Shoe Polish, Hydrogen Peroxide and Velcro, Oh My!

Shoe Polish, Hydrogen Peroxide and Velcro, Oh My!

As I am wondering the neighborhoods, the most gorgeous bushes in full bloom every where are the bouganvillas.  They are deep red, magenta, pale tangerine and even white in color, but they are pervasive, lush and beautiful in these lower and middle class neighborhoods and thoughout the streets of Merida.  I will pop in some photos of houses and streets I see on my trek.

  

I had heard that there was a fabric store about 8 blocks from my casita, so mid-day I set off looking for it.  I headed due east until I hit Prolongacion de Paseo de Montejo, the extension of the El Centro street that boasts the most beautiful renovated Colonial mansions, museums, and expensive shops & bars.  The Prolongacion end of it is certainly less spectacular, featuring every known brand of car dealership, a WalMart, an Office Depot and lesser shops, including, yes, a large fabric store!  There were rows of fabric on bolts displayed, and it had obviously been busy during Carnival, now over, because most fabrics were highly impractical with sheens and glitters, feathers and tiaras were abundant as well.  Yes they has zippers and buttons, cheap plastic beads and threads, a few needles and pins.   I only bought 6" of velcro for about 10 cents!  Ah such a big spender!  I was actually shocked at how cheap it was!!!

Having made one discovery, I walked on down the Paseo wondering what I'd find next.  A Mexican version of Staples caught my eye, so I went in to see what sort of pens and notebooks, computer peripherals, etc. I could find.  And I walked away with a plastic binder and a roll of packing tape (for that package I hope to send home soon).

There was also a Mexican supermarket along the way, so I went in to see what they had and found some black shoe polish for my VERY scuffed pyramid-walking shoes.  Three years ago when visiting Antigua in Guatemala, I couldn't even get out of a park bench without some 12-year old insisting that I VERY BADLY needed a shoe shine, something I could hardly deny. But I have yet to be accosted by a shoe shine boy, so I thought it best to take matters into my own hands!  And I'm still wearing the same Mary Jane style shoes, originally rescued from Crestone's fabulous free box about 5 years ago!  They drink polish like Mexicans down tequila!

Leaving Montejo for quieter residential streets, and taking a different route back toward Avenida Technologico, the main street close to my house, I decided to head for the giant "Mega Commercial" grocery store that is an easy bus ride back to my casita, to pick up some supplies while I was "out and about".  This store has the fluffiest chocolate croissants for about 60 cents, yummy with morning coffee!

Cheese has been a bit of an exploration.  There are some favorites like Philadelphia cream cheese (but in smaller boxes, and sticks of butter are smaller too), and some wrapped American Monterey Jack and such, but the only Muenster I have seen was at Costco (only I don't have a members card so I can't buy there), and the variety of quesos is quite extensive, but totally unknown to me, some of it is not refrigerated, which makes me wary, and all in all it's very white, looking like fresh mozzarella. I generally pass on it out of ignorance. However, today I found a small block of Feta cheese, so I brought that one home with me.  I couldn't find tofu there, although I saw it somewhere else, only I can't remember where.  Tofu that has been marinated and baked can sometimes be had at the Saturday Slow Food Market, which is moving from 2 blocks away to about 20 blocks away next Saturday.  (I'll do a blog on that some other day.)

  

But I had a mission in mind.... to find hydrogen peroxide for my gums, as I am getting some dental work done (another blog story) and I cannot stand Scope and "tasty" mouthwashes.  So I went to the pharmacy part of the store where 2 young men and a woman were wearing white hospital jackets, so I assumed they had some chemistry background, and asked for Hydrogen Peroxide, Agua Peroxide, and even wrote H2O2 on a piece of paper, but that struck a blank, the usual response when I don't have the correct term in Spanish.  I did a little charade of swirling water in my mouth and spitting, and the young woman suggested Agua Oxygene, which I thought sounded promising.  Sure enough, the label had peroxide, or a form of the word on it, so I bought a bottle... another successful find!

Here is the mural outside the Engineering College that is on the main street leading south to El Centro and north to the beach/port town of Progresso, Calle 60, also known as Avenida Technologico.... because of this fine school.

EK' BALAM

Ek’ Balam                                        

Leaving Merida by car or bus, after circling the outskirts of the city on the Periferico, my hosts, Evonne and Sam headed for the super highway that takes one to Cancun. After about 50 miles or so, one encounters a large, very modern toll booth.

Located about half way between Cancun and Merida, north of Valladolid, lies the relatively newly excavated (mid 1990’s) archeological site of Ek’ Balam, or the “Black Tiger”.  Since it was neither huge in size, nor overly touristed, it was a delight to visit.  Its “claim to fame” among Mayan sites is its remarkably well-preserved stucco frieze, which had been protected by a 2-foot thick stone façade near the top of the site’s main pyramid.  This Pyramid, known as the Acropolis, is still open to be climbed, unlike the more famous Chichen Itza and others.  

Although not as elegant or commanding as Chichen Itza’s Temple of Kukulkan, the Winged Serpent, it is taller, rising to 108’ in height.  The steps still show fossils of shells, suggesting that either they were excavated from lands closer to the sea, only about 70km to the north where the flamingos live in Rio Lagartos, or that the entire pancake-flat area was underwater long ago.  Some geologists postulate that the Yucatan, Cuba and Florida were all one land mass at one time.

Ek’ Balam was probably founded around 300 BC., reaching its height between 700-1100 AD.  Although it is a walled city, the wall is low and wide, so it probably had nothing to do with defense, as is so clearly the case at Tulum.  It is speculated that it probably served a more social function … of separating the gentry from the peasants, who may have been forbidden entry except for specific purposes.  If so, it may have been one of the first “gated communities” for the elite.  

El Trono, or “The Throne”, was the name given to the stucco frieze of carvings 2/3rds of the way up the Acropolis, which are centered around an open Jaguar Mouth, complete with teeth.  Several of the statues, notably the one that sits atop the main door, are now headless, whether due to erosion or “beheading” is mere speculation.  But the fact that the carved frieze was sealed behind a wall soon after completion suggests to me that perhaps it was built by a leader/king, who was then dishonored or conquered and his “life’s work” was desecrated by his enemy and/or successor, the conquered one’s representations losing their heads, while priests in the frieze remained in possession of theirs.  Some of the priests have wings, like angels, a rather unique representation among Mayan sites, while others are deformed, often considered a sign of spirituality to the Maya.

  

Possessing a north and south plaza with a ball court in the middle, Ek’ Balam was probably an important commercial center in its day.  

The South Plaza is dominated by an Oval Palace, known as La Redondo for its rare rounded wall. 

To its left, built in the more standard rectangular fashion, are two attached, once-identical buildings know as Las Gemelas, the twins. 

Like most Mayan ruin sites, the current inhabitants are mostly birds and lizards.  Here is a proud iguana posturing amid the ruins.

There is a near-by Cenote X’Canche, which has become the center of a community-run ecotourism project that I did not get to visit.  Instead we went to the close-by Italian Restaurant and B&B known as Dolcemente for an early dinner.  So far the Italian pastas I have ordered in and around Merida have all been on the somewhat “crunchy” side, or to my way of thinking, barely cooked.  But dinner was tasty and dessert was fabulous! And the kids in the village were friendly...

DZIBILCHALTUN

Dzibilchaltun 

Just a few kilometers and an easy bus ride out of Merida, in the Yucatan of Mexico, Dzibilchaltun Archeological Site is known as a spiritual center where there were ~8,500 structures connected by 12 sacbe, or “white roads” in its height, although the excavated site of today is rather small.  Dating back to about 1000 BC, Dzibilchaltun was used as one of the earliest ceremonial and major initiation centers, and it lasted as such long after other sites, such as Palenque, Chichen Itza and Tikal had been abandoned.  It had the earliest known sweat baths in the northern Yucatan, used by the priesthood for purification rites. 

Behind the Grand Plaza of several structures at Dzibilchaltun, one of which resembles a vaulted church, lies a clear, lily-padded, pond known as Xlacah Cenote, which was the main source of fresh water for the community.  The limestone earthen crust of much of the Yucatan (and the northern Peten area of Guatemala) is only about 1-2’ thick in some places with softer sandstone, more easily eroded beneath.  When a giant meteor hit this area long ago, it created cracks in this pancake-like surface, where the rains eroded the openings, forming underground caverns, linked together by tunnels, until a massive underground river system was formed.  Some of these “sink holes” eventually filled with water and became the cenotes of today, worshipped by the Maya as access points to their mythically important Underworld, referred to as Xibalba.

Dzibilchaltun is best known for its unique (at least in the Mayan lands) square structure with open doors to the 4 directions, and a tower, rather than a roof comb above.  It is  oriented so that the Spring Equinox sunrise shines through two of the four doors to shine onto a “smooth” stele (tall stone monolith) set upon a square platform with stairs leading up all sides, at a height to receive the sun’s rays through the two opposite “windows” on that equinox day of the year.  Actually the stele is anything but smooth, but it does not have the carvings found elsewhere in the Mayan world, most notably at the art center of Copan, Honduras.  Perhaps at one time there were paintings or frescoes on the stele, but if so, they are no longer evident.  

This stele is known as the Axis Stone, representing the World Tree, a prevalent symbol in Mayan myth, the roots of which sink into the Underworld, while the branches reach up to the Heavens.  The World Tree, represented by the giant thorny ceiba tree, became the symbol for all of life, from its pre-world beginnings, to its earthly sojourn, and on to its post-world celestial home of the ancestors.  The numerous stelae throughout the Mayan lands honor and celebrate this World Tree belief system.

   

The astronomical Dzibilchaltun tower is known as the Temple of the Seven Dolls, because when it was excavated, 7 clay figurines were discovered, probably representing 7 kings of this once-great center.  These figurines are still housed in the Museum, which, unfortunately, has been closed for reconstruction for at least 2 years, with no projected date when it will again be open to the public.  The ticket price of 115 pesos (~$10) includes a visit to the quality museum, for which you still receive a ticket, although the entrance fee is not diminished due to the museum’s unavailability. 

On the day of the Spring Equinox this Astronomical Observatory takes on the name the Temple of the Seven Rays, and links energetically with the Temple of Ra in Egypt, according to well-known Mayan initiate and shaman, Lion Fire.  He speaks of an “Inner World Spiritual Serpent Temple and Vortex” that links these two initiatic centers by light frequencies, balancing light and shadow on that day of equal night and day each spring - March 20^th.  Lion Fire also tells us in his treatise titled “Secrets of the Maya Chakra Temples”, that this Temple was “dedicated to the transitions of Death and Life, the Sun, Stars and Moon, Time and the Seasons, and stands on the White Road to Enlightenment.”  During the Equinox sunrise ceremonies before the Temple of the Seven Dolls, the chakra centers of initiates are aligned to a “Multidimensional Gate” which transcends time and space to connect with the Egyptian Temple of Ra, and even possibly with a comparable center within the Pleiades itself (this is pure speculation on my part).

Lion Fire also mentions the connection between Dzibilchaltun and the Pleiades, which is "anchored" at this site.  Dzibilchaltun is said to be the place where Itzamna (the Mayan First father God) “came down from the sky” to teach the Maya and introduce to the Maya the First Crystal Skull.  This suggests to me the likelihood of ET guidance, which I postulate may have been the source of knowledge behind the Mayan Calendar.  Realistically, it seems to me that such extensive knowledge of the solar system and its workings by those on the planet thousands of years ago, without telescopes, would be highly unlikely.  (This is not a popular opinion, I admit, but I think the reason it is not mainstream thinking is due to our unwavering denial of ET presence and assistance in ancient times, not to mention in the present.)  My view is that the Mayans had the good sense to recognize the wisdom of these star people, whom they worshiped as gods (as did the Sumerians in the Fertile Crescent area) and benefited by their off-world knowledge to create a calendric system, adapting it to their own history, which is now known as the famous Mayan Calendar.  

Actually there are numerous variations of the calendar throughout the Mayan world, including the 13-moon "Dreamspell" calendar made popular by Jose Arguelles prior to the Harmonic Convergence of 1987.   If Dzibilchaltun is associated with both the Pleiades AND their Father God coming down to earth “from Heaven”, it is not so farfetched to imagine that Pleiadeans came to earth in ancient times.  Their teachings and the ability to levitate enormous blocks of stone to build “impossible” structures and pyramids (most notably those of the Middle East) should not be disregarded.  In my opinion, it is simply blind prejudice or short-sighted belief to deny ET meddling in human affairs!

Merida

February 15, 2012 - FIRST ENTRY

Dear friends,

I am now living in Merida for about 2 months, until the end of March after the Equinox, from which I expect to take 1-2 day trips to Mayan sacred sites and then I intend to talk about them here.  So far, my ventures have only been within a mile or so of where I am staying.

I've rented a lovely 2-story casita with large bedroom and an ample bathroom with over sized Jacuzzi tub.  Quite a luxury!  The water is barely lukewarm but the jets work well.  The shower is also more than satisfactory. The toilet bowl is stained but works well, as long as you don't put any paper in it... the paper goes into a small basket at the side, a hard habit to get used to, pretty much universal throughout Mexico.

The upstairs bedroom with comfortable double bed and large bookshelf and work table, has a balcony under a lovely palm tree in true tropical style, with a little table and 2 chairs.


Downstairs has a simple but modestly outfitted kitchen with frig, 2-burner hot plate, toaster oven, microwave, dishes, pots and utensils.  

The living room has 2 comfy stuffed sofas, a TV (with HBO + other movie channels, which means lots of movies for easy evening entertainment), and a large dining room table that I have turned into a computer work space.  There are ceiling fans both upstairs and down and air-conditioning is available, but not yet necessary.

The yard is delightfully green with trees, plants, grass and a jetted pool, surrounded by a wall and locked gate to create a safe compound, with the main house (3 bedrooms & 3 baths, a lovely remodeled kitchen, and shared laundry).  The casita  and main house are oriented at a 90 degree angle to each other for relative privacy.  The casita has a covered porch with table and chairs, which is a lovely spot to sit, except for the pesky mosquitos, which seem to have a small bite that only iritates for a little while.

My hosts are a lovely American retiree, Evonne, and her Pakistani partner, Sam.
I'm paying $700/mo US, including all utilities, extensive movie channels on the TV and internet access that works considerably better than in Crestone.  In March I'll get a discount for taking care of the main house while my hosts do some traveling.  The Casita will be available for rent in April and beyond if anyone wants to rent it... just email Evonne at evonnevonboeck@netscape.net.  I paid easily via PayPal in American dollars from my bank account.

Yes, there are cheaper places to rent, but hard to find while in the US and I doubt you'll find anything this nice and safe and convenient for less. You can rent for more money in el Centro to be within walking distance of "the attractions" like restaurants and museums, etc., but it's noisy and dusty downtown with buses belching fumes until midnight.  For a quick visit, it makes sense, but if you want a leisurely stay, try the colonias.

My neighborhood is called Chiburna de Hildago, although you won't find it in any guidebooks, and is just off Calle 60, a main north-south thoroughfare that goes directly downtown and north to the Progresso beaches with local bus rides costing 6 pesos (~50 cents).  I use the easy-to-figure-in my head rate of 10 pesos = 1 dollar, but it's actually less and the rate is ever fluctuating...  The confusing thing is that written prices in stores use the dollar sign with a single line through the "S" which looks like "dollars" to me but is 1/10th of a dollar (or less).  How pesos became $, I don't know.  And just to be more confusing, in places like Cancun, $ sometimes means American dollars, so you have to ask.

In one of the big supermarkets I found a 750ml bottle of Kahlua for about 10 dollars (would be ~$24 in the States so I bought it) but most imported goods are close to TWICE what they cost in  the USA, while local goods are less expensive than in the US.  Availability is, of course, limited, so bring your special goods with you when you come as you may not find them here.  Coffee tends to be more acidic here than at home and getting an expresso grind is difficult so I'll bring more of my favorite coffee next trip.  There's no quinoa or sprouting seeds here, no almond butter or nutritional yeast, limited hair conditioners, I just discovered tofu, but only at a specialty "slow market" for expats, etc.  You'll probably find something here that you can use, but if you are fussy, bring your own.  The lamps are good for general lighting but not-so-great for reading.  Luckily, I bought a cute little LED lamp that pinches onto a book or stands on a table... a smart move, as my eyes require better lighting and I'm reading a lot.

For books in English, there's the English Language Library downtown, where Evonne used to volunteer, but they recently had an embezzlement scandal and the Board fired the most competent librarian ever who was doing a GREAT job, so all the volunteers QUIT!  It's currently quite a mess, which is unfortunate because it has been a favorite gathering place for expats for years!

There are plenty of familiar stores here - Walmart, Costco, etc. but the local supermarkets are called Mega (good prices) and Superama (more gourmet goods with expat prices).  The little local tiendas in the neighborhoods feature soft drinks, snacks (quite a collection of unfamiliar chips, candies and cookies), soaps, milk in boxes, beans, rice, eggs, with a few veggies or fruit like onions and mangoes (in season, which it is now), etc.  But if you don't eat "that stuff", they are pretty limited.  The Mega is about 8 blocks from the house, so I tend to walk there (to discover the neighborhood while getting exercise) and bus back.  I haven't yet ventured into el Centro because I can't figure out how to get the bus back, but Evonne will take me downtown tonight on the bus to "show me the ropes".  That should be most helpful! Of course, taxis are quite available and not so expensive for expats, but for me, they are an option of last resort, especially since my Spanish is so rudimentary.  However, I got here OK by taxi the first time, so I'm sure I can get back here by taxi again, if necessary. I carry a map and a photo of the place! However, I prefer to walk the neighborhood first, in order to get a better sense of my general surroundings.

If you want an idea of how confusing the street numbering is, put "Merida, Mexico" in Google maps, blow it up large and you'll see a million numbers repeated over and over again without explanation. Only a few major streets are named and it may not be the name used by locals, to boot. It turns out that each colonia or neighborhood has it's own numbering sequence, but there's no way to know which neighborhood is which, except by walking and looking at the small lettering on a street sign, if you can find one.  For instance, the numbers don't necessarily run the same on both sides of the street, as they may be different colonias.  So a cross street on one side of Calle 60 is numbered 15, while the other side is 27, and a few blocks further, another whole numbering sequence kicks in, apparently randomly, which is why I want to put some landmarks under my belt by daily walks, so that if I get lost or miss my bustop (which is almost anywhere along the route), I'll at least know when I am in the correct neighborhood, or within walking distance...  and I'll know how to walk or direct my cab driver from there to my casita, although to a certain degree, all neighborhoods look rather alike, at least in the working class residential areas.  The only thing that makes sense is that north-south streets are even numbers and east-west streets are odd numbers, except for diagonals, which can be anything. Then again, letters are added to further confuse you, so there is Calle 25 and maybe the next street is 25-A.  Or Calle 25-A may be blocks away, just as #405 may be blocks away from #408 on the same street.  Randomly walking, as I do, has also taken me down dead end streets with no warning... a small price to pay for getting acquainted, I guess.  I've also looked up the municipal bus websites but have not found the major bus line on Calle 60 mentioned anywhere, so research online was stunningly unhelpful!

Temperatures this time of year range from the mid-sixties (lowest) to the low 90's (highest) with high humidity, which is delightful after high altitude dry Colorado weather for February, which is more likely to be in the single digits, or minus zero.  It's about 50 degrees warmer here than in Crestone! Daytime temps ranges in the 70's and the 80's most of the time.  Rain is fairly rare this time of year, although many days are partly cloudy.  Nights have been mostly clear, but only the bright stars are visible (unlike the crystal clear nights in Crestone).  The rainy season runs from May through October, more or less, so November through April are your best months to visit.

I'll give a run-down of my experiences downtown in my next blog.

Best wishes,
Betsi Hohani