Two Adventurers

20 November 2009 (Mexico)

Although we have not seen a lot of Mexico City, we will need to return here in order to get to Ecuador, so we have decided that if time permits we can explore it further at that time. Therefore, we have booked flights (on-line, of course) to fly out today at 11am to Merida, in the state of Yucatan. It is known as the White City because of its use of white limestone and white paint!  Leaving the hotel Camino Real (painted a bright pink) at 9am we only needed to cross the road to catch the Air Train, an elevated three-carriage train, which would take us around the periphery of the Aeropuerto to Terminal 2.

A slight hiccup at the check-in desk, due to our foreign debit card being rejected on the internet to pay for our flight, (only Mexican cards were accepted) meant we had to locate a Ticket Sales desk and pay once again. This achieved we were finally able to pass through to our Gate in readiness for the flight. During the flight we passed several volcanoes complete with a capping of snow. Within an hour and a half our  Aeromexico-Connect flight was on the ground in Merida, where the first thing we noticed was the dramatic change in temperature. In Mexico City it had been cold, down to 13deg.C, due to its high altitude (2,300 metres above sea level) though its summers are generally moderate, with an average temp. of 18deg.C. Here, it was instantly very hot and we knew it was finally time to get out our summer clothes from the suitcases! Everyone we have come across in Mexico has been extremely friendly and polite here, even going out of their way to be helpful. We love that!

Our hotel here has proved to be just as fascinating as it appeared on its website, a

true colonial hotel dating back to the 17th Century when it was a Catholic school. It has a delightful inner courtyard garden viewed from the reception desk, complete with tinkling fountain, large mango tree and an aviary with two colourful Toucans named

Pierro and Julie.

Our room is on the 2nd floor, the top one, and looks down into the courtyard towards the hotel restaurant on the ground floor. There is a spectacular view of the nearby Cathedral from here too.

That night there was a huge parade celebrating the past revolution. It was the same one that they were preparing for when we left Mexico City. Lots and lots of marchers,

some on horse back, some on trucks etc but mostly on foot. Loads and loads of police everywhere and even they put on a demo of gymnastics including diving through flaming hoops and making huge pyramids.

After a quick Mexican snack of guacamole, black beans and salsa dip with taco chips plus some Mexican beers (one dark and the other light), off we went to bed.