Those who read this forum regularly know that I have a 2nd home in Merida Yucatan, Mexico. I have been asked many times why Merida? what's the gay life like there? Costs to live there? etc? I, like many people had never heard of Merida(it is 90 miles west of Cancun). Florida Rob on this site is a good friend of mine for close to 15 years and he had moved there and opened a restaurant and told me I should visit him. His stories about how all the guys in Merida "are gay or if they aren't they want to be" lol, sounded so over the top that I wanted to go and find out.
Merida is the capital of the state of Yucatan and has a population of over !,000,000 It is considered the safest city in Mexico as it is not a route for drugs to the U.S. Unlike Cancun, there has been no killings, robberies assaults of Americans/Canadians. The city has a expat community of approximately 5,000+ Americans and even greater number of Canadians! Canadians seem to have discovered Merida years ago as a 6 month winter get away that was very inexpensive. It is also the number one city for Medical tourism in Mexico.
Merida has a International airport(MID) and has direct service from Houston on United, Miami on American and Atlanta on Delta. It is about a 1-1/2 hr flight from either Houston or Miami. Airfare from SoCal to Merida is usually just under $400.r/t
The Centro part of Merida has the Historic Homes that are over 100 years to 200 years old. This is the area where most of the foreigners have bought homes as the younger Mexicans would rather move to the new suburbs rather then in the town center where their grandparents lived. Merida is about 20 miles from the beach area which really doesn't have any major hotels...Yet. but a 4 mile long pier was built to accommodate cruise ships. you can still buy individual private homes on the beach for $300,000.
The city is dominated by one of the oldest churches in the Americas, built in the 1500's the park in front of the Cathedral is where all the activities take place every night in Merida, with music, dances, food fairs, and a number of hustlers always there.
the photo of the guy is one of the strippers at one of the four gay bars, who often swings by in the late afternoon on his way to work to ask if I want to do anything. if I say no not today he goes "ok will check with you tomorrow". He is tall compared to most as he is 6'1", he is from a village about a 100 miles away.