Thursday, June 21, 2012

Merida Stays Up Late


Merida clock tower on main square at Night with park in front
Clock tower at the main plaza towntown
In Merida we live our life according to temperature.  This time of year it is hot, usually mid to high 90's during the day, and humid with the occasional brief rain in late afternoon.  It's easy to understand how people who live in hot climates adopted the concept of "siesta".  It's just too uncomfortable to do anything under the blaze of the afternoon sun.

Our routine is to get some exercise, take a walk, run errands and do all of our exploring in the early morning.  We are rarely out past 10:30 or 11:00.  On the rare occasion that we've stayed out longer we've paid for it...dizzy, overheated, dehydrated.  So, we've learned.  We are siesta converts.  We stay home during the hot hours, work on the blog, photos, travel plans, read, take a cooling dip in the pool. 

Motion shot of cars in downtown Merida Mexico at Night
Our local market buzzes in the evening
Like everyone else we go back out in the evening and life resumes.  Restaurants begin setting tables out on the sidewalks around 9:00 and customers begin to wonder in 9:30ish.  

Afterward, families stroll through the main plaza and enjoy "coco helados", coconut ice cream.  The kids play and old women sit in front of their homes and visit with each other.  People do their grocery shopping, go to the pharmacy, stop into the church for mass or a quick prayer.  Almost everything stays open.  Merida comes back to life, and it stays up very late.

Merida Mexico's Contemporary Art Museum at night with street Traffic
Outside the MACAY, Merida's Contemporary Art Museum


Merida Mexico's Cathedral of San Ildefonso facade lit at night
Cathedral of San Ildefonso, the oldest cathedral in the Americas


Buses run late into the evening


Merida Mexico's Governor's Palace at night with street traffic
The block long portico in front of the Governor's Palace is a busy thoroughfare for both foot and auto traffic.


Merida Mexico street vendor at night
Street vendors bring out their carts in the evenings - the Mexican equivalent of our trendy food trucks



Merida Mexico food vendor stall closing for the night with empty tables
Late in the evening the vendors roll down their shop doors for a few hours until the cycle begins again.


No comments:

Post a Comment