Mérida, the state capital of Yucatán has many handsome buildings and pleasant parks. Free WiFi in all public plazas, large or small. Many benches, some have power plugs. To reduce number of people sitting on the same bench, they put potted plants on benches. People are very friendly, law-abiding. It feels very safe and orderly, even walking alone late at night. It's true in all Yucatan Peninsular. People wear face mask in general. They measure your temperature before letting you in any stores. Merida Culture's Facebook page is a good resource of what's happening, with English translation. It has a modern Palacio de Musica and a traditional ornate theatre, on top of other smaller venues. The city hosts many events. These are weekly recurring free events.
Monday, 9pm, Vaquería Yucateca, Palacio Municipal.
Tuesday, 8;30pm, salsa dancing in Santiago Park;
Wedesady, 8pm, Pok-ta-Pok: a Maya ball game at the cathedral;
Thursday, 8pm, Chamber Orchestra at Olympo Center;
8pm, Serenade at Santa Lucia Park;
Friday, 8:30pm, video mapping on the cathedral;
Saturday, 8-11pm, Mexican Night (singing and dancing);
Sunday, bici-ruta, a bike ride through the town.
The only draw-back is the heat. 30°C and above.
11/27, Saturday I arrived ~9:30pm. Checked wifi speed, pretty good. It has drinking water. AC works, has hot shower. However, later, I found that my sink leaked: the pipe below the sink didn't connect to anything. reported to the owner, Jose Luis.
11/28, Sunday, I went to Izamal in the morning, really like it. Came back early afternoon with some grocery from the main market near the bus station Surest. Jose Luis and his beautiful girlfriend came to get a room ready. He checked my sink, called a plumber over tomorrow. I was switched to room #4, which a folding table, and access to a balcony shared with room 5. I paid him for a week in cach without fees charged on all these digital platforms. Once he left, I found that the bathroom faucet only trickled. Impossible to use. Reported again.
I walked to Paseo Montejo after dinner, when it's cooler, and picked up a case of beer. Was told I couldn't buy alcohol after 5pm on Sundays! Oh well. I like the Paseo so much that I decided to stay put in the same hotel. When I got back, I found I have new housemate: Mark & Amy from Oakland, whom I would be sharing the balcony.
11/29, Monday, first day of my working from a hotel. I walked to the city center early in the morning, when it wasn't too hot. The govenment palace no longer opens to tourist. 
There's a free (by donation) walking tour at the main plaza at 9:30am. The guide speaks both Spanish and English. Good way to learning Spanish. I didn't like the tour much, so didn't stay long. Bought somme pastry and fruits from the market. When I got home, Mark took off saying there's no power. Jose was on the phone for a long time. Without power, the house was heating up quickly. It took awhile to get power up. I was late for my 11am meeting (1pm in Yucatan). Plumbers came and fixed my faucet, as well as the toilet.
Again, after 8pm, I walked into the town. When I came back, saw Jose Luis again. Power went out again!
11/30, Tuesday.
Visited the city museum in a peach-colored building, next to the main market. 
It's very small. This one opens at 9am, the earlist. All others open at 10am. The municiple building is closed to tourists. The contemporary art museum was closed this week.
10 am, I went to another walking tour from Santa Lucia park. This one divides the group into English and Spanish. I didn't like this one either.
Electrician was called again. The power went out for a few minutes, while I was in the middle of a call. No more outage for the rest of my stay.
Plaza Santiage salsa dance 8:30-9:30pm. Big band. Kids and senior all kinds, no one looks professional, everyone has a good time. Mask required within the make-shift fence. A guy checks your temperature and squeeze hand sanitizer on to your hands if you want to enter the fence.
12/1, Wednesday
Went to the cathedral to see Pok Ta Pok towards its end. I don't know how they hold with the fireball.
12/2, Thursday. Visited Casa Montejo in the morning. I saw a long line in front of the door, so I stood behind them. It turns out, they are here for some govenment functions. I had to come back at 11am, and I was waved in next to the long line.
There're only 3-4 rooms I could visit. They would open the door to let me in, and then close it after me. There's a room dedicated to local artisan woodwork: fantasy animals in bright colors.
The facade is more impressive than the interior.
8pm, Merida Chamber Orchestra playing Yucatan Waltz in Olympo Culture Center. Small auditorium, no AC.
On the way back, walked by Santa Lucia park, more singing and dancing here. Restaurants took over all the good viewing spots.
12/3, Friday. Walked to Walmart via Paseo Montejo early in the morning.
Now you see both the stately buildings as well as abandonned ones. I like it bettter in the evening, when everything is lit. Free WiFi along most of the street, many benches.
2 Austrian girls arrived. One had food poisoning and wasn't feeling well. I talked Doris into visiting Celestún for flamingos. They are leaving on Sunday, so Saturday is the only option for her. Went to bed early because we'd be leaving early tomorrow.
12/4, Satuday.
Day trip to Celestún. On the way back, bought some fruit from the market. After dinner and shower, I went to see Noche Mexicana. Lots of lights.
12/5, Sunday, planned to visit Maní, a magic town on the 9:30am bus. But I went to the wrong terminal, and by the time I found my bus, it was leaving. The next one is at 11am. Too late. Desponded as wasting a good weekend day, I went to see tour operators. One said for 500 pesos, I can visit Progreso, Laguna Rosada, Dzibilchaltún, and swim in an Ojo de Agua. It was 10am already, and I was to be picked up at 11am. They drove me home. At 11am, before I could eat lunch, the driver was here. Grabbed some pastry and oranges, and hopped in.
12/6-9,
getting into a routine: out early in the morning (usually back by 9am), and after dinner (8pm) when the temperature is beareable.
Bought an ADO ticket on 12/6, to take advantage of the advance-purchase discount. Also went to see the Yucatan Cowboys at 9pm on Monday, which I missed last week.
Lots of lights at night. Quite pretty. Paid Jose Luis for another week, and again for 4 more days. Getting friendly with Mark & Amy. Amy was studying psychology in a graduate program remotely, Mark, not sure what he does, other than he meditates every morning and talks to a shrink every day.
12/10 Friday. 2 new girls from Germany. They don't sound German at all. American accent. One is Asian, one is black. They had been studying in Monterray, MX for a semester. They only stayed for a day. Left and forgot to clean a pot which they were soaking.
Concert at Palacio de musica at 7pm. I got the time wrong, arrived at 8 as everyone was leaving.
Walked to the cathedral to see the video mapping. A narrator on the loud speaker. The lights showed the boundy and peace at Maya time, then conquisdors arrived brought disease and misery. People rose up, fires everywhere, and the end is again flowery.
Afterwards, I checked for car rental (the cheapest I found is 11k peso for the day) or tour options for the weekend, most of them are 1000 peso, but happily offered 800 if I buy 2 tours and pay cash.
12/11 Saturday. Day trip to Maní, Mayapán and cenote in Pixya.
I came back from my swim to find out that my Airbnb ran out of drinking water. I filtered water to dinner, while downing a can of beer. Around 8:30pm, I went to see Noche Mexicana again, and looked for an ATM in the vicinity, failed.
12/12, Sunday, Homún for cenotes. Mark bought a big jar of 20L water. They boil coffee every morning.
12/13, Monday, didn't do anything, except for working.
12/14, Tuesday, went to visit the ex-convent and Church of St. Francis of Assisi in Umán early morning. I arrived ~7:30am. Inside is pretty bare. Took a Mayab bus there. It's very close by. At the main plaza in Uman, I saw a long line and bunch of white vans. They are the collectivos for Merida. So I came back on one. The line moves quickly. The van was jam packed.
12/15, Wednesday. Heading to Campeche this afternoon, a different state. Jose Luis allowed late checkout, so I was able to take a shower before leaving. But by the time I got on the bus, I was sweating already. Problem with my ADO ticket. When I bought it online, I was charged twice. I cancelled one purchase from my bank. It turns out, the ticket was canceled. After a bunch of calls and on-line chat to no avail, I had to buy another ticket.
I stayed in Mérida for 2.5 weeks, made day trips during the weekends. Local schedule can be found at SUR Bus Facebook page, out of SurEst station, Mayab, SUR, Centro or Orient bus line. You can use AhorroBus card (not on ADO). Every time you load over 200 pesos, they give you extra 20%. This is one way to reduce cash usage from the bus driver. Many colectivos leaving to different directions near that terminal, cash only. More frequent.
