March 2018

Our last month here and it will only be three weeks before Dara heads north and I head west! While my parents are still around I take the opportunity to go and see them for Easter before returning home. We are busy here visiting friends homes for dinners before we end our winter season. There is always plenty to try and use up in the freezer too so it is a flurry of get togethers for food! This year I thought I would get organized early and make sure to plan meals with the ingredients in the house.

This winding down is a busy time of mixed emotions. Looking forward to going home but for me not quite yet! The packing up is always a huge task and I try to get started early to make sure it doesn’t become too much of a pain. With one bag completed there is now the deciding what to leave clothes wise here and what I need for my three weeks on the other coast.. If I was going directly home it would be easier to decide! Nothing!

I spend my last days with my knitters in Merida and the beach we managed to get quite a few items made for both the needs in Merida and the beach.

Here is a sample of what we did this year! Hats for cancer kids; newborn babies and blankets for the seniors

Some photos of the trip

On one of my last trips to Merida I found more delights to take photos. I thought I was done but lucky for you I was not!

There is a little town that is now more like a suburb of Merida called Ditzya has artisans working in two mediums: wood and stone. We scored a most beautiful salad bowl in a hard wood called ????? And an onyx lamp for Dara! The town is very small with one main road where most of the stone works are made and the square where the woodworkers are concentrated. I ordered some wooden items to be copied from pieces I brought from home. Yes they are all for knitting, need one ask.

I bought these while I was there

March here also brings the Book Fair to Merida. I was son engrossed in the books that I didin’t take any photos inside. Jackie and I went to this fair as we enjoyed it so much last year. We took the opportunity to go for lunch after we met with the Gorro Girls for our last time this season. Dara joined us here as he had never been and I know how much he likes books. We did manage to find a few to take home with us.

Another season in the Yucatan has come to an end. With our annual meal with the owners at this lovely restaurant in Merida call Apoala. We had attempted to eat here before with friends but they weren’t keen on the menu. All is set for another year in the same house on the beach.

It is always a hoot to see them celebrating St Patricks day in Mexico. Something I learned this year was that it means a lot to many Mexican and it is call Santo Patricio is honoured in many towns for helping in the war against the United States. Many Irish immigrants came to the help of the Mexicans and to thank them they have a celebration of their own.

The last symphony Sunday was not a disappointment! We managed to get to 7 concerts one in December at the end of the fall season and then 6 of the 12 in the 2018 season. It is so nice to spend a Sunday in Merida with all the life that happens in the city! Dara joined friends of ours for a last hurray at the Merida Bull fight! Not my cup of tea!

Here are some old photos I found of this wonderful theatre from the beginning of the twentieth century! To think of all the wonderful people and entertainment in this superb building in Merida! Before entering for our concert there was some activity happening on the street worth taking a photo of :

The last week in Chicxulub is always a busy one but it is manageable as long as you give yourself enough time and start early; this allows me to enjoy the time here with my friends and not be all stressed out. This is the first time Dara has been here for this event! Our friendships here just grow deeper every year making the return the next season all that more appealing. Our last meal was with our Quebec neighbours Louisette and Denis who are the nicest couple you would ever want to know. We have enjoyed many days of floating in the ocean when the water is just perfect. This year we had the return of Catherine and Rainer and enjoyed the time spent with them; when they popped over for a dip in our pool or a float in the ocean. We were delighted to share our pool and wonderful ocean view with them.

I managed to find time to enjoy the last of the sunsets

The week before the busy Holy weeks starts there is a fair in Chicxulub that is always a hoot to watch! No bumper cars this year so no risking an injury.

It always amazes me to see candy and cigarettes sold on the same table!

Saying goodbye to this view for another season is always bitter sweet! But I know i shall be back again soon

Dara and I happened to leave at the same time but on two different flights. We parted our ways for the next few weeks. My last bit will be spent with my parents. Stay tuned to the last three weeks in Los Cabos.

With the departure of Mackays and the arrival of our friends Debbie and Jody, it has been hopping around this house.

Jody and Debbie are fabric fiends and so a visit here must include the fabric stores. We hit three of them together over six hours! We were all carrying huge bags full of fabric for the Chicxulub Mujeres Coop! Carmita will have enough to keep her busy for next season of styles and bags.

I have a wonderful local seamstress Lucy who has been making me some great clothes. The ladies love this top of mine and she got theirs done before they left only setting mine aside for a bit. I just love the work she does !

We enjoyed several days in the Gulf of Mexico and the pool along with many lovely meals prepared together. Including a large group of friends enjoying the Thai Bistro’s delivery of a feast. We enjoyed being outside on the patio under the clear moonlit sky!

The food was absolutely delicious and will have to repeat this again next year

More meals with friends is such a delight to have lovely Carmita and Milo join us for Chile Rellenos.

When not eating we were enjoying various crafts with the ladies joined by other friends.

I was in a small house that used to house a boxer and found this wonderful display.

Another annual event that I shall never miss is the Art Studio Tour in Merida with a stop at the Slow food market.
Our first stop on the tour was just so amazing that we felt this one place gave us our moneys worth. There is some amazing art and then there are some you wonder how they really thought this would sell!! With 13 studios under our belt it was time for a beer at 4pm. As you look over the photos you will see that the tour of artist studios is not my only interest! As always I love the houses around Merida and can’t help taking their photos.

Dara and I even enjoyed the day we had in Merida on our own with the IWC meeting in the morning followed by the Chili Cook off at the lovely Railway Museum. At the meeting we were presented with presentation of all the monuments around the city and the history behind them. I bought the book to look at it all in more detail.
I really love going to activities in Merida as we get to see that there are more people there than just retired folk! There are other foreigners who have chosen to move to Merida for its lovely lifestyle and culture. The many events are also filled with locals who want to participate with us!

It thrills me to show off the beauty of Merida to people whom have never been to this magnificent city. With so much history! Some old Mitel/Newbridge friends happen to show up in Progreso; Kim and Phil were so taken in by Merida’s beauty along Paseo Montejo that is so alive with cyclists and artists sharing their work with the public along the lovely boulevard!

I already posted photos of our walk in Centro on FB. But just in case!!

We followed this walk by attending the Symphony orchestra program 3 of the season 2018.
https://vimeo.com/253313686

It was extraordinary to see a fellow Canadian who is part of this orchestra play the Trombone Concerto. I didn’t realize until this concert that there was a Canadian member. William Broverman is from Vancouver.
This orchestra is top quality and it is such a treat to see them perform almost every Sunday in Merida

Almost every year since coming here Sharon Helgason of the Chicxulub Food Bank puts on a fashion show as a fundraiser! I have participated in everyone of these events so far. This was surely takes the top prize! It had improved year after year and I can’t imagine how they can out do this years!

Our lovely New York friends put on a show with Broadway as the theme! The lights and bedazzle of the day were enjoyed by all. The “BOYS” were wonderful with song and excitement and even some Bette Midler prizes. The enthusiasm of the crew and especially the models was fantastic. Loads of high energy, plenty of new designs and colours and shown like on a professional catwalk. It was simply fun to participate.

The pictures say it all.

I am looking forward to what the guys put together for next year!

What a very busy month. It was so full of stories; activities and friends It brought our “consuegros” to visit Mexico for the first time! It is fun to plan a week here but making sure you don’t overload it as well.
It was full force on the first day of their arrival. I had booked in the Beach High Tea for the IWC ladies. But to make it even more of a filled day a rehearsal had been added to my mix. Look for the story of the fashion show in part TWO

The rest of the week was all planned out for the best possible weeks visit! I think the Mackay’s would have to agree it went very well! I enjoy planning these visits.

One of my favourite ruins happens to be Mayapan. so what is a visit to the Yucatan without showing off my quiet little ruin! It is one of the three major ruins: One is Chichenitza followed by Uxmal and last but not least Mayapan where there were two groups of natives living together in the one place. It is not as frequented by tourists for some reason but as long as it continues this way I’ll be back with friends to show them this incredible site. Today we were 11 in the mini van that had our old and new friend including our “Consuegros”. The lovely term for the two in - law - parents. We were also accompanied by another friend of a friend Liz who was delighted with the day as well!

The walled city of Mayapán, is considered the last great capital of Mayan culture in the Postclassic (1200-1450 AD). It has an extension of 4 km², in which there are approximately 4,000 structures and it is believed that the city had a population of 12,000 inhabitants. On the site and through the architecture you can see the strong influence of Chichen Itza, an example of this is the main building or better known as Castillo de Kukulkán, which is equal to Chichen Itza only smaller. In the Central Plaza there are the civic, administrative and religious buildings, as well as the residences of the ruling class. These are buildings built on plinths that have corridors with columns, temples and oratories with an altar in the background and a banquet on the sides. Also representative are the round buildings, known as observatories and the small sanctuaries. Mayapán was inhabited from the beginning of our era until the fall of the city around 1450 AD. C. It is known that people lived in the vicinity of the site from the Preclassic and the Early Classic (300 BC-600 AD).!

After the ruins we went for a swim in two different cenotes and the refreshing dip was so very welcome. Our group thoroughly enjoyed this beautiful unique feature of the Yucatan Peninsula! After our cooling off it was time to fill our bellies and a must when here is a visit to a Hacienda. So many of these delightful places have been converted into a restaurant and events This one has to be one of my favourites. Hacienda San Pedro Ochil. Located just off the road between Uxmal and Merida.

http://haciendaochil.com/principal.php?idioma=_ing

Another must when you come here is the fish fry on the weekends at the Restaurant El Patrullero. I never tire of eating in this hole in the wall place. Owned by fishermen who’s mama does all the frying of the fish!

Followed by a swim in the ocean!

Sunday walk along Paseo Montejo is always fun and so our morning started in Merida. With a coffee stop at my favourite Starbucks. It was lovely to discover that the Sunday artists have returned to the boulevard. I bought a few small items from a lovely girls drawings

I scored tickets to the Bolshoi Ballet of Swan Lake for Martha and I.

We met up with the male species after at the Chaya Maya Restaurant for a delicious meal enjoyed by all

We were walking by this shop and Martha was surprised by this one! Not sure how sweet they are. The best ones are calle “pina de mile”

To top the week off there was the beginning of carnival and we were lucky to catch the small parade on Monday night before the Mackays left. It was just starting as we ended our wonderful dinner at Crabsters Restaurant.

It was sad to see the Mackays leave us but before they headed home spent a couple of days on the Mayan Riviera. On this day of their departure it was Mardi Gras bringing us into Progreso to join in the festivities at Saint Bonnet restaurant with a group of friends.

Stay tuned for Part TWO coming to you shortly