I didn’t mean to be ‘miserly’, but it just happened! After six months of frequent eating out in Europe and Central America, I was ready to just ‘go local’.

I was in Merida for six weeks last winter, so I was familiar with the markets where you can buy fresh produce. Today I bought a half papaya, a mango and five bananas for 45 pesos ($3.00). Two large avocados were 20 pesos. Vegetables are much less.

There are also local ‘Cocina Economica’ or economical restaurants, which serve excellent food at lunch. They are often just a ‘hole in the wall’ but often run by the whole family.

My favourite home breakfast

This serving of picadillo (with beans and a dozen tortillas) cost 55 pesos ($3.75) and was enough for three meals when I added my salad!

At the cantina down the street, a beer is 19 pesos ($1.30) and comes with free snacks.

30 peso ($2) Sunday snacks at the square were fruit one day

And ‘marquesitas’ another. This a a freshly made crisp crepe with your choice of filling. Most popular is Edam cheese with Nutella or cajeta (caramel)

And of course I have the necessary well stocked kitchen to store and prepare food. I’m renting a beautiful old colonial house, next door to where I was last year. It is very similar, but has been updated.

You enter the house from the street. The guest bedroom and bathroom are off this foyer.

Straight ahead is the living room, with opens to the dining room.

Next room is the living room, which is next to the dining room

In the centre is a courtyard, screened above so the doors can stay open

The last sitting area opens to the master bedroom and garden

Beautiful, and very clever in design. The 18 foot ceilings and foot thick walls keep it amazingly cool. And of course I’m enjoying the the house because is my ‘home’ while I’m homeless! Hotels are okay but they are never a home.

And another trip to the big market

Spicy shrimp tacos at the microbrewery were 110 pesos ($7.60). I know, strange colour from the light.

The splurge meal of beef tenderloin and tuna were only 225 pesos each ($17).

So, it is getting time to leave Merida. Four more sleeps. But not back to Canada just yet.

I’m flying home from Cancun on March 24 on the one weekly direct flight to Victoria. I’m going to have some more beach time so I bought my bus ticket to Puerto Morelos. I have eight nights there and then six nights on Isla Mujeres.