Merida
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| the road to Coba |
It was a struggle to get myself to leave Xpu-Ha, but knowing the Semana Santa crowds were coming finally lit a fire under me. The long Easter weekend is the busiest and much of Mexico moves to wherever the water is during this time. I bought a t-shirt - not my favorite but the only one that fit - and started south back to Tulum and then inland towards Coba. This road, too, has been much improved since I was here 5 years ago and it's a fairly monotonous, straight, flat drive at high speed all the way to Valladolid, with a couple of checkpoints along the way.
Whenever I think I've seen Mexico (or Central America, for that matter), I find stuff to give me an excuse to come back. Valladolid and the surrounding area is one. My desire to push on, though, trumps wanting to explore any further so I settle for lunch at the Hacienda Ticuch. This is an institution in these parts with a reputation for good food. It's a big place but for a late Monday lunch it's just me. I only have the chicken tacos with the refried beans and habanero salsa, but it's obvious this restaurant deserves serious study, like a dinner, or three. From there it's the fast cuota (toll road) to Merida. The Yucatan is not only flat, it's hot right now. For the first time on this trip the car thermometer hits 100 and tops out at 102. Not the best sleeping weather.
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| tent city |
There is a ring road that goes north of the city and I find a gigantic SuperWalMart to fill up on all kinds of American goodies. Then over to the nearby Rainbow RV Park. Again, I'm the only one here and the owner says she hasn't had much business this year due to the border issues. This is an older park (it's one of those that doesn't believe in toilet seats...awkward), but it's the only one around. At 10:30pm a tour bus rolls up next to me and maybe 50 people get out and set up their tents in the dark. So much for no business. I'm pretty sure this is a holiday crowd heading for water and they seem more interested in sleep than a party. Next time through here I think I'll get a room in the central part of Merida. This city deserves a couple of nights.
Campeche
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| along the malecon |
About 2-1/2 hours along more good road and flat country and I'm driving the malecon in Campeche. After attempting to drive into the historic district to find a hotel with parking (narrow colonial streets + lots of traffic = hopeless gringo), I opt to take an expensive 4-star hotel, the Ocean View, on the malecon for over $100/night. I figure this will be my last real splurge, so what the hay. And after 17 days straight in the tent, I'm glad to be in nice bed with tons of hot water to shower in. Not to mention an impressive continental breakfast. I got my money's worth right there.
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| a side street |
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| early evening |
The malecon itself fills up with people out for early evening walks or jogs and is the place to be to watch the sunsets. In-land a couple of blocks is the historic colonial part of town with a very nice zocolo and cathedral. To quote Lonely Planet, "Campeche is a colonial fairyland, it's walled city center a tight enclave of perfectly restored pastel buildings, narrow cobblestone streets, fortified ramparts and well-preserved mansions." Exactly. Campeche built these huge walls and bulwarks after a brutal pirate attack in 1663. It took 50 years to complete. Today, only the seaward wall and the opposite landward walls survive, but they are well preserved and lit up at night and there are Disney-like re-enactments of the pirate fiasco several nights a week on the Puerta de Tierra. I thought it was kinda cheesey.
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| cochinita pibil |
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the Yucatan. Black is prior trip.
click to enlarge |
Every region of Mexico has it's own culinary specialties and one of the most famous for the Yucatan is cochinita pibil. This is a pork dish marinated in acidic fruit juice (usually orange) with local Mayan spices, then slow-roasted in banana leaf and served with salsas - habanero is always one - corn tortillas, refried beans and pickled onions. The meal I had at Marganzo was out of this freaking world. Sweet and spicy and oh, oh, so tender, with some of the outer bits almost caramelized. Put some of the habanero on it in a tortilla, squeeze some lime. Someone, please tell me where I can get this in Denver!! This is the number one dish I need to learn how to make.
yummmmm
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