The End of Week 1

It could have been the ice in the coca-cola, or one of the many “aqua frescas” (fruit juice mixed with water and ice), or the Coktel de Pescados (fresh fish cocktail), or the Mexican sweets right off the cart, or the margarita on the rocks, or the green mango from the lady on the street, or the lettuce and tomatoes that come with most meals… In any case, we have not been conservative eaters. So on Friday night I succumbed to “Montezuma’s Revenge” (I will spare you the details, but it’s as bad as it sounds). I am glad that I was the first to fall, and I pray that Jasper and Josie’s digestive systems hold up well against the Mexican food. They have been adventurous eaters, which I appreciate. If we were here for ten days, we could avoid the ice and veggies. But two months? It’s a challenge to avoid temptations. I took advantage of my convalescence to write down some remarks on last week’s wanderings:

On Thursday we defied the heat and struck out mid-morning for the beach town of Progreso. It’s hardly a half hour drive from Merida, but took about an hour on an air conditioned bus which we caught in the center of town. It was an adventure in itself walking through the busy streets and waiting on the sidewalk for the right bus. Once on boards the kids settled in to looking out the window as we wound through the streets of Merida and out to the main highway north. An hour later we found ourselves in a beach town reminiscent of Rehoboth or Plum Island. We picked up sand toys and a wiffle bat at a beach store. We followed the signs for “Playa” past schools and mechanics, mercados and tiendas.

The beach was nearly empty of people, but jammed with bars and restaurants that provided thatched shelters for shade. We set up camp under one of these and spent the rest of the day swimming in the warm, clear, shallow water, eating and playing. Jasper found a seven year old boy from California almost immediately and spent a couple of hours playing baseball. Josie tracked down the one girl speaking English on the beach (her mom is from Merida but they live in Texas and are visiting for the summer) and made a best friend for the rest of the day. Vendors would walk by occasionally, happy to sell but not pushy. We enjoyed over priced drinks and fresh fish from the bar, and bought several souvenirs. We returned home in time to meet Peter for dinner at 6 pm. A day well spent.

The following morning I promised the kids a more relaxed “home” day, but knew they might kill one another (or I them) if confined to the house and pool all day. Jasper complained of a headache and fatigue, but I didn’t trust his symptoms, so I gave him some Gatorade and ibuprofen and told him to put his shoes on. Once we left the house he perked up, especially when he saw the hardware store near our house where he might be able to buy a machete (the only souvenir he wants). We stopped inside to inquire about the machete, which looks like an entirely inappropriate possession for an eight year old, but is only 60 pesos. I told him he could return later and discuss the purchase with his father.  

We walked five blocks east down 59^th street which is a wide boulevard lined with “Flamboyan” trees. The trees are in bloom now and overflow with bright red flowers. The zoo was free, un-crowded, and filled with large animals in small cages. We got very close to the Bengal tiger and lions, the giraffe and hippopotamus, the puma and jaguar. There was a small train that we could ride for a peso, and a rickety chair lift, and bumper boats. By noon we declared Mission Accomplished and dragged ourselves home through the heat to enjoy a siesta and swim in our compound.

Saturday, while I tried my best to lay still and hydrate, Peter took the kids to the new National Museum of the Maya, which is enormous, modern and comprehensive. They then went to a party with Peter’s work colleagues, returning home once again exhausted and happy.

By Sunday morning I had started a round of “digestive anticeptics” and was feeling much better, so we rented a car and struck out west for the coastal town of Celestun. The mangrove marshes attract a wide variety of sea birds (mom, I am so sorry we didn’t have a bird guide in English… but they were beautiful), most notably flamingos. In December and January when the birds gather to court and mate, it is a sight to be seen. At other times of the year, it is still a respectable ecological destination. For about 15 dollars each we took a boat tour to see the pelicans and mangroves up close, as well as “ojos de aqua,” or fresh water springs that bubble up in the middle of the salt marsh. After the tour we headed to the sandy beach for several more hours of kite flying, swimming, drinking (including a strangely tasty mix of tomato juice and beer) and eating (this time everything was recently cooked and hot, or “purificada”) with strolling mariachis to serenade us.

So we have completed our first week in Mexico. We entertained the idea of leaving Merida today, in order to join Peter on his site visit to an ejido and reduce the next leg of our journey to Chiapas. I am looking forward to the mountains, and a smaller town, and whatever adventures lie ahead. However, I am reticent to relinquish our comfortable house and pool, access to the beach (no Mexican beaches here on out, most likely), and the easy diversions for the kids. I suspect the coming weeks will be more impressive, and less comfortable. Happy to have a few more days in paradise before they begin.