Making the Rounds, Merida Style

Bienvenido loyal reader. Please join Bruce and Mary as they traverse centro on a Saturday afternoon. As usual, for those of you email subscribers who prefer to view these posts from the blogsite, please click here.

 We’ve switched up our routine a little bit. We have started doing our weekly weightlifting on Fridays right after I log off my moderation job so on Saturday all that is required is our weekly shopping at Walmart. That being done and feeling a little peckish after our big breakfast hours ago, we head out for some grub, and beers of course. Here is Mary at the entrance to La Choperia on “our” street, Calle 56, 51 y 53.

 This is our view from La Choperia’s patio. We find that things have changed since our last visit. Now, they have the “meat buffet” only, until 6, when the full menu becomes available. The buffet costs 150P and we are not that hungry so we opt for just beers, Chope in this case.

 This is La Choperia’s bar. Chope is a relatively new Modelo brand and is only available as a draft served from these stainless steel temperature-controlled kegs.

Well beer might work for breakfast but not for a mid afternoon snack so we continue towards downtown, deciding to stop in for some grub at Cafe Club, Calle 55, 58 y 60.

 I think we’ll take that table.

 We decide to split a club sandwich for 60P. BTW, these are the best FFs that we have had in Mexico, and actually, perhaps anywhere.

We walk by El Tucho for the hundredth time and this day it is not so loud so we think to check it out. But upon viewing the menu at the door, we decide that we will not pay 36P for a beer, at least not in Mexico.

 We’re walking down Calle 62, with the idea of checking out the Mayan Pub when we spot this new vegetarian restaurant across the street, 55 y 57.

 This is Espacios Mayas beautiful courtyard. But alas, beer is not on the menu.

 In front of Espacios Bennie spots my MN Twins jersey and strikes up a conversation. Bennie and Cathy are from British Columbia. BC from BC are traveling Mexico by van with four other Canadians. Upon inquiry we find that they are 3 Anglophones and 3 Francophones (from Quebec) and there have been no capital crimes, so far. Que bueno, eh?

 We continue down Calle 62 thinking to check out what is happening at El Hoyo, a joint we used to frequent. Last time we walked by, it was under new management with renovations going on. Well today, just now, it is opening as the new Jurgen’s Bierhaus Centro, sister to the one up north in Colonia Mexico, and we are customers number one and two.

 These are some of the specials. I opt for the 2 x 1 Margaritas and Mary chooses a fancy beer.

 Isn’t this a pretty picture!

 The Bierhaus creed.

 Some of the friendly staff: Ismael, David, and Casildo.

 John, our new friend and customer number 3. John is from DC and the former lead attorney for the US Ag department and he first became familiar with this area as part of a negotiating team working on pest control with the Mexican Ag department. He tells a story of sightseeing with the US undersecretary with a taxista as their tour guide when Mary interjects, “Was he one-armed?” And John is amazed that we are good friends with Roberto the one-armed cabbie as well.

Customers number three, one, and the owners Lilibeth and Herr Jurgens.

 As we leave, Bierhaus Centro is starting to fill up.

 On our walk home, Mary chooses chocolate ice cream from our favorite La Noche Mexicana vendor, for a night cap. Cheers!

Thanks for visiting, gentle reader. As you know, Bruce loves comentarios and promises to respond to each and every one, in what he used to call in his previous life, real time. Hasta proxima Domingo!