Yucatan Living
Expatriates living, working & playing in Merida and the Yucatan
CULTURE
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One Last Effort: Chapter Sixteen
After her husband’s death, when Guadalupe looked into the state of her affairs, she was shocked to discover that only nine thousand sev...
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4 Traditional Crops - Camote, Jicama, Chayote & Ñame
Friday I found Luis busy working in the traditional Maya milpa, or cornfield, planting "camotes" (ka-MOH- tehs), or sweet potatoes. Maya ...
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Violet-Flowered Four-O'Clocks
With the rainy season, the forest once again has grown dark with shadows. Fewer forest plants are flowering now, probably because in the ...
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Mayan Temazcal Ceremony
Learn about the health benefits and spiritual implications of this ancient Mesoamerican sweat lodge ceremony.
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The Mayan Soul
Sak Nik Nahal - The White Conscience of Flowering
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The Yucatan's Ocellated Turkey
An important traditional food source with beautiful plumage.
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The VW Beetle
The popularity of Volkswagen Beetles is one of the first enigmas that struck us upon arrival to the Yucatan. Perhaps if we’d been aroun...
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Vanilla, Yucatan's International Sensation
Although vanilla has become synonymous with plain and boring, this Mayan flavor is an international delight with a fascinating story.
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Learning English in the Yucatan
As expats in the Yucatan, we spend a lot of time concerned with new languages, whether it's Spanish or Mayan. It's easy to overlook that,...
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Save the Melipona bee!
Melipona honey is unique for its flavor, medicinal value, antibiotic properties, nutritional value and cultural significance because of its sacred use in Mayan ceremonies and rituals.
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Tekax Hilljam 2017
Cannonballing down the peninsula's biggest hill with Yucatan's fearless young riders...
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Quick Guide to Hanal Pixan
Learn the basics about the regional celebration, different from Dia de los Muertos or Halloween...
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Mayan Gods: Ixchel
Lunar Goddess of Childbirth or Jug-wielding Crone?
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Mayan Gods: Huracan
Meaning of Myth: The Heart of Heaven
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Naatik Language & Culture Institute
English, Spanish and Maya: Na’atik opens students’ eyes to a world of possibilities with language!
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Leones Look Good Before Opening Day
WD Barr Predicts a Good Season for the Home Team
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Lighting Up the Maya New Year
This year, for the first time in 500 years, the Maya celebrated an ancient tradition, the start of a new year in Merida...
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Cuba: Obama, Baseball and the Rolling Stones
Our guest writers, Byron and Rebecca Augustin, share their experience of going to Cuba when some other very famous people were there...
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Attending Festival Cervantino
One of the great cultural events in Mexico is the Festival Internacional Cervantino. Guest writer Nadine Calder takes you there for a quick glimpse of the festivities...
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The Yucatan Primer
Coming to Yucatan for the first time can be a bit like learning to read. In service to this metaphor, we present to you the Yucatan Primer. An introduction to Yucatan for new arrivals...
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Leones Baseball: Season Wrap-up
Guest writer WD Barr wraps up the Leones season for us...
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The Maya and the Mississippi
Did the Maya explore territory on the other side of the Gulf of Mexico? It's hard to imagine that they didn't...
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Latino USA
One of the most enjoyable places to stay in touch with the Latin culture in English is a podcast, Latino USA...
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Being Gay in Yucatan
A sizeable portion of the Merida expatriate community identifies as part of the LGBT community as well. For anyone who would like to know more about this aspect of living in Merida, we have gathered together observations and a bit of history…
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The Shrine of Wine
Our regular contributor, Byron Augustin, regales us with this lovely story about how a strange and wonderful little chapel near Izamal came to be, the people who built it, and how they tried to tear it down...
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The Power of Hammocks
Through their sustainable and profitable hammock business, two young Meridanos are being the change they want to see in the world...
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Cook It Raw Explores the Yucatan
This week culminates Cook It Raw's yearlong adventure and exploration in the Yucatan. Events include visits to the milpa, street vendors, restaurants and cooking for two events open to the public in Merida and centered around Hanal Pixan...
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Cook It Raw Cooks In Merida
Cook It Raw's Andrew Porcelli answers questions about why he came to Yucatan and what he plans to do here...
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Two Yucatecan Worlds
In this unique and visionary program, the worlds of the Maya and non-Maya children and families of the Yucatan were brought together for a day of activities and mutual respect and understanding...
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Yucatan and France
For centuries, France and Mexico have interacted across the Atlantic Ocean, especially on the Yucatan Peninsula. Today, you can see evidence of the French culture everywhere, from the past and very much in the present...
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Gulf Coast Regattas to Isla Mujeres
There are two very famous regattas that sail from Florida to Isla Mujeres, just off the Yucatan Peninsula. One of them is going on right now and will end up in Isla Mujeres in just a few days...
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Melipona Bees and the Honey of Yucatan
The Yucatan Peninsula is home to the stingless honey bee, a sweet and docile bee that produces an exceptional honey. Here is information about the bee, and what is being done to help it thrive...
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Impulsur, Artesanias by Women
A graduate study internship helps bring artesanias from the women of southern Merida to a show in Garcia Gineres...
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Forest Blindness
Guest writer Rodrigo Rodriguez has a piece of property in Uayma, Yucatan near Valladolid. He takes us with him on a walk with his caretaker, Miguel Xooc...
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Aurora Yucateca - Part III
In Part III of the story of the Aurora Yucateca, we meet the man, John Masterson Burke, whose engineering skills were crucial in the success of the venture. We also find out what happened to send Burke home, and where he applied what he learned when he returned...
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Aurora Yucateca - Part II
In the second part of our three-part series, guest author Byron Augustin writes about Valladolid's first steam-powered factory's successes and failures, and the reasons for both. This article is in both English and Español...
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Aurora Yucateca - Part I
In this first of a three-part series, guest writer Byron Augustin introduces us to the Aurora Yucateca, Mexico's first steam-powered factory which was located in Yucatan's Valladolid. This article is in both English and Español...
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Cultural Ambassador for the Maya of San Simon
The town and the children have an advocate in Enrique Valdes. Guest writer Jane Custer interviews him in his role as cultural ambassador at Mayaland...
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Hammocks in Yucatan
A few things about buying a hammock from a guest writer, and a bunch of tips and tricks from the Working Gringos... all about hammocks!
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Pottery Lives On in Valladolid
An exhibit of work by a third-generation (at least!) potter in Valladolid who is working hard to preserve Maya techniques and traditions of pottery making in Uayma, outside of Valladolid, Yucatan.
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December 21st in Yucatan
The end of the world... uh, the end of the Maya calendar is December 21, 2012 and the whole world is coming to Yucatan! Here is an ever-growing (and continually updated) list of some of the events happening around that important moment...
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Magical, Hypnotic, Transforming!
Here's a first person account of the recent charity event at Hacienda Ochil, featuring the work of musician and composer Philip Glass and artist James Turrell...
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Festival of the Virgin, Isla Mujeres
At what is arguably the most perfect time of year in this part of the world, Isla Mujeres spends over a week honoring the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception, culminating on December 8. Learn the story behind this colorful celebration...
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Days of the Dead
Here's a little about Day of the Dead, its origins and how it is celebrated, including a recipe for Day of the Dead tamales and some background and insight into this wonderful celebration...
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Red Bull Cenote Cliff Diving
Our good friend, John Venator, who lives in Valladolid, attended the Red Bull Cliff Diving Competition yesterday just down the street from his house. Here is his account of the day...
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The Riviera Maya Resort Experience
In nine years as residents of Yucatan, we had never stayed in a bonafide all-inclusive on the Riviera Maya. We had a chance to do that recently, and we went for it...
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How To Enjoy Merida's Carnival
In which we share our many years of experience with Merida's Carnival and give you some hints and tips for avoiding frustration and getting the most out of your Carnival experience...
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Merida Cultural Centers
Here is a growing list of places to go in Merida for classes in everything from dance to yoga to art to dog obedience to Maya language. There's so much to do in Merida... here are some of the places you might want to check out!
