OR MERIDA SURPRISES WITH A SWEEPING RANGE OF COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE.
ALERT: This was the last day I could walk properly, without my foot ballooning up and being agonising as that evening I would fall off my bathroom step and catastrophically injure my foot and ankle. After this fabulous walk I was condemned to the life of a limping cripple. This was my last casual stroll or indeed painless but stubborn continuing tour of magic Mexico. Foolhardy Old Bird continued until the bitter end (which would turn out to be Madrid) of this long and eventful Old Bird Saga, indeed an heroic Viking womans persistence for the greater good of other Old Birds.
I was already mesmerised by the centre of Merida, its typical Spanish quadrant design and pretty houses. Its shady squares for a respite to that merciless sun. Its statues and dazzling white limestone Cathedral. Its courtyards in every house and an atmosphere of how life was in those Colonial days. The Spanish lifestyle of old, oozing through to obliterate the native peoples way of living, the theft of the very stones which had previously been used in their great temples. So although from the rape and plunder of the previous culture (thankfully being restored slowly but surely) there is a lot to be admired.
The Centre of white and bright…
Stepping outside the candy floss centre.
The simpler brightly coloured houses outside the Historical Centre.
Museum of Anthropology and History.
In another breath taking building on my evolving walk from the Cathedral. I spent nearly two hours here with their exhibit dealing with Mayan writing and numerals.
Quinoa Montes Molina.…La Belle Epoche Time Capsule.
This living museum still has the owners living in it part of the time who are the same family that built it. (Don Avelino Montes Linaje). It was my last port of call walking from the Historical Centre to the Museum of Anthropology and History and ending up here. It’s a beautiful walk with an amazing variety of architecture (those wedding cake mansions!) and great city planning. I never made it to the modern centre and my example below, is just an example of the stunning stuff they are coming up with now. I must go back, so much more to see.
The less manicured on the Paseo de Montejo.
And the Uber cool modern….
Although I never made it this far up the avenue to where modern stuff is popping up there’s very exciting new buildings like this gallery to sink your teeth into.
I’ll be back Merida…..
OVER AND OUT FROM A VERY IMPRESSED REBECCA
Old Bird Travels Solo! 