Walking and Jogging in Merida

I have been an avid runner for almost my entire life. I played soccer all the way through college so it was a part of my training regimen before it became my main source of adult exercise. I have literally run thousands of miles in my lifetime so I am going to give you my personal feedback on a couple of  important variables to search out in order to continue in your exercise regimen here in Merida.

Location and Safety.  I find this to be the biggest challenge for those who move here to Merida and want to continue in their normal walking or running routines. I live in Montes De Ame and I have found a stretch of well paved undeveloped road that runs for a straight mile east and west. It sits directly between Colonia Montes de Ame and City Center Mall/Wal Mart just inside the Preferico on the northern side of town. The set up of this road is perfect for anyone because you can structure your walk or run to go various miles with no problem. It is almost like they built the street with that purpose in mind.

I can't speak for every area of the city but depending on where you move you are going to have to look for an area like I found that suits your needs. The area I am referring to is very safe. I often see dozens of people out walking after dark, including women an older couples. I don't think safety is an issue in that respect as far as crime. Safety from moving traffic is another issue altogether. When I was in college I was hit by a vehicle head on while out running one day. Fortunatley for me the vehicle had just moved from a stopped position and amazingly I was never knocked off my feet. But I will tell you that since then I have never trusted drivers when I am out jogging. You need to find an area that keeps you safely away from vehicles and other forms of transportation, especially city buses. The city bus drivers seem to drive faster than anyone. FYI. 

Estadio Salvador Alvarado


I have also noticed a few more areas of town that seem to be used quite a bit for walking/running. Estadio Salvador Alvarado is very much used by the locals for walking, running, playing basketball and other assorted activities. It is located on Calle 60 just south of Costco. I have never run there becaue of it's location and I also don't like to jog on tracks. I get bored and lose count of my mileage. But I do know that this facility is always hopping when the weather is good.

Paseo de Montejo is incredibly scenic and great for walking if you can make it accessible on a regular basis. It is more towards the center of town (Centro) so if you like to limit your driving then you probably wouldn't want to make the effort to get there for this reason. Others may feel differently. To me this stretch of road is a large component of what makes Merida so appealing. It's absolutely beautiful and historic in every way.


Paseo de Montejo

The Beach. The most enjoyable run I ever had was on the beach in Cozumel when I was 25 years old. Full on downpour of rain, cool and agressive winds, empty streets, sand, surf....It was awesome. I'll never forget it. You will see quite a few people taking walks or runs down the beach in Progresso or Chelem. It's a great place to get out and just go for it. All beaches are public domain so have at it.

Time of Day and Humidity. As I have mentioned in previous posts, my home state is Texas. I was born and raised in the northern part of the state where the climate ranges from very cold to extremely hot throughout the year. I always thought Texas had it's fair share of humidity until we moved to Merida and found out what humidity is all about. To me there is simply no way to describe it.

We did not have one good rainfall to speak of for the first five months of this year and yet it still felt humid every single day. This type of environment affects when and how much you can exercise outside, more so that in other parts of the world. I took a 3 week business trip to Texas back in July. It was over 110 degrees Fahrenheit almost every day I was there. And I still ran 4 or 5 times a week. In fact, compared to the Yucatan, the humidity felt so low to me in Texas after living in Merida for a year that I was able to tolerate the heat and run in it until at least 11AM every day.

You simply cannot do that in Merida from April to August. In fact, I find you also can't run on some days very early in the morning in those months because there is almost no wind to speak of. If you are going to walk and run in this humidity you have to have winds to offset the water loss that your body endures. I have discovered that there is a window between about 8:45 AM and 10:00 AM where the temps are lower and the winds are starting to whip up on most days. That is when you go run. Otherwise you need to wait until the cooler parts of the evenings from April through August because there is simply to much moisture in the air. 

This is also the first place I have ever lived where I carried water bottles with me while running. I freeze two water bottles the night before and I run with them in my hands. After about 2 miles they are completely melted and ready to consume. The downside to this is by the time I get home I am so soaked that I am ringing out my shirt and changing my clothes. It's simply that humid here.

As a side note, most colonias in Merida have their own parks. Small parks are a great place to walk but not so much for running. Parks here are smaller as compared to the U.S. Also, the Altabrisa area has some longer stretches of road with good side-walks for safety between their housing developments. I have noticed that around Altabrisa mall you will see some of what I am talking about, specifically to the west and north of that area.

Hope this helps.
Saludos
JEB

Roundtrip Airline Tickets: Merida to Houston

I just scheduled a business trip back to the states via Continental/United Airlines. Continental is the only airlines that flies directly from Merida to Houston, TX. Their direct flights come into Merida on Saturday, Monday and Wednesday nights and they fly back out to Houston the following morning after each one of those days.

Normally I book through Expedia because they show cost comparisons between competing airlines like Aeromexico and the Continental. Usually I have found that Expedia's prices always match the prices found on Continental's website.  Not tonight!!! For the past two weeks Expedia has been charging an additional $64 for the same flight I was looking at. 

Word to the wise. Check http://www.continental.com/ for their prices in addition to the travel sites. It was worth it for me tonight.

Have a good one.

JEB
jayblackshear@yahoo.com

Rain???

Finally. We have not had significant rains this calendar year that I can remember....maybe in about 6 months. This is not common for Merida per the locals.

The rainy season starts here in June and runs through October. During this time we will start getting rains about 5 or 6 days a week, up to a couple of times a day for 15 to 30 minutes on average. This also means that the mosquitos will start breeding, bats will have plenty to eat, and you absolutely have to mow your grass once a week or it grows out of control.

Saludos,
JEB
www.livinginmerida.blogspot.com. 

Building a Home in Merida

Is it cost effective to build in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico? Absolutely. Both from a personal and business perspective it makes absolute sense and is easy to do. Let me give you the numbers:

Land: 300 sqaure meters - $25,000.00. USD
Construction cost: 200 square meters - $65,000.00. USD
Total Cost of land and Construction:  $90,000.00 USD
Closing Costs: $5,000.00 USD (estimated)
Total Cost: $95,000.00 USD
Sales Price $125,000.00 USD
Profit/Equity $30,000.00 USD

If you want a pool add another $5,000.00 USD. On a three hundred square meter lot, with two story construction, this would still leave you with a nice size backyard.

The homes pictured to the left are in Hacienda Zodzill Norte, just north of where I live. Land in that Colonia area sells for about $1,000.00 PESOS per squre meter. That is about $82 USD per square meter. Very affordable. The home on the far left was sold 6 months from the date construction began. Construction time usually runs 3 months. Average time on market in North Merida from the day you start construction is 6 months or sooner.

All in all the real estate market is very healthy in Merida. It is beyond anything you see in the United States at this time. Many people are moving to Merida from all over the nation of Mexico. We hear of people moving here from Villahermosa, Mexico City, Monterrey and even Cancun. The economy here has been growing, it is considered very safe to live here and we also have 11 colleges and universities inside the city. The people of Merida are becoming very educated.

From both a personal and business perspective it really makes sense to build here. It is very common for homebuilders to buy lots that will accomodate 3 to 10 homes and just build one or two at a time until they completely build out the project. You don't have as many large established home-builders here like you do in the states. You have some but not as many. I think it is a very good business opportunity for those looking to invest in emerging markets.

If you are interested in exploring this side of Meridian business send me an email. We can help you get started. We already have a construction and legal team ready to help you with all of your business needs (Realtors, Attorneys, Architects and Construction Managers).

Look forward to hearing from you. My email is jayblackshear@yahoo.com.

Caio,
Jay

Hibiscus Tea

We had been in the Yucatan only three days when we ran into Larry & Tammy Allred, a family originally from Alabama that has been here for 10 years. We have become fast family friends. The following weekend, Tammy fixed us a wonderful dinner and introduced us to a few native Yucatan foods and drinks. The watermelon juice was a little too rich for me, but we loved the Hibiscus tea, which is a prominent drink here in the Yucatan of Mexico. I was excited to also find out the great benefits of drinking hibiscus tea.

Hibiscus tea is the infusion made from the calyces (sepals) of the Hibiscus sabdariffa flower, an herbal tea drink consumed both hot and cold by people around the world. It is also referred to as roselle (another common name for the hibiscus flower), flor de Jamaica in Latin America, karkadé in Egypt and Sudan, bissap in West Africa, sorrel in Jamaica, and red sorrel in the wider Caribbean, and other names in other regions. Hibiscus tea has a tart, cranberry-like flavor, and sugar is often added to sweeten the beverage. The tea contains vitamin C and minerals and is used traditionally as a mild medicine.


Hibiscus tea contains 15-30% organic acids, including citric acid, maleic acid, and tartaric acid. It also contains acidic polysaccharides and flavonoid glycosides, such as cyanidin and delphinidin, that give it its characteristic deep red colour.


Health Benefits of Hibiscus Tea

Blood Pressure

Studies have shown hibiscus tea to be beneficial in lowering blood pressure and may control cholesterol.

One study was done using adults with pre-hypertension or mild hypertension. Those who had three cups of hibiscus tea a day had better results than those who didn't (a 7.2 point drop in systolic blood pressure compared to 1.3 points). Those who had the highest blood pressure reading at the start of the study, showed the greatest results.

Weight Loss

Hibiscus tea contains an enzyme inhibitor which blocks the production of amylase. Amylase is an enzyme that breaks down complex sugars and starches. Drinking a cup of hibiscus tea after meals will reduce the absorption of dietary carbohydrates and will assist in weight loss.

Immune System

Hibiscus tea is rich in vitamin C and makes a wonderful herbal remedy to fight off colds and infections by strengthening the immune system.

Other benefits of hibiscus tea include preventing bladder infections and constipation if taken regularly.

Read more: http://www.brighthub.com/

Life In Merida

Merida is modern and traditional all at the same time. Yes, you will find many American companies here. They all look the same as the ones in the States. Just picture Costco, Sam’s, Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Burger King & McDonald’s, all the major car dealers, Office Depot, Blockbuster, …..then add some palm trees to the parking lot and you’ve got the picture.

Then to imagine the traditional side~

My first thought as we got closer to our new home was that these people should be getting notices from there Homeowners associations, if in fact they had any. They do not always separate commercial and residential dwelling on some streets. In some of the older areas you will see a home next to another home that has been turned into a café or store of some sort. Then you can go 5 streets over and see several of the most gorgeous Meridian mansions in a row and then one block over is a partially vacant lot, with a torn apart building on it, and then several three room homes with clothes lines hanging in the front yard one street over from that. In some strange way though, it is still very picturesque. Real eye candy on a regular basis. I find myself wanting to take pictures constantly as this is very different from what you see in America. I am lured at times with a desire to go sit on the sidewalk and just people watch for hours, or drive around in the evenings when people stroll in the streets.

So far, Jay does all the driving here and I am real okay with that. I think my husband described the traffic movement here perfectly. If you have ever seen the animated Bee movie, were the bees race around in perfect close harmony and never run into each other…..that can be driving in Merida. I have never seen anything like the way people drive here in Merida. From the faint lines in the street, you can assume at one time they did have lanes and then someone came along and painted new lines a few feet over. So you have to take a good look at the street and decide where the new lane really is. Nevertheless, you see very few wrecks here as compared to the states. You just have to make sure you are always going fast enough, turning quickly enough and if you don’t, someone will let you know with a prompt blow of their horn. I could safely say that traffic movement here is managed mostly by horns blowing.

Merida, Yucatan Mexico

Merida is the Capital and largest city of Yucatan, the population is about 1 million and its known in Mexico as the "White City" because of his antique white spanish and french style buildings. Merida is rich in culture and people that maintain their Mayan costumes.

Merida is also known for having great typical food, like the Poc Chuc, Salbutes, Panuchos, Pavo Relleno and Sopa de Lima. The people from Yucatan speak spanish with a very special accent that can be recognized. A third of the population of Yucatan still speaks Mayan language although mostly in small Towns and villages.

Merida is located in the Northwest part of Yucatan, at the east is Quintana Roo and to the west the state of Campeche. Merida is just about 20 minutes from the beach of Progreso (pictured left) and about 2 hours from cancun and playa del carmen.

Merida is growing quickly and has been developed a lot in the last few years, with new malls, parks, hotels and centers of entertainment being developed. Here is known as a secure city with peaceful population that love tourism.

Most of the tourists usually go to Cancun, Cozumel and playa del carmen, however more people are wanting to visit and know Merida for its beauty, antique buildings, theaters, museums and people. Also if you stay in Merida, you are near many of the archeological areas like Chichen Itza, Uxmal and Cenotes.

Yucatan is known for all its great Haciendas that you can visit. There are very beautiful haciendas that are classic like the Hacienda Temozon which is also a Hotel, Hacienda Teya with a great Restaurant and Hacienda San Antonio Cucul which is inside the North part of Merida.

As you can see there is a lot to discover in Merida not to mention its churches, Cathedral and handcrafts of its people. The pyramids is what attracts a lot of tourist to Merida which are about an hour from here.

Join us on our Journey!