C.O.L.A.

Life in Merida is a cost of living adjustment -- a series of sticker shocks, but pleasant ones.  Sample transactions over past 24 hours:  $10 for 20-minute private taxi ride from airport; $7 for a new SIM card for the phone and pre-paid phone credit good for up to a month; $4 for a bag of groceries (couple of limes, two fancy Greek yogurts with coconut, a small bag of sugar, a big bottle of carbonated water, and a liter of milk).  And that $4 total included a reasonable tip for the guy who sacked the groceries.