I live a block back from Pasaje de Montejo, which is really a pretty little boulevard filled with white mansion type houses which I am told belonged to the old rope barrons when this place made most of the rope for the sailiing ships in the world. Now they are banks and art gallieries. The council have taken it on themselves it seems to extend the art and culture onto the streets here, so every 50 meters or so there is a “work of art”. The artists seem to be overrepresented on the German front. Indeed I’ve met more Germans here than any other non Mexican race while I have been in Mexico. In fact Latin America seems to be infested with them. If anyone knows why, please pass on the information to me.

So, every 50 meters there is some street art, which on many occasions I have to look twice to see if it is just rubbish. Here’s an example.

Indeed I swear I have passed a pile of black bin liners full of waste and had to check to see if there was a plaque proclaiming the proud artist, and his or her “vision”.

The best of these is a bit of pink foam that someoe has squirted onto a bench and “it is art because I say so”. Yes, how original. Here is the bit of pink foam. I’d guess someone got a few grand for their effort, and must really be smiling now.

Took a walk down to a language school, and got sold on some lessons, I am determined to keep on learning this stuff until I’m fluent, how ever long it takes. Tho I can understand just about everything, and say what I want to, I’m still making mistakes, and I do get stumped for the odd word or two. Anyway, the people at the school seemed super nice, and give me a chat to find out my level. I also met the other students, of which there was a grand total of three, plus one girl who was not there due to being sick. One of the students will leave today, but I’m promised that five new ones will be there bright eyed and bushy tailed for when I start on the 24th.

The lady who works in the office of the apartment block here pushed me a note under the door yesterday to say that an American who’s name is Jim has a wife with a broken arm. Now seems they were going to look at the pyramids and stuff, but she now won’t go due to the arm, plus seems Jim is some sort of expert as he is writing a book about it all. He said I could go with him next week to see some ruins, so I think that’s a good chance to have a tour with an expert.

He doesn’t speak so clearly, but I’d swear he was talking about a treck with a guide and the use of a machetti knife. I’m sure tho, that those big rolling rocks are only in the movies. Let’s wait and see.

As you know my belly has been bad, and so I’ve not been eating much, but at noon I struggled down to the Fiesta Americana, which seems to be the swankiest hotel in these parts and ate the breakfast buffet. Pretty much everything you wanted, I had roast pig, some turkey, fruit, toast, pastry…you get the idea. Lots of white coated waiters to bring you stuff, even tho it is a buffet. Anyway, came in at 105 pesos, a shade over £5 in real money and a bargain I’d say. My belly now feels a lot better thanks.

As to the masks, well I noticed that the kitchen lackeys all wore masks like doctors do in an operating theater. They are super keen on hygene, like even those who stack the fruit and veg in WalMart are wearing em. It pretty much puts any NHS hospital to shame, and I’d guess any mexican who visits england would feel a little bit queesy that maybe people were gobbing and sneezing onto his food.

There’ s a lot to do and see here in Merida, and I’m taking my time about it. Last night I went out to find somewhere to eat, and ended up watching football in a restaurant. The match was exciting, it was Chivas ( as in the whiskey I guess, or the marmelade ) versus International. All these South American teams seem to have cute names, but then again, Wigan Athletic, Brighton and Hove Albion, I’m sort of talking myself out of this one. Anyway, ended up to many beers ( 2 ), and to many rums ( 2 ) and to much spicey food, and now I’m only eating soup today.

On the way to the shop to see if they had any soup, I passed this sight left over from the Day of The Dead. It stands outside a museum, and it’s pretty spookey. Couldn’t help but think how much it looks like Dot Cotton of East Enders. I can proudly say I only ever watched one episode of East Enders but the Dot Cotton character seems to have gotten into my consciousness anyway. So took a picture, you could almost imagine it was a Pearly Queen now couldn’t you?

Dot Cotton

The dead

OK, estoy in Merida, y vivo en un  vecindario que no parece tan mal. Tengo aquilado un piso bonito que da al estadio de una escuela de muchacas, donde juegan baloncesto. Prismaticos no tengo… ( mentira ). Bueno, parace un lugar con cosas hacer, y me hace illusion averiguar que hay divetireme. Se dice que algo pasa cada noche aqui, como musica, o obras de teatro, a ver…, por lo menos habra mas que Playa del Carmen.

Quanto tiempo me quedare aqui? Hasta estoy aborido, pero algo me dice que hay bastante descubrir en Merida, no estoy impaciente mudareme todavia…

OK, now in Merida, which I think is the capital of Yakatan. First impressions is that this really is a nice place, and I’m in the embassy district which is all banks, wanky “works of art” of which more later, and err embassies and stuff. Passed thru the poor area on the way in, and the only thing of note was a hotel with lots of women sitting outside with few clothes on. Some men mooching around and the front desk ready for action. Draw your own conculsion.

Had a nice meal in the zólaco yesterday, tho most food seems to be a maize pancake with something suspicious inside it. Also a dish of sauce with the warning “picante” from the waiter. The correct response is “pica mucho?”, to which the waiter replies “no tanto”. This is a lie.

The streets round here are full of very pretencious ( sp??? ) works of art that even Barcelona, or some people’s republic of  Ethicdiversity might be ashamed. I’ll take some photo’s and you can have a laff, as are all the “artists” who created these pieces. Being rubbish at everything when they were at school wasn’t a complete washout it seems. Funny, yes, but worth the comic value??? Bernard Manning delivered more I’d say.

At the moment I am eating a chinese take-away. One thing that you CAN rely on in this world.

Been in Playa Del Carmen a month, and not set foot on the playa yet. Everyone seems shocked that I don’t want to go and sit on a beach and do nothing except attract skin cancer. “What? you don’t like the beach???!!!”, like how can this be possible?

 ”No te gusta la playa???!!”.

So tomorrow I go to Merida, which thank the Lord, has no beach, so I can avoid having to justify being an excentric.

The spanish lessons have been very good, and I’m getting private lessons now because there is noone else in my class, which is sort of good, but very intense as the teachers pick on me to answer every question, still, I’m learning a lot, and realising as ever how much more I need to learn.

Looking forward to Merida, it’s a 5 hour bus ride, but on the other hand it seems there is lots of stuff to do there, and I’m really excited about it, and I may stay a month ( in fact I’m pretty sure I will stay at least a month, unless it turns out to be rubbish when I get there ).