The 4th of August, 2015
Today, the Cultural Centre Olimpo is open and I start with a visit to one of the three exhibition places. Portraits of Mozes, Ghandi and Mother Theresa…..Another room with paintings, which were not my style. The third room was just fun. The way different “artists”, if you want to call them artists, made their garden into a special living place, with lots going on and using all kind of colours and materials. In their section, enormous pictures of the artists, working in their own place. In the midst of the different displays, a hairdresser, who is cutting your hair for 3 US$, while he is singing the Italian songs he plays on his exhibition stand. It was just a very crazy showcase, this room, but for sure the three guys, who were “on guard” had fun! According to one, especially while interacting with the public……..
From Olimpo, it is just a few meters walking to the Palacio del Gobierno (governments building), where I had already a short visit during my first day here in Merida, but this time I wanted to spend some more time learning about the history from Yucatan and the Mayan people, all expressed in the beautiful murals of Fernando Castro Pacheco, who is from Merida. We saw his work already in the Municipality Museum, but here his work is on every floor of the building present and tells you so much about the suffering of the people, their religion and their legends (the birth of man, is through a stalk of corn). Besides the impressive murals, there is this soft green coloured building with many arches and enormous red ceramic pots filled with palm trees. What a gorgeous setting! 
From the Palacio del Gobierno, I walk via Parque St. Lucia and Parque St. Ana to the Paseo de Montejo. Opposite park St. Ana, I find a very small and simple eatery, called “Jardin Santana”, where I have a pollo “Yucatan”, a water and a beer, all for 70 pesos ($4.20). I even get taco’s with avocado, as appetizer. Very nice staff and an “interesting” bathroom.
The Paseo de Montejo is called by some “the Champs Elysees of Yucatan”. It is a wide avenue, with pavements covered by trees. On every intersection there are statues and further up the Paseo you will find the impressive “Monumento a la Patria”. The houses along the Paseo are beautiful historical buildings from Spanish and French architecture. Mostly owned by banking firms or turned into hotels, others are in state of demolish and often for sale.
Once walking up the Paseo, I decide to just continue my walk and see if I can make it home by feet. As long as you have water with you and don’t do these kind of things in the middle of the day, it is a nice “hike”. I will do this more often!
