Oliva Enoteca, new Italian restaurant in Merida

We tried a new restaurant in Merida a couple nights ago, Oliva Enoteca.  The restaurant is near Centro, close to the bottom of Paseo de Montejo at the corner of Calle 47 and 54.  Luckily we had a reservation as the place was packed!  Numerous small groups of people arrived throughout the evening without a reservation then waited for an hour or two before leaving disappointed.  Dinner here is definitely NOT a high turnover event.

The owners already had another successful restaurant in Merida, Oliva Kitchen + Bar nearby at the corner of Calle 49 and 56, which we have not checked out but the reviews are great.

Although we arrived a little early, our table was ready and the hostess, Melissa Marcelletti, seated us immediately.  She owns the restaurant with her husband who works in the kitchen.  He came over to greet us briefly then got back to work in the open kitchen near us where we could watch all of the cooking and prep work.



There are three sections to the restaurant; the room you first enter has a bar with a few tables around the room and a small, open loft above with a few more tables.  Then a slightly larger room past the bar with about 6 more tables, all with an open view of the kitchen, which is where we sat.  The decor is modern and inventive with even the light bulbs displaying multiple filaments that look like a bunch of pasta.  Draped ropes and other ornaments continue this theme, complementing the actual fresh pasta on display, hanging from a drying rack between the tables and kitchen.

As I mentioned, the place was packed and it was a vibrant, almost festive atmosphere.  Perhaps about half of the guests were English speaking expats, as you would expect by this location near the bottom of Paseo de Montejo, with the other half dominated by Mexicans, mostly young, looking like successful professionals.  The owners and all of the staff we had contact with all spoke English.

The home-made pasta hung on racks on a work island near us with a stack of Italian cookbooks below, proving the home-made, fresh status and lending more Italian authenticity to the entire place and the aromas from the open kitchen were very appetizing.

Chris chose Arrancine for her antipasti (Appetizer).  This is stuffed rice balls filled with cheese and mushrooms and then fried.  The presentation was very nice and she thoroughly enjoyed the food.

I had the Bresaola -Carne de Res Curada (cured beef sliced thinner than paper) with Arugula.  The meat was fantastic, so mild and it practically melted in my mouth.

Then we ordered our Primi (first course).  Chris ordered a la Diavola, which is pasta with shrimp in a tomato and cheese sauce.  I ordered Il Capretto which is ravioli stuffed with goat cheese and covered in parmesan cheese sauce.  And then we waited.  And waited.

It was EXTREMELY difficult to get continual service.  It took over half an hour just to get our waiter to bring us more water.  Perhaps we should have ordered both courses immediately but we didn't want them coming too close together and they didn't seem to be bothered at all when we chose to order this way.

The kitchen began to look a little troubled and disorganized with someone running full speed through in one direction or the other every few minutes.  The odd dish crashed to the floor.  Eventually, about 90 minutes later, our food arrived.

The presentation was beautiful and Chris' meal was perfect in every way.  Mine however, was not the greatest.  Although we both loved the flavour of the fresh, home-made pasta, the edges of some of my raviolis was hard, and almost crispy as though it wasn't fully cooked or perhaps it was ready too early and dried out under the heat lamps waiting to be served.  It was impossible to tell exactly what the problem was underneath the sauce.  But I was not in the mood to send it back and wait another 90 minutes.  It was VERY edible and still somewhat enjoyable.

The last thing that happened was another surprise.  I asked for the bill and it was brought with little delay in a leather-like folder.  I placed cash with a generous tip into the folder and caught the waiter's eye and gave it to him telling him we did not need any change.  He opened the folder and counted out all of the cash onto the table ... TWICE!  That's certainly the first time that has ever happened to me! Our total bill was very reasonable; including a bottle of nice wine, and the tip, it came to just 1,250 Mexican pesos, about $100 Canadian.

You should definitely try this restaurant, but, make a reservation, and maybe, wait a few weeks for the kitchen organization to improve and for the waiters to have a little more training.

Their phone number is 999-923-3081.

Cenote Kankirixche

We went exploring yesterday, looking for Cenote Kankirixche.  I'm almost reluctant to write about this as it's still a little secret, difficult to find without clear directions, completely unmarked and free.

Chris, Kathy and Sylvia swimming in Cenote Kankirixche

We were returning from visiting Uxmal, travelling north through Muna, towards Merida.  There is a cross road with Hacienda Ochil on the west and the road goes to the town of Abala to the east. Taking the road into Abala, drive straight through the town.  Measuring your distance from the last cross street as you exit the east side of town, drive 6 km. east.

As you drive along, there are occasional power lines heading off to your left (north) with small, service roadways following them.  At the 6km mark, you will see much larger, metal, power transmission towers taking the electrical lines north.  Turn left on the small roadway just past these lines and drive for 2.0km to reach the cenote.  It is a very narrow, single lane dirt and rock track so it's slow going but kept well-cleared.  We actually did meet one car coming towards us but we managed to find a spot to squeeze our car to the side enough that they were able to creep by us.

You will come to a fork in the road at about 1.5 km; follow the road as it curves to the left and crosses under the power lines.  It continues curving around left until it ends at the cenote at 2.0km.

You can click on this Google Earth map  to see exactly where the cenote is located.

The girls at the edge of the cenote entrance, behind the Alamo tree

There is nothing immediately visible there except for a small clearing and a large Alamo tree.

As you walk around the tree you will see the hole in the ground and some rickety wooden steps going down into the earth.  The stairway turned out to be reasonably sturdy and ended at a small wooden platform just above the water.

The stairway down into Cenote Kankirixche

Looking up from the platform, bottom of stairs

It is a beautiful, wide open cenote, clear and shallow where you enter along one side, getting much deeper across the other side, suitable for snorkeling or scuba.  The sun lights up a small area of water creating an incredible deep glow throughout the pool and reflecting off the ceiling high above.  There are huge stalactites above and stalagmites in the water and vines and Alamo tree roots hanging down.

The road entering the clearing by the cenote

There was only one car already there when we arrived, with a couple just finishing their swim.


The water was very comfortable at about 28c, warmer than the ocean's current 24c.  We were alone while we swam in the cenote for about half an hour and we had just finished changing out of our bathing suits by our car  to leave when another car arrived.  Perfect timing!  :)

Although the road in to Cenote Kankirixche is very narrow and rough, it is well worth it as this is definitely one of the nicest cenotes I have been to.

 

Fundacion Manglar Maya

The Foundation building on Calle 12, Celestun

Celestun has a local non-profit, unfunded foundation office that is used for a variety of volunteer activities.  Our friend Marie-Francoise Lalande has been teaching free English lessons to children each Saturday morning and Chris started helping her a few weeks ago.  

 

After learning of Christine's background in nursing, the Director of the Foundation, Adis Wonka, introduced the idea of health related education sessions to a meeting of primary school parents and scheduled an introductory session, which was held on February 5.  At this initial meeting, 14 people were in attendance.  The topics of interest that they brought forward ranged from the management of hypertension to diving decompression.  Of the 14 topics suggested by the attendees, all but 2 are first aid topics.Although there is a day-time clinic here in Celestun, emergency health-care in the evenings and on weekends is nearly non-existent.  Calling the national emergency line would connect you with an ambulance service over an hour away so it is doubtful that would be of any really useful assistance. 

Christine sent a letter to the nearest Red Cross office, in Merida, to request their help for supplies and teaching.  Meanwhile, it was decided to schedule the first instructional class on Choking, for Tuesday, Feb. 10 while our friends from Alberta, Kathy Howe and Sylvia Barron, were visiting.  They are both nurses as well and offered their assistance in putting on the class.

Chris helping people practice Heimlich maneuver

Kathy Howe discussing first aid for choking babies

Kathy demonstrates back blows on a choking baby

Fifteen people showed up (13 women, some with their kids, and 2 of their husbands) and they ran two simultaneous sessions.  Kathy taught one group how to help with a choking baby while Chris and Sylvia taught the other group how to help adults.  Adis and her colleague Esa, and Marie-Francoise helped with Spanish translation and they were lively and fun sessions with active participation and lots of questions.

An attendee practises back blows on Sylvia Barron

While they await a response from the Red Cross regarding how they can help us out here, another session on Controlling Bleeding has been scheduled for next Thursday, Feb. 19.  We're hoping to organize some kind of ongoing fund-raising program as currently, the volunteers pay for all of the supplies themselves which really limits how much can be done at the Foundation.  And after learning more about the need and seeing how appreciate the attendees were, we'd really like to help provide a variety of classes for people at the Fundacion Manglar Maya.

Government sponsored door-to-door Veterinarian service

Chester, our Celestun rescued cat

Lucy, our Celestun rescued beach dog

The huge number of stray cats and dogs in this area is a serious problem without an easy solution.  Many of the locals do not believe in spaying and neutering their pets so strays roam the town and many of the expats (including us) rescue one or two cats or dogs almost every year.  Many are kept here and some are brought back to Canada or the U.S. to seek homes for them, as we did with Lucy last year.  Because of the lack of education and money, most of the unwanted animals are left to fend for themselves, often wandering the town starving and diseased.

Door to door Veterinarian

The other day we were visiting our friends Wanda, Kenn and Karen, at Celeste Vida discussing this problem when all seven of their dogs took off running and barking to greet a man at their gate.  In an amazing coincidence, it was a door to door Veterinarian!   In an effort to help alleviate the problem of poorly cared for pets, there is a government funded service out of Merida that sends veterinarians out to the smaller communities, like Celestun.  The vets actually go door to door offering free vaccinations for all of your cats and dogs.  They also offer periodic free clinics for spaying and neutering and it appears to be gaining some popularity but is of little help to all of the strays around.  

Miss Kitty getting her shot

So all of the dogs and two cats were quickly rounded up and in just a few minutes time, their shots were all completed and up to date and the Vet was off walking down the road looking for more potential canine and feline patients.

Gay Pride Parade

Celestun and Merida, and I think all of Yucatan, is very Gay friendly.  Rather than just being tolerated, people of every nationality, religion and sexual preference seem to be very welcome and accepted here.  And, as the days draw nearer to Carnival, the more flamboyant individuals are out on display as they gradually prepare for Carnival and Mardi Gras festivals and parades.

Even our little town of Celestun has a Gay Pride parade so of course I was out in front of our house, along with all of our neighbours, with my camera as it came by today.









It was a very short parade; one moto-tricyclita taxi with a sound system followed by a big flat-bed truck full of drummers and a few cross-dressing Gays throwing candy.
Chris and I picked up all of the candy that came our way and tossed it around to all of the neighbourhood kids on the street for the parade.


 

 

Great new Dentist in Merida!

Although we've never had reason to check this out ourselves, we have been hearing for many years about Canadians coming to Mexico to see dentists.  Apparently the quality of their work is usually excellent, at a fraction of the price we would have to pay in Canada.

Because my extended healthcare plan in Canada covers a large portion of my dental costs, we would normally have all of our checkups and dental work done there.  However, Chris had a dental emergency come up which required more immediate care.

Just before leaving Saskatchewan last October, we both had dental appointments in Swift Current.  Mine for a checkup and cleaning but Chris had a possible cracked tooth looked at.  Neither Xrays or careful inspection indicated any immediate problems so we felt we were safe to travel.

Unfortunately, soon after arriving here, Chris' tooth broke in half right along the crack that she had been sure was there!  As the Christmas holiday season was near, the dentists that our friends here suggested we contact were either booked up or away for vacation.

Leticia Zozaya at the clinic entrance

Our Mexican friend Jorge Zozaya ( who owns appliance stores in Merida and Celestun) told us that his sister Carolina was a dentist and would soon be opening a new clinic in Merida after having worked in another dental office in Mexico City for the past three years.  Chris was in no pain so she decided to wait until the office opened near the end of January.  Jorge Zozaya senior kindly phoned her for us and Chris was able to arrange an appointment for January 28, the day BEFORE the clinic officially opened.

Dr Carolina Zozaya and Chris

The Bosques Grupo Dental clinic ("Oral Health and Smile Design) is in a convenient location near City Centre shopping plaza at #306, Calle 36 Diagonal, X 28 in the Montebello neighbourhood, phone 999-913-9427.  Carolina is a beautiful, charming and very professional young woman who speaks perfect English.  As the clinic was not yet officially open for business, the receptionist had not begun work yet so Carolina and her mother Leticia personally greeted us upon our arrival.

The clinic is a very nice and modern, newly constructed facility with a comfortable waiting area and two dental stations with views through large windows into their garden areas.  The office is decorated with wall stencils of forests (bosques) and there is a beautiful original oil painting of trees in a forest behind the reception desk painted by Carolina herself.

Dr. Carolina Zozaya in her clinic

Chris required some extensive work due to the remaining shape of her broken tooth but within two hours, Chris had a temporary installed that looked, and apparently felt, exactly like her original tooth!  Two more appointments, and 8,000 MXP, will be needed to make an impression then install a new crown and Chris could not be happier with the results so far and with Carolina as her dentist.

So if you are looking for a dentist in Merida, we would highly recommend Dr. Carolina Zozaya.

Wedding in Celestun

This past Saturday, January 24, our friends Peter and Sandra were married in the Catholic church here in Celestun.

Peter and Sandra's civil ceremony

The newlyweds and Sandra's son Robert

Actually, legal weddings in Mexico are only done in civil ceremonies at the town office, which they did on January 7, with only a small handful of friends and family in attendance. But the unofficial, large religious ceremony is the big event that everyone is invited to.

Celestun Catholic church

Sandra arriving at the church

The church received a fresh coat of paint in preparation for the big day, a 3-piece orchestra was in place and everything went off exactly as planned.

Inside Celestun Catholic church

Sandra entering with her father.

Even the flower girl and the bride's 5 year-old son as ring bearer did a great job.

The “Lazo” is a sort of tied rope which can be made from something as simple as a ribbon, to something as ornate as a rosary – either beaded or jeweled, (this one is made of glass beads)- to symbolically join the bride and groom . It is placed around the necks of the couple – in a figure 8- after they have exchanged their vows to represent their linked future together; the joining of two lives.

Following the ceremony, close to 80 people followed the newlyweds to their ocean-front home for hours of eating, drinking and partying, Cuban style!  

Professional singer at the reception is a friend of Sandra

Sandra and Peter, First Dance

Their caterers and entertainment were great and everybody had a wonderful time, eating for over 4 hours and drinking and dancing the night away.

Sandra throwing her bouquet

Sandra, her sister Eda, and their parents

Gerardo, dancing like only a Cuban can!

Unfortunately, our salsa lessons had not progressed along far enough for me to have enough confidence to step out on the floor, especially with a few professional dancers there and a bunch of Cubans who are born with Latin rhythm in their bones!

Peter going for the garter.

"What took you so long?!?"

Sandra singing to Peter