Mérida is the capital of Yucatán state. About 600,000 people live here. Though it is not a tourist center in the way that Cancún is, Mérida does get a fair amount of travelers, and is equipped to deal with them, with hotels and restaurants of every variety and price range. In spite of this, Mérida has managed to retain its character as an historic Yucatecan city.

The Plaza Mayor is the main park in the middle of town, and around this hub lies a bustling urban center. Mérida is a very active city, the streets are always crowded, and you always feel like you never quite know what's going to happen next.

There are a couple good art sites in Mérida. The MACAY (Museo de Arte Contemporanéo Ateneo de Yucatán) features work by Yucatecan artists, including large collections of work by two excellent abstract expressionists, Fernando García Ponce and Gabriel Ramírez. Just down the street the Palacio de Gobierno (state capitol) features large murals of the region's history by Fernando Castro Pacheco.

The rest of the tourist sites in Mérida were disappointing (For God's sake, don't go to the zoo. It has a great collection of animals, living in truly depressing conditions). What I found most unpleasant about the city was the people. You can't go anywhere without being persistently hounded by someone waving a hammock or a panama hat in your face, and no matter how many times you say no they will chase you down the street. Forget about trying to relax in the Plaza Mayor. I was approached by many English-speaking people who started conversations with me about where I was from (not unusual in Mexico), only to find that the small talk led to a very lengthy sales pitch about a craft shop down the street. Sure, a lot of hard-working Mexican tradespeople want your tourist dollar, and for the most part they treat you with respect and courtesy. I think in Mérida they cross the line.

One of the attractions of the Yucatán is its strange and unusual cuisine. This is the home of cochinita pibil (marinated, barbecued suckling pig) and sopa de lima (lime soup). There's all sorts of odd stuff, a lot of it made with squash, or venison. Eating here is truly an adventure.

The Plaza Mayor, geographic and social center of Mérida

The Museum of Anthropology, housed in an old mansion.

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