Yucatan Archives - Page 3 of 5 - The Yucatan For 91 Days

The Corners of Mérida

When founding cities around the Yucatán, the Spanish were nothing if not organized. Mérida's streets are laid out on a perfectly square grid, with a naming convention that is logical almost to a fault. North-south streets have even numbers which increase as you head west, while east-west streets are odd numbers which increas as you head south. So the street to the east of Calle 54 is Calle 52. If you're on 44/73, and go one block north then one block west, you'll be on 42/71.

Progreso – Mérida’s Beach Town

Talking to expats and reading online accounts had led us to believe that Progreso was a humdrum place, and when we finally visited, it was more out of a vague sense of duty than any personal desire. But while we had braced ourselves for boredom, what we discovered was a friendly, likable and unpretentious beach town. Chalk it up to the miracle of low expectations, if you wish, but we loved Progreso.

A Quick Trip to Historic Maní

After visiting the ruins of Mayapan, we made our way south to Maní. This tiny town is famous across the peninsula for its cuisine, but it was also the scene of one of the Yucatán's darkest moments.

Acanceh

After swimming in Chunkanán's three cenotes, we felt energized enough to stop at nearby Acanceh before our return to Mérida. This small town is one of the oldest Maya sites in the Yucatán, and one of the few to retain its original name, which approximately means "Cry of the Deer".

The Three Cenotes of Chunkanán

Hundreds of cenotes pockmark the earth of the Yucatán Peninsula. Fed by subterranean rivers, these pools once served as sources of fresh water for the Maya, but today they're primarily used for fun. We visited three amazing cenotes on a popular tour leaving from the village of Chunkanán.

MACAY – Mérida’s Contemporary Art Museum

Next to the cathedral and inside one of the city's most historic buildings, the Museo de Arte Contemporaneo Ateneo de Yucatán (MACAY) offers a great place to escape the sweltering heat of the sun and take in some thought-provoking modern art. During our visit, we were almost as impressed by the fabulous air-conditioning as by the bizarre pieces hanging on the walls.

Meet the Meridians

After one month in our new homes, we always review our initial impressions with a self-interview. We figured it would be interesting to do another interview after two months... but this time with locals. So over the course of an entertaining day, we went out into the streets of Mérida and introduced ourselves to some random people. There's nothing scientific about the survey which follows, of course, but it was a fun way to meet some Meridians.

Christmas in the Yucatán

Although speeding toward a depressing hegemony, most of the world's Christian countries still maintain some yuletide traditions that are all their own. Jürgen and I aren't big Christmas freaks, but we do enjoy learning how different places put their unique spin on the holidays.

The Life of a Baron in the Hacienda Temozón

The gate of the Hacienda Temozón functions like a time machine, transporting you to an age when the Yucatán was among the richest areas in the Western Hemisphere. The henequen boom was a period of unimaginable wealth for the Yucatán... if, of course, you were among the lucky few who owned land.

Uxmal: Thrice-Built Home of the Dwarf King

An expansive city with soaring buildings that have somehow retained much of their detail, Uxmal is among the most important Maya archaeological sites. It's about an hour south of Mérida in the Puuc Valley, and we showed up early in the morning after spending the night in nearby Santa Elena.