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Viva la Mexico! It’s Time To Leave This Beautiful Country For These Two Traveling Seniors!

Good Golly its Holly!
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Viva la Mexico! It’s Time To Leave This Beautiful Country For These Two Traveling Seniors!

These two traveling seniors have absolutely loved our time in Viva la Mexico! but, alas, it is is time for us to make an adventure into a new country! It blows our mind that it has been almost six months since we arrived in Merida!

Here is a break down of the Good, The Bad & The Ugly of Merida.

Everyday here in Viva la Merida has been a life changing adventure for us. We lost a lot in the U.S. with the forever search for material things and the idea that you have to have more… We, and yes I’m speaking for both of us on this point, have never felt more comfortable, safer or more a part of the community. That is sad but true. The warmth and acceptance into the community has been wonderful.

Yes, we heard all the propaganda stories the news stations put out every day about how ‘bad or unsafe’ Mexico is but honestly here in Merida we have seen none of that. Of course, we did not come to Mexico looking for trouble – if you do than you may be at the sorry end of the police here. That’s on you. The only issue we have had with the local police was the other night, we were walking & we decided to remove our masks. A police car pulled up next to us & hit the siren to alert us to put our masks on. Yes, they are serious about the pandemic down here in Merida & we are good with that.

Here is a break down of the Good, The Bad & The Ugly of Merida. If you have been following us than you know every day has not been a bed of roses during our stay, there have been bumps but nothing that wasn’t easily fixed. Empecemos! Let’s get started!

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly As Seen By These Two Traveling Seniors…

Where do I begin?

The Good…

  • Sweet bread or as they call it in Spanish “Pan Dulce!” I won’t lie, we really have to ration ourselves on the sweet breads. Bakeries!
  • Cocina economicas food deliveries! For a few dollars, we order our lunch from whichever cocina is offering our favorite that day! Often servings are large enough for leftovers for dinner. Pork or Chicken with beans, soup, salad & corn tortillas meals can be different just depending on which cocina you call.
  • Street food vendors! Need I say more?
  • Select Fruit & Vegetables market/store.
  • Mexican organic coffee. Our nose & taste buds love the various types of coffee beans & their characteristics!
  • Walking the streets to view the beautiful colored casas, flowers & trees. On one side street, totally unexpected, we ran across a huge coy pond right up by the sidewalk inside the fence of the casa. The coy were at least a foot long & multi colored, just gorgeous! Or the chicken poking her head out from a hole in another fence! I guess what I’m saying is to leave yourself time to walk the streets as you never know what beauty you may see.
  • The culture of familia is strong here. Quite a few families have wrapped us into their families & we are super appreciative of that love.
  • Again, the people have been so accepting of us wherever we have gone.
  • Some days it is toasty hot for walking but for the most part is not to bad with the breeze. We are from Texas after all.
  • Finding a great Spanish teacher in Georgette! We are not masters of the language yet but she has given us such a good foundation to build on.
  • The BEST massage therapist & acupuncturist is right here in Merida!
  • The closeness of the beach! A short drive by car or bus to the Gulf or the Caribbean. We will post more on this later.
  • Mayan / Aztec sites all over Yucatan! Cenotes! So many to choose from…so much history in this land!
  • I’m sure once I post this, I’ll think of another Good or Bad but will leave at this for now as I hope you get the picture YOU HAVE TO VISIT MERIDA!
  • I knew it. The medical services that we have dealt with have been fabulous & really spot on price wise! I’m going to post a “Contact List” for new visitors to Merida in the next week or so. It will save you some time and frustration from looking all over the internet for the various business contacts in the Montecristo and surrounding area that we made during our time in Merida.
Viva la Mexico Sweetbreads
Viva la Mexico Sweetbreads
Traditional Dessert Pies
Traditional Dessert Pies

Love the night lights bouncing off this dark red building.
Loved the night lights shining off this dark red building.

The Bad…

  • Sidewalks are not perfect [see pics below]. We walk & have seen some awesome beautiful sidewalks but with a two foot high curb. The issue is with these sidewalks, if you are not alert you could easily step off & fall or even break a bone. Other sidewalks are in such poor shape, you are better off walking in the street. Some sidewalks have ‘hills’ or dips that are not that noticeable until you step or trip on one. Bottom line, be very alert in walking Merida. Some walks have huge bolts & metal pieces sticking out of middle of walkway.
  • Alto [Stop] signs are treated like yield signs. Ha. If there are stop lights, you can easily cross at the light on at the speed humps. If you are on a street with roundabouts, then you might have to wait a minute or so to cross, Back to the Alto Sign – I don’t think we have been in a Uber yet that stops behind the sign to check traffic – they pull into intersection/stop/slow down/then finish crossing. I am glad I don’t have to drive here. Ha.
  • Speaking of traffic, it can get pretty loud especially in the evenings during rush hour. Ha. Just a lot of horns blowing.
  • Loose wires hanging. I’m talking what looks like cables or electric lines hanging down on sidewalks, etc.?
  • While it is great to have the sun, the humidity is a killer. If there is no breeze, yikes you are going to sweat your butt off. You should always carry water with you!!
  • You have four corners at an intersection – is it not uncommon for a street number to change from one side of street to other. Can be confusing.
  • Sometimes the ‘smell’ factor is not nice.
Sidewalk with steps on street of Merida
Sidewalk with steps on street of Merida
The previous pic shows why some streets have these two foot high sidewalks!
The previous pic shows why some streets have these two foot high sidewalks!
Flooded streets in Merida
Flooded streets in Merida

Although I listed the above under ‘Bad’, the ‘Good’ far outweighs any of these little inconveniences!

And NOW The Downright Ugly!

I am going to stick my head out here & say there is really only one downright ugly thing in Merida…”THAT ONE TOURIST” [or outside person/expat] who talks down to the working class people. We were walking when a truck pulled up on street in front of a auto shop. The expat jumped out of his truck & started calling for a name of someone inside. He hadn’t even crossed the sidewalk when he was yelling at the workers to ‘speak English!]. Really, this is how you treat people? We both felt pure disgust for the behavior of this man. He clearly was ‘privileged’ or at least thought he was. Just a word of advise if he is reading this article, You are supposed to represent (in a positive way), the country that you came from and I hope you were not from the U.S.A.

Viva la Mexico! Volveremos!

Bottom line, the Good of Merida is awesome; the bad, we can live with!; but the ugly of the actions of anyone treating working class people in that way is sickening. I’m not saying all expats or tourist are like this but you only need one pompous ass to make you wonder? Enough of that.

As I stated, our time in Merida is right around the corner. We plan to come back next year but in the meantime we have a couple other countries we need to check out & we are excited to jump out to another adventure.

“Hasta la proxima vez!”

Seniors Traveling Internationally on a Budget & Living a Simple Life

Good Golly its Holly!
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Seniors Traveling Internationally on a Budget & Living a Simple Life

Seniors Traveling Internationally & Living A Simple Life has always been our goal! With a well planned Budget it is doable!

Living a simpler life as seniors traveling internationally on a budget was our goal from day one of creating our grand adventure plan! Though its only been barely three months since leaving the States & stepping into full time international travel on a budget, this has been the BEST three months!

The Pandemic restrictions caused us to push our International travel plans out a bit. Many countries are being proactive & have travel restrictions that may prohibit us from traveling outside of a designated area. We know we have to be cognizant in making any future travel plans, but we want you to continue to following us during our present journey in the beautiful country of Mexico. Question is, “ARE YOU READY FOR YOUR INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL ADVENTURE?”

Our Dream of Living a Simple Life While Traveling on a Budget Is Real!

Our dream of living a simple life while traveling on a budget is calling our names. In the beginning I admit we were super excited about becoming part of the expat communities living the sweet life in foreign countries. It made perfect sense to us & absolutely cost effective when you broke down the numbers! When I think of expat communities, I think of neighbors just like us – you know – from the US & speaking English. That is great if that is you. Don’t get me wrong, I totally understand the idea behind the need to have that familiarity where you live but that just isn’t us…not right now.

Before we even arrived in Mexico we knew that we did not want to be surrounded by what we had left in the U.S. We wanted to learn the language & be able to expand our horizons so to speak in whichever country we landed. If we moved to a ‘tourist’ area it just wouldn’t make sense. Right now we are as close to immersion as we can be while still learning Spanish here in Mexico. Did you know Spanish is in the second most spoken language in the world behind Mandarin!!

Of course, our friends and family were not on board with us traveling internationally at first but most did come around in time. I think they had a “reality check” once we notified them that we had landed in Mexico. Their fears and doubts began to slowly fade away as we started sending them pictures of our new daily lifestyle.

In this post we’ll share with you the most asked questions from family and friends as we told them our plan for World domination!

Is Mexico Safe for Seniors Traveling Internationally?

This was no doubt the most asked question of us. Is it really safe for seniors traveling in Mexico? I can’t tell you that Mexico is or is not safe. We can only speak of Merida. There are parts of Mexico I have no desire to visit purely for personal reasons but I can also tell you that for The Big Guy & I, we feel very much at ease & safe in this beautiful city. Merida is consistently ranked as one of the safest cities to live in Mexico.

The Big Guy & I were out on a walkabout & saw first hand how the local police do enforce the mandated face mask. Hint – the Officer used his bullhorn and shouted “PONTE TU MASCARILLA” although we don’t speak Spanish we knew that he was telling someone to put their mask on, the Yucatan State takes the pandemic very seriously. There is presently a curfew here in the Yucatan State due to the pandemic protocol – 11:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. We were out with friends having coffee and the time just slipped away from us. Hours passed like minutes and we almost got caught out past the curfew, but made it home just in time. Merida police may issue you a hefty fine if you are caught out after curfew.

Bottom line, we feel quite safe here in Merida.

Leaving behind material stuff? Selling your home? “That just sounds crazy!”

Leaving behind material stuff & selling your home? I was asked “won’t you miss your ‘stuff’? Behind the ‘is Mexico safe?’, this was probably the most asked question asked of us.

We sold everything! Let me re-phrase that, what didn’t get sold was either donated, given away or trashed. Don’t get me wrong it was hard to part with some of our material possessions we had collected over the years. The Big Guy and I sat down and did a self evaluation that included looking at our intended goal of International Travel. We both agreed that our priority was to travel light and if it didn’t fit in the back pack or roller bag then it had to be gone.

My backpack & rollerbag ready to head to airport!
My backpack & rollerbag!

 

Regarding selling the our home, I had to remind the Big Guy that we had to look at it as just being a “house.” We have thousands of awesome memories from that house but we were determined we would not go to the ‘poor house’ just to keep it. Taxes went up astronomically year to year along with homeowners insurance, utilities, maintenance, etc. Again, once we were in the mindset that we would have to sell everything to make our dream of international travel come true, we never looked back.

In Merida we feel that have found the perfect little apartment for the balance of our stay. With some help from our new friends here in Merida, we were able to scoop this place up. The minute we walked through the front door we knew it contained everything that we were looking for and more. Between you & me, we feel we hit the mother lode in our homeowners renting to us! Quick fixes for anything that breaks & as sweet we could ever hope. Sure there are a lot of differences or I should say ‘things we took for granted in the States’ but this is so home to us right now & we are already discussing coming back in January!

Is Social Security enough to live on? Are you sure you will be financially ok?

A number of people have asked “Is social security enough to live on” for seniors travelers? Let me say that the idea that social security alone is not enough to live on is false. It may be tight especially if you have no other savings or pension coming in but it is doable. Look at the number of expats who are retired living on pensions in foreign countries. According to this article seven percent (7% ) of Americans receive social security along with a pension & savings/investment. A newer report states forty percent (40%) of those receiving social security do not have any additional income. Can I say it again…Budget, Budget…BUDGET!!!

If I’ve said it a hundred times, I’ve said it a thousand “yes” we can live on a budget. If you are able to part with those materials things that have been bogging you down in expense all these years & realistically set a plan, anyone can travel on any budget you set. You have to be of the mindset that material things are just not necessary for travel or just living you are only putting yourself into more misery by running up debt or continuing to live on credit cards. I believe we started our quest of minimal living as soon as we set our plan into action.

Our plan for world domination of seniors traveling internationally on a budget all started with spirals!
Our plan for world domination of seniors traveling internationally on a budget all started with spirals!

Depending on the country you travel to and your willingness not to stay in tourist area, you could save a little extra money that would allow you to pay your debt down or off while traveling. We sold everything, which allowed us to put the extra money toward our debt. All the extra expenses that we previously paid for insurance, utilities, taxes, car payments, etc. now can be used as part of our International travel budget. Once you break it all down & let it simmer a while, you might find other ways to pump up your budget. It just depends on how & where you want to live out of the states. Our budget simply may not be your budget. We are just providing you with a little guidance to help you determine a budget that will work for you.

Bottom line, we wanted a place fully furnished including utilities & close to bus/walking to wherever we may need to go. We wanted to make only ONE PAYMENT PER MONTH & not have to worry about insurance, utilities, taxes, etc. We’d had enough of that but again, you will need to make a plan that works for you.

How Will You Be Able to Entertain Yourselves & Live on a Budget?

Entertaining ourselves while living on a budget was never an issue that needed any real planning. We still like doing things together so that really was a no brainer. We are retired & will figure out as we go. Once here, all fell into place. Here are just a few ways we pass our time! We really feel so lucky to have met the new people in our lives & become good friends with several Merida residents that we call our forever friends.

Spanish Class – We have found an awesome Spanish Instructor that is excited about teaching us Spanish. At the time of this post we have had four (4) classes. What a difference she has made for us, if you are going to be in any country for a long bit of time, check out language class. You might be surprised at how much you enjoy it.

Dice – The Big Guy & I have played a dice game called Rollout for years. It is a staple in entertaining ourselves when we are home alone.

People Watching – We sit on our front terrace & watch soccer games across the street to the left or tennis games to the right. People watching & enjoying the evening sounds & coolness.

Siestas – During certain months, the temps can be hot by afternoon but most of the time the periodic breeze can be very cooling. I won’t lie. The humidity can be brutal but I totally understand taking an afternoon siesta for a couple hours. What better way to spend a hot afternoon than to take a nap under the fan or a/c?

Walk Abouts – During the hotter months, we just get out earlier in the day for walks, coffee, shopping, etc. We have our favorite walks but once in a while we will take off down a ‘new’ street to us just to see what it there. We both love the variety of colors on houses & landscaped yards. The houses may be huge or they may be very small but they each have their own personality & I’m sure stories to tell.

Row of apartments with balcones along a street we walked.
Let your imagination run free on walkabouts. Who may live here? Enjoy the colors & the people.

Lunch Deliveries – If we don’t feel like cooking, one of us will order lunch in from one of the cocina economicas that deliver to our neighborhood. You ask what is a cocina economica? These are basically economically priced mom & pop home cooked meals – some have an area to sit & eat in front of location but most deliver food to your door for a very very reasonable price. We sometimes order a lunch x two & have enough leftovers for dinner or snack later!

Mayan Ruins – hundreds all over the Yucatan. Pick one of a couple to visit at a time. There is so much history & culture in these sites.

Cenotes, beach trips to Progreso, Cancun, etc all within the Yucatan.

Boats flipped over on Progreso Beach.
Boats on Progreso Beach!

Plazas & Parks all thru Merida are each beautiful & known for a particular historical reason. No easier way to educate yourself free & get your walk in at the same time.

Massages/Acupuncture Sessions – Who doesnt’ love a good massage? I admit I had been curious about acupuncture so was ready to give it a try. Oh my. We tried a couple spas but were so disappointed until we found Trazende Spa! Pedro is an awesome massage therapist & Elsa is amazing in her acupuncture sessions. The Big Guy & I are regulars at the Trazende Spa. You must try them out. For a full service list contact the Spa. For those of you have not yet mastered Spanish, both speak fluent English along with Spanish.

Shopping Malls – if you are into shopping or ice skating there are some really nice malls in Merida!

Once you have landed, scope out the neighborhood & you may be surprised at the gems just a short distance from you.

Bottom Line – Living a Simple Life is pretty fantastic!

Sure we miss the grandchildren & we will miss the birth of our second great grand-daughter but this was simply our time. Does that sound selfish? I’m sure some would say yes. We made the decision that we wanted to travel while still healthy & luckily we are healthy enough to do so. We decided that Mexico would be the first jump into international travel. It seems The Big Guy thought I might get all depressed not being able to see the kiddos as much as I want BUT I totally understand children grow up & at some point Nana & Papa aren’t as important as their friends so…We will visit them when in the states & hopefully one day they will come visit us wherever we may be at that time.

This is OUR time to travel! What is holding YOU back?

 

The Ultimate International Travel Bucket List For Two Seniors!

Good Golly its Holly!
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The Ultimate International Travel Bucket List For Two Seniors!

The ultimate international travel Bucket List for these two seniors traveling internationally on a budget has been given a lot of thought. Our thinking is as we dive into this international travel plan, we as two seniors sharing with seniors can share with you our ups & downs so your grand jump as seniors traveling may be just a little easier for you.

I believe we have a good grip on it at this point but it really was very difficult to narrow down to top ten but we are realists. We are seniors & travel somewhat at a slower pace than some so if we can squeeze in more countries, we will, but for now we are concentrating on the Bucket List below. If you follow us, than you will recognize a bit of change from our original Bucket List at the beginning of this adventure. Nothing is in stone as we are finding out with this current pandemic & how it is being addressed country to country…

Our Updated International Travel

Though we know we may not get to all of these countries, we are hoping we can still make a large dent in the list! This new & improved Bucket List contains the countries we – at this point in time – want to visit for extended period of time. Sights we want to see in country will vary by length due to visa requirements…Does that make sense? Initially, we plan to stay as long as that particular country’s visa allows – 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, you get it on a tourist visa.

What is in that country that is drawing us to it? Making a list of what we want to see in each country will at least give us some direction as well as making the trip memorable for us…it gives more purpose to our travels & I’m sure some awesome memories along the way. Let’s get to it – this is the Taylor’s Ultimate International Travel Bucket List as of today March 2021 – in no particular order.

The Taylor’s International Travel Bucket List for Seniors as of today 2021

Mexico

Merida has been chosen for our first jump off into our grand adventure!

The colorful streets & Monarch butterfly migration may send us to San Miguel de Allende.

Puebla, Guadalajara, Oaxaca areas are also is a big pull for us.

Walking the city streets alone in this beautiful country will be an eye popping experience.

Mayan ruins, the culture, the people….we can’t wait.

El Castillo - Chichen Itza - International Travel Bucket List Must See
El Castillo Pyramid – A must to add to any international travel bucket listfor seniors!

Ecuador – Cost of living for seniors, beauty, immersion are just some of the pulls to Ecuador!

Cunca, Quito, Guayaquil, San Cristobel are all contenders for our stay in this South American country. Why?

Let’s straddle the Equator Line.

Climb to the top of the Bascilica Del National Church.

Volcanoes galore throughout country

Walking across the bridge over Devils’ Cauldron

Checking our Las Penas & Galapagos Island.

Turtle in Sea
Loggerhead Turtle in Sea [photo by Daniel-Torobekov]

Bolivia – a few reasons to visit Bolivia

La Paz, Uyuni & Cochabamba are a few towns that have peaked our interest.

The desert, mountains & Amazon in one country? We will be busy!

La Paz should be easy to get around without a car using local buses & bicycles

Salt flats? Should be interesting!

Breathtaking views from the various mountains.

Steam rising from jungle
Jungles & standing on the equator line are just a couple of reasons to visit Bolivia! Photo by Elias Tigiser

Belize

Village of Hopkins would be a cultural adventure. San Ignacio & Caracol look good for Mayan ruins!

Colombia – for some interesting facts about Colombia check this out!

Colombia has a lot to offer – mountains, jungles, etc as well as diversity. We haven’t narrowed down a particular city yet but Medellin is a possibility with its bird watching, coffee plantations, etc!

Costa Rica

We are not extremist by any call but we do love anything to do with nature so with the coffee farms & other multiple sights, I think this beautiful country is doable for us if only for a short stay.

red & blue macaw
red & blue macaw

Portugal – what is Portugal famous for?

What is Portugal famous for? Fishing villages, islands, turtles[!], mountains, history, miles of beach, etc & basically a stepping stone to Europe or Africa! It truly has so many things that we are looking for in our next adventure, this country should be moved up to our top 3 of want to visit countries. Obidos & Berlenga just to name a couple of towns calling us!

portuguese fishing village
Portuguese fishing village

African Continent – What is the best country to visit in Africa?

Which is the best country to visit in Africa? Where would we land? The continent is huge with fifty-four countries! I wouldn’t mind visiting a number of them but it would probably be a shorter trip for us. I was elated when The Big Guy just recently agreed that a visit to Uganda may just be in our plan. [The Big Guy has friends in Uganda -hmmm maybe they will invite us for visit?]

Kenya for a safari? LOVE that idea. Once we have a time-frame for a visit there we will give it more thought!

African elephant
African Elephant

Southeast Asia

Second trip to Thailand is still on our minds? We always said we would love to go back – maybe Chiang Mai, specifically to visit Chiang Mai Elephant Sanctuary! Cambodia & Vietnam have both been in discussion for a long time as well. We will research more on those two as time arrives:}

Asian elephant
Asian Elephants

China

The Great Wall of China – We both see that as a definite have to see in our travels. Also, the Zhangjiagie Glass Bottom Bridge is another sight we would love to see. Note: As I’ve said before The Big Guy & I are not extremists but we definitely could think about this! Ha.

Great Wall of China
We want to see this! Wall of China.

Is our International Travel Bucket List final?

Again, for these two traveling seniors on a budget, right now, this is our updated Bucket List! We are so excited as May 17th is fast approaching! Oh did I tell you? Merida, Mexico is our first jump on our international adventure. Yep, tickets – check; initial housing upon landing – check! – suitcases/backpacks packed & ready to go? Not yet…but we are practicing packing & making those final checks! Oh my gosh…did I say we are crazy excited? LOL. It’s definitely getting real!

If you haven’t got the travel bug yet to make the big jump, follow us & we will share with you our trips!

Happy travels!

What is The Walkability of Streets in Beautiful Merida?

Good Golly its Holly!
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What is The Walkability of Streets in Beautiful Merida?

Or Should We Ask – What is the walkability of streets in beautiful Merida for seniors who enjoy walking?

The walkability of streets in Merida is actually a very honest concern to any senior travelers like us who seriously spend our time walking from point A to point B most days. Since we have found an apartment we like, the shape & condition of sidewalks of Merida streets is of utmost importance to us. Let me say up front that although the sidewalks can be a challenge, they are just a hiccup. The beauty found in the people & daily living here is wonderful. Of course, some streets are an easier walk than others but they all have their share of hidden gems waiting for us to find them.

As we told you all in our original plan for this grand adventure of seniors traveling internationally, we chose to reduce expenses by not owning a vehicle. We walk everywhere – everyday – & the ‘walkability’ of Merida’s streets was a huge part of our decision making when deciding where to make our first stop on this grand adventure. The Big Guy can tell you he is continuously telling me to watch that step, be careful where you step, etc. Looking up at how tall a tree is while walking a sidewalk can be dangerous. Be aware of where you are stepping. I will say this a lot in this post but keep your eyes open!

We know we are not the first & definitely not the last seniors who will be checking out Merida or some part of Mexico looking for their little piece of paradise. With one million expats presently living in Mexico, I am sure a huge number of them are retirees like us searching for that piece of paradise.

Is the walkability of streets in Merida safe for tourists/walkers?

Are the streets of Merida safe for you to be walking? All we can do is share our experiences. Since we have only been in Merida for several months we have felt extremely safe while walking the different neighborhoods of Merida. True, we have not walked every street BUT the areas we have covered thus far have been wonderful. The people of Merida have been nothing but warm for the most part responding to our morning greetings of “Buenos Dias” etc.

If we were afraid of the unknown, we would not be traveling! We don’t travel to just stay indoors. It does nothing for your health or well being even if you “live” in a foreign country. Part of the allure of traveling is the unknown.

Check out this little gem we found walking streets of Merida yesterday. Our noses [& growling tummys] led us straight to this shop.

This was the menu board in front of Taqueria La Herradura. We chose the empanads!
Menu Board Of Taqueria La Herradura
Pollo & cheese empanadas were freshly made for our lunch at this little Taqueria we found walking streets of Merida the other day.
The pollo & cheese empanadas made fresh with the salsas & chopped cabbage with the cold Cokes were tasty! Meals like this are budget friendly & the young lady who served us was as cute as ever. Between you & me, I truly believe The Big Guy was the first black man she had seen. It really did take her a couple minutes to get her breath when we walked in.

Police Department

Following along on the tails of “is Merida safe for walkers” above we have to mention the local police. The police have been friendly, waving or responding in kind when we have spoken to them. This has been a very nice thumbs up for us.

Of course, we are not fooled by the friendly waves & warm “Hola’s” we hear from these heavily armed law enforcement officials as they patrol the streets of Merida or direct traffic in the heavy traffic areas. We realize Merida is considered one of the safest cities in North America because these law enforcement officials are fully prepared to handle any situation. As a side note, we have noticed that the law enforcement do run their lights all the time so it is near to impossible to tell when they are on a ‘run’ or just cruising.

Bottom line, regardless your skin color, race, country of origin or whatever, we have only seen the police in Merida treating everyone with respect and kindness.

Back to the walkability of streets in Merida – Crosswalks!

These streets can be BUSY with three or four lanes in each direction with a small median between. Most have raised marked cross walks which resemble speed bump on steroids & some intersections will have crossing lights for pedestrians which is awesome, kind of.

Crossing lights for pedestrians.

The pedestrian cross lights are not quite the same as we are use to back in the states though since the pedestrian has no control of turning them on. The lights seem to be timed with the lights for traffic so you may be standing a while but it will come on & most of them give you plenty of time to cross although there are a few with a very short time lapse to cross. These are usually on the smaller intersections but you may still have to trot to get across in the allowed time. There are streets that you may come across that require you to be patient, the drivers are going fast and you have to wait until there is a break in traffic and make a made dash across a few lanes of traffic.

TIP: Be sure you are looking at the light in the center for direction to cross. As you see in the pic, we had the green light to cross to median but then had to wait for the red to turn to green to finish crossing. This took me a minute to get the hang of!

On very heavy traffic days we have noticed police directing traffic & they will stop all traffic to let pedestrians cross. Again, we have had no problems.

Is there a difference between drivers in Merida & drivers in Texas?

Ummhh…DEFINITELY! Well we hear more horns honking here on the streets of Merida but I don’t think it is always a negative thing. Sometimes as I watch traffic the honking can almost sound like music. Someone honks to get in line or if someone is moving to slow, etc. Ha. Ok, we have not seen any anger drivers yelling at one another or any Road Rage incidents where one driver will flash another the middle finger. Drivers are sort of in a hurry, but not really. Yes, it sounds confusing, but drivers are “pleasantly” in a hurry…The horn honking may be a simple question or statement of “Can I get in now?” Surprisingly we have not witnessed that first accident yet!

As to driving the streets, The Big Guy & I both agree we would not even attempt it. Watching the drivers on the side streets can be very entertaining to a point. We have noticed that some street corners may have NO ALTO (STOP) signs on any of the corners. On those corners, we are sure to stand on the curb [if available] & wait to see how the drivers handle crossing between the two of them. One driver may come roaring down the side street & slow down a minute to ease out into the center of the intersection & then look to see if anyone is coming. It really can be hilarious but luckily we have not seen any accidents so I guess the drivers know what they are doing!

Drivers, for the most part, will stop & wave us across the street even ones with 2 or more lanes. Just the other evening a driver stopped & asked us if we needed directions or help! Guess we had that look:} We weren’t lost but trying to figure out if we wanted to turn or go on down to next street but we so appreciated the kindness of this driver.

Walkability of Merida Neighborhood Sidewalks…

Honestly, if you read nothing else in this post please pay attention to this – the conditions of sidewalks/curbs can be treacherous if you are aware of where you are walking. We have found that one block may have a pristine flat sidewalk only to end at a curb with a foot drop off! That is a hellacious drop off when you are not expecting it [been there, done that].

High dropoff from curb on street in Merida
High dropoff from curb on street in Merida

Sidewalks can be beautiful especially in the newer built areas but then they may have trees growing in the center of the walk leaving very little room to get around. You will see sidewalks made of brick, tile, gravel, dirt path or over growth of weeds. No real rhyme of reason as I can see.

Palmtrees in sidewalk on street of Merida
Palm trees in sidewalk on street of Merida
Nice smooth wide sidewalk on some blocks.

To us, it seemed that the newer areas of building had the higher & we can only imagine it is to help with flooding when it rains. The water on some streets get horrendously deep folks.

Wide smooth sidewalk but in lower level with easy flooding so…

Another con to the nicer & newer built sidewalks is that usually to go along with the high curb levels the rise to the drive entrance – if there is one – can be just as dangerous as the foot high curbs. New stone is all pretty but it is hard to judge the drop off from sidewalk to drive entrance…

Streets of Merida view of driveway to sidewalk shift.
Driveway to sidewalks can be just as dangerous if you are not looking!

I’ve talked about the horrendously high sidewalks with drop offs but I want to mention that a one or two inch curb can be just as dangerous for tripping so again Keep Your Eyes Open! Let me state that there are some nice sidewalks that are wonderfully easy to walk so I don’t want you to think that all sidewalks are a hazard to walking because they are not.

A Word Regarding Wheelchairs on Merida Sidewalks

If you are bound to a wheelchair, than you are most definitely going to need a vehicle to get around. The streets can be paved, cobble stone, bricked, etc so handicap access even to cross streets could be next to impossible. I would suggest if you have to have access by wheelchair that you do your due diligence before picking a neighborhood to live in. Is there a neighborhood map online? Having said that, I am sure there are communities designed toward elderly that address your specific needs.

Tired of Walking? Catch a Bus or Uber!

Lastly, when you are tired of walking catch the city bus. We have been on the yellow bus which cost us 7.5 pesos one way & the green/white bus which cost us 8 pesos each. We walk everyday but on those days when we just aren’t feeling it or need a breather we will hop on the city bus! All the buses have their stops written on the windshield & if you are not sure you can always ask the driver for your stop. Bus stops are everywhere & for the most part are covered for shade & rest!

We use Uber as it is very cost efficient for us. We haven’t really used a Taxi so it’s not a fair statement to say that whether they are or are not budget friendly. We use Uber on a limited basis normally for appointments farther away [that we don’t want to show up sweaty] & when we have a larger than normal amount of groceries to carry back to the apartment. Although Uber is super convenient, we are are trying to stay within our monthly transportation budget. The most we have spent on Uber was a total of $20USD for a round trip fare to Progreso Beach! Let me state, we could have ridden the bus for less but ride would have been longer so…we went the easy way on this trip.

The Benefits of Walking Merida…

There are many different benefits to walking Merida. Besides the obvious of finding that next neighborhood coffee cafe & maintaining heart health & weight control, you cannot deny the relaxation of walking & enjoying the sights of Merida. Each walk offers us an opportunity to discover new adventures like the architecture of both older & newer houses. For us, it is a joy just checking out the various neighborhoods, plants & trees. The colorful homes are just the cherry on top!

I hope you enjoyed this post. Let me end it with some cherries on top! Enjoy!

Beautiful green casa on street of Merida.
Just a pretty green house on streets of Merida.
I love this bold blue door on white wall. Reminds me of Greece.
Loved the look of this blue door on white background. This one reminds me of Greece!
Beautiful gold casa that caught my eye on walking streets of Merida.
Gorgeous gold casa on street in Merida.

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