March 4 Our. New home for the n ext 2 weeks

We were awoken by a video game beeping next door at 6m so being ready to leave was not an issue. A leisurely breakfast set us up for the shuttle back to the airport and just crossing the road from the drop-off to our car rental at 11am. It took an hour to complete the paperwork because, of course, the car rental of C$800 a month required Mexican insurance at US$1600 a month. No amount of ensuring them (as we had in UK, France and Spain) that we had coverage, did not count. 

  WE also observe a 25% tax on all hotels here plus other misc things they think up. $95 a night is US$120. Nuff said. Fortunately booking as Genius3 on Booking.com gives me some discounts and usually breakfast thrown in. 

  We were advised to fill with gas and pick up the Telcel 200peso C$15 Amigo SIM with 3G there. Good thing as we didn’t find another gas station for another 3 hours! I now have unlimited calling to US and Canada too and a Mexican telephone number. We drove the toll road, most of it under construction while a rail is installed the whole way from Cancun to Merida. C$45 often traveling slower than 50. One gas station half way and nothing but dense jungle either side, few turnoffs. We did gain an hour which made it a leisurely drive getting to Merida in daylight and not too busy on the roads on Saturday afternoon. 

  Thank goodness for GMaps, easy traverse of this very liveable city and into our small central Boutique Casona hotel. OUr room: on the 3rd floor, no elevator and nobody to help us with our two heavy bags! Yerks. We will move rooms tomorrow!

  Also had to pay full in advance so if we decide to leave early, we can’t. Her’s hoping it’s OK. 

  Good news: for $70 a night, we get free breakfasts and parking at the sister hotel next door as there is no food here. We are two blocks from the busy centre tons of restaurants, shops, bars, etc. 

  Quick turnaround and off to LeMakech (the beetle) a nice typically Yucatecan restaurant for a fairy simple meal in a cute resto terrace overlooking a church with a wedding tonight. The stuffed Edam cheese dish here is popular but far too rich, a whole Edam cheese stuffed with a meat mix. But the beers were cold and Guacamole superb. After we crossed the little plaza for gelato and walked to the Saturday night action on the main plaza. A reenactment of some of the Yucatan history, all the locals and tourists out strolling in the balmy evening air. Families downtown for the action, we are back in Mexico!

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