http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nk5FLnHau7w
Living in Merida is living in paradise. Enjoy the sun and the surf of this great area while taking in the local culture of the Mayans. Better yet make this your home as we know you will not want to leave. Check out this great home just waiting for you. Your dream home awaits.
Progreso is a port city in the Mexican state of Yucatán, located on the Gulf of Mexico in the north-west of the state some 30 minutes north of state capital Mérida (the biggest city on the Yucatán Peninsula) by highway. As of the Mexican census of 2005, Progreso had an official population of 35,519 inhabitants, the fifth-largest community in the state in population. The city is also the municipal seat of the surrounding municipality of the same name. The municipality’s area is 270.10 km² (104.29 sq mi) and its population at the census was 49,454 inhabitants. It includes Scorpion Reef with its five islets 130 km offshore (north) on the outer edge of Campeche Bank.[1] Its largest other towns are Chicxulub, Campestre Flamboyanes, and Chelem.
Progreso is a center for both the fishing industry and the container industry. All containers arrive in Progreso and are distributed to Yucatán, Campeche and Quintana Roo.
Progreso also is one of the newest ports for large cruise ships and an emerging balneario resort destination. Passengers disembark on a very long pier that juts out 6.5 km (4 miles) into the Gulf of Mexico. Passengers are taken to shore to visit Progreso, Mérida or the Maya civilization archaeological sites of Uxmal and Dzibilchaltun.
During the months of July and August the beaches fill with thousands of mostly local tourists, as it is traditional in these months for well-to-do residents of Mérida to leave the city and spend the summer in the cooler seaside environment.
The Zocalo : The city center is known as the Plaza Mayor. As much of the history of Merida began here, it is an appropriate place to start your orientation.
The Catedral de San Ildefonso is the first Cathedral built on the continent (1561 to 1598). In typical Spanish fashion, the stones were taken from the city (Tiho) which was conquered. Easy to spot on the east side of the Plaza.
The Bishop’s Palace (next to the Cathedral) is now the “Museo de Arte Contemporaneo Ateneo de Yucatan” and houses contemporary art from the Yucatan.
On the south side of the Plaza Mayor is the Palacio Montejo (Francisco Montejo Sr. & Jr. conquered the area). Originally built by Francisco Montejo Jr. in 1552, the Palace was home to the Montejo family’s descendants until the 1970′s. The building was restored by a banker who also converted it into a bank.
On the west side of the Plaza, you will find the Town Hall (Palacio Municipal). The building was originally built with stones from the city of Tiho, then rebuilt in 1735 and rebuilt again in 1928.
The New Olympus (Nuevo Olimpo) is the newest building in the Plaza Mayor, but the builders did a good job of keeping the flavor of the old. The building houses concerts, conferences, theatrical performances, a gallery, a cafe and bookstore.
Excursions :
Progreso : A nice little beach escape just an hour north of Merida. Busses leave from the station on Calle 62 between Calle 65 and 67. details.
Izamal : A quaint little town 50 miles east of Merida was constructed in the midst of four large pyramids (one has been partially restored).
Kabah : Located just south of Uxmal, take Highway 261 towards Santa Elena for a half mile, then turn towards Kabah (8 more miles). Rather than the highway leading to the ruins, the highway actually goes through the ruins. The most famous building here is the Palace of Masks which is covered with 250 masks of the rain god Chaac.
Sayil : Go just 3 miles south of Kabah and turn left for Sayil (2.5 miles). Most famous for the triple terraced El Palacio.
Labna : Just 5.5 miles past Sayil (with Xlapak in between). The close proximity of these ruins leads one to understand that at its peak, these cities would have been no more than local centers for people whose houses surrounded each center. If you lived then and walked the ancient road from here to Uxmal . . . you would have a hard time determining exactly where one community ended and the next began.
Dzilbilchaltun : Just 10 miles north of Merida (on the road to Progreso). The ruins were founded around 500 B.C. and went into decline before the arrival of the Spaniards. 8000 buildings have presently been mapped but as the site was only rediscovered in 1941, much of the city still lies under the jungle which grew over it.
I had what looked like a giant luminous nappy wrapped around my waist, but I’d never felt so relaxed. The strange get-up – an upside-down life jacket – was helping me float ever so slowly along a beautiful natural canal linking two equally glorious lagoons on Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. Without any effort on my part, the gentle current took me past bright fish, large birds and vast mangrove forests in the Sian Ka’an reserve.
Sian Ka’an means “where the sky is born” in the language of the Mayans, who ruled the land before the Spanish arrived, and staring at the horizon I was sure that if the sky did have a birthplace it could only be somewhere as sublime as the Yucatán, and particularly the coastal area south of Cancún known as the Riviera Maya.
This is an idyllic part of Mexico, blessed with white sands, superb ruins and beautiful natural landscapes. Unfortunately, that’s not a picture the world usually associates with Mexico. Hurricanes, swine flu and ferocious drug wars have put the country on the map for all the wrong reasons and driven visitors away. But the Riviera Maya, the easternmost part of Mexico, is gradually winning the image war, making the most of what Nature, and the ancient Mayan civilisation, bequeathed it.
Yukatán Peninsula: essential travel information
The jewel in this crown is Chichén Itza, the emblem of Mayan culture. It was voted one of the seven new wonders of the world and it is easy to see why it made such a list. The large site, a three-hour drive from the Riviera, includes the Great Ball Court, a 300ft arena where the Mayans played a game that bears the closest resemblance to Harry Potter’s quidditch – shooting balls through large hoops high in the air. The winning captain had the “honour” of being decapitated, taking him nearer to the gods.
As one of the oldest cities in Mexico and as the political and cultural center of the Yucatan Peninsula, Merida is a city with long traditions and centuries of history, something that can be seen when admiring its many iconic buildings
Cathedral
The Merida cathedral is one of the most beautiful churches in Mexico. It is located on the east side of the Plaza Mayor on the site of an earlier Maya temple. It was built by Pedro de Aulestia and Miguel de Auguero between 1561 and 1598 and is the largest church in the Yucatán peninsula. Also, the cathedral’s front wall shows some architectural features of specific merit.
Monumento a la Patria
The most striking monument over Paseo Montejo. It was constructed between 1946 and 1957 by the Columbian sculptor Rómulo Rozo. It presents the whole history of Mexico in allegorical form
Palacio Canton
The great white Palacio Cantón houses the Museo Regional de Antropología. Construction of this mansion took place between 1909 and 1911. Its owner, General Francisco Cantón Rosado (1833-1917), lived here for only six years before his death. Its splendor and pretension make it a fitting symbol for the grand aspirations of Mérida’s elite from 1877 to 1911, when Porfirio Díaz held despotic sway over Mexico
Museo Macay
Next to the cathedral, separated only by a single street, stands the former palace of the archbishop (the Most Reverend), once the residence of the fanatical missionary Diego de Landa. Today, the building houses the contemporary art museum in Yucatán, the MACAY (Museo de Arte Contemporáneo Ateneo de Yucatán).
Casa de Montejo
It is considered a notable example of New World Plateresque architecture. The building is dated 1549 in an inscription. Commissioned by Francisco de Montejo the younger, the son of the conqueror of the Yucatan, it now houses a bank.
Tricycle race for kids 3-5 yrs old, in Motul
The owner of the Sports City, LEF. Roberto Estrella, held a peculiar race of tricycles where preschool students from Narciso Mendoza school willingly participated.
Five little ones from 3 to 5 years of age competed in a race spanning 30 meters. Fueled on by the cheers of their parents and children who were in the audience and as well enjoyed this activity where all were winners.
Young people and adults on the other hand enjoyed the Zumba macroclasses and at the end of the activation rode their bikes to the municipality of Cacalchén, the route of the difficult biciruta which is about 2 hours long. For those walking the distance was 24 miles round trip.
On Sundays the city of Motul is offering recreational and leisure activities for families Motuleños, Mayor MCD. Mario Sosa Lugo, invites you to join this ongoing crusade for health and fitness.
The program “Motul Activate!” is launched every Sunday in front of the municipal building starting at 8:00 am.
Cancun and the Riviera Maya may have their miles of white-sand beaches, year-round sunshine, and endless frozen margaritas, but venture inland to the state of Yucatán and you’ll see a different, more gracious side of Mexico.
Capital city Mérida is a fascinating study in contrasts: chaotic yet laid-back, style-conscious yet steeped in tradition, cosmopolitan yet disarmingly friendly. The threads of European colonialism and ancient Mayan civilizations are woven through the fabric of this region, from the colorful facades of the 19th century colonial casas in Mérida’s elegant downtown to the archeological ruins of Chichén Itzá.
5…Take in some free culture
Mérida has been a cultural and artistic center since the conquistadors rode into town in the 16th century and long before that when it was an important Mayan settlement. Celebration is endemic here: something lively goes on every day in the city’s many squares or plazas.
The Vaquera Folkloric Ballet, the traditional dance of the Yucatan, is a free event that happens every Monday at 9pm. Held on the first floor of the Municipal Palace in the main square or Plaza Grande, it’s a great introduction to Yucatan folk dancing, with women in huipiles or traditional white embroidered dresses and men in guayabera shirts, accompanied by the Jaranera Orchestra
Old-timers pack Santiago Park on Tuesday nights, dressed in their finery and solemnly dancing to a big band playing rollicking 1950s tunes, while Saturday night is Noche Mexicana, a raucous street festival that takes over the Centro Historico. As soon as the sun goes down, prepare for crowds in the streets off the main plaza. On the main stage, deafeningly loud music acts play to audiences in rows of seats lined up in front of restaurants and cafes, while hammock sellers and trinket-vendors weave in and out of the crowd hawking their wares.
For a dose of calm, tour Mérida’s most beautiful theater, the stately Teatro José Peón Contreras (Calle 60 between 59 and 57; 999 930 4708), a neoclassical building just off the plaza that often hosts opera and international performances.
4… Add a new World Wonder to your brag list
Head east of Mérida on a 1 ½ -hour bus ride for one of the new Seven Wonders of the World, Chichén Itzá, an ancient Mayan city and archeological site. Historians estimate it was built around 600 AD. Stone pyramids loom out of the jungle and rows of monolithic stone columns stand like sentinels in the Temple of the Thousand Warriors.
Up close there’s even more to marvel at. The sides of the structures are embellished with intricate carvings of animals and sacred deities like Chac, the Mayan rain god. At the center of the site, the majestic El Castillo pyramid is remarkable for both its size and the plumed serpent sculpted along its stairs. At sunset and sunrise during the spring and autumn equinoxes, the shadows and light move in such a way along the structure that it appears the serpent is “slithering,” a sight that draws hordes of tourists. Don’t miss the ghoulishly fascinating Great Ball Court, in which teams would engage in a soccer-like game for the dubious honor of being sacrificed by beheading. . The admission fee, around $7, includes access to the daily light and sound show, 8pm in summer, 7pm in winter.
Buses run by company ADO leave for Chichén Itzá three times a day from the Came station at Calle 71, between 69 and 70; around $5 each way.
3… Master the art of Yucatecan cooking, and eating
The state of Yucatan’s relative isolation from the rest of Mexico has given rise to the evolution of a unique cuisine. Menus around town yield worthy traditional dishes like cochinita, pit-roasted pork marinated in achiote paste, and sopa de lima, a fragrant chicken soup. Try Panchos (Calle 69, between 60 and 62; 01 999 927 0434; trottersmerida.com; main dishes, from $10-25) a buzzy restaurant with a romantic, leafy patio and performing waiters; the flamboyant pouring of flaming Mexican coffee laced with spirits is a particular crowd pleaser.
Be sure to take time to hit the city’s colorful markets. The labyrinthine corridors of the main mercato, just off the Plaza Grande, are intoxicating, fun, and maddening all at once. Vendors selling towers of glossy fruits and vegetables or fragrant herbs and spices jostle with the ubiquitous hammock sellers for your attention, as do the butchers, grinning from behind gruesome displays of hanging flesh. The smaller markets at Parque Santiago and Parque Santa Ana, both a short walk from the Plaza, are less chaotic. After perusing the wares, pull up a plastic chair and tuck into cochinita with freshly pressed tortillas from one of the many street stalls.
You can also learn the basics of Yucatecan cuisine at cooking school Los Dos (Calle 68 No. 517; book in advance, $125 per person.) Former New Yorker David Sterling is an enthusiastic chef with a devotion to local history and cuisine. A full-day class with Chef David Sterling starts with breakfast on the elegant Los Dos patio, followed by an introduction to Mayan culinary history and a tour of the markets. Instruction begins at midday, and finishes with a lavish meal poolside.
2… Get house envy
You can peek inside some of Mérida’s finest restored colonial homes with a House and Garden walking tour that leaves from the Mérida English Library each Wednesday morning. Arrive at the library at 9:45am, from October through March; tours last until about 12:30 pm (Calle 53 between 66 and 68; no reservation required; around $15 per person). The entertaining American guides choose three properties from a roster of homeowners willing to fling their doors open to the masses. All the homes are within walking distance of the library, in the Centro Histórico, and each has a story to tell. Some are fully restored to their former glory, floors gleaming with beautiful colored pasta tiles (originally brought over as ballast in Spanish ships), and ceilings resplendent with vigas wood beams. Others are palatial Spanish or French Colonial gems currently under restoration.
Not only are the tours ideal for borrowing decorating ideas, they also provide a wonderful insight into Mérida life, both historic and contemporary. Refuel after all that walking and gawking at Amaro (Calle 59 between 60 and 62; 928 2452), a restaurant set in the courtyard of a house once belonging to politician and poet Andrés Quintana Roo, after whom the adjoining Mexican state is named. A spreading tree provides welcome shade while Mexican menu staples like fajitas and mole are satisfyingly hearty.
1… Walk in the footsteps of the conquistadors
While many visitors to the city don’t leave the Centro Historico, it’s well worth visiting the Paseo Montejo, the wide, elegant boulevard regarded as Merida’s answer to the Champs Élysées. After the cramped, noisy, bus-clogged streets of Centro, Paseo Montejo – named for Francisco de Montejo, who formally claimed the city for Spain in 1542 – provides welcome relief with its wide sidewalks and majestic trees.
Stroll north of Calle 37 past palatial 19th century Beaux-Arts mansions that reflect that era’s obsession with European architecture and lifestyle. Finish with a margarita on the rooftop bar at Rosas and Xocolate (Paseo de Montejo 480; +52 999 924 4304; rosasandxocolate.com) Merida’s first true luxury boutique hotel. You can’t miss this place; its painstakingly restored exterior is painted hot pink. Inside, all is light-filled and serene, and the bar – reached via a cedar spiral staircase – catches the always-welcome breezes as the sun sets on another perfect Yucatan day.
