Merida, Mexico
October 16 - November 15 [2022]
Merida had been on my list for many months. Unfortunately, it's located in a very hot part of Mexico on the Yucatán peninsula so the time to visit is limited. After my Visa expired in Guatemala I decided it was time to head north toward my annual Christmas visit with family in Minnesota. Merida was in the direct path of this trajectory so the visit made sense in spite of the high temperatures hovering well above my preferred comfort zone. Never the less, I decided to give it a go hoping November would usher in cooler temperatures.
Wrong! So much for wishful thinking.
Merida is hot. The city was built with the remnant stones of Mayan structures so it's located about 22 miles inland from the Gulf of Mexico. This translates to no ocean breezes and minimal shade in a tropical zone that receives a healthy does of sunshine on a daily basis. And to add insult to injury, I ended up staying 2.5 miles outside of the historical center because I couldn't identify an apartment of reasonable value. Most of this was probably due to a large influx of expats driving up values and/or limited availability within the more desirable center of town. The net result - a month long stay in a generic, suburbanish, location where there was a continual need for air conditioning on a daily basis. Clearly, not my cup of tea. Lesson learned.
Merida is the capital of the State of Yucatán on the southeastern wing of Mexico. The region is loaded with historically significant Mayan sites including some of Mexico's best known pyramids so it attracts lots of international tourism and North American snowbirds. I decided to the make the most of my visit by focusing on intermittent day trips to sites of interest including the beach town of Progresso to the north, UNESCO registered Campeche to the west and the beautifully preserved Chichen itza pyramid to the east. The center of Merida held its own when compared to most of my other visits but the repressive heat was a deterrent and an issue that tainted my experience. If I could offer any advice to anyone planning a visit to this city and the Yucatán peninsula in general, do it in January and February.
Onward.
