We’re into our second week at Casa del Maya, the new guesthouse at Calle 66. This morning, we had breakfast on the patio alone, but normally there are “fellow travelers” joining us. A couple from Denver, two people from London, three from Italy, a nice pair of fellow Nutmeggers building a hacienda in Tulum. Conversation has come easily with our breakfast companions.
It makes it easy to meet people when you’re in the right guesthouse. Steve and Jordy are our amiable hosts, and they make the fruit, eggs and coffee magically appear each morning. The fruit is fresh. Steve bikes to the Santa Ana market every other morning to pick up fresh bananas, papaya, pineapple … whatever’s fresh. When I say we get eggs for breakfast, I don’t mean just eggs. On our first morning here we thought it was just something special for Sunday. But every day we get one of Jordy’s creations that appear to be right from a cooking magazine: quiche, breakfast burritos, peach-and-egg frittata, caramelized french toast, blueberry pancakes, chorizo hash and so on. We’re getting spoiled. No, we are spoiled. I’ve already offered to publish a “Casa del Maya Cookbook” for two reasons: I like their food, and I can’t resist the aliteration.
They’re doing a healthy business after being open just a month. Above, you can see our balcony room overlooking the pool and the breakfast area. On their website you can see how dramatic the lighting is at night, when the spigots open for the water spouts. The two neighboring properties are vacant, filled with trees that make mornings a birders’ paradise. We booked before they completed their construction, and we were rewarded for taking the risk.
Through Steve and Jordy, who we now count as good friends, we’ve made several new friends. Through some of them, we made some more. Our dinner-for-two the other night became a table for six at Trattoria la Pasta. Already we’ve exchanged contact info, Facebook-friended each other, and promised to see each other again. My main business here these two weeks is to build a house and establish Hamaca, but there has been just enough time for meeting new people and forging new friendships. Last night was a dinner party to meet even more folks. Who knows which friendships will be lasting? The main thing is that it’s been easy to meet people, and we seem to click with enough of them.
Remember when expats were thought of as scofflaws and societal dropouts? We keep hearing about all the misfits, malcontents, and maniacs (aliteration!) in the Mérida expat community, but mostly everyone we meet here is really nice, sensible, sane and good company.
It was really a treat to have you here for two whole weeks. I hope it works out that you need to come back in May for my big day!
Two weeks wasn’t nearly enough. We’re home safe and sound. There is a light dusting of snow, and I was in our driveway last night and the frigid air was sweet, with a faint scent of a fireplace burning somewhere. That’s about the only thing to recommend this weather. Now I’m cooped up inside once again, sadly paging through my snapshots of trip number 7 to Merida. Thank you for your hospitality Joanna, and everyone else as well!
We are very happy to have you and Paul as our guests at Casa Del Maya! Everyone is looking forward to your move to Merida.
Especially the people in Connecticut who have been trying to get rid of me for years! Thanks for your hospitality!
Lee – looks like you are having a fab time. I have a friend who has just arrived, Patti Kirksey Rogers, who is from Colorado. I am sure one of your new found friends knows her. I told her I would introduce you two so I will send you her contact info via email. For the record, I am very jealous of your trip but will live vicariously through your fun in Merida It is 10 degrees here in CT, so you are a lucky man indeed!
It’s such a great time to be here, especially if you’re from the New York metropolitan area! Woo hoo.