Alma, I mean Arthur

Tropical Storm Arthur, is off the coast of Quintana Roo, AKA Riviera Maya, Costa Maya...

Check here for updates NHC (National Hurricane Center)

Here in Merida we are getting some much needed rain, and relief from the heat.

We are in no imminent danger, so worry not!

What a relief we just completed our 1st annual hurricane preparedness preparations, well except for laying in a supply of food, although we do have plenty of beer and wine, wish you were here Jonna and Mimi

Restaurant Review #2 - Sirloin Stockade, Merida

Yep, we finally went to Sirloin Stockade. It's been here a bit over a year, and we've heard both good and bad things. Yesterday we were way up North, and yes, for those of us South of calle 59 in Centro, that is WAY up North.

editorial comment - I sort of see Calle 59 as a dividing line in Merida. Once you get North of 59 things tend to be (underline and emphasis on 'tend to be') a bit more Contemporary, Maintained, Modernized, South of 59 is more Traditional, Well Used, Aged.

So anyway, we were at INAH (INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE ANTROPOLOGÍA E HISTORIA) which is just North of Sam's Club, we were actually there twice. This is where you must go if you live in Centro Historico and want to do any repair, modification, or change to especially the facade of your house/property. On our second trip there of the day we were successful in finally having ALL the required documents and or copies of documents to request a permit to build a wall at the front of our property. It was getting on to 2pm, and as I tend to forgo breakfast for a second cup of coffee and extra garden time, I was getting pretty darn hungry, So I suggested Sirloin Stockade.

I had heard they have a pretty good salad/food bar; and I had heard correctly. There were all sorts of salad makins, lots of fresh fruit, all sorts of prepared salads, hot foods, meats, breads, desserts, and make your own stirfry area... We didn't order any steaks which are added based on the steak you order to the food bar price, they also have chicken, grilled salmon, and other meat entrees you can add to the food bar price. There are lots of meat items already included; ham, roast beef, chicken, fried and baked, cochinita, ribs,...

I think it was a great daytime option, the service was terrific, there was a young fellow, Omar who is from Tabasco and enjoys to practice his Ingles. He seemed to be a Head Waiter as he was directing others to watch for and remove any used service and trash, as well as indicating they should be checking beverage levels, etc. He was very good!
I think we'd go back!

The Heat, the Humidity, the Guilt

I feel so guilty about not posting,

I feel really lazy about blogging right now; heck I feel pretty lazy about everything right now. I got a cold/respiratory infection a few weeks ago and with this heat and humidity I've had a horrible time getting over it. I am actually starting to feel my frisky self again, but only from 5 - 10AM, and again from 8-midnight. But in between, NO! not so much.

The heat and humidity are getting to me. I am having such a time right now dealing with it!

2 1/2 years here and this is really the first time I feel oppressed by it.

The mornings are amazing; It's so beautiful and cool. I've been getting some much needed gardening done (weeding, grass clipping, etc) and I'm prepping for the new plantings I plan to make in the next 2-3 weeks to be ready to get it done as soon as rainy season hits. But by 10AM it is too much for me, I cool off in the pool then retire to a dark corner in front of the fan to read, sew, or do any other really lethargic thing (Blogging seems like a natural here right?). It's really the humidity, I barely need to walk outside and I am running in rivers of sweat; In Colorado after A LOT of exertion I would glow, or glisten, or glimmer, here I SWEAT - great torrents and buckets of sweat.

Tom is busy finishing up the window covering design we came up with as hurricane protection. Last year we happened to be in the US when Dean came threatening. Our friends that were cat/house sitting asked us where our hurricane kit was, and how did we cover our back windows and doors which have no glass, only screen...all we could was well, we haven't really dealt with that yet. So now we are dealing with it - we have extra bottles for bottled water, a battery operated radio, flaslights, candles, matches, ... We are prepping things for easy install to cover the back windows and doors, as well as we have the steel guy building a contraption to mount over the suncube opening (we have a small room in the house that is open to the outside through the roof; it is a mini garden with a fountain, it too only has screen covering it.) Anyway, Milton, our iron/steel guy is building an L shaped 3 sided frame that will be installed on the top of this opening and we will have a piece of plywood cut to size that we slide into the frame and then clip into place with an attachment he has designed and minimal water will enter through the opening.

So I think our hurricane preparations are handled, well except for the last minute run to the market for extra beer and ice.

One other thing we are up to is planning a wall to be built between us and the street. We have the uncommon luxury here of having a front garden with 2, yes 2 parking spaces. Now that we've been living in the house for a while we know things that we didn't know when we were designing it. The front faces West, and in the afternoon the sun hits the windows and heats the place up beyond tolerance. And then there is the dust from the street, and the trash blowing in the yard, and the noise, and, and, and,...so now we want a wall. We are working up a presupuesto/estimate with a builder, I have to go to INAH for approvals/permits... Course this should be a blog all by itself.

OK, well that's enough now. Rainy season is on it's way, things will cool, off, the mosquitos will return...life is good!

Motuleños in Motul

Friends Ricardo and Spike called the other day and asked it we wanted to go out for breakfast? Well never ones to pass up an opportunity to eat...We went to Motul for breakfast this morning.

A friend, Calman had made a boast that for the 'best' huevos motuleños you had to go to Motul (http://www.meridainsider.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=5124&highlight=motulenos).

Which is where, after all, that they were developed. At the Museo de Felipe Carillo Puerto the caretaker/guide indicated that the chef to Felipe Carillo Puerto developed, prepared, and served huevos motuleños to visiting officials and dignitaries.

According to WikiPidia: Felipe Carrillo Puerto (1874–1924) was a Governor of the Mexican state of Yucatán. He was born in the town of Motul, Yucatán. He was a progressive who favored land reform, women's suffrage, and rights for the indigenous Mayan people. He had a romance with a United States journalist, Alma Reed of San Francisco, California, which was commemorated in the song "La Peregrina". Carrillo died by assassination in January 1924.
Felipe Carrillo was called the Red Dragon with the Eyes of Jade by his enemies and the Apostle of the Indians by those who loved him. He was one of 14 children, 13 of whom lived to adulthood. All but one of the Carrillo siblings worked to better the lives of the Mayan people. When Felipe was killed, 3 of his brothers, Wilfrido, Benjamin, and Edesio, were killed with him, as well as eight of their friends.

OK, so we arrive in Motul, circle the square until we spy the desired location, park and make our way up to the very fresh breezy balcony where you have 2 restaurant choices.

We opted for the one name El Mirador.

We ordered 4 huevos motuleños 2 jamaicas, and 2 cristales. My huevos (pictured) are sin queso. Our bill ended up being 180pesos total.

OK, so there we sat, expounding on how great the huevos were when who walks in with familia completa. OH YEAH - you guessed it - Calman had indeed brought the lovely Feli and family to Motul for Mother's Day. The Calman family opted to order from the other of the two possible restaurants, but he did hazard an observation that our huevos looked very good.

So after eating, having a chat with la familia Calman we went to the Museo, then headed for the local cenote.

Oh, were the huevos good? Let's see -

The cenote is just a few blocks, maybe 6, from the square. It's a well kept site, there were quite a few people there; familes picnic'ing, people refreshing in the cool cenote... The cost was 5pesos to go down to the cenote unfortunately we weren't prepared and didn't have suits. It does appear that if you are in the water and move into the low ceiling area and go back a bit it will open to another larger area, something to look forward to after the next venture for huevos motuleños.

The bus between Merida and Motul drops and departs from a very convenient location; here you can see the bus stop right in fron of the Mercado Municipal building.

missing L y D

Friend Lida, who is a wild and crazy crafty type gal did a post on how she goes about making a craft project. The project in her post is about friends, and Tom and I are featured on the front of the project. You can see her blog here

I feel guilty, and sad because we seem to see them (Lida and SO) less and less. It's not that we want it that way, but they work and are busy, and have lots of obligations, and I am un poquito flojo (a little lazy), and don't call them often enough to arrange play dates. Maybe it's other stuff...

Maybe that will change - maybe I'll just pick up the phone right, now, maybe I'll finish this post first, then maybe I'll get some breakfast cause I'm really hungry, ... See that's what happens, then the next thing you know it's tomorrow and I think to myself, 'Oh NO! I meant to call L y D yesterday, well I'll do it later, after I know they are at work, but shhhhh, don't tell the boss!

sidenote to L y D - we love you guys, we miss you guys, we think of you ALOT! I'll call - soon - I promise - I will, really, right after I feed the cat...