Merida, Mexico: The good, the bad and the ugly
Merida
Mérida is a historic city in Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula known for its elegant colonial architecture, rich Maya heritage, and reputation as one of the country’s safest cities. With a walkable historic center, vibrant markets, excellent cuisine, modern healthcare, and access to nearby beaches and cenotes, Mérida offers a blend of culture, tradition, and modern living.
Located in southeastern Mexico on the Yucatán Peninsula, Mérida sits inland but is just a short drive from the Gulf Coast. Its position makes it a convenient base for exploring nearby beaches like Progreso, as well as ancient Maya ruins, cenotes, and other historic towns throughout the region.
I’ve not posted since I’ve been in Merida, Mexico because I’m not quite sure how to go about describing my experience without it seeming like I’m trashing the location, and Mexico in general. But, as I’m using this blog to talk about my experiences rather than present a tourist description, here goes.
Expectations take a nose dive
After a 12 hour day of traveling, I arrived in Merida and caught a taxi to my apartment. After winding through lots of streets that looked like I might have booked a place in a bad area of town, we came to a street that wasn’t quite so bad, and was dropped off at the apartment. At the time, I didn’t realize this was actually a “good” part of town.
The apartment manager was very nice, spoke great English, and showed me to the apartment (One of eight in this compound). I should have known I was headed for trouble when I asked him about how something worked and he said, “Oh well, this is Mexico.”
As soon as I entered, I realized that I was in for a rather rustic stay. Old hacienda style, plaster walls, tile floor, and poor lighting. It was was much smaller than the photos showed (of course), but it looked to be clean. Upon further inspection, I realized several things. The bed was hard, the two pillows were small, very lumpy My Little Kitty cushions in pillowcases, there were only sheets on the bed (no bedspread or blanket), the sink in the bathroom and kitchen had only cold water, the water was not drinkable, the pots and pans were nasty, and the WiFi was slow, which I expected.
I do have a lovely courtyard with orange trees, flowers and beautiful birds! I spend most of my time there while at the apartment.
The weather is beautiful. Warm and sunny. Even when the temperature rises, there is almost always a lovely breeze.
The doves wake me up in the morning with their cooing, which I love….except, that I’ve tossed and turned all night because of the chorus of barking dogs in the neighborhood, so it’s tough to get up!
The first couple of days & coffee drama
One of the first things I did was go out and buy some food, bottled water and coffee! The outdoor/indoor markets are huge, with dark and narrow aisles, like a rabbit warren. It was hot and overwhelming. I left and found a supermarket. I purchased food but could only find instant coffee, and it was under lock and key. They took it to the counter where it waited for me to pickup when I checked out. No idea what that’s about except people must steal it. Instant coffee? Huh.
I went back to the apartment to make coffee & breakfast. I poured the water into the coffee pot to heat up, and when I put in the instant coffee and raised it to my lips to drink it smelled horrible. I did try to drink it but it tasted so bad, I spit it out immediately.
I had ordered cafe negro at a sidewalk eatery earlier that morning, thinking I would get black coffee, but it came with sugar in it. It was not good. So, I was thinking that I had bought the wrong kind of instant coffee, not sure what kind of coffee I would find in Mexico. I went to Walmart (yes, Walmart), and got a bottle of instant Nescafe, along with vegetables that I thought would be safe to eat until I found the drops I needed to disinfect them.
The next morning, thinking all was good, I made coffee again. It was no better. A little while later, I grabbed the bottle of water, and realized that I had purchased vinegar, not water. Needless to say, once I used bottled water, the coffee was fine. I felt like an idiot!
What to do?
I’ve been to Mexico many times, but have only stayed in resort locations, in nice hotels. But, even then, there were often infrastructure issues. I’ve done quite a bit of research, so thought I was prepared for my stay. Not so much.
I have struggled to manage my expectations. I don’t like feeling like a privileged American. Anyone who knows me well, knows that I was raised in the Arkansas Ozark Mountains and in only one house (when I was in the 4th grade) did we have running water, indoor toilets and electricity all at the same time. So, I’m not a stranger to doing things the hard way. But, I do like some level of comfort, at least in the very basic things. The attitude I run into seems to be “make do.”
The final straw might be the constant barking of many dogs, almost constantly, all night long AND the 24 hours I’ve gone without internet OR mobile service. Mobile service has been restored, but the internet won’t be addressed for another 72 hours. Again, I’ve been told that is just the way it is in Mexico. So, I’m sitting in a cafe, with WiFi, writing this post.
I have made friends here, and have talked to several Europeans and Americans who feel the same way I do, so I know it’s not just me. This makes me feel a bit better about my attitude.
The city
I’ve been out and about trying to get my bearings and figure out where to shop, etc. There are beautiful parks all over the city where you can sit and relax. There are beautiful old churches, museums, and buildings. But, other than an area of probably 10 square blocks, the sidewalks are eroded and dirty. The city smells and there is garbage everywhere, especially in the gutters.
Some of the nicer areas
Just for fun
I got a kick out of this sign. It’s the only handicapped sign I’ve seen, and it’s on the gate to the courtyard of my apartment.
Notice the steps that go up to the door. There is a slopped sidewalk on the other side of the door, but I have no idea how someone who is in a wheelchair would make it up those steps to the courtyard.
The streets have curbs that are 6-8 inches tall, and the sidewalks are gnarly. Needless to say, I’ve not seen any disabled people on the streets.
