Merida

Merida

Back to Spain.

Maureen suggested that we add a night in Spain after Evora and before Lisbon at the end of our trip. Maureen had visited Merida when she was studying in Salamanca several years ago and assured me that it was a town worthy of a look.

I had a bad feeling about Merida because, again GPS lady was not able (or willing) to tell us where our hotel was. We arrived in Merida and went directly to the information office, who told us that a) the hotel was close by, b) there was a place to put the car while we checked in and c) that there was a tour train that would take us around the city. I was pleased by all three pieces of information.

Armed with knowledge, we headed toward the hotel. Sure enough, we found the hotel without any problem. The problem was that there was no place to leave the car while we checked in. So, we circled. On the third pass, I told Maureen to get out and ask inside the hotel what we should do. I couldn't believe that a 5 star hotel did not have a valet out front.

I made two more circles and on the third pass, a spot out front finally opened up. I quickly pulled in and went in to join Maureen in the check in line. When it was our turn, the receptionist asked us if we had left the keys in the car so that it could be parked. ARE YOU KIDDING? DID I LEAVE THE KEYS IN THE IGNITION IN A PUBLIC PLACE, IN A BUSY SQUARE IN SPAIN?? Clearly, she was either really trusting, or was testing the stupid American girls...

After getting settled into our room, we decided to make our way to the Roman archeological site. We walked along the pedestrian plaza and noticed something we had never seen before: Merida has a system of cold water mists that are installed about every 100 feet just about 7 feet above the street. It would have been great, if only the mist had found its way to the ground.

In just a few minutes, we were in the square in front of the Roman theater and amphitheater. It had to have been 150 degrees outside. I thought to myself, "Merida must be Spanish for hell... because it is just that hot..." (Actually, Merida is a Spanish adaptation of the Roman name of the town-- Augusta Emerita. The Roman emperor, Augustus, established the town as a retirement community for his soldiers who had fought in Spain and Britain. This concludes your history lesson.)

We bought our tickets and went into the Roman complex. The sun was so intense that I could actually feel my skin sizzling, my scalp was sweating so intensely that I felt as if I was melting from the top down. After walking and photographing the two structures, it was time for the tour train. We had been told that the train did not take siesta and that it had continuous hours. That was actually not correct information. We stood next to the stationary train and waited. For 45 minutes. Finally, Maureen walked across the square to the icecream stand and asked the man if he knew anything. He said that the train would leave at 4:30, half an hour from that point. So, we waited a little more. We stood with a Spanish family of 4 who had been there about as long as we had. A Portuguese family had thrown in the towel about 20 minutes earlier. At about 4:35, an unassuming young man walked over and asked if we were waiting for the train. It was only when he pulled out a set of keys that we realized he was the driver.

He announced that he could not depart until there were 10 passengers. There were 6 of us there. "Can we just buy the other 4 tickets??" asked the Spanish mother. My sentiments exactly. The driver turned on the engine and almost as if a siren had begun to sing, a whole flock of people approached, ready to get their tour on. "Didn't this guy ever see 'Field of Dreams?' 'If you build it, they will come...'

And come they did. The whole train was full and we set off. The commentary was in Spanish, so I didn't understand a single word... well, not exactly... I understood the random Latin terms the commentator threw out. But, other than SPINA this and LEGIO that and PROVINCIA the other, I really didn't know what the guy was talking about. But, for 3 euros, it was't a loss at all. I was able to see the entire city from the comfort of an open sided tour train.

Merida is (as I understand it) a pretty typical Spanish town. The place pretty much shuts down from about 3 until 6. People eat dinner after 9 and then they sit in the square sipping beers, smoking cigarettes, and watching their kids run amok. After an amazing dinner of grilled steak, then a promenade to the Plaza de Espana, and an ice cold home made lemonade, Merida was redeemed. I really enjoyed my time in this very small city, despite the ominous feeling I has as I drove into town. It is a place I will definitely find again.