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lamaros
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on: October 03, 2013, 10:01:51 PM

What's to do in Mexico, aside from not getting kidnapped?

I'm visiting for two week in November, with the general plan of going from Mexico City down to Oaxaca via Cuernavaca, then across to Tulum and a flight from Cancun to Cuba. I've been told that doing the latter via Guatemala is suggested.

Anyone have any tips or favourite places and cities? Anything is welcome!
sickrubik
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Reply #1 on: October 03, 2013, 10:09:09 PM

My fiancee spent a summer in Zacatecas and loved it there.

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Reply #2 on: October 03, 2013, 10:58:44 PM

Dear lamaros. If you're reading this, you've gotten out. And if you've come this far, maybe you're willing to come a little further. You remember the name of the town, don't you?
Furiously
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Reply #3 on: October 04, 2013, 12:02:45 AM

I find I am so excited I can barely sit still or hold a thought in my head. I think it's the excitement only a free man can feel, a free man at the start of a long journey whose conclusion is uncertain. I hope I can make it across the border. I hope to see my friend and shake his hand. I hope the Pacific is as blue as it has been in my dreams. I hope.

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Reply #4 on: October 04, 2013, 12:27:20 AM

I thought Chichen Itza was pretty cool (even though I don't think they let you climb up the big pyramid any more).  There are some wild-ass night clubs in Cancun if you are into that sort of thing.

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Ruvaldt
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Reply #5 on: October 04, 2013, 05:49:12 AM

I've spent a lot of time in Mexico.  Over the course of the last five years or so I've spent about a year there.  Specifically in Mexico City, Oaxaca, Zihuatanejo, Yucatan, Puebla and Guanajuato.  I'll write something this weekend.  When is your trip?  Some things to do are seasonal.  Also, do you like beaches and recreational stuff or cultural activities (museums/ruins) and food?

You remember the name of the town, don't you?

I actually recommend Zihuatanejo every time someone mentions going to Mexico.  It's one of the most wonderful places I've been to.
« Last Edit: October 04, 2013, 05:55:07 AM by Ruvaldt »

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Strazos
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Reply #6 on: October 04, 2013, 07:48:04 PM

A friend of mine and I are probably going to go down there once I get to Mexico next summer.

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Hammond
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Reply #7 on: October 04, 2013, 08:02:20 PM

One of my co-workers has gone to Zihuatanejo every year for almost a decade. It got hit by a tropical storm in September and it did some pretty serious damage so I would not suggest going there for a few months at least.
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Reply #8 on: October 04, 2013, 08:59:17 PM

I've had many people tell me that Xelhá is pretty amazing:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xelha

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veredus
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Reply #9 on: October 05, 2013, 09:58:42 AM

Xelha is awesome. When we went we did a half day tour there and half day at Chichen Itza. If I did it over I'd spend all day at Xelha and I'm not normally a water person. I wouldn't skip Chichen Itza though if you like that sort of thing. We actually were there 9 years ago which was the last year you could climb the pyramid.
proudft
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Reply #10 on: October 05, 2013, 10:11:55 AM

Yep, we went to Xelha this summer, and it was pretty neat.  Basically they've put up a floating dock at the end of a lagoon to keep you from drifting out to sea.  Then you pay about $80 for all the food and drinks (alcohol or not) you want for all day and spend the day in and out of the water snorkeling up and down the lagoon/river and doing ziplines or tightropes or innertubes and whatnot.  You have to wear lifejackets, which is fine with me because I sink like a rock.

I'm not a super-fan of snorkeling either, but in a group of like a dozen people, I was the one who wanted to stay in the water more.  We were there nine hours I think, and we spent about three hours eating and six in the water.  The water was basically the perfect temperature, and the fish were pretty good as far as amount/variety.   Not like good spots in Hawaii but the water was much much nicer.

You do have to plan ahead with sunscreen, because you have to use biodegradable stuff and if you don't get it ahead of time, they will gouge you there.
lamaros
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Reply #11 on: October 07, 2013, 04:49:10 PM

The trip is the 1st of November through to the 21st (I think), though we're flying to Cuba on the 13th. Probably back to Mexico City for a day or so at the end, as we fly out from there.

We like everything, though it's probably more of a recreational holiday this time than a 'go to museums and tourist attractions' one. We love food, but my GF is allergic to peanuts (as in they can kill her) so we unfortunately have to be somewhat careful about that. I've heard that they're both common and not that common, from different people.

The main thing we haven't worked out is how we're going to get from Oaxaca to Tulum/Cancun. If you know of anything on the way between the two that is worth a visit and a stay please share. Not especially enamored with going through to Guatemala at this point, though no doubt the warnings on travel in those parts is a bit exaggerated.

Xelha looks good, and is near where we were probably going to spend a few days anyhow (Tulum, Isla Mujeres), so we will probably go there indeed. I expect the weather at this time of the year will probably be turning a bit from beach season, though.

Also: I've never been vaccinated for anything in my life. (My parents a somewhat hippies and I'm lazy.) I suppose I should do something about that...
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Reply #12 on: October 10, 2013, 11:16:30 AM

You picked just about the best time of year to go to Mexico.  I'm not sure if you planned it this way, but Day of the Dead begins on November 1st and it's a big deal, especially if you're going to be in Mexico City between November 1 and 7.  Wherever you go throughout the city you'll see Dia de los Muertos decorations and foods.  Be sure to eat some pan de muertos (bread of the dead). 

People commonly eat peanuts in Mexico, but they rarely appear in main dishes aside from some versions of mole.  They're usually sold as snacks, and are clearly peanuts when you look at them.  Some candy is made with peanuts and you'll see street vendors with peanut candy.  Peanut marzipan candy is common as well, but again, that's pretty obvious when you look at it.  Avoid anything that they call "cacahuates."  Street vendors tend to be specialized though so people who work with peanuts are not likely selling anything savory, like tacos.

So here are some suggestions from someone who has spent a good deal of time in Mexico, including living there for a few months at a time:

Mexico City: You could spend months in Mexico City alone, going out every day and night, and never run out of things to do, so the highlights are reasonably extensive.  I don't know how long you're going to be there, so I'm just going to list all of the stuff that I love about the city and recommend doing.  Mexico City is actually several cities that have grown into one another and most boroughs have their own zocalo with their own particular personality.  I'll divide my Mexico City guide by borough:

Coyoacan: This is my favorite area of Mexico City, and there are a lot of neat things to do.  I recommend Frida Kahlo's Blue House and Leon Trotsky's house if you're into museums.  Obviously, Frida's house is the most frequented, but they're two blocks from one another so it's an easy trip between the two.  Trotsky's house is pretty neat; they have his ashes and you can see the bulletholes in a wall from a failed assassination attempt.  While you're there, walk or take a taxi down Avenida Rio Churubusco and eat at Tacos El Chupacabras (or Supertacos Chupacabras; they changed their name at some point and I can't remember which they are now).  It's some of the best street food you're liable to find anywhere in Mexico City, and they have a great compliment of toppings.

I recommend visiting Coyoacan's historical center, or zocalo, one evening.  Get there early if you want a seat somewhere.  It's a popular destination for everyone who lives in the area and you'll see a lot of folks strolling about or having fun in the park.  There is a great mezcalaria/pulqueria named Corazon de Maguey in the center of Coyoacan which has great Oaxacan food in addition to some of the best pulque you'll ever have and a terrific view of the town center at night.  I highly recommend this place, especially in the early to late evening.  Pulque is definitely not for everyone, but it's something you'll never find elsewhere, and even in Mexico it's hard to find these days.  If you're a culinary tourist give it a shot.  Speaking of shots...the mezcal is great as well.  Coyoacan is also a great place to be during Dia de los Muertos.

El Centro: Mexico City's zocalo is the second largest open city square in the world, second only to Moscow's.  You'll want to go into the cathedral and take the belltower tour.  Even if you're not interested in the site or its history, at the end of the tour you get to walk on top of one of the wings of the cathedral and you get a great view of the city square.  It's wonderful.  You'll also see the primary government buildings here, such as the National Palace.  I don't recommend the ruins that are downtown.

On Regina street between 20 de Noviembre and Bolivar you'll find a lovely restored neighborhood with great nightlife.  It's a fantastic street that was recently gentrified and there are a ton of fabulous tequillerias, restaurants and clubs.  Al Andar is a really good mezcaleria here (Regina 27).  Once you're done with drinking and listening to great music you can stumble over to Taqueria Arandas on Bolivar for some really amazing tacos.  You can get Surtida to try everything they have and get a nice sample of their exotic tacos or go with tamer tacos.  The choice is yours...but the lengua and cabeza tacos are awesome.  Calle de Mesones, which is one street over from Regina, is also great and has a wonderful pulqueria named La Risa. 

Protip: when purchasing street food in Mexico only purchase food from stands that have one person handling the money who never touches the food.  Money is a vector for disease and the better vendors always have a person preparing the food and a different person handling the money.

One day, preferrably not on a Sunday because it will be PACKED, visit Palacio de Bellas Artes and wander around the area looking at the various edifices there.  I really mean it when I say there will be a crowd on Sunday.  Mexico City is one of the most populated places in the western hemisphere, and on Sunday many museums and public spaces in Mexico City are free so there is a sea of humanity in historical areas Mexico City.  Avoid it unless you haven't seen such a thing and are curious.  It is actually kind of neat if you're not used to it.

The National Museum of Art is in the same neighborhood, but I don't recommend it as highly as the other museums.  Don't get me wrong, it's neat, it's just that if you only have a limited amount of time I wouldn't necessarily spend a lot of time there. 

If you want to be a gastronomical tourist and eat some pre-hispanic food, like ant eggs (which are wonderful), maguey worms (which are even more wonderful), and other things you'll rarely find outside of Mexico, head to Restaurante Chon at 160 Regina.  The neighborhood is...not so good.  But the food is great.  Take a taxi there and don't walk around too much. 

Chapultepec/Zona Rosa: This is the upscale part of Mexico City.  You'll see a lot of nice, modern buildings here as well as a lot of public spaces and more expensive restaurants/cafes (which are still cheap by most standards).  The first thing to do here is the Museo Nacional de Antropologia.  Even if you aren't into museums, this is a must-see.  This museum is massive and you could easily spend the better part of a day here.  See the permanent collection.  It contains an unbelievable amount of artifacts, many of which you'll likely recognize pretty quickly.  I really can't stress this enough.  It's a must see.

Chapultepec Castle is fun as well, and in addition to the building, which is interesting, you'll find a great view of the surrounding park/city due to it being strategically located on a hill.  After it was a castle to Emperor Maximilian it was used as a military academy and was the site of a famous battle in the Siege of Mexico City during the US-Mexican War.  While you're in Chapultepec you can visit the zoo there, which is pretty good, but I don't really recommend it unless you really must see some pandas.  The butterfly exhibit is really cool though.  Get used to people trying to sell you things while you're in the park.  It's littered with people hawking wares, though they're kept at a reasonable distance from any attraction. 

At some point you need to travel from Chapultepec down Paseo de la Reforma into downtown Mexico City.  Reforma is the main aveue that connects Chapultepec to Mexico City and you'll clearly see it while you are at Chapultepec.  It's a beautiful road, and you'll get to see El Angel (winged victory), which doubles as a mausoleum where numerous Mexican heroes are housed, such as Miguel Hidalgo and Morelos.  You'll find a lot of great upscale places to eat nearby in Zona Rosa if you decide to stop and look around at El Angel.

Xochimilco: This borough is known for its chinampas, which are gorgeous.  Chinampas were how Aztecs cultivated corn and other agricultural products, and the practice is still performed in Xochimilco.  I recommend taking a boating tour of the Chinampas on one of the many trajineras, which are like gondolas.  If you go on a Sunday you're going to see a lot of people there.  It's a popular weekend destination for city-dwellers.  If you're into weird local landmarks, Santan Barrera's chinampa has the Island of the Dolls.  It's surreal.  Xochimilco is pretty far from the city's center so if you plan to go, go for a day, or pass through on your way to Cuernavaca since it is on the southern frontier of the city.

Please try some huitlacoche and huauzontle while in Mexico City, by the way.  They are unique foods that you're likely never to find outside of Mexico.  If you've never eaten truffles, huitlacoche is a close approximation.

I'll cover Oaxaca in my next post...

"For a long time now I have tried simply to write the best I can. Sometimes I have good luck and write better than I can." - Ernest Hemingway
Ruvaldt
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Reply #13 on: October 10, 2013, 11:25:50 AM

Oaxaca: In Oaxaca, you should eat a lot of food.  When Mexicans go out to eat and they want to find a nice restaurant they tend to gravitate towards Oaxacan food.  It's a state known for having a rich culinary tradition and a lot of the state is still rural so you're going to find a lot of really great, fresh food.  Tasajo beef, tlayudas (really big quesadillas with zuccinni flowers and other various fillings), the best refried beans you'll ever eat that are seasoned with hoja santa, and mole are all excellent here.  In fact, Oaxaca has the best mole I've ever had.  There are hundreds of versions of it.  Mole Pipian is my favorite, and is made with pumpkin seeds, but you should try as many as possible.  Oaxacan cheese is also wonderful.  Typically it is a string cheese sold as a ball, and if you buy it at a market you're going to get a wonderful unpasteurized ball of heaven.  It's one of the things I ask my wife to smuggle into the US for me whenever she visits Mexico City.  Be careful with markets here though because they will often sell peanuts.  It's common in Oaxaca to cook roasted peanuts in oil, garlic and chili.  It's a great snack, but could easily be your last with a peanut allergy.  Fortunately, peanuts don't appear in their other dishes besides some moles.

Tamales here are great as well.  You can usually find the best tamales in the morning, wherever you go in Mexico.  In Oaxaca they use banana leaves instead of corn shucks when steaming them and they're fabulous.  Also, a  rule of thumb regarding tamales: if they are normal tan colored tamales then they are savory.  If they are pink they are sweet tamales.  Tamale vendors tend to also sell a think drink called atole and champurrado (chocolate atole), which is masa-based and filling.  Some love it, some hate it, but either way it's worth trying.

Oaxaca is also famous for chocolate.  You should try some drinking chocolate with pan de jema while you're at a market or cafe.  You'll also find chapulines, or grasshoppers, for sale in markets.  They're nice in a taco with some avocado, chicharron and lime.

Tour a mezcal distillery.  El Rey de Matatlan is good, but there are a lot of them on the highway once you get a little outside of Oaxaca.  If you decide to visit Matatlan (which is pretty awesome if you like mezcal) you'll find a lot of local producers who have been making the stuff for generations.  Los Danzantes is an amazing restaurant in Oaxaca.  La Olla as well.  I recommend them both.

Mitla and Monte Alban are both ruins that are worth visiting near Oaxaca, but if you have to visit just one I preferred Mitla.  Not only can see you see the ruins, which are really neat, but you can see the monestary next door that they built with stones that they took from the ruins!  You should also visit San Bartolo Coyotepec if you like crafts.  The town specializes in a distinctive black pottery called barro negro.  Visit Dona Rosa's workshop.  They were the innovators of the style and produce some generally amazing pieces of barro negro.

I don't know much about Cuernavaca.  It's a pretty typical town with nice weather where a lot of people from Mexico City own vacation homes.  I've spent a few days there, but not a lot really amazed me.  The Palace of Cortes is definitely worth seeing and they have a nice cathedral, but it pales in comparison to the cathedral of Puebla or Mexico City.  Los Colorines is a great restaurant here.

As for anything between Oaxaca and Tulum: Palenque.  Palenque is my favorite ruin in Mexico.  It's absolutely spectacular.  Other than that, it's mostly wasteland and jungle.  Tulum is nice and more out of the way than Cancun and Cozumel, which makes it a great choice.  

I don't know anything about the best way to fly to Cuba, but let me know what you think of it.  I have friends who have visited and I've always wanted to go.  Be prepared for pretty extreme poverty.  Guatemala is fine.  Honestly, these travel warnings are pretty absurd as long as you have your head on straight and don't go doing anything stupid.  I've never felt like I was in danger at any time in all of my time spent in Mexico or Central America.  It's lovely country.

"For a long time now I have tried simply to write the best I can. Sometimes I have good luck and write better than I can." - Ernest Hemingway
proudft
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Reply #14 on: October 10, 2013, 11:53:05 AM

Oh yeah, food.   i forgot about food.  Everything I ate that had a Mayan name was really fuckin' good.  I tried some grouper at first on a whim because hey, living in SF bay area, we get Mexican food all the time, let's try the local Mayan stuff while we're in the Yucatan.  And after that it was all Mayan, all the time. 
kaid
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Reply #15 on: October 10, 2013, 12:24:42 PM

I went to mexico in college we were touring a lot of odd things like the cloud forests in tamulipas and stuff along those mountains. One day we were like lets go to mexico city so we started to head there and the drive was pretty nifty. We got to around 20 miles from mexico cities outskirts and all you could see in the distance was this horrible yellow smog cloud that looked really nasty. Everybody just looked at each other and said guys um do we really want to go into there and everybody was like um no so we turned around and meandered through some of the smaller cities and towns which were all beautiful.

I really enjoyed my time in mexico but the area we went to is a cartel crazy place today. Back when I was in college the locals just told us if you are in the forests taking pictures of flowers and birds just make sure to not see anything you are not supposed to see. We all understood what that ment and we had no beef with anybody so we agreed.

We even walked through what I am pretty sure was a coca field at one point and even bumped into a few of the workers there but they took one look at our groups butterfly nets and laughed and said no photographia and I had no problems with that. At the time nobody there was overly worried about a group of gringo kids with notebooks and butterfly nets but today we probably would have had our heads cut off and sewn onto soccer balls.
Ruvaldt
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Reply #16 on: October 10, 2013, 12:52:17 PM

I forgot Yucatan food.  Yeah, eat some poc chuc and chochinta pibil while you're in Tulum.  Papadzules are great for breakfast, as are chilaquiles.  If you like spicy food, the Yucatan has some wonderful habaneros as well.

Avocados are absolutely out of sight in Mexico, too.  I usually buy a few at the market and carry one to the restaurants I go to.  Hell, you could eat tortillas with just avocado, lime and salt and have a great meal.

"For a long time now I have tried simply to write the best I can. Sometimes I have good luck and write better than I can." - Ernest Hemingway
lamaros
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Reply #17 on: October 10, 2013, 05:20:10 PM

Thanks very very much for all the info everyone, especially Ruvaldt!

The timing of the day of the dead was intentional, we were going to go a couple of days later originally. Hopefully it works out and there's not real jetlag getting in the way. Cuernavaca is mostly a 'I wrote my honours thesis about a guy who lived here/wrote about here' visit. not expecting the world but if it can cover a day trip or a single night's stay then that'll be cool.

Cuba will be interesting. I wasn't super enthused about going at first but I'm slowly coming around. Even those who have enjoyed the place have mentioned that the food is abysmal though, so it might be a bit of a shock after Mexico.

Edit: Is San Cristóbal de las Casas not worth a visit, or not a place any of you have been?
« Last Edit: October 10, 2013, 06:01:11 PM by lamaros »
Ruvaldt
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Reply #18 on: October 11, 2013, 06:15:25 AM

If you are going from Oaxaca to Tulum by bus, it's worth a visit for a day or a night's stay.  Especially if you are also visiting Palenque.  I wouldn't go out of my way to go there though unless it was holy week though.  They have a fantastic holy week festival involving burning effigies.

By the way, I forgot to mention that you should expect a lot of traffic in Oaxaca.  The infrastructure there is horrible, and, frankly, the city/state is largely ungovernable.  Getting from one place to another can be a real pain.  If you're going to travel from place to place by bus, bring a book.  You'll be stuck in traffic quite a bit.  Mexico City can be bad too, but Oaxaca is unbelievable.

"For a long time now I have tried simply to write the best I can. Sometimes I have good luck and write better than I can." - Ernest Hemingway
lamaros
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Reply #19 on: October 14, 2013, 05:37:35 PM

A good book is mandatory wherever I go!
Speedy Cerviche
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Reply #20 on: October 24, 2013, 12:53:33 PM

Taxco is not far from Cuernavaca, maybe 2 hours, and it is really nice. Old silver mining town high up in mountains, very pretty from all the old silver wealth. Cheap silver craft stuff to buy too, basically at cost by weight for the not so intricate pieces and items (especially outside the more expensive zocalo stores).
« Last Edit: October 24, 2013, 12:55:04 PM by Speedy Cerviche »
Ruvaldt
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Reply #21 on: October 24, 2013, 02:44:13 PM

Oh yeah, Taxco is cool.  It's a scenic mountain town with insanely narrow streets in which you have to press yourself against the wall of a building if more than one Volkswagon Beetle wants to pass at the same time.

Since you'll be there in November you can also try their regional specialty, jumiles.  They are little beetles that are in season between October and December.  Terrific in salsa.  They have a big hunt for them on the day after the Day of the Dead and they name a local girl the Jumil Queen.

It's a nice day trip.

"For a long time now I have tried simply to write the best I can. Sometimes I have good luck and write better than I can." - Ernest Hemingway
lamaros
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Reply #22 on: November 02, 2013, 10:09:51 AM

Arrived in Mexico City. Getting the cab to the hotel was an adventure!

Quick question: lots of people have been saying 'don't go out in Mexico City at night' is this bs or fair advice?
Ruvaldt
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Reply #23 on: November 02, 2013, 04:44:30 PM

It's BS, as long as the neighborhood isn't bad, and I wouldn't go to those neighborhoods during the day either.  I included quite a few safe places to go at night in my diatribe above.  In general, it's fine.  Stick around public places like plazas, and you shouldn't have any problem.
« Last Edit: November 02, 2013, 04:48:54 PM by Ruvaldt »

"For a long time now I have tried simply to write the best I can. Sometimes I have good luck and write better than I can." - Ernest Hemingway
lamaros
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Reply #24 on: November 02, 2013, 05:05:06 PM

Yeah after walking about today that was the feeling we were getting too. Ta, much appreciated. The belltower tour was fun.
Ruvaldt
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Reply #25 on: November 02, 2013, 09:51:36 PM

Glad you liked it.  I remember getting a kick out of the whispering gallery, if you tried it out.

"For a long time now I have tried simply to write the best I can. Sometimes I have good luck and write better than I can." - Ernest Hemingway
lamaros
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Reply #26 on: November 03, 2013, 05:48:31 PM

Second day in, first allergic reaction (after being assured three times something didn't have peanuts or peanut oil), after dealing with useless staff who didn't give a shit despite speaking some English, who sent us to a clinic that had a xenophobic doctor who was rude and didn't prescribe anything, so we had to walk (walking with a reaction...) to the nearest large chain hotel to get their reception to call us a doctor who actually spoke English...

And she was great, except her steroid dose pretty much knocked the GF out it was so strong...

And then the cab to our hotel got lost, and eventually the best we could do was to get them to drop us about five blocks from where we wanted to actually be, which meant more walking for a person with a rash all over her body who was struggling to stand from the drugs...

And it's day two of 21 and all of a sudden Mexico feels like a death trap. Hopefully it's just Mexico City (though now we have to stay here another day to monitor the reaction). Hopefully we'll realise something stupid we did we can stop happening again...

Holidays, what fun they are!
Ruvaldt
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Reply #27 on: November 03, 2013, 06:09:24 PM

I'm surprised about the peanuts, but not that surprised about wait staff not being helpful.  In general, service sucks in Mexico.  This goes for pretty much everything outside of maybe markets, and resorts.

Mexico City is like a hive so the roads are awful and drive everyone crazy.  As a result, only sociopaths hack it as cab drivers.  The Turibuses are often a lot better for seeing the city.

"For a long time now I have tried simply to write the best I can. Sometimes I have good luck and write better than I can." - Ernest Hemingway
lamaros
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Reply #28 on: November 03, 2013, 06:19:59 PM

Yeah, pretty annoying when you have a card that clearly says 'I will die if I eat peanuts' and their response to someone actually getting a reaction is 'hmm, I guess we can get you a cab? Are you going to finish your food?'

You live and learn! Really we should get a phone so at least we can call a cab that won't rob us, or an ambulance... Or a doctor who will treat you seriously... I've got got by being phlegmatic about such things, but I'm not as fragile as the GF I guess.
rk47
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Reply #29 on: November 03, 2013, 10:58:23 PM

Condolences, I'm always of traveling to a foreign country.
Especially third worlds.
Hope it'll turn out fine.
Singapore, city of tight asses don't sound so bad now, eh?

Colonel Sanders is back in my wallet
lamaros
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Reply #30 on: November 03, 2013, 11:15:05 PM

I'd still rather be here than Singapore! Singapore is a bit boring, and I'm pretty sure stress about peanuts and local medical services applies to anywhere we'd go that doesn't have English as the main language apart from continental Europe.
rk47
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Reply #31 on: November 03, 2013, 11:56:41 PM

 awesome, for real I like boring than getting sick in a foreign land.
Do you like boring, RK?
Yes I do, 47.
Indeed, we do.  why so serious?

Colonel Sanders is back in my wallet
Azazel
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Reply #32 on: November 04, 2013, 12:57:06 AM

Mate, don't troll him please. He's stressed about his GF's health right now.

Lamaros - hope things get much, much better for you guys on your trip!

http://azazelx.wordpress.com/ - My Miniatures and Hobby Blog.
lamaros
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Reply #33 on: November 04, 2013, 11:02:30 PM

It's cool. Can't really add to the stress... went to find dinner tonight and ended up picking Italian food to feel somewhat safe... Minestrone soup came out with pesto (we don't eat unless we make it ourselves... Was at hospital til 4am over that in the past). Ordered tea, came with hazelnuts. Unfortunately the language barrier (our Spanish is awful) means trusting people about such things is hard, especially now, even though it was just one glib dickhead and of course not everyone is like that.

Half the fun of coming was trying the food and now it looks like we'll be eating from supermarkets instead. It also means you can't have too much to drink and be a little reckless as contamination happens and the medical infrastructure and local knowledge of how serious an allergy it is isn't on the same level. If we get another reaction we'll be out of epipens, and probably have to leave the country for her sanity.

But: none of that has happened yet and hopefully leaving Mexico City, which adds its own special stresses on top, will turn this holiday around!
« Last Edit: November 04, 2013, 11:06:29 PM by lamaros »
lamaros
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Reply #34 on: September 02, 2014, 03:51:14 PM

Long break before this reply but, Cuba:

Cuba might be interesting if you treat it like going to an exhibition or museum. Otherwise just don't bother. Even the nice people make you feel like an ATM and the food is god awful / not available. You will feel cut off from normal society, from things as trivial as being able to do your own shopping, and circulate in a weird second world of things designed only for tourists that fail miserably at achieving their goals. Everything is either run down, half restored and given up (especially by any locals / guides who might point such places out), closed, or has an invisible 'tourist only' sign and charmless, overpriced atmosphere.

You will get constantly harassed about buying things or taking a taxi, and no one seems happy. Nowhere else I have been in the world has seemed so charmlessly focused with money.

All in all it is an interesting place because of how distinctly different you might feel there because of the economic and political set up, but it is otherwise thoroughly depressing and underwhelming. The best I can say is that you will feel pretty safe despite the horrible economic circumstances.
« Last Edit: September 02, 2014, 04:04:20 PM by lamaros »
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