It is 2 am in Miami and the house is pleasantly quiet, there is no one here. I have been away from Miami for two weeks on a trip which was satisfying and at the same time, i could be of some help in one way or another to the indigenous people.
I thank my friends in Buenos Aires, Monterrey for their hospitality and the last part was delightful when i was able to spend a couple of days at the Gran Hotel and Merida ..
I was given room no 108, which has been now renamed in my honour, where Douglas Fairbanks Jr stayed in the same room in 1930s (Orson Welles stayed in my favourite hotel in Essouira while making the movie there, so did Jimmie Hendrix ). I knew Fidel Castro had stayed there (alone and not with Che or Raul) and i would like to think that he also stayed in Room 108. The renaming of this room was informally done by Roberto Stuart who has worked at the hotel for the past 45 years and has become a friend.
Today it was time to leave, little sadness but the joy to know that i would be back soon.. and something happened at a little hole in the wall horchata store that made me realise i would come back here soon..
early morning uber ride to the bus station and a delightful driver Hector with whom i had a nice chat, his definition of why Merida is so different from other mexican cities.
A four hour bus ride brought me to Cancun bus station.
at a hole in the wall horchata store, i met someone from Buenos Aires and a nice chat
as indians would say, it was like a nice good bye present, at the end of this memorable trip that included Buenos Aires, Montevideo and Monterrey and the last crown, Merida..
Daniel Kahneman, the Nobel Prize winning (Economics) Israeli social scientist, reminds us, we always pay more attention or remember with greater clarity the events at the end.. like a journey or even a medical examination.
So, I will remember this encounter well and thank you Merida
It is nearly 3 am in Miami, 1 am in Merida, 10 30 am in Tehran and 4 am in Buenos Aires.. and to that city, I pay this homage
