After an extended hiatus, I’m back…

The past year or so has seen me extremely busy finalizing the move to Mérida, Yucatán. We left the United States on October 21st and drove for five days through central Mexico to reach our home in Mérida.

The past two months have been devoted to settling in to our new country and home and there has been little time for photographic pursuits. I hope that changes and that I can, once again, find interesting images to share.

The historic center of Mérida is full of old colonial and colonial style homes, many of which have been reclaimed and renovated by American, Canadian, and European expats. It is not unusual to see a beautifully renovated home next door to an abandoned ruin. Entire families of Yucatecans live in many of these homes, from grandmother to grandchildren. Mérida is a vibrant city of about a million people, with excellent healthcare, great food, and kind people. It is a dream come true to live in such an amazing city.

graffiti2-1504
As in most urban areas, the occasional graffiti can become an interesting and colorful work of art.

Doors

Door - Santiago, Mérida, Yucatán
Door - Santiago, Mérida, Yucatán
Door - Santiago, Mérida, Yucatán

There are many old colonial-stile homes in the Centro Histórico of Mérida, Yucatán that have been renovated by extranjeros (foreigners), but the often abandoned or still occupied homes of the local people offer a glimpse of the former splendor of this historical city. The changing colors of many of the homes, over decades, have faded and blended into the soft tropical colors of the Yucatán.  It is these architectural details that I choose to photograph.

The city of Mérida, having realized the significance of the historical center, in the past few years has begun a revitalization program that offers assistance to home owners in the renovation of the facades of their homes, and most recently has announced a plan to repair the crumbling sidewalks throughout the center.