Merida, Jewel of the Yucatan
Photos and article by Eleanor S. Morris

YUCATAN, Mexico - Here's a place like Europe, only you don't have to cross the ocean to find horse-drawn carriages along wide avenues, wrought-iron balconies, sparkling fountains and old world atmosphere. Right in our own hemisphere we have Merida, whose wide boulevards, radiating out like a star, are modeled after Baron Haussmann's famed Paris avenues. And those avenues are lined with gorgeous mansions dating from the golden years of the Yucatan's henequen (hemp) industry.

Conquered by Francisco de Montejo in 1542, the Yucatan, land of the Mayas, is a different Mexico--and Merida is the capital of this Maya world. The white buildings of this beautiful Colonial city on the northern tip of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula have given it the name of "The White City." Paseo de Montejo, Merida's "Champs Elysees," leads to the magnificent Monumento a la Patria, the Monument to the Country, the center from which the avenues radiate. Stroll along them leisurely, or take a calafia, a slow and easy horse-drawn carriage ride to see the colonial mansions. Some are homes still, other house businesses, all are set back from the street and surrounded by meticulously manicured gardens.

Before the Spanish conquest the Mayas lived here and called their city T'ho. On Plaza de la Independencia, the central public square (often called the Zocalo) the Spaniards built their Cathedral from the dismantled stones of T'ho. The Cathedral of San Ildefonso is the oldest on the American continent (1556-99).

Also on the Plaza you'll find Casa de Montejo, the home of the conqueror, built in 1542. Still undimmed by time are the bas reliefs on the facade, of conquistadors with their boots on the heads of vanquished Maya. On the Plaza, too, is the Palacio de Gobierno, concealing a lovely arched courtyard with 27 huge murals vividly and colorfully illustrating the history of the Yucatan.

The many green, beautifully landscaped parks and squares of the city are one of Merida's most charming features. Los Portales, arches of the historical buildings, surround Plaza de la Independencia. Under their shade try a tasty ice at Sorbeteria Colon, where flavors are exotic, pitaya or guanabana, or the more familiar limon (lemon) and durazno (peach). Vendors ply their trade among the shops and booths, displaying some of the arts and crafts of the region: soft Panama hats (a misnomer; the best of them come not from Panama but from downcountry Yucatan), palm baskets, silver jewelry.

Parque Hidalgo just down the block to the north is another perfect place to take a breather, watching people passing by the outdoor cafe whose tables spread out into the park. Many Yucatanos will be dressed in native garments, the women in huipils (cool embroidered dresses) and the men in guayaberas (pleated cotton shirts that are never worn tucked in).

Almost every afternoon or evening you can catch a colorful regional music and dance show at one of Merida's prettily landscaped plazas, and for free. Exhibits at the Anthropology and History Museum will answer all your questions about this fascinating area; the City Museum is crammed with photographs, prints, drawings, documenting Merida's history from earliest times to the present; and the Museum of Popular Art is devoted to Yucatan arts and crafts. you'll find them for sale at Casa de las Artesanias at Calle 64 x 68. (Even street numbers run north and south, odd number east and west.)

Mercado Municipal, the main market, is a busy scene where the city shops for fruits and vegetables. Upstairs in the large market building you'll find booths with regional arts and crafts for sale. Surrounding Merida are magnificent and accessible Maya
ruins, the most famous being Chichen Itza. Approximately 75 miles east of the city, this Maya-Toltec center centers around amazing El Castillo, The Castle, with 91 high but shallow steps topped by the Temple to Kukulkan. (Those Mayas must have had pretty small feet.) The view from the top, of the Court of the Thousand Columns, the Ball Court, the Caracol Observatory and the Nunnery, all surrounded by the Yucatan jungle, is spectacular. If you dare the climb, try the side (there are four to the top of the pyramid) that has a hand hold: a heavy chain from top to bottom. Going down, back down--and don't look down! Merida is only 60 miles south of the Gulf of Mexico on the Yucatan coast, and another unusual outing is to Celestun. Here there are miles of untouched beaches, bounded by waving coconut palms. But for a once-in-a-lifetime sight, hire a guided motor boat to take you to see the huge flocks of pink flamingos; they cover the waters with solid pink when they come to rest. (The authorities ask you please, don't try to make the birds fly.)

For more information, call Mexico's Hot Line, 1-800/446-3942.

Copyright Eleanor S. Morris