We got up at 6:15 am, had breakfast, and battened down the motor home. Our ride came at 8:30 and took us to the Fort Lauderdale airport and the Jet Blue terminal. We went through security OK and we got there in plenty of time. The flight to Cancun was uneventful. We caught the ADO direct bus from Cancun to Merida. The bus ride is about 4 hours and most of the trip goes through apparently uninhabited area. We got off at the Fiesta Americana Hotel and took a taxi to Matt and Linda’s house in the Santiago district.
They had a very nice dinner waiting for us and we had great conversation before going to bed.Day 121 Wednesday December 21.
After a very nice breakfast of fresh fruit and bacon and eggs, we all took a cab to the central market. Judy and Linda went to Soloman’s yarn shop and Matt and I went into the market. It is an amazing place where I think you can buy about anything. Matt and I went to meet Judy and Linda at the yarn shop and then we all went to the market to look around.
I went to a local bank ATM and got some money. We stopped at a local store and had some refreshments. We got back to the house by 3 pm because the lady doing the curtains was coming. Before dinner, Matt and I went a few blocks to get some chocolate and ice. We had a very nice dinner and goofed off the rest of the evening.Day 122 Thursday December 22
Judy and Linda went to the International Women’s club luncheon at the Hyatt Hotel and they went shopping after that. Matt and I went to the Santiago Market for breakfast and bought some fruit. Forgot the flowers and had to go back for them. We had a very nice spaghetti dinner.
Day 123 Friday December 23
Late breakfast. Judy and Linda went “shopping” and Matt and I went to the Mega store to get some groceries. We had a late dinner and lots of fun conversation.
Day 124 Saturday December 24 Christmas Eve
Matt and I walked to a market to get some oranges from a special vendor but he did not show. We all went out to breakfast while a cleaning lady come in to do the floors.
The pool man also came. Trees from the neighbors keep dropping flowers and branches in the pool. We all then walked to the Zocolo (the main square) and had something to drink and watch the locals.
We went back home and got ready to go out to Christmas eve dinner at the Fiesta Americana Hotel.
It was very nice buffet style all you can eat dinner with lots of choices of appetizers, entrees and desserts. We came back full and happy and went to bed.Day 125 December 25 Christmas Dinner
We all went to Mass at the Cathedral, oldest completed one in Mexico and second in size besides Mexico city,
After church we went out to breakfast with some other church goers. Some very nice people. We come home and rested until time to go to Bill and Trish’s for dinner. There two kids, Maya and Tom were there from Santa Fe, NM.
We enjoyed the dinner and the company and there house was very beautiful.Day 126 Monday December 26
After breakfast, we took a taxi and went to the port city of Progresso. The temperature was very comfortable compared to Merida and there was a nice breeze. We ate lunch on the beach under an umbrella.
The city was crowded because of the holiday. We caught the bus back to Merida and it was dark by the time we got home. A good dinner was prepared with the help of all.Day 127 Tuesday December 27
Long day. We took a tour given by a US man who Matt and Linda know. He has lived in Merida for 20 years and was a local tour guide. Left home at 8:50 and drove first to Uman a city just South of Merida. There is a nice market there
and a church built in 1595 and added on in 1790. 
We then went to a hacienda which was started in the 17th century by a land grant by the king of Spain. It was called the hacienda of the green alamo tree.
It was 22,000 acres and was a henequen farm in the hay day of that fiber. It has only been in two families. We then went to lunch in St. Helena at the “pickled onion” which was own by a British lady.
Next we were off to the Mayan ruins at Kabah built around 100 ad.
It was very pretty and showed a particular arch called the “shoe arch” because of its unique design.
On the way home we stopped at a modern Mayan cemetery and learned their burial customs. 
So much different that those in the US. Our guide was very knowledgeable about all these things. We got back late and tired.Day 28 Wednesday December 28
After breakfast, Matt and I walk to the CAME, the main bus terminal, and got our tickets to Cancun on Thursday. On they way home, we stopped at the Santiago market and got more fruit and flowers. Some friends came over for dinner of ribs and other good stuff. We had a very fun evening with them. Judy and I got all our stuff got packed for the trip home tomorrow.
Day 29 Thursday December 29
We caught a cab to the CAME and took our reserved seat ADO bus at 8:30 bus to Cancun. The bus is very modern with a movie on the trip. In Cancun, Judy and I went across the street from the bus terminal and had a lunch among the palms and peacocks. We got the bus to the air port and the Jet Blue check in. Since we were earl by about 4 hours, we sat and read for a while and the went to a restaurant for a dinner.
Turns out the plane was late coming in so we left at 7:11 instead of 6:42 pm. Good flight o Fort Lauderdale. Had a little trouble getting the shuttle to find us but we got home safe and sound. Motor home was fine.
