rope and dancing

Here is our 'hacienda'. We're in the yellow building with the green front gate, upstairs apartment. It doesn't look very fancy, but that's the way many buildings are kept....you never know how nice things are inside, which in other cities keeps burgulars away. Apparently, crime is not an issue here, but some buildings don't look much better on the outside. I'll try to photo some of the really huge, in-town haciendas soon. I read of one that has more than 100 bedrooms! I'd call that a hotel!

Merida, population 1.6 million relies on tourism, agriculture, fish and manufacturing. The primary exports are honey, sisal rope, hammocks, concentrated orange juice, limes, fish and petroleum products. And squash seeds. Those fabulous hacienda's, many of which are abandonded in the countryside, were all built on the backs of Mayan people for the benefit of the spanish conquereors. The main product was henequen, better known to us as sisal. Agave is grown all over the country, and in other places they make tequila and mescal, and a little sisal. Here, they don't make liquor, but lots of rope. Or, they used to make lots of rope. So, some of the hacienda's have been bought by hotel people, and turned into fancy resorts and restaurants. Many have fallen into a terrible state of repair. The reason for the economic downfall of sisal was the invention of nylon rope. Suddenly, the market for sisal was gone, and the glory days were over. Fortunately, fishing and farming have sustained (fishing is not so good, either) families, and manufacturing has really been a big shot in the pocketbook in the past few years. The Mayan ruins draw tourists during the winter, and the beach towns draw them in the summer.

Sunday is a big party day in the Plaza Grande. The streets are blocked to vehicles, and there is music, food and vendors all around the city center. The morening service at the Cathedral at Santa Lucia was in competitionwith the dance band this morning. At the parque de Santa Lucia, the music was live and all day, and the dancers were getting a real workout! We saw fewer than 10 other gringos all day, it's really a day for the locals to enjoy each other. Some of the dancers looked like they could barely walk, and most of the women wore very tight dresses, but could they move! There was much laughter and lots of fancy footwork. We'll go back later, for more dancing in the Plaza, when it's cooler.