The rates here in Merida are very reasonable, in fact I don’t pay them at all, but I’m told it is about $200 US per annum. But money is money, so what do you get for that here?

For starters they will take away your rubbish. Three times a week all you do is leave the bags in front of your house and overnight they are gone. No separation into “normal”, “green”, and “toxic” is required, just leave it out and it goes. Got an old arm chair? Just throw it in the street, and away it goes. Now I’d say this alone is worth the money, but it does get better.

As I have written before, most nights there is something free in the streets, and by that I really mean free, none of this begging with a hat before and after. “No fees either way”. This is great for your tourist, but if you live here you would quickly tire of people dancing with trays of beer on their heads, no matter how skilfully done. But now I’ve discovered a whole new layer of stuff to do which is free, thanks to the local council of Mérida.

Each night there is something which is culturally uplifting given free at about 8:00 indoors in the Olimpo center in the middle of the city. I had expected these things to be a sell out, but they are very sparsely attended, including those folk who go in there just to be in the air-con. This week I have seen a singing folk music duo, some students passing out classical concert, and a version of Macbeth in Japanese ( as a film Trono de Sangre ( with Spanish subtitles ) ).

All in all a pleasing way to pass a couple of hours not involving sitting in a bar drinking beer.

( P.S. We usually go for a beer afterwards ).

For those who would complain that there are not enought photos of food nowardays, here’s a bowl of tripe which I ate in Barcelona on my way back to Mexico.