Hacienda Ochil

A short drive south of Mérida, past Uman, is a lovely faded gem of a hacienda with walls of arches in the Moorish style. You enter the grounds through a grand arch  followed by a walk through a stand of tall Royal Palms on either side. The old rail tracks that were used to carry hennequen from field to work area are still intact, running through the beautifully maintained grounds. This hacienda is primarily operated as a restaurant, but there were few customers during our visit.

The faded colors blend together in shades of ochre, coral, umber and terra-cotta.

The area around this window has decayed to reveal the indestructible mamposteria wall

This arch is truly stunning

Moorish arches are seen throughout Yucatan in many of the haciendas and in colonial style homes in
el Centro. When we first visited Mérida, we were surprised to see the extent of Moorish-inspired architecture.

Workroom

A tree at the opening of this small cenote
at the rear of the hacienda

If you are hoping to see sweeping vistas in my photography, you might be disappointed. I tend to look for texture, color and detail that leaves the viewer wondering what's behind the image. Hacienda Ochil is well worth the 177.00MX admission price, if just to stroll through the beautiful, shaded, multi-terraced landscape.