Chula Cholula: Semana Santa Travel Post 3: Mérida

From Campeche (C) to Mérida (E)

There's not too much to do in Campeche, so the next day we headed to Mérida, the capital of the actual state of Yucatán (the Yucatán peninsula consist of several states, not only Yucatán).

We arrived at night and as every city it had its very own atmosphere - laid back, still buzzing at 11pm (which is extraordinary for Mexico, where streets are empty soon after sunset), and with temperatures which almost made us feel freezing compared to the heat in Campeche.

The Cathedral

Although it's the capital, as soon as you leave the most central tourist areas, you quickly feel like in the deepest province. While C. was checking out a Maya museum far outside the city, I was strolling around the local market. Just to wipe out your thoughts of "man, what a lowbrow - market instead of museum": I'm somewhat tired of yet one more museum with tons of numbers - Mexican museums go bold on facts and figures...

As soon as I'm on my way solo, it's the same story everywhere in Mexico. People see the blond guy. Blond guy = Foreigner (more often than not). Foreigner = Rich (Automatically). Rich = Marry me!
So the local beatniks almost forcefully tried to get me to meet a female vendor who was "interested" in me. Surely just because of my decent character. Well, fooling around with locals is fun, but I still preferred not to respond to the offer. I told them that I already had a girlfriend who would be somewhat upset if I accepted. The locals response?

"Y eso qué?!" - "And so what?!"

In every case, people here in Yucatán are notably more open and smile a lot more than the "Poblanos" in my university. But might also be a "fresa" thing. Just as a reminder: Fresa literally means strawberry, but refers to the fancy-schmancy and slightly arrogant upper-class which you obviously will find in the country's most expensive university...

What else? Food was decent...