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Today I went to a Japanese restaurant that is owned by a Mexican family but of Japanese descent. It is called Tama Shokudo. As soon as you see the entrance, it gives off homey vibes of a traditional Japanese and family owned restaurant set inside their house. The decorations were very interesting because the different tables were set inside the various rooms of the house. There were books and some little trinkets, they even had a samurai sword which was cool. The service was

The other day we drove to Sisal, a small fishing village in the Yucatan. Right next to Sisal is the Reserva Estatal el Palmar or in English The Palmar State Reserve. The Reserva Estatal el Palmar spans over 50,000 hectare's which is about 200 square miles and has been protected since 1990 for its special ecosystem and habitat. This place is special because of the mangroves, sea grass beds, tidal waves, costal dune vegatation, and its low deciduous forests surounded by wet l

This is the live well This is the bonito I caught These are the fish we caught we even caught a massive snapper The other day I went deep sea fishing in Sisal, Mexico for king fish and cobia. Before we went out deep we had to catch bait with a cast net outside of the main harbor. We caught about a hundred Sardines to put in the live well, which is a place that you put bait to keep it alive. Basically like a mini aquarium.  We traveled about 20 miles out to sea to find s

Today I went to Bar Latino, one of the oldest cantina's in Merida, Mexico. As soon as I walked though the saloon doors, I was hit with the smell of cigarettes. As we walked to our table the stench cleared a bit since the area where we were eating was airy and breathable. I appreciated the architecture of the place. The restaurant was very loud because there was a group of people that we’re laughing like a pack of hyenas. The waiter was very helpful with taking my orders and

Today I went to Parador 33, located at the start of the famed Paseo de Montejo in Merida, Mexico. The restraunt felt moody with dim lights, incense, and candles scattered around the walls and tables. We were a group of 19 and our two tables were nicely seperated from the rest of the restraunt by hanging white ropes. We did have to wait about 10 minutes for our table since they were lazy to set the tables, even though we had a reservation. The waiter was sort of helpful but

The White Grunt or in Latin 'the Haemulon Plumierii' is a fish found in the Western Atlantic ocean, from Virginia's Chesapeake bay through the Gulf of Mexico to Brazil. White Grunt are a very popular and easy to catch. These fish live in mangroves, coral reefs, and docks. You will basically find these fish where ever there is a structure for them to hide and live. White Grunts feed on mainly shrimp and sometimes crustaceans, annelids, and bivalves but besides these things it

Today we went to the Mexican Immigration Center, because we needed to do something for our temporary visa for Mexico. Later we went to Izamal, a small Mayan village in the middle of nowhere. The immigration and residency process was pretty self-explanatory. We went there early in the morning, because there is usually a wait (say's my dad). We arrived at around nine o’clock, and they took us to a waiting room with about 20 people. We took a seat and waited. Our appointment w

The Octopus or in latin Octopus vulgaris. Octopus are very versatile creatures meaning that they have no bones in thieir entire body and they can live in any salt water climate warm or cold. Octopus make nests often made out of shells, rocks and other debris. Octopus have eight tenticles which have suction cups on them helping grip thier prey to kill it. This animal does not have a traditional mouth, it has something called a beak. Their beak is in the middle of all their te

The Lane Snapper or the Lutjanus synagris in latin is a popular eating fish found in the Western Atlantic Ocean. Lane Snapper are usually found in small schools around reefs, grass beds and sand beds. You can tell that you have caught a Lane Snapper when you see that they have a distinct yellow red body color with a bright red eye and a longer snout. The way we caught these fish was on a traditional hand line, bait, and weight. For bait in the morning I went out and used a ca

The Yellowtail Snapper or in Latin the Ocyurus Chrysurus is a populare eating fishing in the Caribbean. These fish are commonly found along piers, reefs, and mangroves. These fish live in schools meaning where there are one there are others. These fish have a yellow and red base color and a big red eye. Yellow tail snapper are a common species and caught on a simple line and hook set up for fishing. Yellowtails are known for their rich and flaky meat making it just a good ove

Pasta tiles have a complex history where they first originated in Barcelona, Spain in about 1850 by architects like Antoni Gaudi. These pasta tiles were recognized as durable, colorful, cooling properties, and a legacy to Barcelona, Spain. These pasta tile were originally used as ship ballasts for stabilizing boats these were put in the empty hulls of the boats on long voyages to Mexico. When they arrived to Merida in the Yucatan the Spanish began unloading these tiles to mak

We went out late in the day for a bioluminescence tour and got to swim in it. Even though I did not go in, it was still cool to experience. We also got to have a bonfire that night. The next day, we went fishing and the family caught some cool fish from our boat. We had some new guests join us, my cousin Jack, and relatives of our friends. Bioluminescence is a rare type of sparkling light that is produced through a chemical reaction in living organisms in the water. Biolumine

As we will be spending the next month in Merida, Mexico with some friends and family, we decided to fill our fridge at the main central market. With endless twists and turns, and a constant hustle and bustle, it's hard to find what you need and not be in the way. I hope you enjoy some images from our time there.

The Barracuda or in latin Syphraena Baraacude is one of the most agresive fish in the ocean. Barracuda have some of the sharpest teeth in the ocean which helps them be on the top of the food chain. Barracuda are long fish with an oval body shape. Barracuda are attracted to silver, if you are silver looking you are a meal for this fish. Barracuda live anywhere where there are fish to eat but the smaller they are the more shallow they go. These fish are shiny with little white

Today we went to Temporada de Tacos (Taco Season) which is a small restaurant run by two women and some cooks. This place is so good, every time we go to Mérida I cannot wait to go here. The interior is very different then other taco places or restaurants in general, but that’s what makes this place so good and unique. The tables are made of wood that are bolted to concrete blocks, the space is very airy and welcoming. As you walk in the staff are very helpful and understand

The Elops fish or in latin Elops Saurus a common name for this fish are Lady fish. One could find these fish in costal and warm water climates and can occasionally venture to the temperate waters. The Elops fish can grow up to 1 meter or 3.3 feet in lenght and 10kg or 22 pounds in weight. Elops are known for their long oval body shape and have a abnormally large eye and have a special transparent eyelid. Elops fish can be found at a depth from 0-150 feet and they like brackis

The Crevalle Jack or the Caranx Hippos in latin is a fish found across warm and temperate waters of the Atlantic Ocean. These fish can grow up to 124cm but it is rare to even see one of 60cm plus. Weight wise they can get up to 32kg or 70 pounds. These fish are powerful fighters with a black spot on the edge of their gill and a yellow outline with green and blue with a fading yellow as their base color. They are known for their running powers taking a lot of line in a short a

We spent our Monday morning in probably the largest market I have ever been to. Most of the places sell the exact same things but it was still interesting to go and see for a while. We had only checked out two parts of the market the Vegetable and meat side so we still did not get the full experence but im sure we will go see it again.