This is my submission for the ’3 Things in the City’ I Love contest by Velvet Escape, Traveldudes and Wimdu.co.uk
Three
things I loved about Merida? That’s
easy: the culture, the food and the people.
When a
friend invited me to spend a weekend in Merida City, at first I thought that it
was going to be a nice and peaceful weekend in a small town. I really didn’t know much about Merida, only
that many people that live in Cancun loved to visit Merida, so I accept.
The drive
to Merida was fun and full of historic areas and nice little places to rest
where local people offer you “aguas frescas”, iced flavor water with all
natural fruit. Have you had a Mexican
all natural fruit water? The flavors are
vibrant and tasty among my favorites are mango, horchata, limon, sandia, melon
and naranja (mango, rice with cinnamon, lemon, watermelon, cantaloupe and
orange) yummy, yumm, yummy.
Merida downtown area
When we
arrive at Merida I found a lovely city, while large and cosmopolitan still
maintains a small town flavor.
You will
find any hotel chain you like as well as little local hostels to stay and enjoy
the real life in Merida.
They call
it the White City because most of the downtown area buildings are old white
buildings with a lovely colonial style. In downtown area most of the streets are close
to cars on Sundays so you can walk around.
If you only
have one day to visit Merida, it had to be Sunday.
What I like
most in Merida is their cultural areas, museums and theaters at the downtown
area.
The people
gather to walk and enjoy local music played in the plazas. There is a plaza
where they play danzon and everybody sits close to see the old couples dance. A lot of local food is sold in little boots
around the plaza central so you can enjoy a nice evening.
"Chaya and corn gorditas with tomato and habanero sauce"
Summer
weather at Merida is hot hot hot! So be prepare to use only cotton clothes,
hat and drink a lot of water. In Merida,
men use “guayabera” and women dress her “huipil”.
Huipil
You can
enjoy a lot of traditional food in restaurants like “Amaro” or “”La Pigua”
Something
that I love: Sorbet. You have to try the sorbet at the central plaza, the name
of the place is “Dulces y Sorbetes Colon”, they are there since 1907and you
will love it. Try the mango or guanabana flavor sorbet, really are delicious!
Mango sorbet
What else
what can I said about Merida… The persons that live and born in Merida will
always have a smile for you, and will help you in every way it’s possible to
help you even if they don’t speak English or Spanish ( a lot of people still
speak Maya as first language).
La Pigua Restaurant
Thanks! Please, send me your comments :)