We checked out a couple of the beautiful cathedrals here in Merida and took some pics. Here's one of them. Every little town out here (and the big towns of course) is laid out almost the same, with a church and a park in the center. The variations seem endless.
Then we went to the post office/museum in Merida and saw a bunch of old stuff and artwork. They wouldn't let us take pictures in the gallery, but man, we would have bought one piece for sure if we were ricos. There was some spectacular work in there.
Mexico-Jesus was also in the museum.
We took pictures of all kinds of funny stuff, like this billboard. Sirloin Stockade "Brings out the cannibal in you!"
And then we ate at this amazing Argentinian restaurant here. This was an extremely ritzy place, and our meal cost about the same as a Sizzler equivalent. Maybe the best steak Justin has ever had.
The next day we decided to brave driving to the major ocean town on the West side of the peninsula without a spare tire, Celestun. On the way, we decided to see a little cenote that is located on a little farm down this dirt road. After leaving, we bought some fruit from the Senora there that she sprinkled with salt/chile (of course); we don't remember what they were called, but the taste of them was like something between the tastes of a cherry and a plum.
Here's the cenote in the city of Tetiz. Told you it was small, but it was still awesome. There were flocks of fast, little birds swirling in circles between the cave's ceiling and the water level eating bugs. We got some rapid fire pictures of them. Somewhere in each cenote there is an outlet that connects to all of the other cenotes in the peninsula. Yucatan was under the sea before the big mass-extinction meteor hit the gulf of Mexico millions of years ago. The impact sunk the gulf and raised the peninsula, including all of its large, porous structures.
"Water's a bit chilly after walking here in the heat!"
These fish swam with Justin, sometimes only inches away.
Then we got to Celestun,
...and took a boat ride. "What's all the pink crap floating in the water behind you two?" you ask...
...flamingos.
Then our boat-driver took a dramatic turn right into some protected mangroves where we saw some crazy trees and a creepy hawk just sitting in a tree motionless, following our progress with its head (just like the vultures in Splash Mountain at Disneyland before you take the plunge, but without the hydrolic, anamatronic sounds ['cause it was freaking alive].). We had to fill in the dialogue for it, where it makes wise-cracks about our imminent doom.
Here is Karina enjoying our 15 minute swimming break in the mangroves,
...where these fish swam with us,
...and we saw some of these birds.
Then we went to the beach at Celestun,
...and ate ceviche again,
...with this view.
After stuffing ourselves with ceviche and "Mexican Breaded, Deepfried Fish/Crab/Shrimp Explosion Surprise," we took a drive down the more deserted part of la playa, checking out homes and property that were for sale (just curious, or are we?). We decided to spend the sunset on this beach to swim with the kelp and digest our delicious ocean creatures,
...with this view,
...
...and to build a sandc...ah...we mean...practice some...beachside civil engineering theory (grownups don't build sandcastles).
We picked up some traveling musician-hitch-hikers on the back to Merida; Guadalupe and Olaine. They were very nice and they spoke a lot of awesome, hippy, Spanish-slang: "Que buena onda esta tambien," etc. Estuvo chido. (actually, Justin just ran into Guadalupe this morning on his walk back from the market. She was playing guitar on an unimportant street with her back to a wall, and a young man was playing some bongo drums next to her, at like 8 in the morning). O_o
shelly feet...
And then we flew off to our apartment again.
2 comments:
"Fly Flyee" *with an extended exhale and the glass door accidentally being pushed open*.
"Look! This is a dad issue...a DEAD issue!"
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