Sundays in Merida
Merida is all about tradition and customs, which have been passed on from one generation to the next with pride and loving care. And what could be more traditional than the famous 'Merida en Domingo' (Sunday in Merida). Every Sunday, from early in the morning until the sun goes down, the main streets of downtown Merida are closed to cars and buses and filled with quaint little stands. Food, clothes and handcrafts are sold to locals and tourists who gather together to enjoy the festival of colors and delicious smells filling the air.
There are many different ways to enjoy 'Merida en Domingo'. Kids love to rent bicycles, while their parents stroll around, buy something to eat, or go to mass at the Cathedral. Some people prefer to stay at the Main Square and feed the pigeons in the park, or watch folkloric dances and the mime shows. Visitors, on the other hand, are more likely to rent a horse-drawn cart and take a tour around downtown.
One block north of the Main Square, there's a small park known as Mother's park, which has a statue of a woman taking care of her child. Here is where talented painters and skillful craftsmen and women display their art, poets read their best work and cartoonists offer to draw funny portraits of those who stop to take a closer look.
Ten years have passed since 'Merida en Domingo' started, and many people who used to go with their parents now take their own children to rent bicycles or feed the pigeons, and enjoy one of the most endearing customs passed on to them. If you are visiting Merida don't let the chance to enjoy one of its many traditions, pass you by!
