An all day travel day but not on a windy road is what was promised.
 
Leaving the hotel at 7.30 am for the short walk to the bus terminal. The bus left at 8 am.

An hour later a short stop at Emiliano Zapata to pick up a few more people.

It was leaving the jungle behind us and onto the plains.

The trip went by without any majors ... 
Little things like:
 - First encounter of a police check coming on board asking for passport which I had with me and they wanted to see the immigration slip which was in my bag down below but somehow this did not concern them.
 
 - Hawkers coming on board selling food and beverage, hawkers at the side of the road trying to sell the driver their food.
 
 - Seeing a lot of articulated trucks on the road.
 
 - First sight of water in 2 weeks with the Gulf of Mexico at Champoton getting there at 1 pm. All those pelicans sitting on the posts by the fishing boats.
 
 - Forty five minutes later had a short 10 minute break at Campeche and tried to get some hot food: ham and cheese bun for 30 pesos / NZ $ 2.80 / US $ 2.30. I suspected that the bus driver wanted to get to the destination quickly and wasn’t using Mexican time as it was only a 10 minute break. We all got our food somehow but mine was merely a roll!

160 kilometres to go.

Just after 5 pm we pulled into Merida. Good timing as it was only 8 hour trip. usually a bit more. We had several road works along the way plus those speed bumps!

Dinner was at 7 pm so I took the opportunity to have a quick wander around Merida. Thank armed with map and following the crowds along the various pedestrian roads ended up seeing both the handicraft markets and then into the covered local markets: fruit and veg / meat plus jewellery, everyday household ware etc. Even came across a alley which had hairdressers galaore. every one asked me isf I wanted a cut. This must have covered several blocks and yes they were mainly empty and packed up for the day. No photos but one covered local market is like another. It would have been really bustling earlier in the day.
 
Then into the main San Idelfonso Cathedral and a service was held in a side chapel. So that meant that I could photograph the giant 7.65 metre Christ of Unity on a 12 metre cross above the main alter. (Lucky I did this as the next day when I went back in to see the Christ of the blisters there was a service on and access up by the main alter was not possible).

I took a photo of the hop on hop off bus timetable as tomorrow if we got back as promised I would just have enough time to take the 90 minute trip around Merida.
 
The lights on the buildings around the Zocalo with the many horse-drawn carriages waiting for their mainly tourists made this a worthwhile yet brief introduction to the 'white city' Merida, the capital of the Yucatan province.

Mérida is the capital of the Mexican State of Yucatán and largest city of the Yucatán Peninsula. It is located in the northwest part of the state, about 35 km / 22 mi from the Gulf of Mexico coast. 

According to the 2010 census, the population of Mérida was 970,377.

The city, like much of the state, has heavy Mayan, French, British and to a lesser extent Dutch influences. Mérida has the highest percentage of indigenous persons of any large city in Mexico with approximately 60% of all inhabitants being of the Maya ethnicity. Thanks Mr Wikipedia.

Dinner was at Amaro Restauarant. Chaya which Beks got us and it turned out to be a spinach drink. Mine had a shot of tequilla in it.

Cochinita Pibila is a traditional Mexican slow-roasted pork dish from the Yucatán Península of Mayan origin. A pork loin marinated in sour orange juice served with refried beans, tomatoes, avocado, roasted red onion for 75 pesos / NZ $ 7 / US $ 5.70. That plus a Negro Modelo at 27 pesos / NZ $ 2.50 / US $ 2.10 was Ok but they charged not a 10% service charge but a 15%!