Apparently I have confused some folks whom I regularly email and are not exactly sure where I live because of this blog. I started the blog as a journal of my travels and I confess it lags far behind me. If you want to read it in chronological order scroll down the page to the first entry in November and the others follow. I am going to attempt to be much more timely in the future, but first I want to record my impressions of Merida. Just for the record I now live in San Miguel de Allende.
After the ugliness of San Jose the cab ride from the bus station in Merida was startling. It is so beautiful and as you drive along the Paseo de Montejo(named for the founder of the city) you realize you are in a truly remarkable place. I really don't have the words to describe it and maybe that's why I am a photographer. You can see my many photographs of Merida and its people on my website . My room at the Suites del Sol turned out to be three blocks from the main building. By the time I arrived I was soaking wet and that turned out to be a portend of things to come. The room was simple but adequate with a microwave, coffee maker, ac and cable tv. I would live there while I searched for an apartment.
I am still not certain of all of the history of this city and my attempts to learn it through books at the English Library were frustrating at best. I certainly will not paraphrase the information so readily available on Wikapedia. The city dates back to 1542. It is the capital of the state of Yucatan. The people are fiercely proud of their Yucatan heritage and there remains to this day a great sense of independence and fierce pride in being Yucatecan. The Mayan civilization was and still is a vital part of the Yucatan. Until about 70 years ago one could not get to Mexico City over land. From the beach town of Progreso, thirty miles away, you traveled by boat to Vera Cruz and then by land to the capital. The Yucatan has seceded from Mexico seven times. In many ways it has had a stronger alliance with Cuba and Europe than with the rest of Mexico.
At the tun of the 20th century more millionaires lived in Merida than any other city in the world. Today Merida is dominated by seven billionaire families who control much of the business in this city of close to one million residents. I am not exactly sure how this manifests itself but I am told they own all of the auto dealerships, the major department stores and many, many other businesses. This is a thoroughly modern city with three upscale shopping malls, Wal-Mart in its various enterprises(they have four stores here under different names), Costco, Home Depot, Sam's, and many fine restaurants. The city is incredibly clean and beautiful. It manages to seemlessly blend colonial and contemporary architecture. It continually re uses and re defines its buildings.The Wal-Mart store is housed in a beautiful contemporary building that once was an office. There is an album on my website called "Abstractions from Merida". These are photographs of building walls that have been repainted again and again, aged by sun and salt water and yet survived and today look like multi colored abstact paintings. I love them.
It is also the home of more than twenty lovely, elegant small hotels.If you are looking for a long romantic weekend away Merida is perfect. Almost all of these little gems are independently owned and operated some by ex pats from the US. All have exquisite little courtyards and outdoor dining. They offer every available service and some have the best restaurants in town. There is also a Hyatt, an Inter Continental and a Holiday Inn. The city regularly hosts meetings and conventions, but the heart and soul of it's tourist business is in the fine small hotels. It is from Merida that you can bus or car to the many attractions in the Yucatan like the ruins at Chichen Itza to Uzhmal and the many colonial villages and beaches that are so close.
For me and my love of the arts Merida is an extraordinary city. At least six nights a week there is a free concert or film showing. On Thursday night there is always a concert in the Santa Lucia park featuring Mexican folkloric dance, story tellers, poets, great romantic singers and Trova bands. Trova is a very romantic music indigenous to the Yucatan which is comprised of at least three guitars, bass, percussion and wonderful harmony. The same park hosts a "big band" dance on Sunday afternoon. The music is called "tropica antigua" and is very much reminicent of Prez Prado, Xavier Cugat and the big bands. What is wonderful is to see the 80 year olds dancing all afternoon in 95 degree weather with very, very high humidity. Dances are held each Tuesday and Friday nights at other parks in the city. These parks-- seven in all --are built around a magnificent church.
On Saturday night a portion of the Paseo de Montejo is closed for what is called "Noche Mexicana." There are vendors selling arts and crafts, artists who will paint your portrait, food, food , food and and a a free concert that sometimes lasts four hours. Almost all of the singers are wonderful with rich full and very romantic voices. Some perform with live music but many are accompanied by pre-recorded lush, full orchestration. How they do this I am not sure--practice I guess .One of my favorite groups was a family of marimba players from nine year old grandson to grandfather. Seven incredible musicians who were often called back for three encores. And my favorite group Los Jugares which are as exciting a group playing their music as the original Seldom Scene. Want to hear them? YouTube of course.
The main cathedral and the main square are the center of constant activity from strolling bands, street performers and a never ending cycle of artists and craftsmen selling and displaying their work. Lovers kissing on benches, students using the wireless internet, a half dozen shoe shine chairs, minor protest speeches, and on Sunday booths are set up for even more arts and crafts and vendors making some of the best tacos in the world. The folkloric dancers are on the street accompanied by a large orchestra. Adjacent streets are closed for bikers and runners. The McKay Contemporary Art Museum which is wonderful is free on Sundays. The ever present horse drawn carriages are available for tours of the city. It is called simply "Domingo en Merida" Sunday in Merida.
And the rest of the week! There are five theatres in downtown or Centro. They are constantly busy and although some of the events do charge admission the vast majority are free. There is a free concert at the Olympio every Tueday, Wednesday and Thursday. I have heard trova, jazz, mariachi, pop, chamber and electronic in this beautiful little auditorium. There is a small film theatre in the basement that shows classic films once a week.
At a nearby theatre there was a summer long jazz festival. On Wednesday night a showing of a film that had jazz as a central theme: Woody Allen's "Sweet and Lowdown", Clint Eastwood remarkable "Bird" with Forest Whitaker, "Round Midnight" with Dexter Gordon and a lovely little French film called "Swing". If you have not seen these films they are all available and all worth the rental.They were followed on Saturday night with a concert the most memorable of which was by the Cuban Musician David Caruso who plays just about every instrument and is accompanied by some great players.
In other theatres in Merida I heard a stirring classical concert for piano and solid body guitar--amazing! After the concert the guitarist got down on his knees and proposed to the pianist. She accepted and thus a very romantic ending to a great concert. In these auditoriums I also saw contemporary Mexican popular artists who were often accompanied by full orchestras, backup singers and light, sound and special effects to rival the finest Vegas shows--all for free. And can these folks sing ---wow! One very memorable evening was a concert of all Cuban music that I will never forget. Cuban music is so infectious --the three percussionists--sometimes more --make this music so joyous, so danceable, so exciting. As I have mentioned in emails Ruben Gonzalez from "The Buena Vista Social Club" his son and grandson have a club on the Paseo de Montejo with not only great music, great food, dancing and a dance show by a couple of dandy Cuban dancers all of whom I photographed and are on the website. Maybe the best, most enjoyable club I have ever been to---and I have been to a few!
Merida has its own symphony orchestra that performs from October to June every year.
I realized that the design of the hall was such that the sound was much better in the upper balconies then on the floor. Besides to me the most exciting visual aspects of a symphony are the percussionists--sometimes as many as nine-whose musicality and incredible dexterity are so much fun to watch. As a result my tickets were $3.50. I met two members of the orchestra in the Mega grocery store. A french horn player from England and his harpist girlfriend from New York. In subsequent visits I met more of the international members of this fine orchestra. Their interpretations particularly of "An American in Paris", "Cuban Overture" and the dances from "West Side Story" were highlights of my stay in this wonderful city.
Much of what I have just written sounds like a sightseeing guide, but I have always been a sightseer because I think that's the way you get the most out of every place you visit. I also met some truly amazing people in Merida. In my next blog I will introduce them to you.
