Our tour around the Yucatan Peninsula landed us in the historical city of Merida, Mexico. We spent two fantastic days in Merida sampling its cuisines, experiencing its nightlife and exploring its history. We arrived by bus from Progresso, where we had been staying for the last 30 days. The driver dropped us off two and half blocks from our hotel. We spotted El Castellano Hotel immediately. It was a little dated, but had all the modern conveniences needed to be comfortable. We anxiously unpacked, then headed downtown. It was mid-morning and we still had a full day ahead of us.
We began our tour by heading towards Parque Centro (Central park). This is one of Merida’s most popular historical areas. The outer perimeter of the park is surrounded by historical buildings. There are a variety of government sites here that house the history of the Yucatan. Merida is the capital to the cities of the Yucatan. The Palacio Municipal (Municipal Building, pictured left) is Mexico’s Independence Hall where Spain relinquished its rule over the country on the evening of September 15, 1821. Mexico celebrates its independence from Spain on the16th because the Yucatecs didn’t realize they were free until the next morning. The Palacio Gobierno (Governor’s Palace, pictured right) host murals painted by local artist Fernando Castro Pacheco. The murals depict how the Mayan Indians saw the world and its changing of seasons.
Parque Centro is surrounded by 16th and 17th century cathedrals, stretching along the park’s circling streets. They stand next to other historical buildings that also surveyed the tales of time. The second oldest cathedral of the New World is San Ildefonso Cathedral, constructed in 1561. Inside is a 25-foot birch wood crucifix titled Cristo de la Unidad (Christ of the Unit), standing behind the alter. On the adjacent street is a 19th century house named Casa Montejo. It was the home of three Spanish Conquistadors: a father, son and nephew who resided in the home during Spain’s rule over Mexico. Standing in the middle of Parque Centro you can imagine what it was like over 400 years ago to live in this beautiful city.
The streets leading in and out of Parque Centro are also alive with history and entertainment. Small parks intertwine throughout the city’s streets. We ventured beyond the center square to see more of the city. The neighborhoods reflect a lot of Spain’s architectural design. Narrow streets with buildings seem to endlessly connect from one end of the block to the other. Each seamless structure is painted a different color to separate its place of identity. There are people walking on narrow sidewalks in a common line making their way to their destinations. They are carrying backpacks and computer bags while toying with their handheld devices. It’s modern technology living in historical surroundings.
There are many enchanting places to visit when in Merida. We found a smaller square that was surrounded by boutique cafés, specialty restaurants and older luxury style hotels. Since the Yucatan Peninsula has a tropical climate, we decided to have lunch at a quaint café with an outdoor patio. The food was as splendid as its ambience.
We spent our last evening in Merida walking around the streets and sampling the nightlife it had to offer, stopping at several places for libations before selecting a park side eatery. We elected to sit outside with a few people we had met earlier in the day. We ordered our entrees and had a few margaritas while listening to live music on a warm Sunday night. After enjoying our meals and exchanging travel adventures for most the evening, our newfound friends had to call it a night. We said our goodbyes and headed towards our hotels. On the way back we found a bar by the name of La Bierhaus. It had a German theme and served German food. This place was packed wall to wall with people. We pulled up to the bar, had a few drinks, met some locals and had lots of fun. The next morning we had to ask ourselves: Did we find a German bar in the middle of historical Merida, Mexico? Did we have a fantastic night partying with the locals? The answer was yes, we did.
Author: Anthony Scopel
Photographs: Maureen Scopel
YMATD