Food For Thought

 

Merida Train Station -French Influenced Architecture

I’m back after three weeks in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico.  Most people have heard of Cancun, but I’m finding my friends are clueless as to the names and capitals of the states in Mexico.  We either didn’t learn them, or forgot them.  Not difficult, actually.

 The weather was hot and humid.  I can’t remember when I’ve ever been so hot!  It took me a week to acclimate myself with the numbered streets and directions.  I was in ‘al centro’ at a hotel called Luz en Yucatan at 25 bucks a night with pool.  I have to say a pool is essential during the summer months, especially.  The Saint Lucia Church bells rang each morning.  Before Mass, they had a healing session with prayers and practitioners laying on of hands.  I didn’t understand what was said in Spanish, but I enjoyed being “part of.”

Everyone walks or if far, they take the 40 cent bus anywhere in the city. I strolled to al mercado [market] and bought fresh tortillas, melons and mangoes. And, for some reason, Gouda seems to be plentiful as is the usual  white crumbling cheese called queso blanco. Fresh fish and hanging chickens too, with feet, not something I’m used to seeing in Safeway or Whole Foods.  Turkey is also big in this state & used in many Mayan specialties.

  At the end of my trip, my new friend, Carlos and his father picked me up at 5 a.m. and took me to the airport last Tuesday. Not until I went up the escalator to my plane did they leave me, waving good bye.  I can’t remember the last time someone came into the airport to see me off.  Needless to say I was touched by this show of graciousness and touched deeply.

Merida has a free-floating sense of deep spirituality.  The city is what it is and shows its true colors in its care of its children.  The hustle and bustle of early morning was my favorite time of day.  Organic is coming to the forefront as are environmental concerns led by a local group. 

All in all, for a city of 800,000, it successfully combines a sense of country and city in one place.  Such a paradox!   I started looking at real estate w/ an agent. We found a little colonial home that needed some work & one could walk everywhere, no car needed.   Then,  I visited an attorney and an architect.  Neither one charged me for talking to them.  I signed papers written in Spanish resulting in the ownership of a little casita.  If I waited, we wouldn’t be able to afford anything.  By the time we are ready to retire, it can be sold to buy land .  I still like the idea of a Mongolian yurt. :-)   My husband, Chris, ever the good sport, will visit the city in a couple of months for the first time.  *chuckle*  A bit backward in process, but it all seemed to fall in place. 

Can’t help that it feels ‘meant to be.’  We’ll rent it out at a reasonable price to those interested leaving our laptop, music and movies to share. By the time the construction is finished in January, it will fit 6 adults comfortably plus kids in hammocks that hang in the traditional Mexican flat. The pool will be in and all one would need is a good book and time for a siesta!  :-)

Nice to be back…Off to read the posts I’ve missed and study Espanol!  Hugs!  and good to be *here.*

About the Author...

It has taken me years to unlearn much of what I learned about psychology and health. Suffice it to say, I believe in home schooling, the work of Price, Fallon, Enig and Cowan and one's right to be happy in one's life. My husband and I live in Sunnyvale, CA with seven fabulous cats. They teach us to take a nap when the urge strikes, to eat heartily when hungry and to stretch into the new day. La Vida es Bueno!