tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198512612012-01-09T17:45:50.839-07:00Life in Merida as seen through the eyes of a Neurotic ForeignerWilliam Lawsonnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1701100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-51650667088798110422010-02-22T15:05:00.001-07:002010-02-22T15:05:52.444-07:00

Here's a link to the new home of NotTheNews AND the Casual Restaurant Critic, which will be under one roof: http://www.lawsonsyucatan.com/ Tell me what you think!

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-82647242919316336302010-01-29T06:48:00.000-07:002010-01-29T06:48:44.671-07:00

For those of you who do not have the privelege of owning a vehicle in Mexico, this will be of little interest. For those that do, you probably know it already: in Mexico we have to pay a tenencia, or tax just to own a car. This on top of all the other taxes that one must pay in Mexico, this great land where those that pay taxes (30% of the population) pay for the other 70% who either evade

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-3523075041907318622010-01-22T11:41:00.000-07:002010-01-22T11:41:26.288-07:00

Yes, Virginia, there is crime in the formerly white city. Fortunately, it is not of the narco/violent variety so prominent in every single other state of this great country. Ms. Gorbman just put up an interesting post: http://gorbman.com/2010/01/22/crime-in-merida-a-mean-con/comment-page-1/#comment-867 Read and be aware!

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-45483508240602815752010-01-22T06:55:00.000-07:002010-01-22T06:55:55.398-07:00

 Thanks, MexicoBob for pointing this out! I did say that my "research" was entirely superficial and based on Google; how I missed this one so relatively close to home is a mystery. Not as mysterious as a good black Christ legend, but still puzzling. Here's the link: http://mexicobob.blogspot.com/2008/03/cristo-negro.html

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-82460162780266547772010-01-19T06:45:00.001-07:002010-01-22T11:42:21.845-07:00

Note: If you are under the impression, from the suggestive title "The Mystery of the Black Christ at Chumayel" that I am going to explain in definite terms why the altar in the church at Chumayel has a black Christ on it's cross, then stop reading now, because I haven't found the answers. If you have the answer or know of a good theory, let me know! On a very recent (last week) visit to the

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-62821401719910356562010-01-18T07:01:00.003-07:002010-01-18T07:07:34.764-07:00

Driving friends and relatives around the Yucatan, I am often struck by the difference in 'feel' from town to Yucatecan town; Mani, while famous for its' convent and history and of course the Tutul Xiu restaurant always gave me a neutral impression. Some people are very friendly, like the lady who embroiders dresses in front of the unfortunately closed-during-a-large-part-of-the-day convent;

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-28566764380785511512010-01-14T08:54:00.000-07:002010-01-14T08:54:31.087-07:00

As I alluded to on William Lawson's Driving blog, yesterday I took some folks to Dzibilchaltun. I had told them about the site and it's small but well.put-together museum. I was shocked at the state of the museum: it is literally falling apart around the exhibits. Not that you are going to get hit in the head with falling plaster, but you may stumble a bit on the floor, which is made of wooden

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-82098220474670605702009-12-30T19:42:00.000-07:002009-12-30T19:42:11.537-07:00

Yours truly drives an Impala. This car is no longer imported into Mexico and so the models around are mostly 2000-2003, with a few 2004 versions kicking around. Why this is I can't say, since Chevrolet is still offering the giant Suburban gas guzzlers and has just put the re-tooled Camaro on the Mexican market, complete with 8 cylinder options and the Impala is a nice roomy car perfect for

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-40429935903061654092009-12-19T13:50:00.000-07:002009-12-19T13:50:39.593-07:00

My least favorite activity is trying to negotiate - ie walk through - the mall during the December rush just prior to Christmas. Although there are several malls now available for Meridanos to escape their homes and 'pasear', it seems that each of them is as crowded as the next. Parking is nearly impossible and it takes 10-15 minutes of sitting in your car waiting for that family in the minivan

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-64975689323252014702009-12-19T12:11:00.000-07:002009-12-19T12:11:33.828-07:00

Just a had an adrenaline moment with my online TelMex account. Since the sucky Servicio Postal Mexicano can not deliver your telephone bills (or IMSS statements for that matter if you are a business) on time, you ceck your calendar and see that it's time to pay but of course you have no idea what you owe. Also, in case you don't use the calendar option, TelMex calls its' customers with a recorded

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-35651218479670934232009-12-08T19:21:00.000-07:002009-12-08T19:21:32.870-07:00

Did you like how I made the title into something related to the formerly white city? I get SO frustrated (those who know me know my penchant for slamming things that don't work against the nearest concrete wall) with my retarded iPhone and iTunes. Whenever I try to update my podcasts, music, photos or whatever, it will take me at least 3 or 4 attempts to get the damn thing to update. iTunes

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-48918585607808590352009-11-30T10:25:00.000-07:002009-11-30T10:34:33.794-07:00

Lawsons' Personal Driving Service is touring today with the Richards family! First stop: Chicxulub Puerto.Visiting at the Benito Juarez elementary school through the Chicxulub Food Bank program, run by Sharon, an organization that sponsors needy children and their families. Donations needed and welcome!Contact me for details if you can help.- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-79922421787208429532009-11-29T18:45:00.002-07:002009-11-29T19:10:31.158-07:00

Saw an interesting article on Mexperience.com:http://www.mexperience.com/blogs/mexicoinsight/?p=227It seems that there is a new way to register internet businesses in Mexico, up from the old .com.mx ending to a more modern .mx ending. Ie: lawson.mx instead of lawson.com.mxSo get your domain registered today!

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-32099879919450120182009-11-28T07:44:00.001-07:002009-11-28T07:44:52.154-07:00

I got a call from my oldest offspring last night, cell to cell, just as I was leaving the warmth of my bed to brave Meridas' 'heladez' and midnight traffic to pick up my youngest, who had called just 10 minutes before to say that her ride home had not worked out due to an incident between two vehicles and a rearview mirror where the latter was not used prior to backing up one of said vehicles,

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-24640269775083103872009-11-27T07:08:00.001-07:002009-11-27T07:08:15.339-07:00

Maybe it's the heavy police presence. Perhaps it's the states' geography. Or, there might be some truth to the persistent rumour that the 'narcos' have their families here and an understanding not to go after one another here. Whatever the reason, Yucatan is the safest state in violence-riddled Mexico, according to the Consejo Nacional de Seguridad Publica (National Council on Public Safety). The

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-76865697981300455122009-11-26T23:15:00.003-07:002009-11-27T10:27:36.977-07:00

In a word, fantastic!!!In spite of the blurriness you see in the iPhone photo (hopefully Steve will include a decent camera at some point in his newest iPhone) the concert was very sharp indeed.He started almost on time, around 9:30, under a clear, cool, moonlit sky and performed for almost 2 hours to a very enthusiastic Merida audience in the crappy Kukulkan baseball stadium. I kept thinking, it

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-35587550408521830702009-11-20T17:48:00.003-07:002009-11-20T18:21:35.661-07:00

This is in answer to Malcolms' question on the previous post and since it is something I always write, perhaps I should elaborate on it a little.All (OK 95% of) the tourist information out there always (94%) refers to Merida as the 'white city'. Does anyone ever question this; wonder why? There are several versions or theories as to why Merida got its' reputation as 'la ciudad blanca'.The first;

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-72836190316318883642009-11-19T11:38:00.002-07:002009-11-19T11:54:49.937-07:00

One of the joys of adolescence is looking forward to the day you can drive the family car and be free of your dependence on parents and friends to get you from A to B. In the formerly white city, this phenomenon means a visit to the Modulo de Licencias which is run by the police people. There is the main branch at the ex-penitentiary where you can also do more complicated paperwork such as

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-70767443949880108632009-11-15T11:18:00.001-07:002009-11-15T11:19:22.746-07:00

This is how a real email scam letter should look! Look at all the trouble they went through to make it look nice and real: Google Incorporation®. Belgrave House,76 Buckingham Palace Road,London SW1W 9TQ,United Kingdom Notification Date: 11th/11/2009 GOOGLE WINNING NOTIFICATION. We wish to congratulate you once again on this note, for being part of our lucky winners selected

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-6301712508273449232009-11-14T08:19:00.001-07:002009-11-14T08:22:47.502-07:00

As you dear readers know, living in Merida means you don't have to put up with a lot of crap that you do back home (you put up with different crap) but junk mail is unavoidable anywhere.And that's how todays' post ties into the blogs' theme. Cool, huh?Usually those emails announcing opportunity to become someones' investment partner are pretty elaborate. From the widow or orphan asking for help

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-34728097236465596602009-11-09T21:15:00.001-07:002009-11-09T21:15:37.499-07:00

I don't know why I don't pick up the local paper more often; there's so much to catch the eye of the neurotic foreigner!Besides the happy ending article, there's another on page 9 of the Local section (where all the good stuff is) which proclaims that police roadblocks in Merida, particularly the ones where motorists are stopped and checked for alcoholic breath, are being modernized.There'll be

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-71344649706365654302009-11-09T20:52:00.001-07:002009-11-09T20:52:36.648-07:00

It seems the Diario de Yucatan is determined to get the word out about those massages on Progreso's beach.In an article on page 14 of todays' Local section, the headline reads: "Critica la Iglesia un 'final feliz' (Church criticizes a 'happy ending'). Apparently Progresos' head church person heard about the story and called it a 'vulgarity' and stated that the citizens of Progreso have much more

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-36578491509546968972009-11-07T13:30:00.003-07:002009-11-07T13:45:12.195-07:00

In yet another scene from the Yucatan that makes this neurotic foreigner smile, there was a small article in the Diario de Yucatan newspaper, page 11 of the Local section, that had the following headline:Piden discrecion a las masajistas (Masseuses asked to exercise discretion)Apparently, authorities, handcrafts salespeople and service providers in Progreso claim that it is possible that there

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-44532962209468434812009-10-27T22:45:00.001-06:002009-10-27T22:45:22.543-06:00

My wise words of advice if you are flying to Houston from Merida: check your departure time!! While the time change in Mexico is not synched with the USA, Continentals' flight to Houston leaves at 6 not 7 AM.Learned this the hard way on Monday! Hats off to the Continental staff at the Merida and Cancun airport counters who were so helpful and patient!- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-90751566175311682009-10-13T13:29:00.001-06:002009-10-13T13:29:58.912-06:00

Would you like one? Perfect for Christmas gifting (early but what the heck). Let me know and I will contact you about how to go about getting yours.No pressure, but there is a limited number available. This is because there is only so much weight you can bring in your luggage on the plane!Contact me today!

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-50634993071454325122009-10-04T12:32:00.002-06:002009-10-04T12:39:13.059-06:00

Another happy scene from the Comercial Mexicana parking lot, where those responsible for law and order and setting a good example for the rest of us mortal citizens are doing a fine job. I guess they were just in a hurry so that's OK. This seems to be the justification for all sorts of inconsiderate behavior by many residents of the formerly white city...

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-70860035820554751942009-09-22T17:03:00.003-06:002009-09-22T17:12:59.793-06:00

Here's an example of 'optimistic' advertising (I'd call it blatantly misleading but you all know me). Read the sign carefully, especially the part about how long it will take you to get there.The Martí gym franchise Sport City was all set to come to the Yucatan and compete with Exersite (Altabrisa mall). You can still see where that was going to happen across from the Hacienda Xcanatun at the

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-20993296307046742472009-09-19T20:11:00.003-06:002009-09-21T10:01:27.054-06:00

Here is a classic you will encounter when driving ahead. For local drivers, it is very important to not leave a space between you and the car in front of you, and if someone needs to get in, close that gap even further so as make it impossible.Note the black BMW is trying to turn into the car lot. The white car in front of me has pulled ahead, effectively blocking the BMW's path.Patience...(sorry

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-2207712378989015712009-09-18T11:26:00.002-06:002009-09-18T11:28:50.001-06:00

From Sympatico.ca this morning.I hope this is not Canadian VISA rage; if so all of us Canadians are in trouble.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Canadian woman killed in Mexico 18/09/2009 11:52:19 AM CBC News

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-76999584077184676382009-09-03T08:55:00.007-06:002009-09-03T09:33:35.784-06:00

Yes, that's Sara, no 'h', as the newspaper put it this morning.Our hallowed Instituto of Cultura, captained merrily once again by Jorge Esma, a local politician we just can't seem to get enough of, is presenting Sarah Brightman in concert, at the Chichen Itzá archeological site. Our friend Jorge was of course the guy who brought us Pavarotti and Domingo as well, thereby consolidating his position

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-91956991264295097612009-09-02T10:00:00.003-06:002009-09-02T10:09:58.537-06:00

"Following" people on Twitter can provide you with nuggets of information it seems. Jorgito, an occasional reader of this blog and the one written by the neurotic Casual Restaurant Critic, noted on Twitter that the use of cell phones was now permitted on airplanes.It was published today in the Diario de Yucatan newspaper, the bible for many Yucatecans and so the story MUST be true.A quick check

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-57159228621488501482009-08-08T09:52:00.005-06:002009-08-08T10:02:31.839-06:00

Not everything is doom and gloom in Merida! :)Here are some photos taken yesterday in the City Center area of a spectacular double rainbow and sunset!

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-12645945471687520512009-08-08T09:37:00.004-06:002009-08-08T10:03:14.342-06:00

Thank you Rodney, for this hilarious photo which takes the best of Yucatecan Spanish (huach/wach = Yucatecan Spanish for a person who comes from Mexico City) and English (Car Wash) and mixes it up.One could reasonably assume that the owner of this establishment is a Wach.

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-69321427209866191722009-08-06T08:51:00.003-06:002009-08-06T09:04:01.195-06:00

Getting all ready to Twitter away this morning which I like to do in lieu of exercise and what do you know? Twitter won't load.A quick Google search takes me to the Twitter status page and it informs me that they are under 'attack' and are 'defending themselves. A Denial of Service Attack. I had to look that up and Wikipedia says the following:A denial-of-service attack (DoS attack) or

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-9013528035641617752009-08-03T21:21:00.004-06:002009-08-06T09:08:56.505-06:00

I wonder if this is as predominant in other parts of the so-called civilized world, but here in the formerly-white city called Merida you see a lot of this: the used diaper, rolled up into a neat little crap-filled ball and left behind for someone else to throw away.How hard is it for these inconsiderate adults to dispose of their offsprings' DNA samples in a trash can? What can you expect from

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-23094721179960702992009-07-19T17:00:00.003-06:002009-07-19T17:06:33.312-06:00

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-4334628015906131822009-07-17T16:00:00.003-06:002009-07-19T08:31:14.227-06:00

In my previous post I stated why I thought the Canadians finally clamped down on the Mexicans. I blamed all the Mexicans who took advantage of Canada's relaxed immigration policies and ruined it for everyone.Now it's the Canadian governments turn.Who is the Canadian Brain Surgeon/Rocket Scientist who came up with this idiotic, one-day-to-the-next policy that will affect not only hundred if not

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-66709749101033382962009-07-17T12:02:00.003-06:002009-07-17T12:33:12.237-06:00

Just a quick "THANK YOU" to the person that bought some of my dictionaries last week!

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-65793022980854639952009-07-17T10:26:00.004-06:002009-07-17T11:55:25.347-06:00

There has been a lot of talk around town on the subject of the recent announcement by the government of Canada to require Mexicans entering Canada to have a visa. Some people understand this measure; others express indignation that those nasty Canadians would be so hostile towards Mexicans.As a Canadian, my only observation is that Canada has finally woken up to the fact that there are a lot of

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-19472946694337132682009-07-03T16:16:00.002-06:002009-07-03T16:20:53.476-06:00

You may notice, dear reader(s), that there is a link to 'my' Amazon store at the top right of the main page.The idea behind this is to be able to pitch some pesos to my overweight partner, the Casual Restaurant Critic, so he can continue with his valuable research into Merida's restaurant scene.If you feel Amazon-ish, go through the link and buy tons of stuff on Amazon, a tiny portion of which

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-25980979263420752822009-06-27T08:49:00.001-06:002009-06-27T08:49:51.506-06:00

William Lawson Henson Obituaries The StateGREAT FALLS — Mr. William Lawson Henson of 601 St. Peters Church Road, Chapin, SC, and formerly of Great Falls died Friday, June 26, 2009, at Lexington ...

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-24184695193327481912009-06-27T08:42:00.002-06:002009-06-27T08:47:39.093-06:00

The Mexican government(s), in its'/their infinite wisdom, prohibits the sale of alcohol during elections and July 5th, when there will be elections for diputados (a political sub-species of popular representative that makes a huge salary and does precious little for those he or she is supposed to represent) is no exception.The all-caring government doesn't want the nasty populace having the

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-42517619710621946282009-06-11T13:27:00.003-06:002009-06-11T13:43:11.950-06:00

If I could run for office, here are some of the 'propuestas' I would run on.Ecology/Conservation As part of a plan to make Yucatan the most ecology-friendly state in the country:An immediate 'hold' on all ongoing construction permits to review and if necessary, include, greater 'green' areas in all housing developments. A swing set and a palm tree on a minuscule corner lot do not a 'park' make,

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-83019741526537612192009-06-11T11:56:00.002-06:002009-06-11T12:31:10.278-06:00

Hooray for democracy!Yucatecos and Yucatecas have, once again, the wonderful opportunity to exercise their hallowed democratic rights and obligations, and elect a diputado!What the heck is a diputado, you might ask? It is said that the diputado is some kind of legislative political creature, that is supposed to represent the interests of the people in the district that voted for him or her.

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-79386574302627480422009-06-11T08:52:00.003-06:002009-06-11T09:08:07.576-06:00

Everyone has seen the dilapidated motorcycles here in Merida that carry one driver, one wife, one child (some or all helmet-less) and a carton of 24 eggs; or perhaps a worker wearing a construction site hard hat (counts as a helmet right?) his assistant on the back and a 12 foot aluminum ladder. Somehow, while it scares the bejeezuz out of a first time visitor, they all seem to make it home or to

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-45159016259167116992009-06-10T13:10:00.002-06:002009-06-10T13:13:46.034-06:00

UxmalA reliable source has informed me that the average number of daily visitors to Chichen Itzá is down from 6,000 to 300. That's right. Three hundred.Meanwhile, at Uxmal, the average is 60 people a day.This makes for a unique experience in Mayan ruin visiting!

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-39393160139756012162009-06-10T08:48:00.003-06:002009-06-10T09:11:06.522-06:00

Well I slept on it (yesterday's post was written at midnight and in a rush of indignation) but this morning I find myself still a tad worked up over this 'new' mobile phone registry news item.I found a better link on the subject on the news site for Milenio. You can read it (in Spanish, of course) here.The federal government, through the Secretaria de Gobernacion (SEGOB) and its' Registro

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-68007510452746880212009-06-09T22:54:00.003-06:002009-06-09T23:09:07.062-06:00

It seems that when it comes to Draconian laws that infringe on your privacy, the United States (Patriot Act) is not the only country to come up with new ways to create more bureaucracy and poke around in your life.The newly decreed Mobile Telephone Registry program, now officially a part of the Mexican governments' Telecommunications Law, states that everyone who owns a cellular phone, both on a

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-67539234337060172752009-06-07T09:45:00.006-06:002009-06-07T10:13:58.906-06:00

Can you spot the Caffeinated Kid?In the previous post, I mentioned the camp and the rules imposed upon its' operation by the fact that it was a School District run event and therefore had to comply with several sanitation requirements.This camp, which was run by counsellors and Grade 12 students for Grade 7 age students, featured tents and campfires and all those things that make camp fun. Such

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-39064782460422447422009-06-01T15:48:00.004-06:002009-06-03T09:55:28.549-06:00

Just back from a trip to Canada where I reluctantly was recruited to drive the fat and always cantankerous (spelling?) Casual Restaurant Critic around, I was struck by some of the rather quaint differences between life in Canada and life in Mexico observed. Here are some:Safety First in the Kitchen - having had the opportunity to participate - albeit only on the sidelines, chopping red onions as

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-21714666681191866582009-05-05T11:42:00.004-06:002009-05-05T12:24:58.994-06:00

praying for some informationThis morning's Diario de Yucatan website states that there is one unconfirmed case of swine flu in the Yucatan. Great news, right? According to the story, they are awaiting the results of the tests from Mexico City. There's no way to confirm this locally? Hmmm.This same website has another article that reports on the efforts being made on Yucatan's state borders, where

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-43352578064603011162009-05-04T09:56:00.002-06:002009-05-04T10:05:21.287-06:00

In that occasionally infuriating way Mexico operates that brings out the neurotic foreigner in me, it turns out that the Gran Plaza mall is open this morning. A call to their administrative office reveals that the order from the manager/administrator is that 'the mall opens'. This in spite of the 'official' statement yesterday saying that Merida malls would be close until May 6th. And you wonder

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-16003744906139843772009-05-03T22:08:00.002-06:002009-05-03T22:13:51.122-06:00

Just a quick note to let anyone not aware of the latest local developments regarding the swine flu hysteria that the authorities have decided in their infinite wisdom to close the malls as of this afternoon and apparently until May 6 or such time as it is determined 'safe' to do so.Wouldn't want anyone to get a runny nose now, would we?This is another nail in the coffin of the local, state and

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-85979884285024921332009-04-30T16:08:00.001-06:002009-04-30T16:09:13.555-06:00

Try it and see for yourself!Click here.Enough posting for today?Maybe.

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-73306490340996548302009-04-30T10:38:00.001-06:002009-04-30T10:39:47.007-06:00

Special address by the state of Yucatans' governor here.

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-70697745796972961132009-04-30T09:05:00.001-06:002009-04-30T09:08:49.453-06:00

Here is the link to the LA Times story this morning!

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-20958332256814030492009-04-30T08:43:00.004-06:002009-04-30T11:00:10.920-06:00

I'm not one to criticize (who, me?) but I have to admit that all the people wearing those cheap disposable light blue face masks look pretty darn ridiculous to me. Plus, they don't work (doctors words, not mine)For one thing, they don't fit properly around your nose area 'cuz they're not anatomically designed so anything in the air will get in your nasal passages from the openings around your

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-75697934781226850532009-04-28T09:12:00.002-06:002009-04-28T09:17:25.344-06:00

Here is a link to the Yucatan State government's website page where you can find information on the state of the influenza in the state. How many times can you put 'state' in the same post?It seems everything is OK in the Yucatan. No cases reported; even that French guy in Valladolid was given a clean bill of health. Or so they report.Still nothing on the Governor's Facebook page, though. It

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-70130437300942652912009-04-28T07:38:00.001-06:002009-04-30T08:43:10.394-06:00

I'm no doctor, so don't look to me for medical advice.Did you, dear reader, know that last year, in the US alone, and according to the CDC, 36,000 people died of flu-like symptoms? I read that this morning on CNN.We don't know how many in Mexico or even if anyone's counting of course, but there's probably a number out there and its more than 1000.Let's lighten up, shall we?CNNMobile Blogging from

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-8014870325377620132009-04-27T18:36:00.003-06:002009-04-27T18:43:33.701-06:00

Yes, although there is nothing on the official Yucatan government website (http://www.yucatan.gob.mx/) all schools from kindergarten through university - in Merida at least - are suspending classes until May 6th.I even checked our governors' Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/s.php?q=ivonne+ortega+pacheco&init=q&sid=89728b01476a8d2dfde1ca7259d2199f#/pages/Ivonne-Aracelly-Ortega-Pacheco/

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-12264162982931996162009-04-27T11:17:00.004-06:002009-04-27T11:31:32.836-06:00

HSBC, my favourite worst bank to deal with (and they all suck so there's no where to go) just charged me the fees detailed below. I had given my daughter my debit card and she didn't get the PIN right and so made several attempts at accessing the account.HSBC, the bank that will give you a Mickey Mouse Made-In-China cheapo plastic digital photo display frame 'as a gift' if you open an account

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-59649076344986043562009-04-26T13:32:00.002-06:002009-04-26T13:37:05.895-06:00

This little gem was photographed surreptitiously with the crappy camera that comes with Apple's iPhone at one of Cancun Airports Terminal 3 gift shops.The employee was busily accommodating merchandise on the shelves so I was able to snap this wonderful sign that made my afternoon a little more pleasant.

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-38305792034766749882009-04-24T09:50:00.004-06:002009-04-24T09:59:13.707-06:00

Apparently, there is some sort of influenza bug in the air and there is an alarming amount of cases out there; enough to - according to the press - warrant the IMSS apparently issuing an 'alert' and proceeding to apply vaccines to people already in the hospital system. There are reports that there are no more vaccines in the Mexico City area.This information was corroborated the other night by a

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-38746131278928451232009-04-21T18:37:00.003-06:002009-04-21T18:41:44.551-06:00

Last night, I woke up to the sound of something I haven't heard in months, it seems! Rain!The arrival of a 'cold' front to the Yucatan peninsula has brought some respite from the ungodly temperatures and the rain is a blessing to the parched landscape, wracked by drought, brush fires and the hand of the government and private construction companies intent on removing everything green and native

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-41220342674269898112009-04-19T22:49:00.001-06:002009-04-20T07:52:46.181-06:00

My therapist thinks that my neurotic posts are working, but is suggesting that I also accentuate the positive, as I see it.There's nothing better than coming home from work on a scorching 40 degree day, with a throat parched from the 40 plus degree Yucatan heat and finding a stash of cold, ripe bright orange with a hint of green mangos in the fridge! I like to eat 5 or 6 at a time, leaning over

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-58668620502248570022009-04-19T10:49:00.002-06:002009-04-19T11:00:57.371-06:00

Whenever there is a problem between you and the CFE (you say you consume a certain amount, they allege differently) they will offer to 'check out' your home or business to determine what your consumption 'should' be. They call this a 'censo de los aparatos' where they will go from room to room counting lightbulbs, television sets, fans, air conditioning units; anything and everything electric.

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-53079881842097947102009-04-18T19:13:00.008-06:002009-04-18T20:02:04.529-06:00

At the Blogger Summit alluded to in an earlier post today, it was suggested to me by my good friend Ellen that I should/could write more from the unique vantage point that being married to a Yucatecan has given me.OK.Turns out that our good friends at the CFE (Comision Federal de Electricidad for those new to the initials) have been billing yours truly incorrectly. Yes, the bills have been rather

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-4256545031156432342009-04-18T17:27:00.004-06:002009-04-18T19:18:55.701-06:00

I had the opportunity to meet some fine folks who write blogs about their lives in Mexico at a recent get-together that saw bloggers attend from here in Merida and also Cancun, Playa and Isla Mujeres. It's actually still going on as I type this. The common thread is that we were all foreigners writing, in one form or another, about life here in Mexico!There was a half-day of presentations which I

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-36180336829277159092009-04-03T11:29:00.002-06:002009-04-03T11:40:57.872-06:00

As I continue to reluctantly deal with my branch of the infamous HSBC bank (is any Mexican bank really better) I never tire of looking at the their misleading and blatantly stupid advertising.For example, in their severely service-challenged Gran Plaza branch they announced just recently "New operating hours - more ventanillas open - to serve you better!!!" A ventanilla is a window. In this

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-12301428234544134372009-03-27T10:20:00.002-06:002009-03-27T10:47:18.910-06:00

The Diario de Yucatan published as it's front page story (March 23, 2009) an article detailing the church's exhortation that criticism is necessary and its' warning of the dangers of not accepting dissenting opinions.Is the almighty church talking about itself? Of course not, silly reader! No, they are talking about politics. Apparently what's never been good for the goose is alright for the

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-9726748760081974372009-03-14T20:15:00.000-06:002009-03-14T20:15:50.070-06:00

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-35656395018760356582009-03-03T15:24:00.004-07:002009-03-03T15:51:12.077-07:00

I had a crazy, out-of-the-box idea today while having lunch with my better half. We were discussing the perception potential tourists have of Mexico given the increase in violence along the border.Since the drug business is based on the premise of overwhelming and incessant demand by a large percentage of the citizenry of the Somewhat United States of America, who WANT to get high and continue to

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-84008168711902312722009-02-08T19:53:00.007-07:002009-04-20T17:32:59.427-06:00

Every few years, the government in the form of its' state police, decides that all of us drivers need a little more stress in our lives and decrees that all license plates must be exchanged for new ones. Just because.Actually there are a few reasons for this move, among which are the following:to detect stolen vehiclesto detect vehicles brought into the country illegallyto ensure that those

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-22694070701018297272009-01-21T09:12:00.002-07:002009-01-21T09:20:41.946-07:00

No arrests yesterday in Washington D.C., with almost 2 million people struggling to be a part of Obama's inauguration, so that says a lot about the atmosphere and goodwill present!The official - and probably completely unread - NotTheNews position is one of relief that the Medieval era of Cheney/Bush is finally over. Time to reel in the world's number one "rogue" nation.All the best to the new

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-89611814990952615982009-01-15T08:37:00.004-07:002009-01-15T09:11:00.671-07:00

I am glad to not be the only person to be more than a little worried about Israel's heavy handed, politically-motivated response to the cowardly Hamas idiots who insist on firing missiles at Israel and then hiding among women and children. They (Hamas) must be so proud of themselves now.That said, it is a sad day for humanity when the elephant, finally tiring of the needle pricks constantly being

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-31503580391621100582009-01-11T11:22:00.003-07:002009-01-11T11:39:55.751-07:00

The automobile financing through HSBC was a bust.After several more phone calls back and forth with my crest-fallen ejecutivo, who would have loved to have made his December quota of loans, and was prepared to go as far as to remove my mothers maiden name from the six-year-old bank records in order to have the loan application be approved, it became apparent that the loan was not to be.At one

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-74420270091883121862009-01-03T19:33:00.008-07:002009-01-04T10:20:38.088-07:00

HSBC - the worlds' worst bank? Maybe not. But they are definitely in the running.Besides implementing such shoddy hiring practices that have resulted in the lower primates appearing at the front lines of the banking industry in Merida, they have provided me with this latest gem in banking logic that defines Mexico for me (the admittedly neurotic foreigner) in all its Kafka-esque wonder.Having

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-74070385439162622322008-12-21T21:18:00.003-07:002008-12-21T21:45:32.105-07:00

In case you missed it, an even more neurotic reader of blogs than I visited this blog and commented on my 'shout out to the Israelis' post. His rant goes something like this:ADO said... Agree with you on the decrepit facilities available to tourists in Mexico.As for Gaza, perhaps it has escaped your attention that the Hamas government,and its other terrorist friends, has been lobbing missiles at

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-49104998386433948552008-12-20T08:22:00.006-07:002008-12-20T09:25:17.066-07:00

Staying on-theme with the tourism comments in the previous posts, I wanted to quickly give you my impressions on the state of the art facilities at Ek Balam.Ek Balam is one of those Mayan archaeological sites that is not in the same league, promotion and money-invested wise, as say, Chichen Itza and Uxmal, it's more famous cousins. Along with Mayapan and places like Aké, it is a site seen by far

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-40517858798977128552008-12-15T11:26:00.003-07:002008-12-15T12:49:55.669-07:00

I have been saying lately, and after having lived here for 20-plus years, that the real name of Progreso should be Atraso, since the word progreso means progress (atraso means the exact opposite) and that is the last thing that this little town has seen in the 20 years of my living here.Cruise ships arrive at the port and disgorge inordinate amounts of somewhat curious tourists (they can't be

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-19281446276948389312008-12-12T08:37:00.003-07:002008-12-12T08:45:05.722-07:00

Don't know much about history, or so the song goes.I don't know much about the Gaza blockade, but it sounds like a real piece of work coming from a people who suffered a holocaust.Also a great way to Win Friends and Influence People on the international stage.Happy Hanukkah, people!

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-19618485349957400622008-12-11T07:36:00.005-07:002008-12-13T20:07:59.699-07:00

Most of you already know that Merida, the formerly white city, now boasts among its many attractions, an ice rink where public skating is offered to those Yucatecans (and people who have that aspecto fuereño thing going on) brave enough to overcome their reluctance to rent skates that were worn by who knows who and take to the ice.Located in the Galerias Liverpool mall, the ice rink is also used

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-13836753504378645952008-11-15T18:36:00.009-07:002008-11-16T12:47:31.202-07:00

Finally all that boring stuff at the church is thankfully done with and everyone is in agreement that it was really a beautiful ceremony. It matters little how dull and uninspired it might have been, or how the priest doing the honors was really talking down to his congregation as if they were a bunch of Matamoros chicken farmers, his self-important speech, political references and grandiose hand

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-73212157979842844452008-11-15T17:08:00.005-07:002008-11-15T18:35:16.754-07:00

The day of the wedding, there are two important events (important at least for the invited guest, there are plenty of other important events for the couple doing the marrying) : the mass, and the party/reception.Remember that we are in Mexico, the invitees can number in the hundreds and also, everyone is catholic which explains a lot of things about the state the country is in, but again I am

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-23936467556135600962008-11-15T11:14:00.004-07:002008-11-15T12:02:28.485-07:00

Inspired by a wedding I attended last night, I thought it might be fun to do a little write-up regarding that most important of social occasions, the wedding. For those of you new to the Yucatan, you might find this useful. To make the article more readable, I will post it in several parts. This is the first part, dealing with most things pre-wedding.Before the grand social event, which the

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-55867048461635281962008-11-13T21:14:00.004-07:002008-11-13T21:22:33.954-07:00

Some of you may remember a while back I posted energetically regarding smoking in restaurants. In it, I mentioned that the malls were still smoke-friendly.Well, no more. The Gran Plaza has finally abolished smoking in the mall, which includes those cafeterias and restaurants like Segafredo, Italian Coffee, Kukis by Maru and Italianni's. This on the heels of the smoking ban in their sister mall

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-1895335653929684922008-11-11T12:30:00.002-07:002008-11-11T13:42:12.880-07:00

If you have a blog, like this one (OK not as neurotic but anyway) you might have been getting neutral to positive comments from one-name readers. I know I have. Just posted the second one. Then I clicked on the name associated with the posting and lo and behold, it lead to the same insurance blog that another comment-poster led to a few days ago.Seems like this is yet another sneaky way of

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-33495313649900468252008-11-05T09:38:00.003-07:002008-11-05T10:43:03.246-07:00

I know, I know: this blog is supposed to be about life in Merida, but I don't have enough political savvy or material to dedicate an entire blog to politics, so you will have to bear with me as I unburden myself - politically - here. And before you get your knickers in a twist, you should remember that this is my personal opinion and you have every right to go read something else, like the Fox

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-42757938629407107742008-11-03T18:49:00.007-07:002008-11-03T19:05:09.261-07:00

Vote!Here's to all the Americans from the United States (as opposed to all of the rest of us Americans) who have this opportunity to change the ruinous path the U.S.A. is now on and bring some common sense and compassion back to the most powerful nation on this planet.Vote!

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-53013863272628265752008-10-29T11:48:00.002-06:002008-10-29T11:54:52.943-06:00

Now that the musical-loving Better Half is back home, I accompanied her to see the one movie I didn't see during my marathon movie week, Mamma Mia.Meryl Streep is great as usual, the rest of the cast is alright in a campy, overacted kind of way, the storyline is corny but the scenery is great.And they all sing, even Pierce Brosnan. Ugh.What can I say, I don't care for musicals. I prefer my acting

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-50831335590446511662008-09-29T06:13:00.008-06:002008-09-29T08:15:25.388-06:00

Being as the rest of the family is dispersed around the globe and I am home alone, I have dedicated the last week or so to watching mostly crappy movies. In the cine and at home.There are a lot of movie theaters in Merida but like everywhere else, they like to all show the same movies at the same time. And with the price of a pirate DVD in el centro running around $20 pesos ($2.00 USD) there are

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-13468481247071640342008-09-28T10:18:00.003-06:002008-09-28T10:45:06.227-06:00

A quickie (post) this morning.I was snooping around Facebook and saw that one of my online contacts from Tabasco had joined a group that is called:"vetemos el arte de guillermo habacuc vargas un maldito asesino de perro"which is a group dedicated to banning the art of this Guillermo fellow who apparently killed a dog in the name of art.Now this group, created in 2007 on Facebook, has over 21,000

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-88049110412460036332008-09-27T17:08:00.003-06:002008-09-27T17:25:32.685-06:00

What is it, I wonder, that makes people read my blog and then complain that if I don't like it I should leave? Why are these people reading this blog? This is the blog reader's version of masochism. Have yourself checked by a reliable shrink, please.Did I say I didn't like living here? Does the blog not indicate somewhere, at some point, that this is a blog written from the POV of a Neurotic

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-72552423191079220632008-09-23T07:58:00.002-06:002008-09-23T08:48:16.736-06:00

While my associate the Casual Restaurant Critic writes sanguinely about the no-smoking rules in restaurants, I would like to take a sharper look at what I consider an invasion of privacy and an intrusion by government in the affairs of ordinary citizens.While government is supposed to be charged with maintaining some sort of level playing field when it comes to regulating the activities of its

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-4258008753834331972008-09-22T14:16:00.004-06:002008-09-23T08:55:39.711-06:00

Back in Merida from my travels, I can perceive the nervous tension in the city. The violence associated with more 'macho' states like Nuevo Leon and Sonora has made an appearance here at last, and it has shaken up the Yucatecans like nothing before. No hurricane has had the impact of the news that 12 headless bodies were found here.Here! Where nothing ever happens!There is a saying that says,

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-64890648612501090472008-09-22T14:13:00.002-06:002008-09-22T14:13:52.180-06:00

Chris Rock and I have a lot in common it would seem. We are both in the same corner on the so-called 'war on drugs', which is really a load of crap and an excuse to dedicate money 'stolen' taxpayers to a ridiculous and wasteful campaign that does absolutely nothing more than fill the jails with regular people who just want to get high while the real power players remain out there.Humans have been

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-14908685756784065402008-09-04T19:20:00.002-06:002008-09-04T19:22:58.470-06:00

While I travel in North America, it is with an increasing sense of incredulity that I realize the narcos have finally made their presence known in the Yucatan. Merida is finally waking up to the fact that it is not immune to their tentacles.I once told my family that if the violence in the rest of the country ever made it to the Merida, I would pack my bags and leave. It seems that a decision is

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-1555755908696411232008-08-14T17:34:00.003-06:002008-08-14T17:49:29.458-06:00

Here's another one!When filing your business's annual tax declaration, you make out the onerous paperwork - well, your accountant does because the Mexican tax system is so complicated that it is virtually impossible for anyone to understand what the hell it is you are supposed to actually put in the scores of little boxes and what to deduct or declare - and you file it, paying at the bank via

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-58472007498219622762008-08-14T07:41:00.003-06:002008-08-14T07:59:37.097-06:00

This note is of interest for those considering coming to Mexico and starting a small (or large) business...In their infinite and constantly increasing wisdom, the powers that be at the Secretaria de Hacienda y Planeacion (SHCP) known simply as 'Hacienda' established a rule that said you can not declare as a legitimate expense any expense that reaches or exceeds $2000 pesos if you paid for it in

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19851261.post-48766195991936892702008-08-13T08:38:00.002-06:002008-08-13T08:50:01.743-06:00

The CFE (Comision Federal de Electricidad) whose slogan is "for the progress of Mexico" is once again asking that any payments made on your electric bill by check be made with a certified check.This provision was relaxed a while back and one could pay their electric bill either with cash or a check (not certified). A few days ago I sent an employee to pay the business' electric bill which came to

William Lawsonnoreply@blogger.com3