Merida, Mexico: I Love So Many Things About this City

I LOVE a city.  I moved to Belize from Manhattan, New York – certainly one of the biggest and most exciting cities on earth.    A move that I do not regret in any way. (Though I wouldn’t mind if my corner bagel shop, Murray’s, opened a branch in San Pedro, Belize.)  I knew that I loved the beach, more than anything, but I also found that I like smaller town life.

BUT…I DO LOVE A CITY.  Especially one with fabulous museums, music, art, FOOD, cafes, culture, parks, history, shopping, nightlife, very low crime and options, options & more options.  And Merida has all of that.  SO MUCH OF IT.

I have taken so many pictures and seen so many different things over the last four days…I’m almost lost for a way to sum it up.  Merida is that diverse.  Has that much to offer.

So let me work on that.  But I’m telling you.  It’s tough!  Look at some of what I’ve seen over the last few days.

The gorgeous view flying on Tropic Air from Belize City to Merida.  Low enough so that you can see the beautiful and mostly empty landscape.  From chalky ocean to the sprawling White City of Merida.

Gorgeous homes, hotels, gardens, pools and restaurants “hiding” behind cement walls and facades in the Centro or city center.

An impressive boulevard constructed during Merida’s hey day as one of the richest cities IN THE WORLD.  Mansions as private homes, banks and office buildings, crumbling facades and some…used for more practical things.

Like this.  A bicycle shop.

Another gem.

MUSEUMS.  Gorgeous GORGEOUS museums.  Like the Merida Museum of Anthropology.  Amazing things displayed.  Like this Maya Angry Bird made, no INVENTED, between 600 and 900 AD of turtle shell…

Displayed in a building like this.

 

And the new and modern Museum of the Mayan World.

Respected medical and dental care that draws medical tourism from all over Central America.

Bejeweled beetles that are meant to be worn as good luck brooches.  Oh wait…that’s not a good city thing…that’s just odd.

The shopping.

At boutiques and a seriously crowded market place.  And HUGE modern malls.  AltaBrisa Mall was my favorite.  Look…a Gap!  And a California Pizza Kitchen, PF Chang’s, Aeropostale….

And another mall with an ice skating rink.  In Mexico!

Country clubs and golf.  The Yucatan Country Club could not be more impressive.  A SERIOUS oasis…

Outside and a luxe club within.

Perfect spots for the masters of the universe to plan world domination.  Right?

With And my very favorite part of Merida –  the history.  The Spanish conquestadors but mostly the Mayan history, is SO embraced and celebrated.  It’s what sets Merida apart from colonial cities like Granada or Antigua, you see the Maya history EVERYWHERE.  In fact, 60% of the residents of the city are of some Mayan descent.

And it’s not always pretty…

A Spanish conquerer standing atop the Maya.

And some truly moving murals at the gorgeous Governor’s Palace.

My favorite part for sure.

And another favorite that I don’t even have time to get started on now.  THE FOOD.  From Yucatecan to Mexican to Italian to gorgeous chocolate that I’ve stocked up on…

I hope to spend more time in Merida…so much more time in this beautiful city.  And now…it’s easy to reach from Belize.  To me?  That couldn’t be better news.