Yucatan Living
Expatriates living, working & playing in Merida and the Yucatan
CULTURE
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Mayan Language for Beginners
Bridging the gap between ourselves and the local Maya culture can start by learning some basic conversational Mayan Language phrases with Dr. Steven Fry...
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Crossing Cultures Respectfully
An important part of Yucatan culture is to show respect in every sphere of public life. Joanna van der Gracht de Rosado, author and long-time resident of Merida who moved here from from Canada, explains...
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Experiencing the Temazcal
Follow Heather to Na' Lu'um on her quest to experience the therapeutic and spiritual purifications of an Aztec/Mayan sweat bath or Temazcal...
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Yucatan Wedding
The first time we circled the park in Itzimná, a wedding was just finishing and people were filing out of the church. By the time...
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Merida's Pipe Organ
Did you know that the Cathedral on Merida's Plaza Grande houses one of only two organs in Southern Mexico? and that it is one of the largest organs in all of Mexico? More...
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Visit to a Mayan Healer
On her latest trip to the Yucatan, Heather Rath found herself in the hut of a traditional Mayan healer, seeking relief from the stress of 21st Century living...
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Fiestas of the Yucatan
Have a free weekend? Planning a trip here? Want to know what is going on out in the countryside? Here's a list of all the fiestas of the year...
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From the Archives: El Juli in Yucatan
On January 31st, 2010, the famous bullfighter, "El Juli" made a triumphant return to Mexico, exactly eight years after we first saw him in Motul and took this video...
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Candelaria Fiesta in Valladolid
Every year for 12 days the city of Valladolid, Yucatan honors its holy patron the Virgen de la Candelaria. Be ready for cowboy boots, crockery, prize winning bulls, barbeque and carnival games...
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This is Yucatan
If you've ever wanted a tour of the Yucatan Peninsula in just under four minutes, this is the video for you!
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Presenting New Artisans
Coming up the last weekend of November, here's your chance to discover some new and exciting artists from around the state of Yucatan. Don't miss this!
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RC Airplanes in Merida
A growing hobby around the world has a loyal contingent of fans here in Merida. The Working Gringos ventured out on a Saturday morning to find out more about the RC airplane community here...
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Semana Santa in Acanceh, Yucatan
The Passion of the Maya is on full display when visiting the busy town of Acanceh on Good Friday during Semana Santa...
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The Inside Scoop on Fútbol Jerseys
Want to get into the fútbol spirit when you are traveling to Mexico? Fútbol, or soccer to you norteamericanos, is not a sport here... it's a matter of national pride. Reg McGhee gives you the lowdown...
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What's in a (Spanish) Name?
After moving to Mexico, we were confronted with a whole new set of Spanish names, unusual nicknames and names you'll probably only find in Yucatan...
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The Virgin of Guadalupe Video
Thousands of atorchistas running and cycling along Yucatan's roads, balloons and banners flying, sirens wailing and crowds of weary but smiling faces - it could only mean one thing...
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Cual de Los Dos?
The other day we were working on a website for some Mexican artists who now live in Merida. While reviewing the titles of their paintings, we saw one called “Cual de Los Dos” (Which of the Two?)...
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Yucatan Home Movie
If you thought fireworks were popular north of the border on the Fourth of July, have a look at the events in a small Maya pueblo called Oxtapacab on their saint's feast day...
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Buenisimo!!!
We recently received the following email from a Yucateca friend. It contained a "Rosetta Stone" of local, modern Yucatan culture...
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Topes
Anyone who has traveled by car in Yucatan - or anywhere else in Mexico for that matter - quickly discovers the tope...
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Mexico Sweet Mexico
Not long after we moved here, it occurred to us that Mexicans and Mayans have a collective sweet tooth...
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Merida Carnival Video 2006
This is a "highlights" reel from the final Carnival parade in Merida on Fat Tuesday, called the "War of the Flowers", where people toss flowers at each other...
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Carnival Week Sunday
So here we are again, sitting in our nice air-conditioned renovated colonial office in Merida, thinking we *should* get out there and see Carnaval...
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Arielle Newman
Arielle, an expatriate living in Playa del Carmen, is a one-stop shop for what ails you. Yoga anyone?..
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Short History of Monday
When we first moved to the Yucatan, we noticed how people often didn't work on Monday. We were told that it was San Lunes (Saint Monday), a very old tradition here...
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Marcos Unmasked
To break the ice at a rally in Merida's zocalo, Zapatista leader Subcomandante Marcos did something he has never before done in public. He took off his mask...
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Goodbye to Marcos
We promised a report on Zapatista leader Subcomandante Marcos' farewell speech in Merida last Friday night...
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The Ghosts of Mani
Mani is a sleepy little Mayan pueblo. As in many places in the Yucatan, there are ghosts here, but you'd never know it...
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Preparing for Delegate Zero
Starting with this latest tour of Mexico, Zapatista leader Subcomandante Marcos is calling himself "Delegate Zero" in reference to the upcoming elections in Mexico for President of the country...
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A Bright Christmas
We're dreaming of a whiiiiiiite Chriss-mas! Can't really sing that song here. It never snows in the Yucatan. So instead, Mexicans opt for a bright Christmas...
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Rama Rama
These words used to conjure up visions of Hare Krishna, orange robes and George Harrison for us...
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Mayaland Stained Glass
If you are going to Chichen Itza, consider walking out the back entrance towards Mayaland (or driving around and parking there) to check out these beautiful stained glass windows...
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A Writing Tour Around Merida
Yesterday we played host to a few friends from the States, one of whom is thinking of writing about Merida...
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Love those floors!
One of the first things we noticed about properties for sale here in Merida was the floors. No kidding. Because many of the floors, even in the most humble of stores or homes, are covered with beautiful mosaico tiles...
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Yucatan Mailman
We'd always heard that the mail in Mexico doesn't work that well. And it does take longer for things to get where they are supposed to go when you use it. But we like the idea of supporting our local mailman...
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Fiesta in the Countryside
On Saturday, a good friend of ours had a house-warming party. This was a party we did not want to miss, as the house she has just finished renovating is about one hour east of Merida in a tiny pueblito in the Yucatecan countryside...
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Missing Gringo Comforts
On the way home from Costco, we were remarking how many things we used to think of as "missing" from Merida when we first moved here...
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Mucbil Pollo
Around these parts, the Mayans celebrate the Day of the Dead at the end of October. This holiday is called Halloween in Gringolandia, but the Mayans call it Hanal Pixan...
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Why They Call It Sisal
Remember the old days when people used rope? Remember that it was called "sisal rope"? Well, it's called that because back in the heyday of the Yucatan, the rope that was made from henequen was shipped out of a port on the Gulf of Mexico called Sisal...
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La Peluqueria
Mexicans have a much higher standard of personal grooming than Working Gringos will probably ever achieve...
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Pavo en Relleno Negro
Pavo en relleno negro is a Yucatecan delicacy and it's probably unlike anything you've ever tasted or seen...
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Wilma Aftermath
This morning's Diario de Yucatan shows a big photo of tourists enjoying themselves on a beach called Playa Delfines, which is the public beach on the Hotel Zone in Cancun...
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One of Those Days
Today is one of those days when those of us who moved here remember why...
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Cancun Refugees in Merida
There were lots of people looking for hotel rooms the last few days. The airport was incredibly crowded, but people are getting out...
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Hurricane Wilma Morning
The Diario de Yucatan says that as the hurricane is leaving, thousands of residents are coming out of their shelters to survey the damage...
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Suddenly Its All About Wilma
We're not too worried about the hurricane. If we were living in Cancun or Tulum, we'd be boarding up doors and windows, but here in Merida we'll probably only get bad weather...
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Mayan Quinceanos
For those of you who know anything about the hispanic culture, you know that a girl's 15th birthday is a sort of coming-out, a celebration of her graduation from child to woman...
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Yunku Afternoon
Working Gringa was lucky enough to be invited out to Hacienda Yunku yesterday for lunch...
