55+ Living Guide Winter 2018 Winter 2018 55+ issue for Joomag | Page 12

One of its lures is a delightful year-round temperate cli-
mate. Some of its colonial residences date back to the 15th C.
have been converted to fine hotels, restaurants and spas. The
whole city area is said to be surrounded by natural energy
sources including springs and volcanoes, this is one of the
reasons why there are a number of top quality spas located
here. A large community of foreign expatriates live here part
or full time drawn by the nice climate and modern facilities.
Merida is the capital city of the Yucatan state, famous for
its rich Mayan history and culture as well as some of Mexico’s
most important archaeological sites. Merida is extremely well
connected by land and air to the rest of the country. Histor-
ically Merida’s wealthy inhabitants were land barons and the
scale of their wealth can be seen along the Paseo de Montego,
an avenue inspired by the Paseo de la Reforma in Mexico and
is lined with large opulent white stone mansions giving rise
to Merida’s nickname “the white city”.
Morelia, located about 200 miles west of the capital is a co-
lonial city with an aristocratic feel. The city is filled with elegant
Spanish colonial architecture featuring pink stone and baroque
styles. Morelia has strict building regulations to ensure that the
original look of the city is well preserved. The center of town
hosts a beautiful pink stone cathedral with twin towers reaching
200 feet. Ann interesting feature of Morelia are the many lan-
guage schools and ad a result attracting people from all over the
world coming to study and staying for extended periods of time.
The final colonial city described here is Oaxaca. This city
embodies the eternal Mexico. Its deep indigenous roots, inter-
twined with colonial flair resulting in a culture and historical
vibrancy. Oaxaca City offers a blend of experiences and attrac-
tions, including an engaging historical colonial center with
cobblestone streets, a quiet plaza and fine central square.
Black clay pottery and distinctive textiles are famous world-
wide. The pottery is especially well known and sought after.
Beautifully preserved, Mexico’s colonial cities offer inspiring
living and leisure experiences; many have been designated
World Heritage Centers. My hope in writing this article has
been to show how Mexico is a fascinating destination that of-
fers an unforgettable journey to the very essence of grace and
charm of old Mexico with picture perfect villages, year round
spring-like weather and a grand legacy of art and architecture
dating from the Spanish conquest. These all combine to make
visits throughout Colonial Mexico a perfect vacation.
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