?Hola Amigos!
I?m in Merida, safe and sound. I hopped on the bus this morning and 4 hours later arrived here in monsoon rains. The bus ride was swank. There were movies playing the whole time. First Pollock and then How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. Movies play in English with Spanish subtitles. I thought that it was funny that the swearing was most of the time translated into not swear words. And there was a computer animated movie about putting on your seatbelt in the bus, that showed computer animated bus accidents and all of the ways you could die in them. Disconcerting.
Arrived in the city, in a torrential downpoar. All of the streets had 6 inches of water, and it was inching over the curbs. All of the people we passed were stooped in doorways. It was drizzling when I left the bus station, although I was walking in water above my ankles whenever I crossed the street. I was heading to a hostel per Footprint, but passed a really good looking hostel on the way and walked in. It?s great. $9 for air conditioning, $7 without. (I?m with).
Right away this girl She-ra from Israel started talking to me which made me happy. Then I walked to the city center which was way beyond my expectations. Since it?s Sunday all the streets were closed and there was this huge cathedral (from the 1500s, oldest in the Americas per the guide book). I sat down and this young guy started talking to me in Spanish and then we went and ate chicken and had a long (very shallow) conversation all in Spanish. I think he asked me out to go salsa dancing tonight, and I said "Tal vez" ("Maybe", I was going to go if others in the hostel wanted to come too) and in the end stood him up because of the sketchiness of the situation.
Then I was walking around and I was trying to read this billboard about a modern art museum. And this guy came up to me and told me that it was a block away. So I went and it was free and a really cool art gallery with paintings and murals. There were these huge organic installations that were sheltered, but still outside. So far people have been really helpful. Before I left Waterloo, this guy Nick was like, "I want to give you advice, take it or don?t since I?m male and speak Spanish fluently, but trust the people". Yes, the sentiment was cheesy (and I am being safe), but it seems that people are really respectful and not trying to necessarily sell you something when they approach you (which is really different than some other places, like Morocco).
So I was really happy because I had a Spanish convo and went to the art museum. Then I got back to the hostel am being antisocial and Internetting.
I?m in Merida, safe and sound. I hopped on the bus this morning and 4 hours later arrived here in monsoon rains. The bus ride was swank. There were movies playing the whole time. First Pollock and then How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. Movies play in English with Spanish subtitles. I thought that it was funny that the swearing was most of the time translated into not swear words. And there was a computer animated movie about putting on your seatbelt in the bus, that showed computer animated bus accidents and all of the ways you could die in them. Disconcerting.
Arrived in the city, in a torrential downpoar. All of the streets had 6 inches of water, and it was inching over the curbs. All of the people we passed were stooped in doorways. It was drizzling when I left the bus station, although I was walking in water above my ankles whenever I crossed the street. I was heading to a hostel per Footprint, but passed a really good looking hostel on the way and walked in. It?s great. $9 for air conditioning, $7 without. (I?m with).
Right away this girl She-ra from Israel started talking to me which made me happy. Then I walked to the city center which was way beyond my expectations. Since it?s Sunday all the streets were closed and there was this huge cathedral (from the 1500s, oldest in the Americas per the guide book). I sat down and this young guy started talking to me in Spanish and then we went and ate chicken and had a long (very shallow) conversation all in Spanish. I think he asked me out to go salsa dancing tonight, and I said "Tal vez" ("Maybe", I was going to go if others in the hostel wanted to come too) and in the end stood him up because of the sketchiness of the situation.
Then I was walking around and I was trying to read this billboard about a modern art museum. And this guy came up to me and told me that it was a block away. So I went and it was free and a really cool art gallery with paintings and murals. There were these huge organic installations that were sheltered, but still outside. So far people have been really helpful. Before I left Waterloo, this guy Nick was like, "I want to give you advice, take it or don?t since I?m male and speak Spanish fluently, but trust the people". Yes, the sentiment was cheesy (and I am being safe), but it seems that people are really respectful and not trying to necessarily sell you something when they approach you (which is really different than some other places, like Morocco).
So I was really happy because I had a Spanish convo and went to the art museum. Then I got back to the hostel am being antisocial and Internetting.
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