A Family of Dentists

Dental Studio Merida is a family business of four dentists. Dr. Teresita Hernandez with a specialty in prosthodontics, her brother an orthodontist, her husband an endodontist and her sister-in-law, a pediatric dentist. Dr. Teresita has trained specifically for all types of dental restorations, getting her 3-year certificate of specialty in Prosthodontics at the University of Rochester in Rochester, New York. In 2010, she also completed a Fellowship in Implantology at the Universidad Nacional Autonoma in Mexico City. Her three fellow dentists have graduated from the best universities in Mexico, with additional post-graduate studies with professors trained in the United States. All four dentists speak English and Spanish fluently.

Dr. Teresita Hernandez

As the lead dentist at Dental Studio Merida, Dr. Teresita Hernandez is the only woman dentist in the Yucatan Peninsula with a US certificate in prosthodontics. After being born and raised in Merida by two parents who are also dentists and former teachers at UADY, she graduated with honors from dental school in 2004 and won several national scholarships. She also won a scholarship from Proctor & Gamble Phillips Oral Health to participate in the Summer Institute in Clinical Dental Research Methods at the University of Washington in Seattle. She is currently the president of the Scientific Committee of the Yucatecan Dental Association and is a part of a select group of dentists, Professors of the Mexican Dental Association, which lectures nationally.

Dr. Hernandez is a member of the US Academy of Osseointegration, the International Team of Implantology (a global organization) and a member of the Mexican and Yucatan Dental Associations.

Dental Studio Merida… A Team of Specialists

Because the dentists at Dental Studio Merida is a team of specialists, they are often referred patients from general practices that have work that needs to be repaired or have problems too difficult for other dentists to solve. The scope of treatment that these dentists can provide is wide, but at the same time of high quality. Dental Studio Merida offers the following services:

• Professional cleaning, teeth whitening and bonded restorations & fillings
• Smile design, including veneers, ceramic crowns, crown & bridge work, dentures and overdentures, dental implants and dental prosthodontics
• Endodontics and apical surgery
• Dental traumatology (for injuries caused by accidents)
• Orofacial pain
• Dental surgery
• Temporomandibular joint problems (TMJ)
• Orthodontics, including aesthetic orthodontics, lingual orthodontics and invisalign
• Pediatric dentistry and orthodontics
• Dental stem cell bank

In addition, the dentists have alliances with other specialists, such as maxillofacial surgeons or periodontists, who can and will be called in as necessary.

You Are Safe Here

The office has state of the art equipment and the dentists work with high quality materials at all times. If you suffer from anxiety about going to the dentist, the dentists can prescribe a variety of antianxiety or anxiolytic medications as needed. The dental offices are not only clean and modern, but offer a unique relaxing environment with comfortable dental chairs that include massages and overhead TV for patient entertainment and distraction.

Call or Email With Your Questions

Dr. Teresita Hernandez and her fellow dentists are happy to answer any questions you might have by email or phone. Contact them today to find out how you can have the best possible dental experience!

Dra. Cecilia Vazquez

Licensed Dentist at Clinica Dental Odonto in Merida Mexico

A Young and Accomplished Dentist in Merida

• Studied at the dental school at the Universidad Veracruzana in Veracruz, Mexico
• Achieved highest gradepoint average in her graduating class
• Graduated with a degree in Dentistry with a specialty in Orthodontia
• Completed additional study in the Speciality of Prosthetic Dentistry at Universidad Autonoma de Yucatan
• Runs a private dental practice in Colonia Mexico in Merida, Yucatan
• Private practice includes orthodontic services
• Also teacheseach Dental Prosthetics at Universidad Autonoma de Yucatan (U.A.D.Y) in Merida
• Member in good standing of Asociacion Dental Yucateca (Yucatan Dental Association)

Dr. Vazquez works in a dental clinic in offices in Colonia Mexico. At these offices, they offer dental services, including crowns, complete and partial dentures, root canal treatments, extractions, teeth whitening, dental whitening and dental cleanings starting at $400 pesos. This clinic uses the latest equipment, including ultrasound for cleaning.

In the area of dental prothesis, Dr. Vazquez works with zirconia, the most innovative material for dental crowns. She works with Nobel (Procera), 3M (Lava) and with Lithium silicate crowns from Ivoclar Vivodent (E-Max). She works in all areas of aesthetic dentistry and provides a complete guarantee of her work.

Contact Dr. Cecelia Vasquez

Call Dr. Cecilia Vazquez for your dental needs today!

Dr. Cecilia Vazquez at Clinica Dental Odonto Merida
Calle 21 x 10 Edificio Interplaza
Local 14, 2nd piso, Col. México

Tel: +52-1-999-121-6934 (cel phone)

Email: cvn25 [at] hotmail [dot] com

Tell Dr. Vazquez you heard about her from YucatanLiving.com!

This Week… starting January 30, 2012

Municipal Fiestas This Week

Valladolid Expo Feria 2012: January 20 – February 5
This fair combines a celebration in honor of the Virgin of Candlemas with a commercial and handicrafts fair that has begun to draw international attention. There will be a number of high profile performers providing entertainment through the duration of the fair. Remaining shows include: Dulce Maria (Feb. 2), Kalimba (Feb. 4), and Ha Ash (Feb. 5).
Location: Fairgrounds in Valladolid
Time: Fair: Daily, Performance Events: Most begin at 9:00 PM
Admission: Performance event tickets: $200 – $500 pesos, Admission to the Fair: A donation of one kilo of rice or beans, which will then be distributed in the poorest communities in Valladolid.

Tunkas Fiesta: January 30 through February 2
This is the Tunkas County Fair. Tunkas is 86 km southeast of Merida, almost in the exact center of the state. It has just under 4,000 inhabitants, about half of whom are Mayans. This too is farming and cattle ranching country, so look for huipiles, hemp hammocks, and pottery here. The food is great, but watch out for the habaneros. Tunkas suffers from a high level of poverty and, as a result, has a high rate of migration to the U.S. The municipality is one of three sites in Mexico that are being studied by the University of California at San Diego in their International Migration Studies program. We hope everyone will visit this fiesta and support the people of Tunkas.

Kantunil Fiesta January 31 through February 4
This fiesta is in honor of the Virgen de la Candelaria. The hallmark of this fiesta is its many religious and union processions. Kantunil is between Izamal, on the north, and Sotuta, on the south. According to the MileByMile map, the exit from the Merida to Cancun toll road (autopista de cuota)  is a little under 40 miles from Merida. There is currently a big push on, by the Municipal Council in Kantunil, to improve the cultural experience of children, with a focus on Mayan tradition, so this should be a trip everyone will enjoy. 

Tecoh Fiesta February 2
This fiesta is in honor of the Virgen de la Candelaria. If you look at a map of the Municipality of Merida, you will see Tecoh down at the far southeast edge. The artisans of this area excel in the areas of making machine embroidered huipiles, hemp hammocks, and woodcarving. Tecoh means “Place of the Puma” and most of the buildings in the town of Tecoh are built on top of pre-Columbian foundations. This is a great area that far too many tend to overlook.

In The City

Monday (Lunes) January 30, 2012

Regional Theater: Yucatecadas
This event showcases some of Yucatan’s best "family friendly" favorites. The performance is sure to please every generation. Performers include the trio Los Chetos Herrera, which includes Hector Manuel, Hector Daniel and Fernando Herrera "Sipitucho" – Herreras one and all.
Location: Auditorium of the Olimpo, Calle 62 x 61
Time: 8:00 PM Monday
Admission: Free

Frida Kahlo Exhibit
This time, we have an exhibition of works by Frida Kahlo. Next time, who knows? Negotiations are currently underway to bring the works of her husband, Diego Rivera, to Merida as well.
Location: Central Patio of the Olimpo, Calle 62 x 61
Time: 9:00 PM Monday
Admission: Free

Music / Dance / Film: Que Viva Mexico!
Alberto Palomo presents Serguei Eisenstein Qué viva México film but with music composed by himself.
Location: Teatro Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Calle 60 x 57
Time: 8:00 PM Monday
Admission: Free

Tuesday (Martes) January 31, 2012

Look for events on our ongoing events page here.

Wednesday (Miercoles) February 01, 2012

Open Mic at Amate Bookstore
“In Your Eyes” Foundation and Amate Books proudly present Music, poetry, comedy, or whatever talent YOU can bring.
“No use sitting alone in your room…come to the cabaret!” Invited artists will perform for your pleasure, but all are encouraged to bring a guitar, banjo, poetry, fiction, comedy, harmonica, violin, tuba, whatever. Share your talent, be a star at Cabaret Amate. Gladys del Monte will be the featured artist at this week’s Open Mic at Amate Books this Wednesday. She is from Santiago, Cuba and performs Cuban Trova, which is where the Yucatan Trova originated from.
Location: Amate Books, Calle 60 y 51, Merida
Time: 7:00 pm, Wednesday
Admission: $50 pesos cover includes 2 free drinks (beer or wine) cafe, or $50 pesos toward the purchase of a book.  Don´t miss this weekly event, every Wednesday at 7PM at Amate Books, or you will regret it for the rest of your life!!!!!

Thursday (Jueves) February 02, 2012

Movie
Check the Full Events Calendar for updates on this event as soon as we know them.
Location: LA 68, Calle 68 at Calle 55, Centro
Time: Thursday, 9:00 PM
Admission: $30 pesos, $15 pesos students.

Friday (Viernes) February 03, 2012

Movie
Check the Full Events Calendar for updates on this event when we know them.
Location: LA 68, Calle 68 at Calle 55, Centro
Time: Friday, 9:00 PM
Admission: $30 pesos, $15 pesos students.

Coronation of the Kings and Queens of Carnival 2012 
With the coronation of the 2012 King and Queen of the City of Merida’s 2012 Carnival: Bertha Ivonne López Ortega "Ivonne I&quot and Noé de Jesús Cabrera Aké “Makech I.” Carnival 2012 begins with an explosion of color, joy and fun of the carnival festivities. With the help of Yum Kin, we will renew our spirit and write the first page of the new history of the earth and man. This will be the first Carnival of the New Era!
Location: Unidad Deportiva Inalambrica, Calle 45 S/N x 90 Col. Inalámbrica
Time: 8:00 PM Friday
Admission: Free

OSY Program 3
Here is a program that features Romantics from Poland. The soloist will play Chopin and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 3, both which bear the stamp of Poland. The program begins with the Academic Festival of German composer, Johannes Brahms, a romantic work that uses a dozen motifs. There will also be four student pieces.
The Polish pianist Józef Olechowski, founder and artistic director of, Sociedad Cultural Federico Chopin de México will perform one of the most romantic pieces for piano, Concerto No. 1 op. 11, composed by Chopin in 1830. Finally, he will also perform the Polish Symphony No. 3 by Tchaikovsky.
Location: Teatro Peon Contreras, Calle 60 x 57
Time: 9:00 PM Friday
Admission: Tickets available at the box office.

Progreso Red Cross Annual Fundraiser
The Progreso Cruz Roja is the only free ambulance service in Yucatan. All proceeds of this event go directly to funding maintenance and operation of the two ambulances in the Municipality of Progreso. This event will include a silent raffle, entertainment by Sonora Yucateca, and a delicious meal, complete with beer and wine.
Location: Emily’s Sala de Recepciones, Calle 33A, #176 x 112 x 114, Col. Vicente Guerrero, Progreso, Yucatán.
Time: 4:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Admission: $200 pesos
Tickets Available Through:
Chelem / Chuburna:
Marla Kostis – marlakostis [at] gmail [dot] com
Jim & Penny Hoskins – pennywh1949 [at] yahoo [dot] com
Roy & Bev Melchior – roymelchior [at] hotmail [dot] com
Progreso: 
CMH International – Calle 80 X 21 No. 122 Loc. 3 Progreso, Yucatan / Telephone 52.969.935.7799 / Cell 52.999.227.4238                        
Ramona Robinson – Flamingo Coast Realty – ramona [at] flamingocoast [dot] com
Judy Murray – jamurray [at] radford [dot] edu
Barbara Harris – barbarajoanharris [at] gmail [dot] com
Chicxulub: 
Tamara Magnusson – tamarainprogreso [at] gmail [dot] com
Karen Cloutier – klcloutier [at] hotmail [dot] com

Opening of the Watercolor exhibition: "Andanzas"
Works are by watercolorist Juan Manuel Mier y Teran.
Location: Galeria Merida, Calle 59 x 54 y 56
Time: 8:30 PM Friday
Admission: Free

Francisco Cespedes in Concert
This singer, musician and composer is Mexican, but was born in Santa Clara, Cuba in 1957. His first success was with the 1998 album Crazy Life. His work has a broad range that extends from ballads to bolero and even a touch of jazz.
Location: Century XXI Convention Center, Calle 60 Norte # 299-E, Ex-Cordemex Col. Revolucion.
Time: 9:00 PM Friday
Admission: Diamond: $900 pesos and VIP: $600 pesos. Tickets available through Ticketmaster (where extra cost applies)

Saturday (Sabado) February 04, 2012

Opera at the Movies: Der Rosenkavalier by Richard Strauss
Opera Yucatan, A.C. is a non-profit organization created by opera enthusiasts to promote the art of opera in Yucatan. Their objectives are purely cultural and educational.
Location: Movie Theater #5 in Siglo XXI Convention Center
Time: Brief opera talk: 11:30 AM, Movie begins: 12:00 PM
Admission: $50 pesos donation to Opera Yucatan

Series: Great Musicals: Fiddler on the Roof
Tonight’s offering is one of the best musicals ever written.
Location: Videosala of the Olimpo, Calle 62 x 61
Time: 7:00 PM Saturday
Admission: Free

Movie
Check the Full Events Calendar for updates on this event.
Location: LA 68, Calle 68 at Calle 55, Centro
Time: 9:00 PM, Saturday
Admission: $30 pesos, $15 pesos students.

A Chocolate Workshop
Learn to make all of your favorite Mexican recipes that have chocolate as one of the ingredients.
Location: Casa de Cultura Elena Poniatowska, Calle 68 x 55
Time: 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Admission: $170 pesos general admission, $150 pesos students
Reservations must be made by January 28

Sunday (Domingo) February 05, 2012

Video Documentary: Land of Extremes
Earth is the only planet with electricity, water and food in abundance, but it is also a planet of extremes. See how some animal species have developed strategies to survive in these extreme locations.
Location: Natural History Museum, Calle 59, next to the zoo
Time: 12:00 PM, Sunday
Admission: Free

OSY Program 3
Here is a program that features Romantics from Poland. The soloist will play Chopin and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 3, both which bear the stamp of Poland. The program begins with the Academic Festival of German composer, Johannes Brahms, a romantic work that uses a dozen motifs. There will also be four student pieces.
The Polish pianist Józef Olechowski, founder and artistic director of, Sociedad Cultural Federico Chopin de México will perform one of the most romantic pieces for piano, Concerto No. 1 op. 11, composed by Chopin in 1830. Finally, he will also perform the Polish Symphony No. 3 by Tchaikovsky.
Location: Teatro Peon Contreras, Calle 60 x 57
Time: 12:00 PM Sunday
Admission: Tickets available at the box office

Series: Great Musicals: West Side Story
This movie helped to define an entire generation and is still a beloved classic.
Location: Videosala of the Olimpo, Calle 62 x 61
Time: 11:00 AM Sunday
Admission: Free

Theater / Music: The Music of Fables
This performance is under the direction of Elide Soberanis. In a land that is filled with fables, this is surely going to be an event that is well worth attending.
Location: Auditorium of the Olimpo, Calle 62 x 61
Time: 12:00 PM Sunday
Admission: $30 pesos

Super Bowl Sunday
Don’t miss a chance to watch the Super Bowl with friends. The following locations tell us they will be hosting Super Bowl parties so no one should have to miss this event:

Super Bowl XLVI at La Barca Restaurant
La Barca will have two TV sets and one big screen in the restaurant area, plus 1 big screen in the palapa area. Dinner will include either a beef steak or grilled hamburger, along with a salad buffet (with dinner tickets). With admission, there will be one free drink, two bar services, one big pool game, and don’t forget the Madonna and Cirque du Soleil half-time show.
Location: In Hotel Las Dunas in Chelem, Calle 21 # 1049 x 158 y 160
Time: 5:30 PM until
Admission: $60 pesos (includes one national drink)
Dinner: Charcoal grilled, gourmet hamburger, with chips, green salad and one drink: $130 pesos
Dinner: Charcoal grilled beef steak, mashed potatoes, gravy, green salad and one drink: $160 pesos

Super Bowl Party at Hotel Yakunah
This party is at Hotel Yakunah. Watch the game on three big TV sets. Make sure you arrive early to get a good seat.
Location: Hotel Yakunah, Calle 21 # 64 x 48 y 50, Progreso, Yucatan
Time: 2:00 PM
Admission: None listed

Coming Soon

Funky Market/ Dragon Bazaar: Wednesday  February 8, 2012
Welcoming the Year of the Dragon! Tacomaya, in Chelem, is hosting a huge Bazaar to welcome the Year of the Dragon! On hand will be plenty of arts, crafts, food and second-hand items.
Location: Tacomaya, Calle 19, directly in front of the baseball-soccer field in Chelem.
Time: 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Admission: Free

Full Moon Jazz Festival: Saturday  February 11, 2012
A beach party that includes music by three live groups, dancing and great food. Help support 62 students in Telchac Puerto, Yucatan while having a wonderful time with friends.
Location: Villas Wayak km. 25.5 Progreso – Telchac
Time: Begins at 4:30 PM
Admission: $250 pesos, which includes two beverages.
Note: Free transportation from Merida, Chicxulub and Progreso (by reservation)

St. Valentines Dinner and Concert: Tuesday 14th February
Four course Dinner. Live concert: "Jorge Garcia & Friends". This is a event for anyone with great food and music and good company.
Location: Hotel Zamna, Calle 53 x 70 and 72.
Time: Doors Open: 7:00 PM, Dinner Served: 7:30 PM, Concert: 9:30 PM

Admission: $135 pesos, Limited to 34 guestsTickets available now from hotel reception

Hotel Yakunah: Valentine Day Dinner: February 14, 2012
Treat your sweetheart to dinner at the beach and live music by Sol Survivor..
Location: Hotel Yakunah, Calle 21 # 64 x 48 y 50, Progreso, Yucatan
Time: TBA
Admission: Tickets available at reception.
For More Information, Call (969) 935-5600 or e-mail info [at] hotelyakunah [dot] com [dot] mx

 2012 Carnival in Merida
February 15 – 22, 2012
The 2012 Carnival in Merida website is up and running. Little by little, all of the pages are being filled. Now is the time to become familiar with the site so you can check back often for updates. Yucatan Living will be adding Carnival events and news as they becomes available. Tickets for the Palcos are on sale now. Call 294-7380 Monday to Friday from 9 AM to 6 PM and Saturday from 9 AM to 2 PM. Or if you don’t want to call, get your tickets for a small additional fee through YES, Yucatan Expatriate Services.

Opening of the Exhibition: "Febrero Loco y Marzo Otro Poco"
Thursday February 16th.
Featuring the Artists: Samuel Barrera and Juan Pablo Bavio.
Location: " LA ESKALERA" Calle 70 x 57 y 59 In the Barrio de Santiago, 3 doors from La Flor De Santiago. This is a new gallery.
Time: 8:00 PM
Admission: Free

Hotel Yakunah: Watch the Daytona 500: February 26, 2012
This is shaping up to quite a party, so do plan to be there!
Location: Hotel Yakunah, Calle 21 # 64 x 48 y 50, Progreso, Yucatan
Time: 1:00 PM
Admission: None listed

2012 Carnival in Merida
February 15 – 22, 2012
The 2012 Carnival in Merida website is up and running. Little by little, all of the pages are being filled. Now is the time to become familiar with the site so you can check back often for updates. Yucatan Living will be adding Carnival events and news as they becomes available. Tickets for the Palcos are on sale now. Call 294-7380 Monday to Friday from 9 AM to 6 PM and Saturday from 9 AM to 2 PM. Or if you don’t want to call, get your tickets for a small additional fee through YES, Yucatan Expatriate Services.

Merida’s First Murder Mystery Dinner Theater: Love Kills
It is a dark and sinister evening in Mérida, and a group of travelers have found themselves drawn together in a strange and mysterious hotel. Suddenly, there is a scream! Murder! Without warning, our travelers find themselves in the middle of a Murder Mystery. The mayhem escalates when our brilliant Inspector Gustavo (Gary DeRose) is called to task to solve the murder. All murder suspects must be detained and questioned. And it is up to YOU the audience, to help Inspector Gustavo find our killer and bring him (or her) to justice! This light-hearted comedy is a Whodunit Mérida-style! “Murder in Mérida: Love Kills” is an interactive performance following the traditional structure of the Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre – introduce the characters, kill one of them, then figure out who did it. During each break between acts, a different course of the meal is served and characters mingle with the audience helping to make sense of the clues provided. Inspector Gustavo and the rest of the cast will have you in stitches as you figure out “Whodunit”! For an evening of fun, mischief and laughs, you won’t want to miss “Murder in Mérida: Love Kills”.
Tickets On Sale Now:available through Hennessy’s Irish Pub 999-923-8993
Ticket price: $375 pesos includes three –course dinner and show.(alcoholic beverages billed separately)
Show dates:
Sunday March 4: 2:00 PM matinee
Monday, March 5: 7:30 PM
Tuesday, March 6: 7:30 PM
Wednesday, March 7: 7:30 PM
Thursday, March 8: 7:30 PM
*Seating ½ hour before show. Please come early. www.meridamysterytheatre.com
Proceeds from the show go to help two not-for-profits AMANC and Evolución A.C.

Air Supply at Hacienda Chichi Suarez
Wednesday March 7, 2012
This will be Air Supply’s 35th Anniversary Concert tour, and not the first time they have come to Merida. They actually have quite a large following here and it promises to be a high-energy concert. Plus, it’s out at a hacienda… a lovely venue for a concert.
Location: Hacienda Chichi Suarez, Calle 35 x 14 s/n Hacienda Chichi Suarez, Yucatan
Time: 9:00 PM
Admission: VIP $1,200 Gold: $1,000, Silver: $800, General $600 pesos. Tickets on sale in the offices of More Music, located in the Banorte Tower, Paseo de Montejo # 310, 2nd floor.

International Women’s Day Event: March 8 – 10, 2012
This event has been organized by We Move Forward, an organization dedicated to helping women reach their full potential. Please visit the website of We Move Forwardfor more information.
Location: Isla Mujeres
Time: TBA
Admission: $645 USD until Nov 30, $695 USD thereafter. Includes membership in WMF. Group rates are available. Reservations are now being taken.

Have an event you want us to publicize? Just email the information to: info [at] yucatanliving [dot] com. We publish every Monday night.

News Starting January 30, 2012

Introduction to a Fine New Wine

Recently, Slavia Restaurant, Jesus Solorzano and MAKKEN (with their agent, Ana Hernandez) organized a luncheon at Slavia Restaurant, for the purpose of introducing an Argentine wine from San Juan Valley. The label is Graffigna, a line of wines that has strength, is flavorful and elegant, with good acidity, and is fresh and fruity. Special guest at the luncheon was Federico Lleonart, Global Wine Ambassador from Argentina, who introduced Graffigna. For those who might like to give this wine a try, it is now on the menu at Slavia’s Restaurant. If someone would like to purchase a bottle, it can be found at Wal-Mart, Covi and La Europea. For more on the Graffigna wine series, visit their website.

Beach: Rain! Rain! Go Away!

Be careful what you wish for. Yucatan is in the tropics and has two seasons: the rainy season and the rest of the year. We are obviously in the end days of the rainy season for the Winter of 2011/2012. So far, this winter, it hasn’t been overly cool in Yucatan, but the rain and nortes have been rather regular, often closing ports with high wind and water and coming with fog that causes reduced visibility. This interrupts the ability of over 1,400 fishing boats to do their jobs; but, at the same time, we have had no incidents of flooding, which is a blessing for farmers and cattle ranchers. The alternative is summer and no rain again until the wet stuff is just something you run across, every now and then, in your memory. The brush fires will come back and the smoke will come back, and we will all be wishing it was winter again.

Our Lady of Sorrows Sheds Real Tears

Over the past decade or so, there has been a movement, throughout the State of Yucatan, to rescue and restore historical and religious monuments of all kinds. This has been especially true in the case of colonial churches and figures of Jesus, Mary and the various local patron saints of the municipalities. It took five long years to restore the Virgen de los Dolores in the Municipality of Santa Elena; but she was recently able to be put on display during the celebrations in honor of Santo Cristo del Amor and San Mateo. As the ladies who were carrying the rosary approached the statue at Santo Cristo del Amor, the noticed that the she appeared to be shedding real tears. One of the ladies actually touched her face and, as witnessed by several hundred parishoners, the lady’s fingers were wet. All sorts of technical reasons for this phenomenon have been proposed, most having to do with how the statue was restored, but the local people are more interested in speculating on the reasons that Our Lady would be crying. If you would like to visit next year, you just might be a witness to this phenomenon. The celebration in honor of Santo Cristo del Amor takes place between January 10 and January 24, and what some are calling a miracle took place during the processions on the last day.

New Religious Pilgrimages Still Forming in Yucatan

While we officially do not support any one religion over another, or those who are religious over nonbelievers, we do observe society as it grows and develops in Yucatan. In this mode, we find it interesting that religion, in this state, is alive and well and still growing. All of the marvelous religious processions we see are not relics held over from the colonial era. This week, the Deanery of Eight: Abalá, Muna, Halachó, Maxcanú, Chocholá, Umán, Kinchil and Hunucmá celebrated its second annual procession to Hunucmá to pay tribute to the statue of Our Lady of Tetiz. Over 200 priests, seminarians and acolytes, from the eight sites in the deanery, walked in the procession. When it was over, a board of trustees was named and this procession has secured its place in the religious history of Yucatan in only two short years. 

Yucatan: All About Sports

Ok, sports fans. This is for you! This week Yucatan was, literally, all about sports. For those who wonder if they will be leaving sporting events behind if they move to Yucatan, take a look at just some of the highlights of sports during this one week in Yucatan:
*** Yucatan’s Basketball All-Stars win 78 – 69 over Belize’s National Team to become the best team on the Circuito Peninsular de Básquetbol (CIPEBA). They played in Merida, at the Gimnasio Polyfunctional, in front of a crowd of 2,500 spectators.
*** The State Wrestling Association has chosen winners, in each of four categories, to start the final march toward the nation’s 2012 Olympic Wrestling team. Their next competition will be at the Greco-Roman Forum in Chiapas and then on to the Free Will Stadium in Villahermosa, Tabasco.
***  Mexico finished the Central American Table Tennis Championship in first place, with four gold, two silver and two bronze medals. The stars of this entire competition were the very young Yucatecos, Ricardo Villa and Angel Briceno, who teamed with Quintana Roo’s Damian Arce and Alberto Romo. Mexico’s performance was deemed “brilliant” and they are expected to dominate this sport, as they have in the past. Even now, Yucatan’s own Alejandrina Mendez Moguel is part of the Mexican table tennis team that is competing in Brazil in the Latin American Table Tennis Championship.
*** Yucatecos Certified as National Olympic Divers. Not only have four of Yucatan’s divers from Club Kukulcan been certified as national specialty diving champions, but Yucatan also turned up with medal winners who are very young and still too inexperienced to compete at the international level. One was little María Rufino, of Club Bancarios. Maria is only seven years old but still brought home a silver medal in the 3-meter dive and a bronze in the 1-meter dive. It looks as if Yucatan will have plenty to brag about in its divers for many years to come! 
*** Amateur Boxing is alive and well in Yucatan. They have just finished the State Amateur Boxing competition and are getting ready for the Olympic Regional Boxing competition, which will be held in Merida beginning March 1, 2012. These contests are in every category, from children to young adults, and gyms all over the city are working hard to promote the sport.  
*** Soccer: The Sharks of Progreso played the Technological College of Progreso and the Sharks won, 4 to 2. This was a fast and furious game between local rivals, but the Tiburones (Sharks) dominated all the way. This match is a parallel to what footballers know as bowl games. The name of this particular event is the Buenos Aires Classic, so look for it again about this time next year.
*** February 1, 2012: Happy Birthday Salvador Alvarado Stadium. Organized sports and a reverence for stadiums that have survived the test of time are nothing new in Yucatan. This year, this stadium’s birthday will include a running of a torch, at 5:00 AM, from the Plaza Grande to light the cauldron in Salvador Alvarado Stadium. The procession will be accompanied by a host of runners. An updated history of the stadium, in book form, is now complete and will be presented at this event.

Merida Judges Study Constitutional Changes and International Treaties

The wheels of justice grind exceedingly slow, they say. But sometimes the wheels of justice break loose and a society is catapulted into a new millenium with dizzying speed. Such is the case with the 2011 additions to the Mexican Constitution. Human rights are the hot topic here and, as is always the case with Mexico, when new laws are added to the Constitution, every judge in the country makes it their business to take the issues seriously and enforce the laws as they are intended. This week, there was a panel discussion, in Merida, designed to bring regional judges up to speed on the new laws on which they will be ruling, especially the laws that include human rights. These laws are not only in the Constitution now, but are also part of more than one international treaty signed by Mexico. This time, the reforms have changed the backbone of the entire legal framework in Mexico, making every judge a judge of international law, meaning that all of their decisions must take human rights into consideration. The interest shown by Yucatan’s judges, as well as their willingness to learn the new laws and apply them fairly, leaves little doubt that Yucatan has taken yet another leap forward toward solidifying her place as a leader in the 21st century.

Type: Downtown restaurant and bar
Neighborhood: Centro
Telephone: 999-924-1779
Address: Calle 59 no. 501-a. x 60 y 62, Entrances on 59 and 60
How to Get There from the Centro: You’re there! Just one block north of the Plaza Grande.
Parking: Not really, but there is downtown parking not associated with the restaurant.
Air Conditioned: Yes
Outdoors: Yes
Drinks: Two Full bars. Be sure to check for drink specials
Payment: Mastercard, AMEX, Visa
Wifi: ?
Hours: Breakfast: 9 AM to 12:30. Including takeout bakery goods made in-house. Lunch specials: 1 PM to 5 PM daily specials on the Executive Menu Monday-Saturday. Dinner menu: 1 PM to 10 PM, Sunday to Thursday, 1 PM to 1 AM, Friday and Saturday.
Notes: >Vida Catrina can neatly be described as a 3-in-1 restaurant and bar. Their unique dual-street entrances, three tasty and creatively prepared day-long, fusion Mexican food menus, and the comfortable and relaxing bar/patio make this a great addition to Centro’s eateries. The Calle 59 entrance is a long, narrow space lined with tables and chairs. Here is where the coffee station and their inhouse bakery items can be purchased early in the day. Take them to go, or eat there. The Calle 60 entrance (just doors up from the corner of Calle 59) has a somewhat bigger dining area and one of their two bars. The entire restaurant is decorated in the theme of colorful Catrina art. Passing beyond this section leads you outside to the airy and comfortable courtyard that sits in the center of the L -shaped restaurants. Another bar sits in the back of the patio for their nighttime look, including live music on weekends.
The concept of Vida Catrina is a restaurant-canteen. Their decoration, architecture and environment distinguishes their authentic flavor with a bit of Mexico, with other features borrowed from the bars in Spain and the pub in England. Here’s a nice little touch if you are still struggling with the language of Mexico. Vida Catrina has menus in English and English-speaking waiters. Rather than rewrite the wheel, we suggest you check out Debi Kuhn’s blog post on Vida Catrina for food descriptions.