Year End
Another year has come and gone and with it, an entire millennium comes to an end. As my good friend and collaborator in the University of Armchair Social Criticism program, La X'tabay, has always pointed out, this year is the real beginning of the new millennium, and we should have celebrated big time this past December 31, not in 1999. Sin embargo, locally no one paid much attention to all that and as usual, followed the gringo example by celebrating last year, so this time around no one did anything really special.
Yours Truly went next door to celebrate with friends and family and a quiet but enjoyable time was had by all. Only one woman (from Celaya - waddya expect?) was wildly emphatic about locating a suitcase to carry around the house at, or shortly after, the stroke of midnight; apparently there is a Mexican tradition that says if you do this, you are assured much travel in the coming year. Since the neighbors are foreigners like me, there were no 12 grapes or some of the other more traditionally Mexican customs, so you'll have to read about them elsewhere on the web; this ain't no tourism brochure after all.
Mexico got a new president, from a different political party than the one that had ruled for the last 70 years. Mexicans were demanding some respect so they finally elected a different party. There is a saying that every country has the government that is deserves, so I don't know what all the bitching was about. Now that there is a new president, everyone expects water to turn to wine and the two loaves... well you get the picture. NotTheNews covered that aspect of the federal elections as well - read about it here if you haven't already.
And they say I'm not helping the economy by writing such negative things! I think that in the Department of Negative Experiences, many locals do their best to make living in Merida an unpleasant experience, both for foreigners and their fellow Yucatecans, so don't get all worked up for nothing. Look around you! You don't see any foreigners asking for bribes to stay here do you? Why am I mentioning this? Ah, yes, hindering the economy and driving away potential visitors and future residents! Well...
Yet another one of my readers (you all remember Rich from last year - what... you don't? ) moved to Merida; he shall, of course, remain nameless for now, but he has a whole treasure chest of anecdotes of first time gringo adventures in the proverbial third world country. Sprinkled among the jewels are stories about antique furniture, customs agents, dirty magazines, immigration officials, extemporaneous charges for photocopies at the immigration office, and much, much more. Maybe one day we can all convince him to tell us the gory details so we can all have a chuckle at his expense. Write your letter of support (here) - I promise to print 'em so we can show him how many of us are interested in this Drama in Real Life!! We care!!!
The Casual Restaurant Critic has been lax of late, but then there isn't much new and exciting to write about. Several of the restaurants reviewed have been shut down. In some cases it's too bad, but mostly we all knew it would eventually happen. Some examples of the latter are Terra and that seafood disaster Casa Marina. Of the former, the Critic laments the passing of the Siracusa restaurant, an original Italian eatery that was not your standard run-of-the-mill italian cuisine. At the bottom of the food chain, as far as places to eat are concerned, there was the helpful - though not endorsed by this writer or the College of Medicine - restaurant review sent in by the Marmot, a new reader who wanted to share the wealth (of information) with all of you. Soon, the Critic will round up his original Fussy Crew and check out some more eateries to help you, dear reader, avoid gastrointestinal disorders and culinary disappointments.
Happy reading and have a good month!
