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Mexico is an extremely diverse country. Anyone who has spent a little time there quickly realises that there are many subcultures here, as well as completely independent ones such as the Mayan culture. Mérida is a city that likes to show off its culture and everything that goes with it very much and very proudly. On the evening I passed this dance performance, I think I was on my way to the main square. But it could also be that I was on my way back to the hostel, I can't remember exactly. In whichever case, I had to pass this park with the stage and that evening everything was just packed. As I'm quite curious, I decided to wait and see what happened. You may think what you like about the individual aspects of a culture, but I personally find it incredibly interesting to get to know a culture better. So I watched, enjoyed and learnt. I mean, have you seen the speed with which they move their feet in a very specific order and almost stamp on the ground? I was also really impressed when they started spinning really fast, even though they had trays on their heads. These round trays. And it wasn't just a little bit. They were doing real pirouettes... Not easy to do! :D Apart from that, I liked the ending a lot. The part where they added a little bit of fuego when waving with their napkin. So all in all really cool to watch. As I can't remember when that was and whether it takes place regularly, I just hope you come across this cultural dance performance. Because yes, I think you should take it with you if you can 😊

Mérida was the first city where I really felt at home. It was the first city where I arrived, visited Mexican markets, went partying, tackled the issue of laundry and also got sick for the first time. You could say that in Mérida my body realised, "Oh shit, I'm really in Mexico!" Not necessarily in a negative sense, but my system simply realised it in Mérida and that changed everything a bit. As I was able to let go for the first time in Mérida, it was also the first time that I wandered around curiously and without any shyness with my camera and ventured into areas that were further off the beaten track. So the selection you can see were partly places I had marked beforehand because I had heard about or seen them online - the archway, for example is quite famous - or things I just found - the parks, the church and those oversized chairs. :D I can no longer pin down exactly where all this was. But you should be able to find the best of these things, because Mérida is too small to really get lost. Apart from that, I would highly recommend going on a discovery tour in Mérida. Simply because you can get a feeling, a kind of intuition of what it feels like to wander around Mexico without anything happening to you. Because Mérida is really cute, really beautiful and very safe. Mexico is generally much safer than everyone always tells you, but I think even the more timid will feel safe in Mérida. So take your time, let yourself be enchanted by Mérida and get lost. If needed, you can always get out your mobile phone and use Google Maps. :D I suppose it's obvious, but: I really like Mérida. You should really take your time and just wander around here a bit. The city won't disappoint you😊

I practically found the cultural centre Olimpo by accident. I always grab my camera at some point in every place I travel to, wander through the streets and take a look at what I find. I basically just get to know the city and follow my instinct. Well, and when I did that in Mérida, I passed this building relatively early on. The first thing I saw was this kind of roundel with archways, which was double-storeyed. As I have a weakness for archways, I went inside and what can I say.... After I had finished my photos, I discovered the courtyard with the paintings behind it (Not one single pictures displays an enitre piece of art). And so one thing led to another. As I said, I sort of found it, discovered it, whatever you want to call it. As this cultural centre to a certain extent depicts the history of Mexico in its paintings, I found most of the pictures very impressive. Even if I wouldn't necessarily hang them anywhere. Later, there were a few downstairs that depicted Mexican culture in bright colours. Really beautiful. Simply a really nice surprise. Go or not? That's up to you. I thought it was cool, but I was also on a discovery tour so.... As you wish 😊

The market with handcrafted items and souvenirs in Mérida was the first market of its kind I had been to in Mexico. More by chance really. It is totally full of all kinds of things that Mexicans either make by hand or sell at the markets: T-shirts, trousers, jewellery, shoes, sculptures.... And it's all beautiful. Accordingly, I didn't know where to look first, I found everything beautiful and to be honest, the only thing that stopped me from buying anything apart from jewellery was the fact that I simply didn't have any space in my backpack - because jewellry you can still stow away. But things like shoes, T-shirts, any other cool stuff - all left. Because there was no space. Looking back, that was my salvation, because the market in Mérida is not necessarily the cheapest. Not the most expensive either, but Mérida also is a tourist magnet and if you go to a market in the main square, things are therefore a bit more expensive than elsewhere. Of course, this is also reflected in the fact that if you look a little too interested or stop somewhere, you are immediately approached and people try to sell you something. I got the hang of it quite quickly, but it's not always easy or pleasant. As a European, I'm not used to being dragged into a sales situation so quickly and so intensively, and sometimes it's really hard to get out of it.... Nevertheless, of course I couldn't avoid buying something. Anyone who knows me knows that I rarely leave without falling in love with something that obviously I later then buy. And so it was at this market that I bought my very first bracelet from Mexico, which I still wear every day - no joke. Of course, I added a few more, but that was the first one. And a necklace with a little wooden turtle on it, which I bought back then for 35 or 40 pesos. It's also still intact and worn with a lot of love. Once you've got used to the slightly different sales strategy of the Mexicans, you can stroll through a market in a relaxed manner and really have fun 😉 😊 By the way, there are also clothes and everything for men at these markets too. So go there, get inspired, but compare the prices a little before you buy something. See if it´s perfect. If no, better wait. Everything you can find at the market in Mérida is available massively in Mexico. No matter what it's about. I brought back a lot more from Mexico than just a bracelet and a necklace - a lot more :D So you can use the market in Mérida as a kind of inspiration for later and grab it when you see a real treasure. :D Go or not? Definitely! Whether you want to buy something or not, you'll get a great impression of Mexico, the things that Mexicans make and simply the culture. I think it's worth it. And a little souvenir at the end of the day doesn't hurt either 😉

In Mérida, just like in Valladolid, there is a light show that takes place regularly in the evening and tells the story of the city. Although it is less rich in images and tends to paint the cathedral rather simple, it tells a better story of what happened to Mérida. Or rather, what happened to the Mayan ruins. The Spanish basically deconstructed the pyramids and then rebuilt them in the form of houses. Which, even back then, was a crime, but when you look at how many people and how much money - at least for some ruins - people from Western countries pay today to see ruins that they once destroyed, is... well... After the light show, which I think I watched twice myself because I have the talent to arrive in the middle of the event and then only catch half of it, there was a dance. This is where the people from Mérida show cultural insights and share part of their culture with you. Of course, it's very foreign because the clothes, the music and the steps are completely different to how they would be here. But I like to be carried away and be enchanted by new things. I also think that you need real coordination for some of the steps and not all of it is easy to dance. Light show and dance yes or no? Definitely. You'll learn about the history of Mérida in a pleasantly animated way and then get to experience culture and dance afterwards. And all for free. I don't think you can say no to that. :)

I discovered Mérida's city hall more by chance while walking around the park. There are loads of beautiful buildings or cool things around the park. This building attracted me because a) I thought it was the town hall and b) because of its archways. On the upper floor there is a kind of large balcony with archways, which gives you a great view of the park, the cathedral, the sign and the surrounding streets. I personally went crazy with my camera because I love archways! :D And then moved on. The town hall also has some beautiful paintings hanging on site, of which I took a picture of my favourite parts of the paintings (the photos of the pictures do NOT show the complete work of art). This bird made from car parts, which I discovered towards the end, literally was the cherry on the cake. And the mirror that encouraged me to make a few grimaces was quite funny too. Oh yes, I love making discoveries like that by chance :D Go there, yes or no? You don't have to, but I thought it was a great random trip. So if you're travelling through the streets of Mérida anyway, you can take a little break here 😊 PS: there are regular dance events in front of here :D

Mérida is the first city where I really arrived in Mexico and felt really at home. Although it's quite small - at least the centre - Mérida is still very lively and vibrant, it's easy to go out in the evening and the general vibe is simply cheerful and lively. You automatically feel at ease. You also quickly realise that you have landed in one of the epicentres where the Mayan culture is shown and, in my opinion, lived. There are regular light shows, evening dance events and, when I was there, a parade. Not to mention the Poktapok, which was also presented while I was there. But about all this in other posts. Mérida welcomed me with welcoming friendly arms and let me relax. So did the park. It's basically just like Mérida itself. Cheerfully lively, deserted at lunchtime except for the people on the benches in the shades because it is simply too hot, and then filled with rumour and life in the evening again. There are also women in the park who want to sell you handicrafts, people with sweet stands and, of course, the shoeshine boys - when I saw one for the first time, my thought was "Something like that still exists?". But it wasn't my last shoeshine boy by far. They're everywhere in Mexico :D When you arrive at the Sign, you'll probably have to wait a little while for your turn, but it's worth it. The park stretches out behind the Sign and the cathedral looms in the background. So the view is really not bad. :D The cathedral itself is really cute and has a really nice roof 😊 Bo or not? As Mérida was the first place in Mexico where I really felt at home and just kind of arrived, my answer to this is probably not surprising. Nevertheless, Mérida is a really nice little town where you can do a lot. And of course you shouldn't miss out on the park under any circumstances 😉