Merida tourist information

Yucatecan food is its own unique style, different from the rest of Mexico in many ways. It includes influences from the local Mayan culture, and Caribbean, Mexican and European, and Middle Eastern cultures.

There are many regional dishes. Some of them are:

* Poc Chuc, a Mayan/Yucatecan version of barbecued pork. * Salbutes and Panuchos. Salbutes are soft, cooked tortillas with lettuce, tomato, turkey and avocado on top while panuchos are pretty much the same, with the difference mainly in the crunchy tortilla with a spread of refried beans inside the tortilla. Habanero peppers accompany most dishes, either in solid or purée form, along with fresh limes and corn tortillas. * Queso Relleno, this is a "gourmet" dish that involves ground pork inside of a carved edam cheese ball served with tomato sauce * Relleno Negro, Turkey meat cooked with a black paste of condiments from the region, served in tacos or sandwiches * Lime Soup, Turkey, Lime and Tortilla soup * Escabeche, Chicken cooked with condiments and onions

Mérida is nicknamed "The White City" both for a common color of its buildings and the fact that the residents keep the city particularly clean. Mérida was named after the Spanish town of the same name, originally (in Latin) Augusta Emerita. Mérida served as the American Capital of Culture in the year 2000. The city is full of exquisite art galleries as well as the inevitable tourist shops. The main thoroughfare, Paseo de Montejo, is lined with original sculpture by up-and-coming local and foreign artists, as part of an exhibit.

Mérida and the state of Yucatán are somewhat isolated from the rest of the country, and it shows in many things. The conquistadors found the Mayan culture to be incredibly resilient, and their attempts to eradicate Mayan tradition, religion and culture had only moderate success. Many inhabitants today are Mayan descendants. The surviving remnants of the Mayan culture can be seen everyday, in speech, dress, and in both written and oral histories. It is especially apparent in holidays like Hanal Pixan, a Mayan/Catholic Day of the Dead celebration. It falls on November 1 and 2 (one day for adults, and one for children) and is commemorated by elaborate altars dedicated to dead relatives. It is a compromise between the two religions with crucifixes mingled with skull decorations and food sacrifices/offerings. Múkbilpollo is the Mayan tamal pie offered to the dead on All Saints' Day, traditionally accompanied by a cup of hot chocolate. Many Yucatecans enjoying eating this in and around the Day of Dead. And, while, complicated to make, they can be purchased and even shipped via air. (Muk-bil literally means "to put in the ground" or to cook in a pib, an underground oven).

For English speakers or would-be speakers, Mérida has the Mérida English Library , a lending library with an extensive collection of English books, videos, tapes and children books. The library is also the site for expatriate meetings, children's storytelling hours and other cultural events.