I Wanna' Be Like Uncle George

     My Uncle George was married to my Aunt Maxine, my father's sister, for over 60 years.  You know how when you are young you think everything anyone over 30 says and does is lame?  Well, that was me, as well...in spades.  I thought I knew it all.  I wouldn't listen to anything.  I questioned why Maxine and George continued to live in and pour money into that small, old house they lived in.  I couldn't understand why Uncle George fussed over his Chevrolet Impalas (he only bought Impalas).  Seemed a lot of work to keep a hunk of metal and plastic in such pristine condition when he could always just trade it in for a new one.  I even questioned the little things, like why Uncle George would step off the porches of his house at the worst possible points.  Lame, right?

Uncle Howard, Aunt Dorothy, and Dad in front of the house - circa 1945

     Maxine and George's house sat high atop a hill in Somerset, Kentucky.  When I was very young there were about a dozen houses sitting on top of that hill.  To make way for a new highway, all the houses except three were razed, leaving Maxine and George's house and two neighbors sitting on top of what was left of the hill.  In summer, when I would spend about 6 weeks with Maxine and George, we would sit in their side yard and watch cartoons on the big Drive-In movie screen about a mile away.  The house sat in the middle of their property, and the yard sloped dramatically down from all sides of the house.  Cutting Uncle George's front yard was actually quite dangerous, as the slope was the steepest there and dropped down to the highway at the bottom.  I wasn't allowed to help cut the grass until I was about 15 years old.
     The house was built in 1895 - my father and his siblings were all raised in the house by Aunt Maxine after their young mother died.  The house had a side porch made of wood planks.  Walking out the side door to the porch, you could walk straight ahead and step about 6 inches down to the ground.  But as I said, the property sloped steeply on all sides, so if you walked to the left just two feet, you then had to face a drop of about 2 feet.  So it always struck me as rather odd that Uncle George would walk out the screen door and move left to step off the steep end of the porch.  Why?  Why make your life harder?  Why put more effort into stepping off the porch when a little step down was available just straight ahead?  Lame.
     Uncle George built highways for the State of Kentucky for 50 years - got a service award certificate for 25 years that hung proudly in one of their rear guestrooms (how three bedrooms fit into that tiny house I'll never know).  He was known for taking the "long way" when it meant doing it right, doing it better.  The younger men on his crew would grumble that they didn't have to do all the extra little things Uncle George made them do.  But that was Uncle George.  You may have not been able to see it, but there was always method to his madness.  And so it is now, 10 years after losing him, and as I age myself, that I see why Uncle George continued, even at age 85, to step off the steep side of the porch.  He was challenging himself, forcing his body to do the things he had always been able to do.  He wanted to continue doing them.

Uncle George and me

     And so now I attempt to emulate his ways.  I try to walk when it would be so much easier to take a bus.  I go the grocery when I need any little thing, rather than wait until I have a large list of items I need, just so I can get the walk in.  I do my best to ignore, and not complain (although I do complain, constantly!) about little aches and pains, about my feet hurting, or about having to lug home groceries by hand (if we only had bought a car). 
     Uncle George was fighting nature - our inclination to make life as easy as possible.  So why not take the easy road?  Well, I would like to be around at least as long as my Uncle George, who passed away at age 88, and not because of any physical ailment; he was heartbroken because he had lost Maxine just six months earlier. 
     I once heard a woman of 75, who was leading an exercise class, say "motion is lotion", and I guess I am trying to adopt that strategy of having a fruitful old age where I can still do all the things I want.  I want to hike the Alps again, I want to swim in the Mediterranean Sea, and I want to retire to a small village somewhere where you walk to the local market each day for your fruits, vegetables, and meats.  If motion is, indeed, lotion, then I want to slather myself with it every day, whether I like it or not.  After all, it is so much easier to take that bus, hop that taxi, or just stay home and sit in front of the TV.  I'm fighting my natural instinct to take it easy, but that won't get me where I want to go.
      So here's to my Uncle George, who taught me many things, not the least of which is how to live a vital existence.  I'll do my best to take the higher step down. 

Slow Food

               When we needed shower shelves for our B&B, my partner, Steve, and I hopped a city bus for the nearby pueblo of Dzitya.  A friend told us that Dzitya was the place to go if you wanted anything in stone.  How right he was.  What our friend didn’t know was that you can find another one of those incredible “Cocina Economicas” (inexpensive kitchen) you find everywhere in Merida.  This one would give us the most “local” experience ever.

                We got off the bus at a corner, on a street where are located about a dozen little shops selling their stone wares.  They all seemed very quiet and we wondered whether they were even open.  Ahead we saw a little more action: dogs wandering the street, children riding bikes, and a few cars parked on the side of the road.  Birds chirped in the trees and a woman in a ragged jumper watched it all from her front door.  We headed in that direction.

                As we rounded a corner onto the dusty road that passed the town square (one of the things I love about the Yucatan is how every town, no matter how small, has a town square), we began to pass a few small, old stone houses.  The last one before the square had a large covered carport attached to the side.  Billows of smoke rose up to the roof and flowed under until it found its way to open sky.  It carried with it the most delicious aroma of pollo (chicken).  We stopped to see a woman grilling maybe a dozen chickens on her barrel grill, with abuela (grandmother) seated near the entrance overlooking the operation.  Behind them were four plastic Coca-Cola tables and chairs set about the carport, and three children of about 8, 11, and 13 helping set up for the day’s hungry guests.  We had seen many Merida cocina economicas in storefronts or set up on the street even, but this was the first we saw in a carport. 

               Steve and I looked at each other and Steve said, “I think we’ll make better shopping decisions on a full stomach”. 

               “Abierta?”, we asked.  That was about the extent of our Spanish at that time.

               “Si!  Entrada”, the old woman said to our question…or something like that.  My ear is still learning to separate long strings of gibberish into understandable words.  She waved her arm for us to take a seat, so we assumed she was welcoming us in.

                Upon sitting, the 11 year old girl set our table with knife, fork, and spoon.  Salt and pepper and the ubiquitous pepper sauce were already on the table.  This was a family affair; the older boy was carrying supplies out of the house for his mother at the grill while the little 8 year old watched us intently, seemingly trying to figure out what she might be able to do for the two gringos. 

               We each ordered half a chicken.  We waited for our orders only the time it took for the woman at the grill to serve up half a chicken on each of two plates, along with freshly cut cabbage and tomatoes.  No sooner did we start digging into the chicken than the little girl arrived a second time with two huge bowls of black beans swimming in the water it was cooked in.  It was really like a bowl of black bean soup. 

              The chicken was plump and juicy, perfectly grilled, and so delicious.  It was like no chicken I ever tasted before - the way you always think chicken should taste.  The vegetables were garden-fresh, and the black bean soup was the perfect accompaniment. 

             We ate slowly, deliberately, and savored every bite. 

             

            Finishing up, we washed our hands at the little sink hung on the wall.  The water went down the drain and into a bucket placed on the floor.  We then returned to our table to relax and savor a great, simple meal.  Then we were ready to head out to shop for…  Uh, now why did we come to Dzitya?

Carnaval!

Every year Merida, Mexico hosts one of the largest and best Carnavals in the world.  This year locals and travelers alike put on their dancing shoes, their colorful costumes, and headdresses to enjoy internationally known artists from the worlds of music and dance, parades, and daily events that will help bring out your wild side.

This year’s Carnaval, titled “Mérida Mística”, brought to the Yucatan internationally known artists to enthrall us with their music and dancing.   From Salsa bands to traditional folk music, from lovely women and handsome men in traditional costumes presenting traditional Mexican dance to brightly costumed modern dancers, Carnaval week held something for everyone.  But music and dance are but one part of Carnaval.  There are parades, from the opening parade with floats featuring school-age children, to the more adult-themed parties and parades later in the week.  Men and women dress up in their most colorful costumes representing their long heritage in the Yucatan. 

The week begins with the “Burning of the Bad Humor” in the main square, or zocalo.  Each night  seed a parade through town with a different theme.  Thursday is the pre-school parade, followed on Friday by the Corso parade, and the week continues with the Fantasy Parade, Bachata Parade, Regional Parade, the Battle of the Flowers, and the weekends up with the Burning of Juan Carnaval. 

Don’t miss this great week of fun next February; come to Merida and let your hair down!

A Sunday Morning Bike Ride

               Looking for a relaxing place to see great architecture, roam colonial streets, eat wonderful local foods, and infuse yourself with local color?  Then the city of Merida, in the state of Yucatan in Mexico, is just the place for you.  Only one of the great ways to experience all these things is a weekly event that every visitor to Merida should experience at least once.  

               

           Each Sunday morning an incredible event takes place on the boulevard Paseo Montejo, the “Champs-Elysees” of Merida.  Hundreds of locals and tourists alike bring their bicycles, or rent one right on the boulevard, and join families, singles, couples, and every other combination you can imagine, to enjoy a leisurely bike ride.  The city of Merida closes down Calle 60 and Paseo Montejo for the weekly event, placing volunteers at every intersection to ensure safety.  The ride begins at the Zocalo (main square) on Calle 60 at Calle 59 (continuing the fiesta that begins on Saturday), continues North to Calle 47, cuts east one block to Paseo Montejo, and continues about 2 additional kilometers.  All along the way you will see water stations, children’s’ activities booths, dancing, exercising areas, music, and much more, all free.  So even if you are not a bike rider, you can take a leisurely walk under canopied trees and stop for coffee and pastries, ice cream, or a full breakfast at one of the many, charming cafes along the boulevard.

 

                You are sure to make many new friends, whether they be ex-pats also out to enjoy the morning, Spanish-speaking locals and tourists, or families from all over this huge globe.  You will marvel at the architecture of the many historic homes lining the boulevard, some of which are open to the public as museums and other public spaces.  You’ll pick up a few new Spanish words, drop a few pounds, and gain new insight into what it might be like to live in this wonderful, historic city with its lovely, welcoming inhabitants. 

Cenote Summer - Part II

Last time I wrote about some of the cenotes one can visit just a few minutes from Merida.  We continue our cenote summer with a look at a fantastic little cenote in the town of Chochola, just 10 minutes from Merida’s main square.

For 17 pesos each we hopped a van to Chochola.  The driver let us out in the main square, and we walked three blocks to San Ignacio cenote.  From the front it is nothing special to look at; we could see a couple of palapa buildings.  You never know what you’re going to get when you arrive at one of the over 3,000 watering holes in the Yucatan.  The San Ignacio cenote exterior belies its stunning cenote cave. 

Inside a woman took our 70 pesos each, and put a paper wristband on our wrists.  We then headed to the little outdoor restaurant on the premises to get a key to one of the free lockers.  The lockers are made of plywood, with small locks on them.  I wondered if this was a fool’s paradise, but I needn’t have worried; we have found people very honest in the Yucatan. 

After shoving our backpack and shoes in the locker, we headed to the cenote entrance.  There is a narrow cement staircase with high stone walls that drops dramatically down into a hole in the ground.  Ducking our heads as we passed through, we saw before us a small, multi-colored cave filled with crystal clear water.  We put our towels down on an available stone and gingerly scooted ourselves down into the water.  It was about 80 degrees, cool and refreshing, a glorious respite from the 102 degrees topside.

The water at one end of the cave is just the right depth to sit and relax while the opposite end is about 10 – 12 feet deep.  We sat a while, swam a while, then climbed up on some rocks on one side and enjoyed watching as others did the same.  Children splashed and swam the length of the cave while their mothers and grandmothers sat in the shallow end, enjoying their brood. 

The cave roof is only about 6 feet above the water, and shows many colors.  Brown and red stones turn to gentle shades of green in some areas, and back to amber.  Stalactite bases hang everywhere from the ceiling, but the stalactites themselves were broken off years ago.  I have been in a few cenotes, but never one that was a cave.  This one definitely rates a 10 on the “wow” factor. 

About 45 minutes later we were beginning to get a bit pruney, and decided it might be time to tear ourselves away from this magical under-world and head back to the surface. 

Back on terra firma we took a walk around the cenote grounds, then headed back to town and our bus back to Merida.  A very relaxing time was had by us both, and we’re already planning part III of our cenote summer.

Cenote Summer - Part I

Summer is here and what better time to visit Mérida, Mexico to tour some of the wonderful cenotes that dot the landscape around the city.  These wonderful sinkholes, each one with its own special feel, provide ample opportunity to relax, cool off, and enjoy one another’s company as you escape the heat of summer.

                Over 3,000 cenotes dot the Yucatan peninsula.  These swimming holes have been used by locals and visitors alike for hundreds of years.  Some cenotes are just a few feet below the surface and resemble sunken lakes or a pond.  Others are much deeper and require some climbing to reach the cool water.  Still others require diving under a stone wall or archway to reach them.  And many have been outfitted with ladders and even concrete stairs to facilitate reaching them easily.  Whatever your adventure level, you will find a cenote just right for you.  Here are just a few of the cenotes reachable in a day trip from Mérida.

Cenote Chelentun

              

  With wonderfully clear, blue water, Chelentun, located in the town of Cuzamá, with stalactites and stalagmites adding to its beauty.  Also in Cuzamá are the cenotes Chelentun, Chansinic’che, and Bolonchoojol.  All are worth at least seeing if not taking the time to swim in.

Valladolid

Several accessible cenotes are located in and around the town of Valladolid, south of Mérida.  Right in the center of town is Zaci, very popular for swimming and relaxing.  An eyeless black fish, the lub, swims along with you in Zaci.  For a fun day, rent bikes in the center of town and bike to two cenotes, X'Keken and Samula, located across the road from each other in the village of Dzitnup. 

Cenotillo

This little village sports more than 150 cenotes.  You can hire a local guide to take you to one or several of them.

Xlacah

Just north of Mérida is Xlacah, on the Mayan site of Dzibichaltún.  This cenote is at ground level and a treat for swimmers.  At 140 feet deep at one end, it’s a great way to cool off after a hot day climbing the pyramids at Dzibichaltún. 

Kankirixche

This cenote attracts snorkelers and scuba divers exploring its crystal clear waters. 

These are only a few of the many opportunities to take a dip in a cenote around Mérida.  Come explore and decide for yourself which is the best.

Merida Morning

            Each morning I wake at about 6:00 AM.  No alarms, no one shoving me out of bed.  I am eager to get downstairs, make coffee, and sit on the patio enjoying the peaceful serenity of a Merida morning.

            There is nothing in the world I love more than a Merida morning.  I sit with my coffee and computer, checking reservations for our B&B, catching up on overnight news.  I pause as Marlon Brando, the neighbor’s white feline, whom a guest named Marlon Brando because of his ragged-looking face often torn up by all the fights he seems to get into, gingerly makes his way along the top of our property-line wall, a feat requiring no small amount of dexterity due to the many, broken bottles cemented into the top of the wall to keep “intruders” out of our neighbor’s yard.  But Marlon is no intruder, just a local citizen looking for a challenge, or maybe an enticing bag of trash someone forgot to put inside a trash can.

Marlon Brando’s visit makes me think of another denizen of the neighborhood: a large, silver and green iguana who lives on the opposite side of our property.  I always hope he will come by to sit on our wall in the sun, or sit on his perch on the top of our casita, or even brave our scary yard for a chance to sip from our pool.  But with all the activity at our B&B in the late mornings, he seldom comes around, so it is a rare treat to see him up close, like today.  This morning I spot him sitting on a tree limb in the next yard, just next to the Balam room.  In the afternoons we often see him taking in some rays on a high branch of a tree.  The last time he was in the yard I grabbed the camera and made a video for our Facebook page of him trying to scurry away from me, finally running to the back and up the wall to safety.

My mind returns to the present.  The pool is quiet; no pump shooting water through the filters and back out the two Ticul-stone cannons and into the pool with a constant splashing – only a gentle ripple now and then after a leaf slowly floats from the trees above to the calm, still water. 

Suddenly there is a loud screeching of birds, and I know that the green parrots that live in the area have arrived for their morning visit.  About a dozen of them flock from limb to limb, screaming to each other with a sound that affects me like fingernails on a chalkboard.  But joining them this morning - but keeping her distance - is a black-as-night turkey vulture.  Scoping out its next meal, perhaps?  The parrots keep their distance as well, and screech louder and more forceful than usual.

Then, as suddenly as it began, it is quiet again, and the sense of calm is even more profound than before.  I mentally check off my tasks for the day: make breakfast, clean rooms, fill that crack in the rear wall.  I pick up my empty cup and computer and start to make my way back inside, turning off the dim lights left on overnight for the guests to make their way to their rooms after late-night dinner or clubbing.  I notice the leaves on the walkway and mentally add “sweep the walk” to my task list.  Time to make breakfast, and greet another great day in Merida.

Temozon, A Furniture-Hunter’s Dream

Just an hour and a half drive from Merida is a small pueblo called Temozón.  It’s proximation to the larger town of Valladolid makes it an ideal second stop on a day trip to this wonderfully beautiful area. 

                We first heard of Temozón through our Spanish teacher, Lulu.  She said that if we wanted great hand-crafted furniture, this was the place to go.  So off we went one day in search of the little town supposedly filled with wood artisans.  We found the town just 10 kilometers north of Valladolid, less than two hours from our front door.

                There is only one main road through Temozón, so you are sure to pass every carpenter’s shop in town.  Some specialize in specific pieces, such as chairs, both rocking and otherwise.  Others offer a host of pieces, from sofas, chairs, and side tables, to beds, wardrobes, dressers, and much more.  Stop at every one because you will be constantly surprised at the variety of woods, styles, and finishes.  The carpenter we chose to build all the furniture for our B&B will make anything, and do it beautifully. 

                Jose has an open tienda on the East end of town.  His strong, hand-finished furniture caught our eye from the road.  Upon closer inspection we were excited to see the love and care he put into each piece.  Jose uses mainly three types of wood:  pine, cedar, and tsalam, a local hardwood with beautiful blonde streaks running through it.  We had all our furniture made of tsalam, with a light brown finish. 

                As I said, Jose will make anything you desire; we gave him a picture of a desk and he copied it exactly.  But he also has available many stunning pieces ready to go.  We especially love his sofas and chairs; they exude a strength of character, yet have a wonderful delicate quality that you just have to see. 

                It may be a bit difficult to send furniture home, but we feel it will be well worth the effort.  This is furniture your nieces and nephews (or children and grandchildren) will be enjoying for generations.  And the cost of shipping it is far outweighed by the savings of the furniture itself.  I daresay you could not find this furniture in the U.S. for many times the cost of it in Temozón.  

A Day Trip to Ticul

Chichen Itza, Mayapan, Dzibilchaltun, Ek Balam, Uxmal – these are only some of the must-see Mayan civilization sites one can visit on a day trip from Merida, on the wonderful peninsula state of Yucatan, Mexico.  But what else is there to do for an excited traveler bent on seeing a bit more?  Try a shopping/sightseeing trip to one of the many local towns within a couple hours of Merida where you can find many handcrafted items lovingly made by talented indigenous peoples, marvel at historical architecture, and take in the slow, steady pace of life in the Yucatan.  Here we suggest a trip to the pottery and ceramic town of Ticul.

Just sixty miles and an hour and a half from Merida is the town of Ticul.  You will find many small shops (tiendas) offering their own, hand-crafted ceramics and pottery.  Begin your search in the heart of town, exploring the main square, with its many shops and food stands.  Every little town in the Yucatan revolves around its own main square, sometimes called a Zócalo. 

You will find shops offering clothing, ceramics, and shoes, shoes, shoes (and sandals).  Pick up a piñata for your nephew or princess costume for your niece, pick out a pair of sandals for your kids, or a locally-made guayabera for your loved-one (and then wear it yourself when he’s not looking). 

Now, I know this is supposed to be a shopping trip, but since you are in Ticul, you should see Iglesia de San Antonio de Padua, located just off the main square.  Although looted on several occasions, the church retains some original touches, such as the stone statues of friars on both side entrances and a Black Christ altarpiece.

Also take note of the many Mayan statue reproductions in the medians and on many street corners.  There is also a fascinating open-air market at the corner of Calles 23 and 28a.  Check it out.

Grab an ice cream, or eat at one of the restaurants adjacent to the square.  Then hop back in the car and head out highway 188 (Calle 23).  After a few blocks you will begin seeing shop after shop of beautiful ceramics and pottery.  Pick up a little ceramic butterfly, frog, or one of those ubiquitous iguanas.  Looking for something more impressive?  You will see pots, both gigantic and not-so-gigantic, fountains, birdbaths, and much more at a tienda just past Calle 36b, on the right, with “alfareria” (pottery) painted on the front.  Further on is another alfareria, this one on the left and offering smaller, more delicately painted pottery.  By the way, all the tiendas in Ticul will carefully wrap and ship your selections home, so don’t shy away from purchasing that huge Mayan god facemask you want for the rumpus room.

At this point (somewhere near Calle 38) you should just park the car, and with a bottle of water walk down Calle 23.  There is store after store of imaginative, beautiful pieces of arts and crafts.  You’ll want to spend an hour in each store, and easily could, but we have to keep moving. 

On the right is a store, Chaa-Multun-Ka’t, with hanging ceramic pots and sconces.  Next to that is Artesanias Decoración Maya, one of my favorite places, selling reproductions of Mayan statues and wall hangings.  Pick one up and the family who owns the place will tell you exactly what Mayan god is represented and why they are important. 

Two doors down is La Perla del Sur, another alfareria, and then a small, unnamed (at least last time I was there) shop with some of the most imaginatively designed sconces I have seen.  The family’s son, who is about 20 years old, has begun to design his own pieces, and they are striking in color and design.  Many of them are featured in our Bed & Breakfast in Merida.

Across the street is a ramshackle building with a black roof that seems to be falling in.  But don’t let that deter you from checking out their brightly-colored sconces and pots of sunflower designs.  The roof isn’t really falling in; it is simply made of a very inexpensive, flexible material and so is often used on local shop buildings. 

If you are still up for more, walk a couple more blocks, or take the car to a brightly-colored, yellow lean-to on the left.  The woman running this tienda has a large number of pots in more traditional designs and natural terracotta. 

Now you will want to turn around and visit your favorites again to see exactly what pieces you cannot live without.  Have them pack up your treasures and hop back in the car (after stopping for another bottle of water), and head back to your home base at Casa Del Maya Bed & Breakfast in Merida, where your extremely well-appointed hosts will be waiting to see what great taste you have.  Take a dip in the pool while we drool over your art pieces, then grab a nap before heading out for a fun night on the town.  But come home early and get some sleep, because tomorrow it’s off to Temozon for wonderful, hand-crafted furniture.

Primer Año

     It's funny how milestones make you stop and think about life.  We are quickly approaching one year as official residents of Merida and it is time to renew our visas.
     Our first year in Merida has flown like one of the many soaring green parrots that pass over our house most mornings.  Where are they going so quickly?  Where are WE going?  Time may have flown, but it is also mind-boggling how much has happened in that year.
     We arrived in Merida the end of April 2012.  We immediately began to interview contractors to renovate and build our dream property.  On July 1 our selected contractor and crew began digging foundations for our two new casitas, and we were off and running.

We checked the progress daily, we chose fixtures, appliances, and the thousands of other items needed by our contractor, Luis.  We chose paint colors.  We designed our breakfast terrace.  We arranged for furniture to be made by a carpenter in Temozon; we drove to Ticul to purchase ceramic sconces and wall hangings.  At Xmatkuil we found Mayan wood masks and in Dzitya we picked out the pool fountain cannons and our own shower shelves. In between time we even found time to take Spanish classes.
     Construction was completed on December 11 and on December 12 we welcomed our first guests.  From there it was a whirlwind of guests crossing our thresholds.  We cooked breakfasts, cleaned rooms, fixed air conditioners, did the laundry again and again and again, made beds (again and again and again), cleaned the pool, carried home a couple hundred pineapples, several hundred mangoes, and countless avocados, bananas, melons, strawberries, and any other fruit in season.  
     Then, on May 1, it all stopped.  We spent the month sprucing up, upgrading, and enjoyed being tourists, ourselves.  And here we are, at the end of May, and time to renew our visas.  So we stop and think about where we've been, and where we are going.  Are we still enjoying running our B&B?  Has it been all we expected?  Are we going to continue with this endeavor?  Given the demands and our ages, CAN we continue with this endeavor?
     The answer to all those questions is an emphatic "YES".  We have enjoyed this new life more than we could have expected.  We love meeting our guests, and making them our new friends.  We have fun trying to give them each the best vacation experience.  And we are looking forward to what the next tourist season has to offer.
     We feel extremely fortunate to have landed in Merida.  The people are warm and friendly, the fresh fruits and vegetables are cool and inviting, and the weather is, well, you probably already know.  So here's to another year of new friends, delicious fruit, and my own little paradise - with pool.
     And will we still feel this way next May?  Stay tuned.