Mexican government does not have the resources to excavate and preserve them all, and the speaker's goal is to take a photographic record of them since they will most likely eventually be lost to the elements.  It was a fascinating presentation.  He also gives tours to these little know sites... it would be something I would enjoy on a future trip to the Yucatán.

After the lecture we took a walk through the neighborhood of Santiago and eventually found the house that I will be renting for the next two weeks.  The owner of the house was there getting it ready for my arrival, and we had a chance to take a look at it.  I think that I will enjoy my stay there.

We continued on to the Plaza de Santiago, and stopped for a break and something to drink at a café called "La Flor de Santiago".  It is a very old-fashioned café, a bit of a time capsule of life in Mérida in earlier decades.

We returned to the hotel, and relaxed until evening.  For supper we returned to Restaurante Amaro and enjoyed a good meal and the company of my favorite waiter, Enrique.

We turned in early since Nancy and Fred had an early flight this morning and had to take the taxi to the airport at 4:30 A.M.  I accompanied them and saw them off.  I had a great time playing tour guide, and I get to do it all over again this coming week when another one of my former teaching colleagues arrives!

Now I am back at the hotel, and I must pack my bags, check out, and begin the next stage of my sojourn.