I thought I had three easy jobs to do today, but they took forever. I couldn’t believe it was 3:00 by the time I could go do something fun! Much as I am keen to start exploring my neighbourhood, there was a craft and book fair at Plaza Grande downtown that I wanted to check out and which I knew was going on until late so it didn’t matter if I was heading out as many things were closing. I decided to take the bus to Walmart to return my useless curtains and then walk from there.

A bus was slow to come since it’s Sunday, but I finally headed south. The Walmart associate was very friendly and kind, but informed me that I couldn’t return the curtains since they were on the liquidation rack — something that was not marked! 🙁 I figured I could probably sell them on the garage sale site, but now I had to lug them around. Dang!

Off I went down Paseo de Montejo, the part of Mérida I discovered when I was here last February and which made me fall in love with this city. I love strolling down this boulevard!

This ad made me think of me:

My house: Haven. My home: the world.

Need to check out this Korean place at some point since it’s a cuisine I’m not familiar with. There is enough of a Korean population here that this is likely decent.

There was a really lovely exhibit showing off Canada as a remarkable travel destination (although I had to laugh that most of the photos showed off cold Canada!).

This is what they used to represent SK?! LOL

CN Tower in Toronto!

Palais des congrès, Montreal:

Ottawa Tulip Festival:

Every province and territory was represented, showing the diversity of the immense country that Canada is. Nicely done campaign!

I had the northern streets of Centro all to myself. What a lovely evening for a stroll — so cool and quiet.

Things got busier as I went further south on Calle 56. I stopped at an ice cream shop that I will never go to again for three reasons. 1) They have “pastel” ice cream, which is vanilla full of chunks of super chocolately cake that is even better than cookies and cream; 2) Their “chico” (small) is my idea of “extra grande;” 3) It was only $20. 😀 Yes, it was wonderful. 🙂

I made it as far south as the Lucas de Galvez Mercado. Oh, that area of Mérida — the market and the streets around it — is nasty. It still reeks of urine and is absolutely filthy. The mercado was closing, but enough was open to remind me that I really have little interest in shopping there for pleasure and that I can’t wait to see what our little market here in Chuburná de Hidalgo is like. Add the Maz mercado as another thing I miss from that city.

I cut across to Calle 60 and came up to Plaza Grande, where the party was in full swing, super “bassy” music and all.

I wandered around in a bit of a spiral, hoping to find a few skirts (the ones I came across were too flimsy), and then focused on books.

I picked up these three books of Yucatecan, Sinaloan, and Mayan legends for only $50!

And these beauties for $120:

I have a very similar pair in blue that are round with a daisy and which I picked up in Mazatlán. I adore them, but they don’t go with many of my clothes. I’ll wear these more often. Bonus, they’ll remind me of three cities I love — Mérida where I bought them, and Amsterdam and Ottawa for their tulips!

I was pretty tired by that point and the music was getting to me, so I headed behind the cathedral, where a bus that I could take was picking up passengers. After a brief wait, we were on our way. It was a terrifying ride and I was sure that we were going to get in an accident. The woman sitting next to me repeatedly making the sign of the cross and muttering Psalm 23 did not inspire confidence. I finally asked to be let off quite a bit earlier than I needed to be, but decided I had sufficiently tested fate!

(Oh, look at that, I just very likely sold the curtains for a tiny bit less than I paid for them — yay!)

Tomorrow, it’s back to the grind, although I don’t have tons of work to do. I’m expecting a gas delivery, so it will be a home day unless they are here early. I still have work to do in the kitchen before I can call stage one of setting up the house done and that will be a priority so that I can start easing into a routine.

The house is feeling really comfortable. Parts are still quite a bit echoey, but it really doesn’t feel as huge as I expected it to. The bit that startles me the most for some odd reason is the upstairs landing, which is really another room. But I’m not anywhere near ready to set up my painting studio yet since I have other financial priorities. When I’m ready, though, it will be an amazing place to create.