Spendthrift Shoestring

Hot Shop Alert: Vintage, Mérida

In Mérida there are tons of shops selling Mayan rugs and blankets, silver, and other tourist objects; there are lots of treasures to be found among the loot here. Even more interesting things (from honey to piñatas to wooden toys) can be found at the Zócalo, with its mass of vendor stalls.

For those looking for a blast of modernism, there's a great shop at 428 Calle 60 (between Calles 47 and 49) called Vintage. Run by Maria José Cetina Cachón with a personable attention to detail, it's a treasure of vintage clothes, furniture, home furnishings, and other decorative objects. The shop is full of Americana and its Mexican equivalent (Mexicana?)—down to reformatted matchbooks from vanquished mid-century spots on the North American landscape.

To anyone who loves such mid- to late-century shops, the inventory here will be familiar; what sets this shop apart is its variety of carefully-chosen items as well as the range of Mexican objects on sale. I snapped up a rusted Orange Crush sign, advertising a Tienda "San Lorenzo." It's truly gorgeous, and was cheap by US mid-century furniture store standards, to boot, at 550 pesos ($50).

Hotel Julamis, Mérida

I waited until the last minute to make a Mérida hotel reservation. When I finally got around to sending out emails, I received lots of disappointing no vacancy responses. After what seemed like an eternity, my onslaught of email queries yielded Hotel Julamis, a guesthouse in the city's historical center, with availability for six of the seven nights I was due to be in Mérida.

My hardcore budgeteer side was thrilled by the $25 nightly rate, single or double. This nightly rate was appealing, if seemingly incredible. I figured that in the case of a true disaster I could crash with a family member in town for the week.

It turns out that Julamis is a complete gem. The hotel is decorated simply, even sparsely, though carefully and well. It's got a lush courtyard full of plants and shade. Common spaces are decorated by paintings done by one of the proprietors. There are lounging areas, a hammock, and a single computer terminal that can be used for just 12 pesos ($1.10) per hour. A candle is lighted in a mid-stairwell basket at dusk. And a friendly dog and cat keep court.

All rooms are ensuite, cozy and very simple. There are no televisions and air conditioning is available in only one room (at a significant surcharge of $35/night.) The nightly rate comes with breakfast, which consists of toast with jam, corn flakes, a bowl of fruit, and coffee. 

But what makes Julamis so wonderful is not (just) the nightly rate, the friendly house dog, the slices of papaya at breakfast, or the hammock. It's the mood of the place. For this the proprietors of Julamis have to be credited. On Christmas night, they served a massive Cuban/American Christmas dinner for guests, friends, and neighbors. There were early evening tequila shots, too, and breakfast time daytrip suggestions throughout.

Julamis opened officially in November. As it offers few traditional amenities, it's not for everyone. But for travelers looking for a basic guesthouse that is also very friendly and aesthetically pleasing, it's an ideal choice. I'm expecting Julamis to attract a fanatical repeat following within a few months. I just hope they'll be able to squeeze me in on my next visit.

A Week in Yucatán

Mérida is a dreamily beautiful city. Its historical center, one of the biggest in the Americas, is full of gorgeous corners, both near and beyond the few blocks around the Zócalo.

My first day I scooted around as if time were at a premium, exploring the historical center, visiting the Anthropological Museum, and scarfing delicious tacos (8 pesos or $.75 a pop) and tortas at D'Al, a little restaurant at the corner of Calles 53 and 54. This hectic pace was all wrong. It took the slow arrival of various family members, over several days, to relax my pace.

It's good that I did slow down; as it turns out, Mérida is a city ideally experienced in a leisurely and unprogrammed manner. Its churches, squares, colonial architectural core, and two-laned one-way streets are all enchanting. The architectural scale consists of one and two-story buildings throughout most of the historical center. Best of all is the balance between renovated and crumbling buildings. This balance, along with a nice variety of residential, commercial, and retail spaces, makes for a mostly unmanicured historical center. The impression is so inviting that the sheer volume of expats comes as no surprise.

Mérida is also very cheap. Hotel Julamis, which will receive a lavishly praiseworthy post of its own shortly, cost me just $25 a night for a double room. For those (like me) who are done with hostels yet perennially in search of hotel bargains, a $25 double room in a guesthouse that manages to be not just spic-and-span but also aesthetically gorgeous and run with deep care is a revelation.

Local grub is also pleasing and affordable, though not quite so dramatically cheap as the beds on offer at Julamis. I'd recommend Los Almendros, across from the Parque de la Mejorada, which serves up gorgeous Yucatecán cuisine, including crunchy salbutes and soupy papadzules.

I'm a sucker for a city that draws visitors in on the basis of general atmosphere over discrete sights, and Mérida certainly satisfies on this count. My only exploration beyond the city limits was to Izamal, the "yellow city" about 70 km east of Mérida. Izamal, with its quiet streets, yellow buildings, and enormous monastery across from an almost twin-like pyramid, was almost otherworldly in its beauty. Roundtrip bus journey from downtown Mérida to Izamal was 45 pesos ($4.15).

Mérida

Yesterday afternoon I returned from a week in Mérida, Mexico. It was an enchanting week, and I'll return to form in the next few days with descriptions of why Merida is quite so enchanting, as well as a review of one of the best guesthouses I've had the good fortune of frequenting.