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Published: February 21st 2016
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Clean
All the parks have garbage containers Surviving in Mexico I would like to make a few suggestions for the American tourist. I realize there are all kinds of people better informed than I but this has never made me hesitate in stating my basis and often uninformed opinion.
1. In riding a bus, always try to sit near the front. When the bus goes over the large speed bumps, the rear of the bus is cantilevered about 3 feet in the air. You can lose your teeth and your back in one easy drop.
2. When crossing a street, even with the walk sign on, try to get in the middle of a group of natives. The driver may not hesitate in picking off one person, but a group of people may make the driver reconsider.
3. Getting the check in a restaurant can be difficult. The Mexican waiter treats you like a guest in their own home and would never ask you to leave the table.
4. Merida is not in Europe, very few people speak English, even those people under 30. There are just a few essential expressions you have to learn:
Streets
The Wide Streets of Old Town Por Favor - Please
Gracias - Thank you
Bano - Bathroom
Cafe Americano - American coffee available at OXXO conveniences stores located everywhere.
The name of your Hotel or El Centro - Center of town
5. After you book your first night or two in an American style hotel, it is time to find a Mexican hotel at 20 to 30 percent of the cost. Try to find one on a quiet street near but not in the center of town. They come with Wifi and AC and look for 3 to 4 stars.
6. At the grocery store, buy a small bottle of bleach. This is your universal disinfectant. If you get a scrap or bacterial problem, it will take care of it. When you buy fruit, put a drop of bleach in a couple of gallons of water and you will disinfect any bacteria on the fruit.
7. Remember, Mexican toilets do not have American infrastructure. You do not flush toilet paper down the toilet. That is why there is always a plastic bag lined waste basket next to the toilet.
Park
Wifi in all the parks and public building 8. Be generous with your tips. Many waiters, hotel maids etc. live on your tip and do not receive any salary.
9. They have cash at the ATM. It may take a while to learn how to use the ATM, at least it took me awhile. Also, credit cards are not universally accepted.
10. Carry some 5 pesos coins. You may have to use the bathroom and sometimes you have to pay.
11. Carry a smartphone with a special Mexican service. On Verizon, it is about $2.00 a day. You can also buy a Mexican cell for about $15.00 US. The Mexicans use a different system for saying their phone number so I ask them to write it down on my little pad of paper. By the way, carry a pen and a small note pad of paper. Once a vendor puts the price on paper the product is half price.
12. I like carrying a kindle rather than a book but that is a personal prerogative.
13. Always check the local time. Cancun is on Central time while Merida which is 350 K to the west is on US Eastern Time. I have no idea why, that is just the way it is.
14. If you need to know something in Spanish, your computer will have a number of programs to help you. There are also programs for smartphones that convert your English into Spanish.
15. Remember, most people want to be nice and helpful. Very few people are dishonest and you can usually smell the greed on them.
16. If you are coming into Cancun, you can show a card saying ADO and where you are going. It will cost a few pesos to get to the bus depot. As an example, it will cost 850 pesos to go to Puerto Morelos which is 15 to 20 miles south of Cancun by cab. By bus it is only a few pesos and you get the local feel of the place.
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