Akil 25

Everybody arrived back at Juan’s house and another round of beer was offered. Everybody declined and all the relatives headed for their homes. We patiently waited outside in front for Maria to arrive in the taxi. Since it was only about four blocks to the downtown plaza, I couldn’t imagine what was taking so long.

Finally Maria showed up. Much to my delight she was riding in a Yucatan taxi!



I have always wanted to ride in one but have never had the opportunity. A Yucatan taxi is the three wheeled bicycle. It looks like a regular bike but has two wheels in the front and usually a large basket for carrying luggage or other cargo. In the case of a taxi, they place a board across the front area for passengers. People sit and get their butts pedaled to wherever they want to go within the town. Some of them even have tarp or wooden coverings over the passenger area, just in case of rain. Some of them are plain, some covered with advertising and some decorated according to the operator’s particular taste.

I practically jerked Maria off the seat and plopped down. I was just tipsy enough to insist that I get to go for a ride too. The driver was quite amused, and probably pleased because I counted as a new fare! So down the road we went. It was great fun and I felt like a little kid again, being pulled in a wagon. I could have ridden all over that town! But we reached the end of the street and turned around and returned to the house. Then Juan decided that the driver had not given me a good enough ride. He said something to the driver in Spanish. The driver gladly got off the bike, took the offered beer, and relinquished the driving to Juan! So off we went down the street again! This time I was hanging on for dear life since Juan, for some beer ingested reason, swerved, wove and jerked his way down the street. All the time both of us laughing like hyenas. We returned to the house, paid the driver and called it a night.

It was a pleasant ending to what had been a very unpleasant ending before this. And I got to check another thing off the list of things I want to do before I die! And for sure, next time we go to the Yucatan, I will find some excuse to take another taxi ride!