Mexico 2020 Mérida to Campeche

Geraldine worked her magic and gave me a new comfy chin strap.

By the time I got to Mérida I had been cycling for a week, I already had a list of bits and bobs I wanted to buy, get fixed or post home. I thought I might spend one or two nights but ended up staying for four (the joy of having no schedule). While out wandering one day I met Geraldine. She was originally from Chiapas but had moved to Mérida on her own with her three kids after her husband was killed in a traffic accident. She was a seamstress. She had no other customers so we chatted for ages. 

She was fascinated as to how a foreign woman could travel solo by bike through Mexico and had a million questions for me. I brought her my helmet which had once had a cushion attached by velcro to the chin strap. I asked if it might be possible to make me another since the original had torn and fallen off many moons ago. She told me to leave my helmet with her for the afternoon. I am now the proud owner of an old helmet with a new super fat and comfy chin strap!!

The lovely Geraldine outside her alterations shop.

In Mérida I found a hostel where I could camp in the garden. I even had my own picnic bench. While friends at home were Full Moon swimming in Dublin Bay, I had my own full moon swim each evening in the postage stamp-sized swimming pool. Not bad for 4.30€ per night, breakfast included.

When the ground is too hard for tent pegs I use my 2 panniers to peg out Sweeny Green.

Tiny swimming pool in my Mérida hostel, perfect for a full moon dip.

One of the great things about travelling in relatively poor countries is that you can get almost everything fixed. I am the wearer of a 26 year old watch, a watch I got as a present from my godmother for my 21st birthday. Every year or so it needs a new battery. For some reason in Ireland not every jeweller can open it so I need to go to one specific guy in the Ilac shopping centre in Dublin City centre to get a new battery. I thought my hunt for a battery might take me ages in Mexico. When I asked for some advice I was sent to the 'watch market'... a small group of about 20 jewellery and watch shops where my watch was fixed in five minutes but the very first person I asked. 

Owner of one perfectly working watch.

Some beautiful colours on the streets of Mérida.

Often through the doorways of the old colonial buildings lie secret hidden courtyards. 

A lovely entrance to a restaurant in Campeche.

My first taste of Tomales on this trip. Potato base with chicken on top baked in
a banana leaf. The green drink is chaya limón. Tree spinnach with lime - yum.

La Negrita was the name of a bar on a quiet posh street in Mérida. A friend from home had visited Mérida on her honeymoon and remembered that the bar with swinging wooden doors, playing salsa music was particularly good. When I walked through those western movie-style doors I couldn't believe what I saw. At 3pm on a Saturday afternoon the place was heaving. It was like stepping into the Oktoberfest in Munich.

Not a seat to be had at La Negrita.

Beer delivered in buckets with a bowl of popcorn covered in chili sauce on top!!

The stage where each evening salsa bands play.

On Saturday night I went to the local rodeo. I watched from outside the fence and wondered why people were paying 50 pesos to go in when you could see everything perfectly from outside. In Mexico you are not allowed drink alcohol on the streets in public. At first this seems like a pain but when you see how much alcohol is consumed it's probably not a bad idea. The only answer I could think of was that beer was on sale inside the fence.

This friendly chap sold me my first ever Marquesita at the rodeo. A toasted crepe
lathered with nutella and salty cheese! A little bit yuck and yum at the same time.

The Biciruta happens every Sunday morning in Mérida. From 8am-12 noon many kilometres of streets are closed to car traffic. I stayed an extra few days in the city just to ride my bike on the quiet streets. I had done the same on other trips, in Mexico City and Bogotá and Medellín in Colombia. As far as I'm aware it's an idea that started in Bogotá and has spread now through many parts of Latin America. It's such a lovely feeling to cycle on quiet streets full of families out on their bikes of all shapes and sizes.

The girl below with 13 written on a white t-shirt explained to me that the Biciruta has been running every Sunday in Mérida for 13 years. It is policed by volunteers. I asked if the volunteers got paid and she explained that during her four years of university she needs to complete 480 hours of social service. Helping out at the Biciruta each Sunday counts towards these 480 hours.

These friendly volunteers stop cyclists to let traffic through at certain junctions.

Working towards her 480 social service hours.

Freddy explained to me that he is part of a large group of 300-400 cyclists who meet every Wednesday night at 9pm in the city centre and who cycle together out to one of the parks in the suburbs where they have some food and no doubt lots of Coca Cola.

Freddy was super friendly and cycled with me on the Biciruta for a few kms. 

Drivers in the Yucatan must give 1.5m of distance when passing a cyclist.
Note Freddy's name at the bottom of his shirt.

Innovative wooden child seat with feet attached to the crossbar.

These pretty battered looking bikes are for rent for 1€ per hour on the Biciruta.

Reading on Kindle: Prisoners of Geography (chapters on Latin America) by Tim Marshall - recommended by Rachel O'Connor (ages ago).

Listening to on Stitcher: Stardust by The Journal.ie - recommended by Ellen

Listening to on BorrowBox: A Walk in the Woods (walking the Appalachian trail) by Bill Bryson - recommended by Caroline from Rathmines swimming.