Day 5.5

Catching up here. The bus ride was shorter than expected, they said 4 hrs, 20 min, ended up being around 3 and a half which was nice. By now it's around 3:30pm and the sun casts a nice shadow over the rows of buildings in Merida, shading the sidewalk and making for a tolerable 12 block walk. It's probably about 93 deg, but low humidity due to being so far inland.

From México

Had no trouble finding the hotel, I had been here before last year around this time, and Augustine, in the office, remembers me. Got an interior room this time, actually right next to last one, but it's just as nice and probably bigger.

From México

Met a group of 4 from Seattle at the pool where they shared their $6.50 USD bottle of Mezcal which was a lot better than I remember it. Two Nancys' and the 'johns'. I don't think both of the guys were named John, but I knew the girls were both Nancy. After introductions and a few shots we met a another group, a couple and one of the couple's parents (Elizabeth and Jerry) at the pool. They're all from New Zealand but the couple are living in Mexico City working at a hostel run by the Quakers. They were all here on vacation for a little bit. From what I'm told Mexico City isn't really that bad of a place to visit, and from what they told me about the history and art, might get dropped on the future destination list.

The group from Seattle invited me out to dinner with them, and made our way to a place named Amaro which was very nice. Had a chicken dish with a thick, creamy sauce which was just great. 'Pollo en Chipotle' I believe it was called. Tried out a glass of the Yucatecan liquor 'Xtabentún' on the rocks. Tasted not much anything besides black licorice. Don't really need to bring any home. Dinner and 2-3 drinks ran $226 MXN.

We all made our way down to the main square where there were various foods, performers, artists music and vendors. I bought a gardenia flower for 10 pesos from a woman and kept it in my breast pocket for the rest of the night.

After talking about the Indian wedding earlier, our group of 5 all decided to get some sort of non-permanent body art which they offered in the park. I cannot use the term 'henna', as these were nothing more than designs out of tattoo book with some sort of black ink. None the less, they traced the book's design onto tracing paper, then re-traced it over carbon paper. It then transferred the carbon outline to the skin where the filled it in using a toothpick and black ink. Still not ready for a tattoo yet.

From México

After we all got our share of ink, we wandered back to the hotel. Around the pool, an older east-coast man was sipping his brandy and talking with a pair of younger girls. One with a English accent, living in México, and on vacation with the other girl visiting. The first was quite beautiful in her bathing suit, and also quite tipsy. We had words, and silence, made out for a bit in front of our pool-side audience. I offered to buy her dinner tomorrow night. Interesting dynamic to the evening. Practicing entirely too much self restraint, I helped her up the stairs to her and her girlfriend's room after she fell near the pool and nearly cracked her skull. I'll see if she remembers anything tomorrow.

From México

Talked with the east-coast guy about the Berkshires, Michael Feldman, talk radio and politics for a while. Headed off to bed at 1am. Gotta get up early to get some laundry done!!

I'll post more pictures a little later, but the rest of the un-edited collection are still at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/tt53149/Mexico?feat=directlink