Michael Powell's Blog, page 94
January 13, 2014
MACAY – Mérida’s Contemporary Art Museum
Next to the cathedral and inside one of the city’s most historic buildings, the Museo de Arte Contemporaneo Ateneo de Yucatán (MACAY) offers a great place to escape the sweltering heat of the sun and take in some thought-provoking modern art. During our visit, we were almost as impressed by the fabulous air-conditioning as by the bizarre pieces hanging on the wall.
The museum is totally free to visit, so even if contemporary art isn’t your thing, there’s no reason not to take a quick tour. Thi...
Meet the Meridians
After one month in our new homes, we always review our initial impressions with a self-interview. We figured it would be interesting to do another interview after two months… but this time with locals. So over the course of an entertaining day, we went out into the streets of Mérida and introduced ourselves to some random people. There’s nothing scientific about the survey which follows, of course, but it was a fun way to meet some Meridians.
We met Jorge in the Plaza de San Cristóbol, wh...
January 12, 2014
A Rainy Day on Isla Mujeres
On Monday morning, we awoke with an itinerary full of plans and a sky full of clouds. We looked to the heavens imploringly, begging for no rain, but before we’d even lowered our clasped hands, the storms began. And they didn’t let up the entire day. Undaunted, we stuck to our schedule, and visited Isla Mujeres’ touristy sights. But we’ll be honest: this was a miserable day.
First up was the Tortugranga, or the Turtle Farm. Along with much of the Yucatán coast, the Isla Mujeres has always been...
Christmas in the Yucatán
Although speeding toward a depressing hegemony, most of the world’s Christian countries still maintain some yuletide traditions that are all their own. Jürgen and I aren’t big Christmas freaks, but we do enjoy learning how different places put their unique spin on the holidays.
In the Yucatán, as throughout Mexico, the Christmas season officially kicks off on December 3rd with the feast of the Virgin of Guadalupe. I try not to think about Christmas until about December 23rd, so we were caught...
January 11, 2014
MUSA – An Underwater Museum Off Isla Mujeres
We’ve been to plenty of strange museums during our travels around the world. An optical illusion museum in Busan. A bordello museum in Idaho. The Museum of Innocence in Istanbul and a phallological museum in Iceland. But there’s a new contender for the title of most unique museum we’ve seen: the MUSA, an underwater museum found off the coast of Isla Mujeres.
The MUSA, or Museo Subacuático de Arte, is the brainchild of Jason DeCaires Taylor, a British artist who was motivated to act after the d...
January 9, 2014
Isla Mujeres’ Garrafón Castilla
When you’re on Isla Mujeres, there’s really only one decision you’ll need to trouble yourself with. With so many tantalizing options available, where should you plop your butt for the entire day? We chose Garrafón de Castilla, a small beach club on the southern end of the island.
Garrafón de Castilla is named after the Garrafón reef just offshore, and is not to be confused with nearby Parque Garrafón. The latter is an expensive theme-park type experience, featuring attractions like zip lines a...
Isla Mujeres
After 24 hours, we’d seen enough of Cancún and made our way to Isla Mujeres, just a half-hour by ferry off the coast. This tiny island of around 12,000 people has made a name for itself as a sort of anti-Cancún. A place to relax, escape the crowds and bask in the simple joy of being on a gorgeous Caribbean island.
Named for the numerous Maya goddess statues which the Spanish found here, Isla Mujeres (Island of the Women) isn’t exactly off the beaten path. In fact, we found it to be even more c...
January 3, 2014
The Life of a Baron in the Hacienda Temozón
The gate of the Hacienda Temozón functions like a time machine, transporting you to an age when the Yucatán was among the richest areas in the hemisphere. Life during the boom years of the henequen trade was one of unimaginable wealth… if, of course, you were among the lucky few who owned the land.
I’ve always wondered how the ruling elite of outrageously unequal societies are able to justify the abject misery of the common people. I mean really justify it to themselves, within their private s...
January 2, 2014
Uxmal: Thrice-Built Home of the Dwarf King
An expansive city with soaring buildings that have somehow retained much of their detail, Uxmal is among the most important Maya archaeological sites. It’s about an hour south of Mérida in the Puuc Valley, and we showed up early in the morning after spending the night in nearby Santa Elena.
Uxmal means “Built Three Times”, and was at its most powerful between 875 and 900 AD. When the Spanish arrived, the Maya still living among the ruins shared the story of their city’s creation. Of course, ju...
January 1, 2014
Kabah and the Codz Poop
Kabah was the fourth archaeological site we visited on a very long day dedicated to the Maya ruins of the Ruta Puuc. Our energy might have been low upon arriving, but it’s hard to feel listless in the presence of a building like the Codz Poop.
Covered from top to bottom in a mesmerizing pattern of masks of the rain god Chaac, the Codz Poop was most likely used as a ceremonial temple. Its name might inspire juvenile laughs, but translates to the rather unfunny phrase “Rolled Mat”, because of th...
