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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.

Izamal, Mexico – Have You Seen The Yucatan’s Yellow City?

Good Golly its Holly!
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Izamal, Mexico – Have You Seen The Yucatan’s Yellow City?

Today is a visit to another of the Mexico’s treasures – Izamal, Yucatan’s Yellow City! We had heard a lot about Izamal’s pueblo magico town & its yellow buildings so were quite excited to view it in person. If you love color, your eyes will be dancing with happiness as you drive pass the many colored casas toward city center. Let’s get started!

Why is the Yucatan’s Yellow City called a Pueblo Magico?

Why is Izamal yellow?

It really depends on who you talk to or what you read as to the answer of why is Izamal yellow? I’ve read that it was painted the bright golden yellow for the arrival of Pope John Paul II’s visit in August of 1993. Others will say the town has always been the golden yellow, etc.. The tale I would be prepared to believe is the Mayans considered this site to be a celebration of the Sun God & that it has always been this beautiful gold color. My story & I’ll stick to that one.

Between the variations of pale to bold colors of homes as you near the town center, it is nothing to that of seeing the burst of gold as you enter the square! Along with the cobbled streets, colored pony carts & the many colors of casas & stores, it really delights with a magical feeling!

Stone house with blue door in Yucatans Yellow City
Stone house with blue door in Yucatan’s Yellow City
Pink house in Yucatan's Yellow City
Pink house in Yucatan’s Yellow City
colorful houses on Yucatan's Yellow City streets
colorful houses on Yucatan’s Yellow City streets

Tour guides use horse carts up & down the streets. You really feel as if you may have stepped back in time. We traveled during the week so traffic was minimal & not overcrowded with tourists.

Yellow buildings in Yellow City
Yellow buildings in Yellow City. Check out the yellow bike!
Pony with hat on Yucatan's Yellow City Streets
Pony with hat on Yucatan’s Yellow City Streets

As a side note, yes all the adorable ponies wore hats to match their carriage! I’m sure it was cosmetic as well as photographic as I know for a fact that horses can get sunburned noses!

The colonial town was the first to be named a Pueblos Mágicos around 2001 by a government program based on maintaining Mexican locations that had special cultural history. The town itself was founded in the 1500s & built on remains of a Mayan city! Based on the three cultures found here it is easy to see how the Yucatan’s Yellow City was selected & given this important designation.

Convent entrance in Yucatan's Yellow City
Convent entrance in Yucatan’s Yellow City

Is a Guide Needed for your tour of The Yucatan’s Yellow City?

The tour guides are available for a price & a nice 45 minute cart ride around the immediate surrounding streets of the Convent. With the cart ride, you will see a couple more views of ruins & the carts are beautiful. Having said that, if you have never been on a cart ride, you will enjoy it but we could easily have done without. Unlike our tour guide in Chichen Itza, this pony cart guide disappointed. I’m not sure how the drivers are assigned to ‘tourists’ so you may luck out & get a chatty little driver who will fill you in on Izamal, the history, etc…We just did not have that given to us so I feel we wasted the $500 pesos we paid for the ride. [Note: I am normally a fan of a tour guide especially for something like this but…] Go eat lunch or buy something from the locals. Even if our driver had not been with us, a lot of the info signs were in Spanish & English like this one.

Convent plaque in Spanish & English at Yucatans's Yellow City
Convent plaque in Spanish on one side & English on the other at Yucatan’s Yellow City

When we returned to the drop off point, then our history lesson began with Rodney, our driver to Izamal that morning. We hit the ground walking with Rodney who walked the entire surrounding of the Convent with us! He was well versed in the history, read plaques that we could not & generally just educated us on Izamal’s Mayan history & the grounds. Back to Izamal…

The Yellow City’s Convent de San Antonio de Padau

The Yellow City’s Convent is no doubt the highlight of Izamal The Convent de San Antonio de Padua has a very full history albeit sad as well! For an interesting read on the history of this Convent check this out.

Once you walk the pebbled walkway, it opens up to the enclosed atrium. The Convent was originally built to convert the Mayans to Christianity in the mid 1500s.

During our walk, it was stressed to us the importance of this cross. It was built specifically so the Mayans’ conversion to Christianity would be easier? But all was not smooth in the cross over from Mayan gods to the Catholic beliefs. This is where Bishop Landa comes in.

Cross built & used in converting Mayans to Christianity.

Bishop Diego de Landa

Although Bishop Landa was one of its founders, in 1562 he was also responsible for the destruction of over forty books & 20,000 images that were important to the Mayan religion. Besides the fact that he was of the Church, he went far beyond his role in converting the Mayans to Christianity. To ‘insure’ Mayans would not leave Christianity, the Bishop was also instrumental in having Mayans tortured to get information. He was referred to us as a “bad man” when we saw this statute & after reading more about him here, I understand the feeling. At some point, the Church of Spain called him back to explain his actions…. Only a very few Mayan books were saved from this destruction.

Statute of Bishop Landa in Yellow City
Statute of Bishop Landa in Yellow City

“Probably the most fascinating story linked to the monastery relates to Fray Diego de Landa, one of its founders. Having been responsible for the burning of the indigenous Mayan scripts, he was so overcome with remorse for this act of cultural barbarism that he spent much of the rest of his life putting in writing all that he could of Mayan ways and traditions.”

https://www.beyondtheordinary.co.uk/features/convento-de-san-antonio-de-padua-izamal/

Although Izamal was Christianized in the 16th century, the Mayan religion is still seen in the traditions carried on by the Mayans in today’s world. This city has such a rich history, I could easily continue this post for pages & pages but I’ll leave that to you to follow up if you deem to do so.

Back to Convent de San Antonio de Padau

The Convent itself was built in mid 1550’s on top of the buried Mayan temple Pap-Hol-Chac! Although at one time this Convent was home to around fifty friars that number has dwindled down to a few but the Church is still active.

Chuch in Izamal
Church in Izamal behind the yellow entrance. The Church is still active.
cross over entry to church
Original entry to church/convent?

Since the main entry was closed on the day we traveled to Izamal we were not allowed to view any of the interior which was disappointing but it is what it is. A huge draw is being able to view the chair where Pope sat during his visit in 1993.

We were told when the Pope visited in 1993 that the entire Convent, atrium & surrounding streets were full of people to see the Pope. This statute was put up in his honor.

Pope John Statute in Convent Atrium
Pope John Statute in Convent Atrium

While the monastery is the main reason that tourist are attracted to Izamal, the town has also been recognized for its three cultures; the history of the Mayans as well as its Spanish history & today’s people. The Convent is truly a must see.

The Yellow City’s Kinich Kakmo Pyramid

Kinich Kakmo Pyramid means ‘the fire macaw with the sun face’ & sits steps from Izamal town center’s North side. With a base covering two acres, this is the largest of the pyramids in this Yellow City. There is no fee & is totally open to those who dare walk up the steps. The steps about 3/4 of the way up are doable but then it gets a little rough but if you dare to to to the top the views are said to be remarkable.

Horace climbing down Kinich Kakmo
Horace climbing down Kinich Kakmo

It is believed that temple was built around 400-600 CE & was used daily for sacrifices to the solar diety who would pick up the sacrifices in the shape of a macaw? It is said the ‘offerings’ would be done in the heat of the day. This is just one of the five pyramids in Izamal which has been called The City of Hills which have been partially covered due to the over growth over the pyramids through the years.

Miscellaneous Shots of the Yucatan’s Yellow City

thatched roof in Yucatan's Yellow City - Izamal
yellow house with thatched roof in Yucatan’s Yellow City – Izamal
Church arches
Church arches
View of Church
Church
Stone walkway in atrium of Convent
Stone walkway in atrium of Convent. If these stones could talk….
Pyramid overgrown in Yellow City
Pyramid overgrown in Yellow City
view of atrium Yellow city
Another view of atrium Yellow city

Izamal, City of Hills, The Yucatan’s Yellow City -whatever you want to call it – this town is a must see when you are in the Yucatan area! The pyramids are of course something to see but not as stunning as Chichen Itza or Uxmal – to me. The Yellow City did not disappoint in its beauty – but – if you have a knowledgeable tour guide, you will walk away wanting to know more about the Mayan history in this beautiful Yucatan.

Where is Mexico’s Yellow City located?

From Merida, head towards Cancun. I think it took about an hour & fifteen minutes to get to Izamal by car. Bus routes are easily found online. Taxis & Ubers are also a choice. Depending on your comfort & budget, you do you. We did the private driver & were ecstatic with the education he gave us once we arrived at Izamal.

The only fee we paid was for the pony ride so Izamal is one of those trips that even the seniors on a budget can easily do. If you drive, it cost gas & maybe a lunch or souvenir – or just hire a driver as we did & sit back to enjoy good conversation & sights along the way.

I hope you enjoy The Yellow City as much as we did. “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” unk

Organic Mexican Coffee – Is It Really The Best?

Good Golly its Holly!
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Organic Mexican Coffee – Is It Really The Best?

Why is Organic Mexican Coffee so popular? A little education please!

The Big Guy & I are loving our organic Mexican coffee here in Merida. We enjoy walking the neighborhoods in search of the next local coffee shop to try out!

The Big Guy prefers his coffee HOT! The hotter the better with very little, if any, sugar. I, on the other hand, love a good cup of joe with sugar & sometimes a little cream – depending on my mood for the day. Ha.

Just prior to landing in Mexico, The Big Guy had started experimenting with ice coffee drinks. Yes! I, on the other hand, appreciate a good iced or frappe coffee. The ongoing joke is ‘Holly, how come every time you order an ‘ice’ coffee, it looks like a milk shake?’ Hmmm. I don’t know, its like I have a sign on my forehead [coffee/whip cream/chocolate please].. How do you like your coffee?

Iced coffee with marshmallows & chocolate
Iced coffee w/marshmallows & chocolate
Cappucino frappe with green whip topping.
Cappucino frappe with green whip topping.
Iced coffee with whipped cream & chocolate sprinkles
Iced coffee with whipped cream & chocolate sprinkles

We’ve posted about a few coffee shops we have found here in Merida but, today, we are going to chat about what we have learned from our favorite local coffee bean roaster, Rafael. Are organic Mexican coffee beans the best?

Rafael, roaster of organic Mexican beans at Corazon de Cafe.
Rafael, roaster of organic Mexican beans at Corazon de Cafe.

Rafael operates “Corazon de Cafe”, [de Cafe means ‘the heart of the coffee bean’]. This shop roasts & sells a huge variety of organic Mexican coffee beans. Every time we stop in for coffee, we try a different coffee drink slowly working our way thru the various beans while Rafael educates us on the types of coffee beans he sells. Truly, enjoying a cup of coffee at this coffee shop & conversing with Rafael is an educational experience. Enough said. Let’s get started!

Are coffee beans a fruit?

If it makes coffee, why is the bean called a cherry? Are coffee beans a fruit? Coffee beans are not really beans, they are seeds from the coffee plant. It threw me off guard when Rafael first referred to the cherries. Once the outer covering of the ‘cherry’ or coffee bean turns yellow to red, the ‘cherries’ are ready to be picked, after which the ‘seed’ is processed to become coffee. It really depends on what you read. Although it is red upon picking, it is not something you would pop into your mouth for a bite….looks like a fruit….doesn’t taste like a fruit…your take – is it or isn’t it?

A Little History About Organic Mexican Coffee Beans

Although coffee cafes are still a fairly new business in the Yucatan, coffee bean farms have been around for a while. They were introduced to Mexico in the 1700’s when beans were brought over by the Spaniards.

With over half a million small farms growing coffee beans for their economic existence, it is a still a continual challenge for survival. Chiapas & Oaxaca in Southern Mexico are famous for their coffee but at same time are two of the poorest states in Mexico. Think about that? Some stats rank Mexico in the top five to ten providers of quality coffee beans! Scratching my head on the unfairness of economic benefit to the farmers.

I do understand that even with Fair Trade Organization making a sustainable living for the coffee bean farmer is not guaranteed. Under Fair Trade coffee farmers are contracted to sell coffee at a certain price to buyers which sounds great when the price of coffee is up. Honest negotiations are a necessity to make this work though. Supply & demand also plays a huge part in pricing. If prices of coffee go up & the farmer is under contract to sell at a lower price then he may come out on the losing end. Fair Trade is definitely a step in the right direction but still has a way to go in my mind. To get more info check this out.

What is Organic Mexican Coffee Beans & Where do beans grow?

Organic coffee beans are simply coffee trees grown without chemical pesticides, etc.

Coffee beans grow in trees & need a lot of water. The perfect place for growth in Mexico is in southern Mexico. Chiapas & Oaxaca are famous for their coffee beans grown in the high mountain ranges which provides the permit growing weather for the trees to flourish.

How are coffee beans harvested?

Not surprising at all, trees once planted take between 4-7 years to mature, then starts the process of beans growing in clusters with harvesting sometime between September thru March. The cherries start out green, then yellow eventually to the bold red that is ready for picking.

Coffee beans can be harvested two ways – traditionally by hand or by strip picking. Harvesting by hand allows you to pick only the red or yellow beans or ‘cherries’ that are ready to pick leaving the others to ripen. But this process is more labor intensive & expensive with farmers having to go back numerous times to check for ripe cherries. Strip picking is basically a machine shaking the tree so ALL berries fall. I guess you have to weigh your odds on which process to use. I see benefits in each but lean toward the traditional… Using the strip method it seems there would be less product to market vs picking only when the cherry is ready…

How many types of organic Mexican coffee beans are there? How are they different from each other?

There are many varieties of coffee beans available right here in Mexico. These are just a few of the more popular ones that you can find at Corazone de Cafe in Merida!

  • Oaxaca Coffee Beans – Tlaxiaco / Santa Maria / Pluma– grown on slopes of central mountains in state of Oaxaca, these beans are known for their light body & light acidity.
  • Chiapas Coffee Beans – Bourbon /Mundo Novo / Soconusco – grown in the state of Chiapas, this coffee bean is known for its light delicate flavor with aroma of chocolate & vanilla. It is said that the volcanoes nearby contribute nutrients that add to this bean.
  • Verecruz Coffee Beans – Coatepec – grown on Gulf side nearby mountainous area & famous for the Altura Coatepec which is known for its nutty flavor, light body & chocolate undertones.
  • And on and on and on.
Jars of various organic Mexican coffee beans found at Corazon de Cafe!
Jars of various organic Mexican coffee beans roasted by Corazon de Cafe!

Our personal favorite at the moment is Oaxaca’s Tlaxiaco! Not to strong & I can easily drink it with just a tad of sugar!

Miscellaneous Coffee Bean Trivia

There is no such thing as a decaffeinated coffee bean. To make a decaf coffee the beans go through a chemical process of soaking, usually methylene chloride or ethyl acetate, before roasting to remove the caffeine – making it decaf & non-organic. Personally, just reading the names of those two chemicals makes me shy of even wanting to taste a decaf coffee. If the decaf coffee is labeled naturally decaffeinated or Swiss Water processed, then no chemicals were used. For really a interesting read on caffeine removal, check out this BBC article.

Guatemala, Honduras, Colombia, Costa Rica & Jamaica are quality coffee bean providers as well. For more details on these coffee beans check this out.

Finally – Should You buy Mexican Coffee Beans directly from Roaster?

The short answer is YES! To get the best quality of Mexican coffee bean is to buy from your local roaster. He buys the beans green but once the beans are roasted the beans start losing flavor within weeks, even if properly stored. Ground beans start losing their flavor almost within days! Support local businesses!

There are three levels of roasting once the bean is picked & goes thru the drying phase – Light, Medium & Dark as seen in this chart.

Wheel showing levels of roasting Mexican coffee beans.
Wheel showing levels of roasting Mexican coffee beans.

When you think about the process of how long it took that bag of coffee beans on the grocery shelf get to that point it could have been many weeks! By time you get the coffee home, you may end up with a very blah cup of coffee! Of course, not everyone can walk a few blocks to pick up fresh roasted beans but buying directly from a roaster makes perfect sense for us here in Merida!

I hope you enjoyed this little education on organic Mexican coffee beans! No matter where you are located, check out your local roaster & support your local coffee cafes!

If you are in Merida, check out Rafael’s coffees at Corazón de cafe, Boutique y Tostaduria, Calle 22 #44, Merida.

Mexico’s Amazing Mayan Ruins in Yucatan Are a Must See!

Good Golly its Holly!
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Mexico’s Amazing Mayan Ruins in Yucatan Are a Must See!

If viewing Mayan Ruins is not on the top of your ‘Must See’ List – Why Not?

As a child, I had a thirst for Mayan ruins & their history but never in my wildest dreams did I believe I would be landing in Mexico or even able to visit Yucatan pyramids or Mayan ruins. This adventure we have finally got off the ground has begun with Mexico which blows my mind just thinking that – The Big Guy & I, two seniors on a budget spening almost six months in this beautiful country! We are still in that phase of looking at each other everyday & remarking how much we love it here! Back to Mexican ruins in the Yucatan…

One thing I didn’t realize was the number of Mayan ruins in the Yucatan that are within driving distance of Merida! If you are living in Mexico for any extent of time, then I’m betting you have read up on the Mayan ruins & made a list of Mayan ruins on your ‘to do’ list. I know we have! On this trip, we begin our adventure with a road trip to Chichen Itza, easily accessible by road from Merida. Let’s get started!

What is Chichen Itza? Where did the name come from?

Chichen Itza comes from the Mayan words “Chi” for mouth; “Chen” for well; & “Itza” from the name of the people who governed that area at that time. It is thought that the name could also be from the ‘well’ of rivers that ran underneath & was probably a main water supply to the Mayans living there.

Chichen Itza was designated one of the Seven Modern Wonders of the World 2007 & had previously been recognized as an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988! One thing I didn’t realize was the number of Mayan ruins in the Yucatan that are within driving distance of Merida, our home for the next four months.

Raphael, our tour guide at Chichen Itza, was a treasure trove of knowledge about the Mayan ruins as he himself was Mayan & grew up in Chichen Itza as a child with the Mayan Ruins as a playground for the Mayans. At some point the Mayan people living in that area were moved several kilometers down the road making the Ruins a national treasure & off limits to being a play area for the kiddos. As of 2006, the Chichen Itza ruins became off limit to anyone walking on the ruins. Okay, I am getting ahead of myself…

How To Get to The Mayan Ruins…

  • Private Driver – we were referred to Rodney from a friend & it was pesos well spent! He picked us up at our apartment at 8 a.m. & we were off to the the ruins. He was a super nice guy & full of Yucatan history & information on our ride to the Ruins. We ‘had’ him for a pre-discussed number of hours & paid half of the gas since the trip would take us out of Merida town. To us, this was & remains our #1 pick. If you are interested in Rodney’s service, drop me a note & I’ll gladly share his What’s App with you!
  • Secondly, you can take the ADO Mayan Tours. They have multiple morning departures from their terminal & the cost seems to be reasonable.
  • Thirdly, Travel Tour Agencies could be an avenue to research. If so, let me help you out here.
  • Finally, Uber. Now we do love Uber & have used many times since we arrived in Merida but for longer trips we have learned that hiring a private driver is more cost efficient to us & just downright fun since we have a relationship with him. But, again, you do you!

Where are Mayan Ruins located in Mexico?

Although there are hundreds, if not thousand of Mayan ruins found in Guatemala, Belize & Honduras, the more impressive & possibly most well known ruins are located right here in Mexico & the Yucatan Peninsula. To name just a few, besides Chichen Itza:

  • Uxmal – The Pyramid of the Magician, the Governor’s Palace, the Nunnery & Temple of the Turtles are only a few of must see ruin sites in Uxmal located south of Merida. For more history of this city that dates to around the 6th Century.
  • Coba is an ancient Mayan city located in Quintana Roo. It documents life back to the 600-900 A.D. with its countless stone carvings, etc. More more info check here.
  • Izamal is definitely on our to check out Kinich Kak Moo, a 57 ft high pyramid. For more info on Izamal & how to get there, check this out.
  • The list goes on & on.

Now lets talk Mayan Ruins that make up Chichen Itza!

There are five main ruins in Chichen Itza – Piramide de Kukulkan [known to some as El Castillo], Temple of the Warriors, the Grand Ball Court, The Nunnery & the Observatory. On this trip we made it to the first three – Piramide, Temple & the Ball Court. What we saw…

The Piramide de Kukalcan is a wondrous site rising into the sky & is, no doubt, one of the most recognized Mayan ruins! It is 79 feet tall not counting the top building. A fun fact – if you stand in front of the Piramide de Kukulkan facing it, Raphael showed us how to clap our hands to hear the chirp answer us from the ruins.

The Big Guy & Holly standing in front of the best known Mayan Ruin of Yucatan - Temple of Kukulkan also known as the Piramide de Kukulkan.
The Big Guy & Holly standing in front of what has to be the most recognized of the Yucatan Pyramids – Temple of Kukulkan also known as the Piramide de Kukulkan.

The Temple of the Warriors is evenly impressive with its carvings embellished with warriors, eagles & jaguars eating human hearts. This Temple is one that was actually large enough to hold gatherings of people with three levels. For more info check this out. Raphael explained to us that the columns were at one point covered.

Mayan Ruin in Yucatan - Temple of Warriors
Mayan Ruin in Yucatan & part of Chichen Itza – Temple of Warriors.

Mayan Ruins at Chichen Itza-jaguar eating human heart.
Mayan Ruins-jaguar eating human heart.

Our guide told us that some stones of the Mayan Ruins have been moved/stolen over the ancient years to rebuild in another place. The statues that were not touched were the snakes as they were evil.

Snakes of the Mayan ruins was the one statute that was not broken or stolen as they were considered sign of evil.
Snakes were considered evil

The Grand Ball Court is an indication of how much Mayans enjoyed there sports. It is an open arena 225 ft wide & 545 feet long. The Priest sat on each end with the ‘royalty’ sitting in the side seats overlooking the field. Check out the hoop on the wall. The players used a 6-8 lb ‘gum’ ball & could only use their feet & knees to play.

Mayan Ruin in Chichen Itza where Priest would sit to watch Games. It was located at the end of the arena where he could view all.
Mayan Ruin where Temples were at each end of the field & where Priest would sit to watch Games
Side wall of Mayan ruins of the Grand Ball Court with Hoop
Mayan Ruin showing side wall of the Grand Ball Court with Hoop. You can also see the variation from one end of the wall with the small stone that gradually grows into larger stones making the acoustics amazing for the size of the field. The lower stones are engraved with stories of wins & losses.

Another interesting fact about the walls of this arena is that on one side the stones were small gradually building into larger stones at the far end of the wall. They would run opposite on the opposite wall making the acoustics amazing. The field was so long that when announcements would be made at one end, the other end of the arena would be able to hear a few seconds later. Amazing how the Mayans were so far ahead in their building!

Lets talk about ‘losing your head’! Following a bad game day above, Raphael walked us to where the be-headings took place – Tzompantli. There were steps up to the open square platform of where heads were lost. Are these the skulls or just carvings commemorating the event – that I don’t know.

Mayan ruins where heads were chopped off!
The sides of the platform Tzompantli where human sacrifices were made.

If the player lost his head due to a game loss than he would go to heaven but if the be-heading was due to a political loss the beheaded person would be going to hell.

When is the best time to visit the ruins?

What is the best time to visit any ruins? This is easy. We were there in June & though it is considered ‘rainy’ season, the sun was bright with no clouds in the sky. Nice breeze kept us somewhat cool & you can always take your umbrella if the heat of the sun gets to be too much. Get there as early as you can in the day to beat the huge bus tours! We arrived around 10 a.m. & by 12:30 p.m. we were back in the car heading to Merida ending the day with a cold coffee at one of our favorite spots! Let me say we picked the best time to go. As we were walking on the last leg of the ruins hoards of tourist started arriving & the sun had just started to heat up.

If you are ever able to do so, I truly think it would be beautiful to visit the Chichen Itza ruins during the equinox!! We missed it this time but from the stories we heard from Raphael, it is a sight to be seen at least once in your life.

Some miscellaneous pics from our trip to Chichen Itza!

Mayan ruins stair steps. Note the narrowness of the steps compared to the height?
Mayan ruins stair steps.
Back of myan ruin with snake at top.
Back of mayan ruins with snake at top.
Town of Chichen Itza name in bold colors
I’m obsessed with these towns who put their name in such bold colors. The Fire Tree is amazing with its brilliant orange red flowers!

Last but not least the Cost!

I was ready to close this post when I realized I did not tell you how much this awesome trip cost. We are on a budget but we are also living the life in Mexico & definitely plan to see all we can see of this beautiful area – but to be transparent – here is what the cost of a trip to Chichen Itza cost us. You have your own budget & you may be one who enjoys picking up souvenirs or eating out at the sights which is absolutely your call but remember that if you are on a budget, add those estimates into your calculations for next month. Again, you do you:)

Driver r/t, tour guide at ruins, entry for parking & entry for 2 non Mexican plus coffees & sandwiches at end of day was a little over $4,000 pesos or $202+- USD. Absolutely worth every penny when you think about how lucky we are to be here to view these magnificent Mayan ruins in Yucatan! PLUS if you are a Mexican resident, I believe the sign indicated you get in free which is awesome!

Until next time, enjoy life & smile! Next stop Izamal, The Yellow City of the Yucatan!

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