Starting Over (My Blog)

Well, this is funny.  Here I am looking at this blog I started A YEAR AGO and didn't keep it up.  Of course, I have lots of legitimate excuses - I am way too busy with other stuff.  Blogging is not a priority in my life and that's o.k.  However, here I am again and maybe it is a good thing to do for posterity.  (And, at the moment, I am bored).  Maybe my grandchildren would like to read about my life and I can impart some wisdom?  Well, maybe not but then, you never know.  So I deleted my earlier posts and am starting over.

We are in Merida - have been here since the first of January - our little winter escape from chilly (in January) San Miguel.  Actually, it's not that chilly but since we have no central heating in the house (almost no one in San Miguel does), it gets cool at night and the brick/concrete house never really warms up during the day even though it gets into the 70's or even the 80's during the day.  So, we escape.  Merida is very nice but at the other extreme weather-wise.  It's hot and humid.  January is their coolest month which means 80's instead of 90's and 100's and down into the 60's at night.  It's pretty comfortable and we don't turn on the air conditioning in our rented apartment unless it gets way up there or really muggy. The ceiling fans seem to keep us comfortable.  I like to walk in the morning so I get out there no later than 9 or maybe even 8:30.  I've been walking for about 2 hrs - the terrain is totally flat so that's nice.  Sidewalks are not great but you just have to watch your step - better than cobblestones, though. The other thing you really have to watch out for is: traffic.  The drivers in Merida are the rudest and most aggressive I have seen just about anywhere.  They do not care one bit about pedestrians - it is totally "walker beware".  If you are crossing the street on foot at a green light and a car wants to turn onto the street you are crossing, they will actually honk their horn at you for daring to cross.  Ugly.  The only good thing about this is that every time I cross a street - I get a little adrenaline rush and it propels me forward with more energy.

Our friends, Carol & Harold, also from San Miguel, were here during all of January.  John and Harold don't walk long distances so Carol and I walked most mornings.  They left on the 1st and we are not leaving until this Friday so I have been walking on my own.  I miss my walking companion but I still enjoy the walk and feel I can then justify eating and drinking a little.  Otherwise I would be gaining a ton of weight since I am not riding every morning.  Even with the walking, I dread getting on the scales when I get home - but hopefully it won't be too bad.

One of the things we've enjoyed the most here has been the Symphony of Yucatan concerts.  We've been to 3 of them and to 2 piano/violin concerts by the concertmaster, Christopher Collins and Dutch pianist Martyn vanDjik.  And, of course, we've been enjoying some nice and fun restaurants - especially the local every day ones - like Loncheria Poderosa and La Terraza.  Loncheria Poderosa is a neighborhood sidewalk restaurant - only open evenings and only serving Yucatecan specialties like Salbutes, Panuchos and Tamales Colados.   I'll have to explain these dishes because if you have never been here - you probably won't know about them.  Salbutes and Panuchos are similar - in fact - if you put one of each in front of me, I wouldn't be sure which was which unless I looked for the beans.  Yes, panuchos have a little layer of beans.  They are both tortillas layered with stuff.  The panucho tortilla is crispy with the little layer of re-fried beans.  On top of that is lettuce, tomatoes, marinated red onions and shredded chicken or turkey.  Maybe there is something else in there but I'm not sure - it's all delicious.  Now, the salbute is basically the same except - softer tortilla and no beans.  They serve a salsa on the side but you better taste it first before slathering it on your food because its base is habanero chilies and it can be very, very hot.  And now we come to the tamale - this is not your normal tamale that most readers know about.  This one is square-ish and wrapped in banana leaves (of which there are many in the Yucatan).  The masa (corn meal ingredient used to make tamales) is moister and smoother than the traditional tamale.  There is a filling of shredded chicken or turkey inside.  They steam them and they are delicious.  It is served in the banana leaves - opened and a simple but delicious tomato sauce is put on top.  They serve them with a spoon.  Yum, is all I can say.