Millionaires' Row

In our hometown of Cleveland, Ohio, Euclid Avenue was once lined with the mansions of industrialists and other prominent citizens. (John D. Rockefeller was once a Cleveland resident.)  The avenue was known as "Millionaires' Row" and was considered one of the most beautiful streets in the country.  Sadly, hardly any of those mansions remain standing today.  

A similar story is true of Mérida.  In the late 1800s, sleepy Mérida experienced an economic boom and found itself with more millionaires per capita than any other city in the world.  The source of that boom was the "hennequén" or sisal plant.  The fibrous leaves of the plant could be used to make rope.  In the second half of the 19th century, plantation owners began cultivating sisal, and Yucatán ended up producing most of the entire world's supply of cordage.  

There was no room in the cramped center of Mérida for the new sisal millionaires to build their townhouses and mansions.  So in 1888 plans were drawn up to create a new boulevard heading north out of the city and patterned after the Champs Elysee of Paris.  The street was named Paseo Montejo, and it was soon lined with elegant new residences.  Many of those mansions are now gone, and most of those that remain today house business or government offices.  They do give us an idea of what the boulevard must have been like during its heyday.

Today Gail, Wes and I strolled along Montejo Boulevard and admired the architecture.  The most impressive of the surviving mansions is the "Palacio Cantón", the home of a former governor of the state of Yucatán.  

  
The mansion later became the archaeological museum of the state.  Recently a brand new "Museum of the Mayan World" was built on the northern outskirts of the city.   The "Palacio Cantón" was relegated to being the venue for temporary exhibits.  But those exhibits are often so excellent that, in my mind, a trip to the new museum is unnecessary.  When we approached the palace today, we saw that they had an exhibit of artifacts from the Mayan cities of Chichén Itzá and Ek Balam.   So we went inside, paid the admission of 55 pesos ($2.25 U.S.) per person, and saw a top-notch exhibit.

  
I can't help but imagine that the curators go down to the basement of the palace, rummage through what they have in storage, and come up with a show that would make most museums in the world green with envy! 

475

On January 6, 1542,  475 years ago today, the Spanish conqueror Francisco Montejo the Younger founded Mérida.  Montejo built his city on the site of an earlier Mayan town called Ichcaanzihó.  The temples and pyramids were torn down, and the blocks of stone were used to construct his Spanish, colonial town.  He named it Mérida after a city back in his mother country of Spain.

In a city where a sizeable portion of the population has Mayan ancestry, Montejo remains a controversial figure who is not univerally loved.  Nevertheless, Mérida celebrates each year on the eve of the founding of the city.  Gail, Wes and I were able to witness and participate in the festivities.

At around 11:00 PM last night the procession begins to gather by the Plaza de Santa Lucía (which, very conveniently, is just a half block from our hotel).  The procession is led by a group of young people holding candles and dressed in the traditional attire of Yucatán.  

They are followed by scores of musicians who represent the city's four troubadours' unions.  (Yes, traditional music is such an important part of the culture here that there are troubadours' unions!) 

The procession moved down the main street toward the town square.  The musicians were all strumming their guitars and singing well-loved ballads.  The spectators, including the three of us, followed behind them.  

We reached the plaza, and the musicians assembled in front of the city hall.  There they gave a short concert.  Many of the songs extolled the beauty of their city.  At midnight, the musicians and the crowd (including myself) all sang the traditional Mexican birthday song, "Las Mañanitas".

The celebration concluded with a fireworks display.  What a joyous, wonderful event it is!  I think that Gail and Wes felt very privileged to have been a part of Mérida's birthday party.

¡Feliz cumpleaños, Mérida!

The Man that Everyone Knows

I have been coming to Mérida on a fairly regular basis for the last ten years.  During that time I have seen many of the same faces time and time again.  

Last night, our first night in Mérida, we were enjoying a drink at a sidewalk café.  As usual there were many vendors trying to sell their wares to the restaurant patrons.  There is one fellow selling wooden toys that I always see when I am here.  He always remembers me when he sees me, and, even though I have only bought something from him once, he never fails to give me a friendly greeting.

After staying at Hotel Luz en Yucatán so many times, the owners and many of the employees know me by name and chat with me.

Today at breakfast, our waiter not only recognized me, but he remembered that I drink "café con leche".

This afternoon, at a different sidewalk café, the owner came up to me and said that he had not seen me for quite a while. 

Gail and Wes have started joking that everyone in Mérida knows me!

Then, this evening, we went to my favorite restaurant for supper.  "Amaro" is a lovely place located in the courtyard of a colonial house, and the food there is always good.  Wes and Gail went Italian and ordered fettuccine Alfredo and lasagna.  The dishes however were prepared with Yucatecan influence.  They both said that their meals were not only delicious, but unlike anything that they have eaten before.

There is another reason why I like "Amaro" so much... my favorite waiter in the world, Enrique, is there.  Every time that I enter the restaurant, Enrique comes up and gives me a hug.  He has a devilish sense of humor.  He is an excellent waiter, but he also knows that he can joke around with me and my friends.  An evening at "Amaro" offers great food and atmosphere, and, if Enrique is your waiter, a lot of fun.  Of course each time I return to Mérida, there must be photos taken of Enrique with me and my guests.

   
If, in the future, Gail and Wes travel with me to somewhere else in the world, I hope that they will not be disappointed if no one knows me, and if waiters don't come up and hug me! 

Around the Plaza

Today was our first full day of sightseeing in Mérida.  We began with a hearty breakfast at the Café La Habana located a few blocks from our hotel.  Wes tried the most typical of Yucatecan breakfasts... "huevos motuleños", tortillas topped with refried beans and fried eggs, and then covered with tomato sauce, cheese, peas and ham.

After breakfast we walked a couple more blocks to Mérida's town square, "La Plaza de Independencia".  First we visited with City Hall which was built in 1734.

The Montejo House, built in 1549, is one of the oldest buildings in the city.  It was the residence of Francisco Montejo the Younger, the conquistador who brought most of the Yucatán Peninsula under Spanish control, and who founded the city of Mérida in 1542.

The carvings on the facade show Spanish soldiers standing on the heads of the vanquished Mayas, sending a clear message as to who was in control here.

The house is today a museum operated by Banamex (the Bank of Mexico).  Several of the rooms are furnished with 19th century antiques.  I told Gail and Wes to look up at the roughly hewn wooden beams in the ceilings.  Those are a clear indication of the building's antiquity going back to the early years after the conquest.   You can often tell how old a building in Mérida is by observing the beams in the ceiling.

We also visited the adjacent handicraft shop which is operated by Banamex.  The shop showcases some of the finest of Mexican handicrafts, and Gail and Wes were quite impressed.  This "tree of life" ceramic sculpture in the form of Noah's ark was especially delightful.

 

Our next stop was the Cathedral which was completed in 1598.

 

We finished our tour of the city's historic plaza with a visit to the Government Palace.  

The building is decorated with large paintings done by the local artist, Fernando Castro Pacheco.  (He passed away last year at the age of 95.)  The paintings portray the history of Yucatán, especially the struggles of the Mayan people.

 

 Gail and Wes pose with the Christmas decorations in the courtyard of the Government Palace.

 

Sunrise in Mérida

Our first day in Mérida is about to begin.  I captured this view of the sunrise from the terrace of my hotel room...

 

Greetings from Mérida

Today my cousin Gail, her husband Wes, and I traveled to Mérida, Yucatán.  Our flight from Cleveland to Houston went smoothly.  However our flight from Houston to Mérida was going to be delayed due to a problem with the hydraulic system.  Fortunately, they switched us to a different plane at a different gate,.  We arrived at least an hour late in Mérida... but it could have been much worse.

We took a taxi to our hotel, Luz en Yucatán.  Gail and Wes were very pleased with the place.  After we got settled, we headed out to a sidewalk café for a drink and a snack.  We ordered some "quesadillas".  Gail had lemonade.  Wes had a "Montejo" (the local brand of beer), and really liked it.  I had my usual "Xtabentún" (a honey liqueur made in the Yucatán).  While Ohio is shivering, we were seated outside enjoying the good life, a tropical night in Mérida.

 

Tomorrow our Yucatán adventure begins in earnest.

A New Year's Eve Surprise

In my previous post I wrote that I was planning to go apartment hunting while I am in Mexico City later this month.  Frankly, I was not looking forward to the prospect of spending my time down there searching for a place that would fit my needs and budget.  But then on the day of New Year's Eve, it would seem that the perfect apartment just fell into my lap.  The daunting task may very well turn out to be a piece of cake!

When I was in Columbus for Christmas my plans to become a "semi-ex-pat"  were a topic of conversation with my family.  An in-law who had come in from Chicago for the holiday told me that she had good friends in Chicago who own an unoccupied apartment in Mexico City.  She said that she would talk to them and see if they would be interested in renting it to me. I really wasn't holding out much hope.  Even if these friends should be willing to rent their place, would the apartment be in a convenient location and would it be in my price range?

On New Year's Eve I received an email saying that they were very interested in renting the apartment.  I got their phone number and immediately talked to the wife, Mary.  Her husband used to be a pilot with Mexicana Airlines, and they bought and furnished a place in Mexico City.  Five years ago when Mexicana went defunct, they settled in Chicago.  But they have not sold the apartment.  Other than an occasional business trip that the husband makes to Mexico, the place has been sitting vacant all this time.  They have a very trustworthy cleaning lady who comes once a month to keep everything in order. They are thrilled by the prospect of making some money out of it. 

It is a three bedroom apartment (much larger than I was planning on) located in the very nice neighborhood of Napoles.  It is to the south of the neighborhood where I usually stay, but it is only a few blocks from a "Metrobus" stop on Insurgentes Avenue.  (Since I have no intention of driving in Mexico City, accessibility to public transportation was an important requirement for me.)  Mary had furnished the apartment herself (I suspect with impeccable taste), and it has everything I need right down to bed linens, towels, dinnerware and kitchen utensils.  It has a parking garage (which will make it convenient for when my friend Alejandro is there), and security.  And it has WiFi... so I will be able to continue with my blogging.

The price per month that she is asking is at the upper range of what I was willing to pay.  However, if I were to go through normal channels and sign a long term lease on an apartment, I would be stuck paying rent even for the months that I am not down there.  Mary is very happy to accept payment only for the months that I am in Mexico City.  So I would be getting a far nicer place at half the price that I would otherwise pay.  She would expect me to pay the electric and cable bills and the cleaning lady for the months that I am there.  From what I read, utility bills are quite reasonable by our standards.  The cleaning lady charges only 250 pesos per visit (that's about $12 US!).  Heck, at that price I would ask if she is available to come on a weekly basis.

Of course I want to see the place before we make an agreement.  Mary gave me the cleaning lady's phone number, and she is going to let her know that someone wants to see the apartment.  When I get down there, I'll call the cleaning lady and arrange a time when she can meet me and show me the place.  Chances are that that will be the extent of my apartment hunting!

I don't plan to start this experiment in living in two places until April.  I have some doctor and dentist appointments in February and March, and I have to see my accountant to file my income tax.  I will also need to make some arrangements before I start leaving my home in Ohio empty every other month.  But it seems as if things are falling into place, and I feel much less anxious about the changes in my life.

Ironically, just a few days before all this news, I received an email from my cousin Brigitta in Switzerland.  She asked me if had found an apartment yet, and she asked me how much the airfare from Zurich to Mexico City costs.  I wrote back and told her that I was not going to start looking until I was down there, but that, if I found a two bedroom apartment, they would be welcome to stay with me.  A few other people have expressed an interest in visiting me in Mexico City.  Well, it looks as if I might be changing gears...  instead of frequently playing "tour guide" in Mérida, I might be showing friends and family the sights in Mexico City!

Best wishes to all my readers for a very happy New Year!