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Viaje a Merida, Timul, Ruta Puuc, Lapna, Xlapak, Sayil, Kabah, Uxmal. Febrero del 2010.
Trip to Merida, Timul, Ruta Puuc, Lapna, Xlapak, Sayil, Kabah, Uxmal. February of 2010.
Merida is a beautiful colonial city of Mexico. The hostel we booked had cancelled our booking, and we had to look for a hotel amidst a downpour. But a woman we met in the hostel was nice and kind enough to find us a hotel with vacancy. Enjoyed every bit of our stay in this laid back city.
The Mayas associated jadeite with the dwelling place of the gods and the primordial sea of creation, which made it a symbol of fertility, rebirth and authority. Jadeite was prized for its hardness, its durability, and above all for its color: varied tonalities ranging from translucent to dark green. It is often confused with rocks of lesser purity, such as serpentine and amazonite.
Gran Museo del Mundo Maya (Mayan World Museum of Mérida) opened in 2021. The contemporary building, designed by by Grupo 4A Arquitectos, is in the form a ceiba, a sacred tree believed by the Maya to connect the living with the underworld and heavens above. The museum's permanent galleries house a collection of more than 1100 remarkably well-preserved ancient Mayan artifacts.
Mérida has been populated since prehistoric times as demonstrated by a prestigious hoard of gold jewellery that was excavated from a girl's grave in 1870. Consisting of two penannular bracelets, an armlet and a chain of six spiral wire rings, it is now preserved at the British Museum. The town was founded in 25 BC, with the name of Emerita Augusta (meaning the veterans – discharged soldiers – of the army of Augustus, who founded the city; the name Mérida is an evolution of this) by order of Emperor Augustus, to protect a pass and a bridge over the Guadiana river. The city became the capital of Lusitania province, and one of the most important cities in the Roman empire. Mérida preserves more important ancient Roman monuments than any other city in Spain, including a triumphal arch and a magnificent theatre.
This is a typical street in the Centro area of Merida. The facades on many of the houses are not quite this nice on every street. Quite often the facade will look awful, but the house inside is beautiful. Many homes had the front doors wide open for air circulation. The crime rate is very low here, so letting the doors open is not a problem, though there is usually someone just inside. Notice how narrow the sidewalks and streets are. Some sidewalks are only wide enough for one person.
Saturday night in Merida was the highlight of the trip. They block off six square blocks in Centro (the center of the city), restaurants put tables in the streets and hire bands to play and people dance. There are also street performers and musicians. This is not a tourist thing; it is what the people here love to do. And it's a family event. I didn't see one drunk or one threatening type person. I walked back to the B&B with no problem (four blocks).