Hi everyone,

I'm going to start this thread now, and continue it through our trip. I'll preface this trip-specific thread with a little history. Kathy and I first visited the Yucatán peninsula in early 2003, for a 25th wedding anniversary trip. We've been back multiple times since then, along with a trip to Jalisco and Guanajuato states in 2006.

The first time we traveled to Mérida was in December of 2006. Most of our trips to the Peninsula have been of the primarily beach vacation type on the Caribbean side and on Isla de Mujeres, but I had been interested in Mérida for sometime, and in 2006 our trips became less focused solely on vacation and a bit more on looking at places where we would consider moving upon retirement. We spent only 3 days in Mérida on this trip, but one of those was a Sunday. On another day we walked from our hotel, the Luz en Yucatán, to the bus station and did a self-directed trip to Celestun and up the river to see flamingos and the mangroves.

I'm going to go ahead and post this little bit now, and finish a salmon scramble. She who must be fed is getting hungry

Back now

Concluding the last trip

We did the Celestun day and Sunday in Mérida. I suppose Sundays might get routine after a long time, but it seemed rather magical to us -streets closed, tables moved on the streets, music in multiple little parks, the vendors at the main plaza, Mayan dancers, streets closed with generations of families riding bicycles together. It made an impression on us.

From Merida we went to Isla de Mujeres for 4 days, followed by a week at a condo in the north part of Playa del Carmen. Had a real nice beach vacation and spent time with friends in Playa. Flew home and started looking more into Mérida. Found some good blogs from some of the folk here. Read MI and discovered yolisto. Read YucatanToday and Yucatan Living. We are ready for a bit more time in Mérida.

Plans for this trip

So, here are the plans, such as they are, for this trip. We are starting out with 5 days of decompression time on Isla de Mujeres. We have a little apartment there- let me see if I can post a little photo:



We have the top floor and the rooftop terrace. It is downtown, near Cafe Cito for those familiar with the area. We have been in contact with a couple of bloggers there, and have plans to meet them. One lives on the Caribbean side, the other in Colonia Gloria. The woman who lives in Colonia Gloria, among the isleños, has a vacation apartment rental, and I will get some photos of that and post about it in a trip report.

On Dec. 17 we'll get up early, make our way to the Cancun bus station and head to Mérida, staying at the Luz en Yucatan again. Plans include:

The Yucatone's performance on December 18 (are any of you planning to be there?)

A day trip to Uxmal

At least one excursion to Progreso and other beach locales

Coffee with at least one of our blogger friends on Domingo.

Meeting other friends who we first met a couple of years ago in Akumal - their renovation in Mérida is getting close, but probably will not be finished.

Have the phone number for another ex-pat couple who live near Santiago Park (fortunately printed it out before MI went down), with an invitation to stop by and see them.

A tour of some of the North Mérida colonias with a woman who is a real estate agent. We told her that we have no interest in buying at this time and are paying her a very reasonable amount for 5 hours of her time.

So that seems enough to keep us busy for a bit while still leaving enough time to wander around Centro neighborhoods, explore the Paseo de Montejo and do some relaxation.

We leave on December 24th and head to Playa for our traditional Christmas eve dinner at Da Illeana Il Pescatore, a wonderful Italian place (10th Ave at Calle 24) . We'll be there until the 28th and then we'll fly back home.

We also received an invitation to a Christmas dinner on the coast, which we had to decline. We have been impressed at the extent to which many of you have extended a warm welcome to us before we have even arrived. Thanks so much!!

So, will we start our retirement in Mérida? We'll probably have a better answer at the end of December than we do now, but neither of us will be surprised if the answer is yes.

For more details, our blog is at http://web.me.com/roni_smith