Touring the city in TuriBus!

We are starting to find our rhythm and get into the swing of things here in Mérida. One thing that's been hard to adjust to is the heat. Locals in Mérida tell us that this heat wave we are experiencing is not normal and that the rains should be coming soon. We are making hydration, sunscreen and rest a priority. 

We braved the heat this past Wednesday and loaded onto a TuriBus to explore the sights in the center of Mérida. We originally thought we would have a relaxing and comfortable air-conditioned ride buuutt there was a last minute change (as there sometimes is) when we learned that the AC in the bus was not working. Most students opted to ride on the top level of the bus in the open to at least reap the benefits of the fresh air. We began the tour in the heart of Mérida at the main plaza and the first sight we saw was the famous Cathedral of San Ildefonso. The cathedral was constructed in 1542, making it one of the oldest structures in the city. It was constructed when the city of Mérida was established by Spanish conquistadors who built on top of the existing Mayan city of T´Hó. The conquistadors deconstructed Mayan structures and used the stones of the Mayan city to construct their cathedral.  As we continued on the tour we saw other sites such as ¨Monumento de la Patria¨ or ¨Monument of the Motherland¨ , a hand carved stone monument that tells the story of Mexico's development from the creation of the prehispanic city Tenochtitlán to the most important events of the 20th century. All of the students were troopers and made the most of the tour despite the heat. 

As we settle into our daily routine here with morning classes and afternoon cultural activities, we are all getting to know each other and the city better. Can´t wait for all the exciting adventures that await us!