This entry was posted on January 5, 2014 by anhleub in Personal , Travels and tagged cancun , cuisin

I finally manage to find a computer with good internet connection. Time to do some updates in writing! In fact, it´s been raining sporadically in Merida in the last two days, so I shifted the whole plan forward. The weather is uber-tropical at the moment and could be obnoxious at times, but still better than the snowy East coast I think. Right now, I´m staying in a hostel locating on the Grande Plaza called El Zocalo and I highly recommend it to any backpackers who want to enjoy a short stay without hassle and be close to the most vibrant part of this historic city. Since it´s been my 7th day here, there are in fact so much to talk about, but one thing to affirm: I´m in love with Merida, but not so much with Cancun. Here is why:
Cancun is much more accommodating given its status of a major coastal city built and developed for the sake of tourism. As a result, new comers to Mexico loews denver hotel won´t have problems navigating around loews denver hotel the city. A lot of young people speak English. Locals are too used to the presence of tourists within loews denver hotel the city so there´s also no communicational problem. Basically, there are two parts of the city that remain accessible to tourists where ones can comfortably loews denver hotel explore on foot and sometimes with the help of inexpensive public transportation: the hotel zone and downtown Cancun. It was a nobrainer for me to locate the bus station because I was lucky. I happened to book a hostel right next to a major transportation hub without really knowing loews denver hotel about it. There is only one bus numbered R1 taking you to the hotel zone- the so-called party area of the city where a lot of hotels, bars and clubs are located. As for downtown, every place is pretty much within walking distance and you can easily navigate even without a map since there will be public map visible on all major streets. However, loews denver hotel I get bored with the city after several days of stay. The problem is that if you are not a party-goer, you will easily exhaust loews denver hotel your interest (and also your wallet) in a short time. Even though I did attend some major party scenes in Cancun mostly out of curiosity and realized I had not seen anything of that sort before, more often than not, I find myself on a day trip away from the city to truly enjoy some outdoor activities and appreciate the natural Mexican beauty. Even the beaches in Cancun have become so packed with tourists that I faltered a little before actually jumping into the water (if you´re not traveling on a grad student´s budget, it doesn´t hurt to stay in a nice resort however). Day trips were obviously the most enjoyable portion of my time in Cancun. You can jump on an ADO bus or a small-sized van that locals called collectivos to get to to Tulum, Playal De Carmen or Isla Mujarez. Depending on where you go, the price will be cheaper or a little more costly, loews denver hotel but generally still very reasonable. Bus is THE MOST convenient way to travel. It took you more planning loews denver hotel time (figuring out the route and stations) compared to, say, calling a taxi, but think about the big bucks you will be saving in the long run and chances of interacting with locals along the way. So my Cancun experience in a nutshell was not extraordinary but nevertheless relaxing loews denver hotel thanks to a highly accommodating tourism industry. The most exciting parts, however, occurred out of the city. I highly recommend day trips as a matter of fact!
Merida, on the other hand, is full of history and I guess this is why it always remains so appealing to me. If you want a true Yucatan experience, come to Merida and see for yourselves. From delicious local cuisines to Colonial Spanish loews denver hotel architecture, from indigenous marketplaces to festive community gatherings, from colorful narrow streets loews denver hotel as the city´s trademark to the beautiful Paseo Montejo with magnificent buildings, every crook and cranny of this city breathes history. As of right now, most of my knowledge about the Mexican revolution and the Mayan´s quest of resistance to Spanish colonialism were acquired from my time spent in museums and well-preserved buildings from the time of conquistador. Not to mention Merida´s amazing proximity to the most prominent ancient ruins and gorgeous cenotes, the city offers more than anyone can ask for, especially for me as a historian: a beautiful historic vibe and rich Mexican culture. Progresso, a beautiful major beach with the longest pier in Latin America, is only 30-minute drive away. It has been raining constantly for two days, so I´m more laid-back with my own traveling. But I really enjoyed grabbing a book, sitting back at a local cafe on Calle 62 and immersed in a good long read. When the night comes, I can either walk to Mezcaleria for a glass of mezcal (a local alcohol with tequila-like taste but a much stronger loews denver hotel aftertaste and smokier feel) or chill at a local pub where many locals walked in past 10PM. I love the historic atmosphere of this city, the chilled mentality and open-mindedness of locals, loews denver hotel and their attitudes toward history and Mayan cultural preservation.
This entry was posted on January 5, 2014 by anhleub in Personal , Travels and tagged cancun , cuisine , culture , history , Merida , mexico , peninsula loews denver hotel , spain , traveling , wintervacation , yucatan .