Merida

I thought this was a sleepy colonial city, but instead it seems to be expanding as expats and wealthy Mexican refugees stream into the city. Roberta, my old neighbor and current expat, picked me up at the airport and drove me through the town. Everything is still relatively low rise save some hotels, and the town has wide avenues, some still decorated for the holidays. Currently I’m staying with Roberta in a neighborhood called San Miguel, outside of Centro in a one-story house that she shares with a roommate. It has all the modern conveniences but is not luxurious.

Roberta is an incredibly social person who knows how to make friends, the polar opposite of me. She belongs to and has started various groups and from there has made several friendships. Last night she took me to a gathering of the international women’s group… Maybe 50 women from all over the world. We were in town on the gastronómica turística street (hundreds of restaurants, prices not cheap) and a friend ran up and hugged her. We ate breakfast at a fancy hotel and her friend had a tour group there! From Portland no less.

Last night we went to the museum of Yucatecan Music for a concert.  The two groups were utterly charming, I wish I had taken a video. And I wonder why Philadelphia doesn’t have a museum of Philadelphia music since the city has been a birthplace for a number of famous groups.

The weather is kind of perfect and the homes well designed to stay cool. There is an a/c unit in my room and I haven’t used it yet!