March 10 - Why we'll miss Merida
We're scheduled to pull out tomorrow after a month. Hence, today is the last day of school for the kids. We are all sorry that is ending. The local teachers and kids have been fantastic.
Some other reasons why I like Merida:
Listening to a local college radio station while making French toast for the kids on a Sunday morning. The station plays everything from world beat to indie rock to classical and opera.
Reading current issues of Mother Jones, The New Yorker and Vanity Fair at the Merida Enlish Library. (All right, I blew through a couple of People Magazines too to stay current on Jennifer’s life after Brad.)
Buzzing around town with Miriam, Enrique, Allie, and the 4 Lambersons piled into Miriam’s 2 door hatchback. We’ve seen it all: Allie’s piano lessons; the fruit and vegetable market for the locals complete with nearby floor space where the vendors can sleep if they don’t make it back to their small towns at night; listening to Miriam and Enrique yell out the window at the truckload of police as the police block traffic while making a slow and haphazard U-turn (there was no way the police didn’t hear the verbal onslaught from 5 feet away, and we cringed in the backseat. We were assured that no one respects the police around here.); visiting the mega stores including Liverpool, a monster clone of Filenes, May Company, etc.; learning that Miriam’s housekeeper rents coffins on the side; learning that Miriam and Enrique’s mother was a Tupperware and Avon sales champion; etc. Riding around with them is something like travelling with Wallace and Grommet, Bonnie and Clyde or Kitty Kelly and her brother. It’s a lot of fun!
We also reconnected with our host from Playa del Carmen, Gabriel. Gabriel runs the accommodations in Playa del Carmen for his brother, Dr. Tony, who is a physician here in Merida. Gabriel’s wife and 4 sons live here in Merida and he comes home to visit every 2 weeks. When we had said goodbye to him in Playa a few weeks ago, we didn’t think we’d see each other for years. He was pretty surprised when we called him at his house in Merida.
Gabriel and his family are another example of good people who are making their way in the world. He used to have a small “corner store” next to his house where he sold essentials to the neighbors. He got wiped out when the Big Boxes came to town and now rents out the former store to a Fed Ex outlet. His wife works at a religious college and their four sons are sharp young men in their late teens and early 20’s.
Gabriel usually catches an overnight bus from Playa del Carmen to Merida and I asked him how he slept this time. He stayed awake, he said, to watch a movie with Nicholas Cage in it: “National Treasure”. Oh, we saw it on the plane back from England a year ago and then Miles and I watched it on the bus to Montreal for a school field trip about a month later. I wonder if anyone ever saw it in a theatre?
We had also hoped to catch up with Jose, our other host from Playa del Carmen whose family lives in Merida as well. I went for full cultural immersion when I tried to call Jose’s wife on the phone. A man answered and I did my best to explain who I was and who I was looking for. He replied with something that I didn’t understand, so I went into Phase 2 of a long story with mediocre Spanish explaining my situation. The man on the other end spoke more slowly this time and made it very clear that I had dialled the wrong number. Oops! I redialled and had a more fruitful conversation with Jose’s wife.
We spent Sunday with Miriam, Sergio and Allie at the Sergio’s parents’ beachfront cottage in Churbuna Puerto which is a small village NW of Progresso. Staring out at the Gulf of Mexico we realized that Ruth’s folks, and at least one brother and family, were currently on the other side at Sanibel Island on the Gulf Coast of Florida. We also ate fresh coconut pudding on our way in and out of Chuburna at a few of the numerous coconut stands that were selling coconut pie, cold coconut milk, and pudding too.
Hanging out at the cottage in Churbuna also reminded us of why we’ve never owned a vacation home. What a responsibility! Miriam and Sergio hadn’t been there in over a year and were surprised to learn that the power and water had been cut off and the place was in relative disrepair. Many thanks to all you cottage owners out there who graciously let us take advantage of your year round ownership hassles!
We have also loved the interaction with guests from all nations as they pass in and out of the guest house. Among the French, Brits, Italians, Danes, Germans and Croatians we also had a great time with an American couple from Oregon, Greg and Marylou.
If you met Marylou when you handed her your clothes at the dry cleaners, or met Greg at the 7-Eleven with a cup of coffee in his hand on his way to the night shift at the metal factory, you’d probably not suspect that they are veteran world travellers. And if you had cut Greg off in the parking lot, he probably wouldn’t care. But if you had at all hassled the clerk who was originally from outside New Delhi, Greg would probably be in your face. Think John Goodman with a passport.
Greg was a source of such nuggets as:
“A vacationer has more money than time, while a traveller has more time than money.”
“I know I ought to care about the culture, but I just don’t”
But the fact is, these two low-key folks have travelled the world extensively, are keenly tuned into world affairs since they’ve been to so many places that are in the news, and are strong advocates for the underdog. I hope we meet more people like them.
And one last random observation: Despite good music and culture it is evident that not all is kosher in Mexico. There is a huge disparity between rich and poor and just a few blocks from the Hummer and Jaguar dealerships in Merida are the supermarkets where the baggers are adult volunteers. I spoke with one of them the other day away from the check out stand. I was appalled to learn that all of the baggers are volunteers and work for tips only, however, if they miss three days of work they are dismissed, and they certainly don’t receive any benefits. It has also been easy to see that all forms of discrimination are alive and well. Help Wanted signs specify age and gender and so it wasn’t surprising that the grocery store baggers were all gray haired elders who couldn’t find work elsewhere. Also, all main stream advertising features light skinned handsome folks of Spanish ancestry. Likewise with the politicians. We certainly haven’t seen folks of Mayan descent in prominent positions or advertisements.
Enough social commentary for now, time to go pack.
Paul
We're scheduled to pull out tomorrow after a month. Hence, today is the last day of school for the kids. We are all sorry that is ending. The local teachers and kids have been fantastic.
Some other reasons why I like Merida:
Listening to a local college radio station while making French toast for the kids on a Sunday morning. The station plays everything from world beat to indie rock to classical and opera.
Reading current issues of Mother Jones, The New Yorker and Vanity Fair at the Merida Enlish Library. (All right, I blew through a couple of People Magazines too to stay current on Jennifer’s life after Brad.)
Buzzing around town with Miriam, Enrique, Allie, and the 4 Lambersons piled into Miriam’s 2 door hatchback. We’ve seen it all: Allie’s piano lessons; the fruit and vegetable market for the locals complete with nearby floor space where the vendors can sleep if they don’t make it back to their small towns at night; listening to Miriam and Enrique yell out the window at the truckload of police as the police block traffic while making a slow and haphazard U-turn (there was no way the police didn’t hear the verbal onslaught from 5 feet away, and we cringed in the backseat. We were assured that no one respects the police around here.); visiting the mega stores including Liverpool, a monster clone of Filenes, May Company, etc.; learning that Miriam’s housekeeper rents coffins on the side; learning that Miriam and Enrique’s mother was a Tupperware and Avon sales champion; etc. Riding around with them is something like travelling with Wallace and Grommet, Bonnie and Clyde or Kitty Kelly and her brother. It’s a lot of fun!
We also reconnected with our host from Playa del Carmen, Gabriel. Gabriel runs the accommodations in Playa del Carmen for his brother, Dr. Tony, who is a physician here in Merida. Gabriel’s wife and 4 sons live here in Merida and he comes home to visit every 2 weeks. When we had said goodbye to him in Playa a few weeks ago, we didn’t think we’d see each other for years. He was pretty surprised when we called him at his house in Merida.
Gabriel and his family are another example of good people who are making their way in the world. He used to have a small “corner store” next to his house where he sold essentials to the neighbors. He got wiped out when the Big Boxes came to town and now rents out the former store to a Fed Ex outlet. His wife works at a religious college and their four sons are sharp young men in their late teens and early 20’s.
Gabriel usually catches an overnight bus from Playa del Carmen to Merida and I asked him how he slept this time. He stayed awake, he said, to watch a movie with Nicholas Cage in it: “National Treasure”. Oh, we saw it on the plane back from England a year ago and then Miles and I watched it on the bus to Montreal for a school field trip about a month later. I wonder if anyone ever saw it in a theatre?
We had also hoped to catch up with Jose, our other host from Playa del Carmen whose family lives in Merida as well. I went for full cultural immersion when I tried to call Jose’s wife on the phone. A man answered and I did my best to explain who I was and who I was looking for. He replied with something that I didn’t understand, so I went into Phase 2 of a long story with mediocre Spanish explaining my situation. The man on the other end spoke more slowly this time and made it very clear that I had dialled the wrong number. Oops! I redialled and had a more fruitful conversation with Jose’s wife.
We spent Sunday with Miriam, Sergio and Allie at the Sergio’s parents’ beachfront cottage in Churbuna Puerto which is a small village NW of Progresso. Staring out at the Gulf of Mexico we realized that Ruth’s folks, and at least one brother and family, were currently on the other side at Sanibel Island on the Gulf Coast of Florida. We also ate fresh coconut pudding on our way in and out of Chuburna at a few of the numerous coconut stands that were selling coconut pie, cold coconut milk, and pudding too.
Hanging out at the cottage in Churbuna also reminded us of why we’ve never owned a vacation home. What a responsibility! Miriam and Sergio hadn’t been there in over a year and were surprised to learn that the power and water had been cut off and the place was in relative disrepair. Many thanks to all you cottage owners out there who graciously let us take advantage of your year round ownership hassles!
We have also loved the interaction with guests from all nations as they pass in and out of the guest house. Among the French, Brits, Italians, Danes, Germans and Croatians we also had a great time with an American couple from Oregon, Greg and Marylou.
If you met Marylou when you handed her your clothes at the dry cleaners, or met Greg at the 7-Eleven with a cup of coffee in his hand on his way to the night shift at the metal factory, you’d probably not suspect that they are veteran world travellers. And if you had cut Greg off in the parking lot, he probably wouldn’t care. But if you had at all hassled the clerk who was originally from outside New Delhi, Greg would probably be in your face. Think John Goodman with a passport.
Greg was a source of such nuggets as:
“A vacationer has more money than time, while a traveller has more time than money.”
“I know I ought to care about the culture, but I just don’t”
But the fact is, these two low-key folks have travelled the world extensively, are keenly tuned into world affairs since they’ve been to so many places that are in the news, and are strong advocates for the underdog. I hope we meet more people like them.
And one last random observation: Despite good music and culture it is evident that not all is kosher in Mexico. There is a huge disparity between rich and poor and just a few blocks from the Hummer and Jaguar dealerships in Merida are the supermarkets where the baggers are adult volunteers. I spoke with one of them the other day away from the check out stand. I was appalled to learn that all of the baggers are volunteers and work for tips only, however, if they miss three days of work they are dismissed, and they certainly don’t receive any benefits. It has also been easy to see that all forms of discrimination are alive and well. Help Wanted signs specify age and gender and so it wasn’t surprising that the grocery store baggers were all gray haired elders who couldn’t find work elsewhere. Also, all main stream advertising features light skinned handsome folks of Spanish ancestry. Likewise with the politicians. We certainly haven’t seen folks of Mayan descent in prominent positions or advertisements.
Enough social commentary for now, time to go pack.
Paul
posted by The Lambersons at 11:18 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home