Our last evening in Merida

Saturday evening in Merida is a major event, with the main square and several of the streets closed for the festivities. There are live bands and dancing in the streets, and all the restaurants fill the streets with their tables. It is one long promenade. We want to join in the festivities but can’t resist another meal at Casa de Piedra before we do.

We are greeted like old friends when we arrive and our waiter fetches the chef who comes out to talk to us. It turns out he was the master chef for seven years at Absynthe in San Francisco and lived just a few blocks from us. We have a wonderful conversation with him and he tells us how he missed Merida so much he had to return, but now he is here he is missing San Francisco . He cooks another great meal for us. This time I start with scallops which are seared crispy on the outside but somehow perfectly cooked inside. I follow this with another wonderful fish dish. This chef knows how to cook fish.

We then return to Merida where the streets are full of people, restaurants have spilled out onto the streets, bands are playing everywhere, and a few brave souls are dancing. The central square is packed and there is entertainment everywhere. Again we notice that the evening may be enjoyed by the tourists, but it is all really about the locals.
The party goes on until 1pm, but we don’t last that long
We are so impressed with this city. It knows how to do things right