An Interesting Blog about Mexico

March 22, 2010 | 4 Comments

Recently, I came across an interesting blog written by a young lady (Catia) who is, at the moment, traveling in Mexico by herself. She is writing as she travels, and, obviously, enjoying the experience and growing with it. I think many of the readers of ”Talk About Mexico” will find it informative; she takes time to describe the cities and towns she visits as well as their impressions on her.

The name of the blog is Vagabond Roots and this is the link: Guanajuato, Mexico

Rio Guzman

Motorcycle In Mexico?

March 4, 2010 | 3 Comments

Hi I want to make a trip on the toll roads down to Mexico City from Phoenix at the end of March in a motorcycle by myself. I grew up In Mexico City and know the central area and peninsula of Mexico quite well. Even though I am Mexican, you have more experience than I do traveling to Mexico; therefore I am asking you for adviceand also have not traveled from North to South by land never.

I am meeting friends and family in both Cuernavaca and Mexico City, ….. I speak the language so that is not the problem… I have always traveled by plane when going down there, but did a lot of road trips as a family when younger but never alone and in a motorcycle.

I understand I would drive during the day only, and staying on toll roads always.

Do you think it might be not safe doing it by myself… back and forth?

Do you have any tips for me?

Thank you, Ricardo B.

Carl replies: Since you have the good fortune to already speak Spanish and presumably understand how to handle yourself in Mexico, I have very little advice to offer beyond what I’ve written in our book, which is quite extensive. (Look for the People’s Guide to Mexico in your local library or better yet, buy a copy!)

One caution: if you’re riding a bike that attracts attention I’d carry some kind of cover for it, to conceal it better at night from the curious. You might even use an old tarp with bungee cords — something simple and not at all flashy. Also, motorcyclists often park their bikes overnight in the patio of a hotel. Do you have a serious lock? If you haven’t seen them before, consider something like a Kryptonite New York Fuggedaboutit lock. I actually have this same lock for my bicycle (my bike is worth more than our car).

Again, I can’t think of anything else that isn’t covered in detail in the chapter on driving in our book.

FAQ: Working In Mexico

March 3, 2010 | 6 Comments

Frequently Asked Questions about Working In Mexico

Please feel free to add your own comments, suggestions and personal experiences via the Comments link. As new questions come in I’ll add them to this post, so if the topic interests you I suggest that you subscribe.

3 March 2010

I was reading your website and you definitely offer some great information. I have been considering relocating to Mazatlan for the past 16 months and I am getting closer and closer to doing it! I visited twice last year and already have one trip planned for March and one for April. I can’t wait to be back!

I was hoping you could help me since you probably have some more knowledge than I do . . .

I do hold my certificate to teach English as a second language, but am having trouble findings schools and opportunities in Mazatlan. I have been successful in finding opportunities in many other places in Mexico, but would truly like to be in Mazatlan. Do you happen to know of any specific schools or programs that hire ESL teachers?

Thank you so much in advance for your time and any assistance you can provide.

Kind Regards, Elizabeth

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27 Feb 2010

I am looking for some information. I am an American living in Texas. I am looking to purchase a business in Playa. Is that possible since I am an American? Also, how is the safety in and around Playa? Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Jeremiah

Carl replies: I assume you mean Playa del Carmen in the Yucatan? Yes, it is possible but that doesn’t mean it will be easy. As for safety, that depends a great deal on what you consider to be “safe”. Your questions are so broad, in fact, that I suggest you do further research online and at our main People’s Guide To Mexico website (as well as visiting Playa) before you go much farther.

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25 Feb 2010

I was hoping you could help me since you probably have some more knowledge than I do . . .

Thank you so much in advance for your time and any assistance you can provide.

Kind Regards, Elizabeth

Carl replies: Lorena and I don’t have the time or resources to track individual businesses and schools but I’m sure that if you participate in some of the popular online discussion forums about Mazatlan that you’ll find something helpful. Or, with any luck, one of our readers will chime in here and answer your question. If you haven’t yet searched our main People’s Guide website for information, please try that — the link is in the upper left hand corner of this page.

FAQ: Retire, Live In Mexico?

March 3, 2010 | 1 Comment

We get so many questions about retiring and living in Mexico that I’ve decided to combine both the questions and replies in a single post. As new questions come in I’ll add them here, so if this topic interests you I suggest subscribing to the post. As always I hope you’ll feel free to add your own comments, advice, and personal experience via the comment box.

3 March 2010

I want to THANK YOU for your wealth of information !!!!!!!!! I completely stumbled across your website and various links of information and am now addicted )

My husband and I were married in Puerto Vallarta in March 2005. Having never been there, it was a huge step for me in more than one way !!! However, I completely fell in love with the area and the people. We go to PV (actually south of there) every year for our anniversary and this will be our 5th. Each time we try to stay longer and venture further. My husband probably would have moved to Mexico a long time ago – but, I have been the one holding him back. We are both so frustrated with the government and the state of our economy; and the continual decline. We continually evaluate our environment. In just the last two weeks we have fallen in love with Lake Chapala – and, for some reason, Ajijic. We wonder how we would be able to support ourselves with no retirement funds or savings set aside. Not sure how the job market is – if there even is one. I realize that I am rambling on and on here and you obviously can’t solve my issues. I have ordered your book and hope to have it in a couple days. I know it will be a great resource and I am looking forward to that. Any other words of wisdom you would be willing to share on a more personal basis would be greatly appreciated. I was also wondering if you have a blog that I have not found yet ??

Thank you !!!!!!!!!!!!! Marlene

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26 Feb 2010

My husband and I are looking to retire in a place we can afford. We are a bit concerned about Mexico because we have heard that it is not a particularly safe place to live. Also, if you buy property can the Mexican government take it away at any time? We are looking for horse property. Is it feasible to purchase a few acres of nice property with a small home on it, in a safe area, for 60,000? Read more

Poets To Gather In Mexico

March 3, 2010 | Leave a Comment

U.S. Poets in Mexico 3rd Annual Poetry Festival visits Playa del Carmen next January 2011 — Featuring Poetry Workshops and Readings by Contemporary American and Mexican Poets

In January 2011, U.S. Poets in Mexico will be visiting Playa del Carmen. U.S. Poets in Mexico will bring contemporary American and regional Mexican poets to different cities in Mexico every year for one week of poetry workshops, readings and discussions. Read more

Michoacan Beach Camping

March 2, 2010 | 11 Comments

I’ve been doing some housekeeping on this blog and discovered the post below from David Eidell buried in a remote corner of the site. It was originally posted in 2009 but will probably still appeal to those of you lucky enough to be beachcombing this winter.

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FREE BEACH CAMPING ON THE COAST OF MICHOACAN

IF you can beat this I’ll eat my sombrero!

Free tent camping beneath swaying palms on Las Peñas beach, next to a palm frond restaurant that has 24/7 flush toilet and hot shower for guests.

The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Lobster is featured as are fresh oysters. You can get STEAMED lobster which is hard to find. Fresh ground CHIAPAS french roast coffee. Read more

The Eye of the Dragon | Cuernavaca an Excerpt

March 1, 2010 | Leave a Comment

by Rio Guzman

The afternoon sun was beginning to cast the giant shadow of evening upon the dusty downtown streets of Cuernavaca. I walked downhill toward the center of town, leaving behind the crowded bus station filled with bawling infants and angry blaring horns. I walked in earnest with the anticipation of the newcomer, welcoming the new sights and smells, the mouth-watering smells emanating from the “carne asada” and onions frying on ambulatory food stands by the street corners.

Without delay I set up residence in an inexpensive downtown hotel. I remember it was about four o’clock. I remember because the moment I entered my room, I dropped my backpack, grabbed my recently made jewelry and rushed out to find a place to sell my wares before the sun set. In a period of about two hours, standing on a street corner, close to the main plaza, I sold every single piece I had. As a result, I had a good dinner that night, the first of many to come. Read more

FAQ: Medications & Health Care In Mexico

March 1, 2010 | 7 Comments

The pros-and-cons of purchasing medications and health care in Mexico has turned into a major topic on this blog and also on our main People’s Guide To Mexico website. For that reason I’ll now publish medication and health related questions and answers here, so if the topic interests you, please subscribe to the Comments in order to be notified of new posts.

March 1, 2010

Carl & Lorena,

Thanks for publishing your excellent website “The People’s Guide to Mexico”. I have read through some of the pages including the ones on prescription medication and your advice for visiting a local doctor.

I live in DC and I am traveling to Cancun next week for a little R & R for 6 days with my wife. I am interested in having an evaluation of possible sciatica symptoms including an MRI and an Orthopaedic Physician Interview. I also have insomnia and am interested in a Physician appointment for a possible prescription for insomnia medication. I wondered how to go about seeking these doctor appointments with this short notice or after my arrival in Cancun and if you can recommend particular physician groups, clinics, hospitals, &/or pharmacies.

I understand Cancun is not a large metropolitan area & is mainly geared towards recreation, but I have seen on the Internet that there are certainly local clinics and probably the facilities for diagnostic radiology evaluation. One of these is called Amerimed (http://www.amerimed-hospitals.com/index.html) if you have heard of them.

My intention is to have an evaluation of my symptoms so I can learn about them before I subject myself to the whims of my local Profit-motive oriented US health insurance company. Don’t really trust them to look out for my interests vs their own as you may guess.

Sincerely, Nish Dave’

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Feb 27, 2010

I came across your very informative Mexico guide web site while researching pharmacies in Mexico. I live in San Diego, and am looking for a reliable drug store in Tiajuana. I tried to call the “El Fenix” # you have listed but it seems outdated?

(I know Tijuana now has an area code of “646″). Do you happen to know of another current number for them??

thank you. tom

Carl replies: I’m afraid that Lorena and I don’t have the time, energy or resources to keep track of individual businesses in Mexico. I didn’t even know, for example, that Tijuana’s area code had changed, so you’re already ahead of me there. My usual response to questions of this sort is to hope that one this blog’s readers will chime in with updated information. And on that note I want to remind everyone: we can’t do this by ourselves — we not only appreciate contributions from our readers, we depend on them to keep current!

Online Spanish Dictionary

March 1, 2010 | 2 Comments

I was writing an email in Spanish this morning and couldn’t recall the proper word for “guidelines”. As an experiment, I typed this into a Google search: translate “guidelines” spanish.

Lo-and-behold the top hit was an excellent online translator that not only gave me the correct term (pautas) but offers both Spanish and English audio of each word. Try it yourself at Bab.La