This afternoon I found myself in Meridas centro, known in expat circles as “Centro” ie “I live in Centro, where do you live?” about which I could go on in a humorous fashion for quite some time, as no local ever calls it just ‘centro’ but anyway, once again I digress and of course I might alienate some of my readers, whom I dearly love to death.
Gosh it’s hard to type this when the cursor disappears!
In any case, there I was, the light was perfect and I have always wanted to take photos of those colorful facades and doorways so typical of the centro scene and lo and behold: I had my camera, the afternoon sun cast a warm glow all around and I had time to spare.
Here are some of those shots.
Beautiful! Doors like these fascinate me, also.
I lead trips to Oaxaca for several years, and there was always one evening near the end of the trip called “Noche de Puertas”. We would run all over the city, as the light fell, taking pictures of beautiful doors we’d seen during the trip and of ourselves (with the great friends we’d made) interestingly posed in front of those beautiful doors. Somethin’ about those doors. Still love looking at those photos.
Do tell–since, or course, I don’t know. What are some examples of how a true local might refer
to a location in “centro” besides centro?
La Gringa from another planet–obviously not from Mérida
Thank you Jody! What a nice comment. The afternoon light is so inspiring.
Locals always refer to El Centro as El Centro. It just seems funny to me when expats refer to it as just Centro; call me weird, but it does. I guess it’s because where most of them are from, they hail from places like SoHo or TriBeca or Berkeley or whatnot, so calling it Centro makes sense to them.
🙂
I too have often thought of a Door post. I keep a folder on my computer (No, not a paper folder sitting on top) of door photos I’ve taken. One day I too will post them, but now I will have to wait as you’ve beat me to the timbre!
Lovely photos!
Debi
Thanks for stopping by, Debi! I think you should get those photos out of that folder and onto the web where everyone can see them. We can link the posts back to each other and those of us into doors will have an eye-feast enjoying them.
Nice to see you yesterday at the Living In Merida ExPat-Extravaganza!
Beautiful puertas William. I am feeling a bit nostalgic about puertas in El Centro at the moment, as we just recently sold our house there and the closing is on Friday. For 8 years we lived with at least a dozen of those tall wooden doors, latching and unlatching them, often swearing at them if they got stuck, and even cutting a hole in two of them for our various cats to come and go. Sigh…thanks for sharing the photos!
Great photos – would make a beautiful “coffee table” book. I, too, am fascinated with the doors, windows, and facades of El Centro.
Great pics!!
Terrific photos. What intrigues me most about the doors is that you never know what’s behind them. They culd open to a gracious home, to a ruined interior, or a business of some sort. Sometimes in the late evening, when people are sitting outside on the sidewalk in their rocking chairs (hard to find nowadays) the doors are open and you can see inside. Walk slowly.
I have learned today – “El Centro”.
I too enjoyed your photos of the doors in Merida.
Thank you Juanita! I am sure you will make more memories in your new, away from “centro” home! But your home was truly a work of art, decorated as it was so beautifully and you are justified in feeling nostalgic.
John – you think?
Curl – thanks for stopping by!
DenverDenny – hey it’s my job to point out these things for the Newbies. 😀 Thanks for stopping by!
Nice, William.
I found myself taking photos of doors about a year ago when I concluded it was time to get new ones on our house in El Centro. The old ones had succumbed to the humidity, and had hongos (mushrooms — actually, there’s a different word, but I don’t remember it) growing in the wood.
I was going to have new ones made, but I found a used pair in Ta Usao. The bottoms were a little chewed up, but the local carpenter was able to replace them, so we have a nice set of doors at a bargain price and they already have some character.
Gracias Grant! When will you be in town again, I wonder?
Gorgeous pictures! Thanks for sharing. Found your blog while hunting for cenote reviews and dining recommendations in Valladolid. 🙂 Thanks for sharing your expertise and sense of humor. (I live in “The” West Village, not West Village, by the way. Totally get the oddness of leaving out “El”).
No, thank YOU for taking the time to write a note! I appreciate it!!
I love these images. As an artist, the doors of Mexico have always been a favorite theme. So glad I found you blog. Very informative and that is a plus to an almost newbie.
Thank you Benne! Glad you enjoyed these – I could photograph them all day!