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WHAT ABOUT CRIME……
IS MERIDA SAFE?
Violent crimes in Mexico are very rare and Merida and the
Yucatan are considered by most people to be one of the
safest places on earth to live. In Merida, you can walk down
any street in Centro day or night without worrying about
purse snatching or muggings.
WHY? First there is a different philosophy of law and order.
The Mexican approach is based on the Napoleonic Code rather
than English Common Law. Therefore, instead of being
innocent until proven guilty, a person must prove their
innocence or take the penalty. Thus, people in Mexico tend
to be more careful and concerned in their dealings with
others and in their behavior.
A second factor (especially in the Yucatan) is that it is
primarily a family and community oriented society and there
is very little juvenile crime and delinquency. |
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For example:
on weekends, instead of the youth driving around, drinking
and looking for trouble; they go to many of Merida´s town
squares with their parents and family. In Merida, you can
see teenagers escorting their Grandparents and even dancing
with them in the Zocolo.
In addition, neighbors (both Mexican and foreigner) watch
out for each other and keep an eye on each other´s property
while they are away from home. |
CAN I EAT THE FOOD
WITHOUT GETTING SICK?
In Merida, you can find a wide variety of restaurants from
fast food to five star. Merida also has a huge number of
street vendors…all of which are safe. I have been in Merida
for over two years and have never once been sick. However, I
would personally recommend drinking bottled water.
Merida has a large variety of grocery stores and many local
market places with tremendous selections of fresh fruits,
vegetables and produce that truly make shopping a pleasant
experience. The Mexican climate provides year round growing
so that berries, melons, mangos, pineapples, avocados,
bananas, lettuce, squash, etc. are picked for the market
when fresh and are delicious.
WHAT ABOUT PETS AND VETS?
| Dogs and cats with a veterinarian´s certificate indicating
updated immunizations can be brought into Mexico without any
quarantine. The vets in Merida are all well trained,
inexpensive and even make house calls at no added cost.
have a combined total of seven
cats and four dogs and we all like our vets and would be
more than happy to give you their phone numbers. |
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My vet also
has a service that will pick up my dog, bath her, clip her
and return her safely home for $12 US. |
WHAT ABOUT
AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE?
If you bring your car from the States or Canada (using your
tourist visa or your FM3), you must have insurance. We have
one car we brought from the States and one we purchased in
Mexico. Insurance for our vehicle from the States costs
about $200 a year for full coverage and has to be purchased
from the States. The insurance on the Mexican car was
purchased in Merida and is slightly higher. We would be more
than happy to recommend both agencies.
WHY IS MERIDA
CALLED THE WHITE CITY?
There are probably three reasons why it is called the White
City:
(1) the inhabitants generally wear white guayaberas,
huipilles and Panama hats,
(2) there is a white lime mixture
that is used to spread on most of the roof tops to make them
watertight and
(3) the cleanliness of the city. The streets,
plazas and parks are generally cleaned every day. |
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CAN YOU TELL ME
MORE ABOUT THE HISTORY OF MERIDA?
Merida, the colonial capital of the Yucatan was founded by
Francisco de Montejo (a Spaniard) in 1542. When the Spanish
arrived, they conquered the Mayan city of T´ho or Ichcansiho,
tore down the pyramids and used the huge stones to build the
foundation for the Cathedral of San Idelfonso. The Spaniards
enslaved the Indians and built grand houses, offices and
cathedrals. Merida became the capital, trade center and seat
of civil and religious authority of the Peninsula. The
Indians finally rebelled in the 1840´s ( the Caste War).
WHAT IS MERIDA LIKE
TODAY?
Merida today has about 950,000 residents and is a very
cosmopolitan city with Mayan and Spanish descendants and is
an extremely cultural city with many museums, libraries,
theaters, numerous universities, etc. The economy that was
once based on the henequen industry is now based on tourism,
agriculture and fishing plus Merida´s export business is
increasing every day. Some of the items exported are honey,
sisal rope, petroleum products, hammocks, fine jewelry,
concentrated orange juice, fish etc.
Residents call Merida "the Paris of the West" because of
it´s tree lined boulevards, colonial mansions and estates of
the henequen barons of the 1800¨s. There are many things to
see in and around Merida. It is an easy drive from Merida to
beaches, Mayan ruins, haciendas, etc. One of the nicest
things about Merida is its people. The Yucatecan people are
hospitable, honest, easygoing, hard working and make
wonderful neighbors.
DOES MERIDA HAVE
GOOD MEDICAL AND DENTAL FACILITIES?
YES! Merida has numerous hospitals that are staffed by well
trained physicians, most of whom were trained in the United
States. The hospitals in Merida are considered among the
best in Mexico. Wonderful, inexpensive dental work is also
available in Merida. Many Americans and Canadians have been
taking advantage of this for years. Also within the past
five years, a growing number of Americans and Canadians have
been coming to Merida for plastic surgery. We would be more
than happy to refer you to competent doctors, dentists and
plastic surgeons in Merida.
HOW MUCH SHOULD I
TIP?
Tipping varies from place to place and depending on what the
services is, the following is a general rule to follow:
· restaurants…15%
· hotel and guest house help…. at least 10 pesos ($1 US) per
day
· strolling musicians…. 40 to 50 pesos
· parking attendants….. 5 to 6 pesos
· bag boys and girls at the grocery store…. 5 to 6 pesos
· gas station attendants….. 5 to 6 pesos….YES, gas stations
are still full service in Merida
· Extra tips for exceptional service are always welcomed and
appreciated |