Dreaming of Warm Tropical Breezes

Palm, Yucatán
(photo Courtesy Google Images)

While the entire Eastern Seaboard of the US is huddled, trying to stay warm in extreme cold, I can find some relief by simply viewing images of beautiful, tropical Mérida and the turquoise and azure hues of the Gulf of Mexico. Currently, outside our home in Virginia, the temperature is 30℉ (-1℃). That doesn't sound so bad, but the wind is blowing and the chill factor is likely 10-15 degrees lower. When I returned from walking the dogs this morning, my hands felt like they were on fire! I'm sure our friends (who are in Mérida as I write) have checked the weather for the NYC area. It is currently 14℉ (-10℃).
Enjoy the remaining days of your trip to the tropics, guys!

Did I mention that our home is now officially on the market? We have had one showing and the couple wants to come back for a second look. We have always had very good luck selling our homes, but of course the market is the worst in the history of our experience. Nonetheless, we have high hopes for a reasonably fast sell. Mérida is calling us for an August move. We might possibly take a few detours on our way down, ending up at Casa de Las Lechuzas in September. Warm, tropical breezes...

Beachfront, Sisal, Yucatán
(photo Courtesy Google Images)

Home, Sweet Home

Who dat? Saints and Méridanos

New Orleans Saints

Panama City Beach, FL
photo courtesy Dean Galloway 2004

Oyster Po'Boy
New Orleans

I had heard, but forgotten until recently, that Mérida and New Orleans are sister cities. New Orleans happens to be my favorite city in the United States and most likely one of the reasons we were drawn to the Centro in Mérida which, in many ways,  reminds us of the French Quarter.  To demonstrate solidarity, Mérida officially celebrated the New Orleans Saint's Super Bowl victory in 2010. Actually, Mérida maintains sister city status with 12 other cities throughout the world, including the Mérida in Spain and the one in Venezuela. On November 13, 2003, Panama City, Florida (where Alan and I lived for 10 years) came on board. Like the Yucatán , PCB has miles of beautiful white sand beaches and some of the world's most delicious oysters and seafood.

In Florida, we lived three blocks from the Gulf of Mexico. In Virginia, it's a 20-minute drive to the Atlantic Ocean and in Mérida we are about 25 minutes from the Gulf of Mexico. We have never lived right on the beach, but both of us have always lived near water. The thought of being land-locked  causes me to feel slightly claustrophobic.

other images from Google