Orientation from the "Tour Guide"

Over the years I have escorted numerous friends and family members to Mérida, Mexico, and served as their "tour guide".  For most of them it was their first time in Mexico, so I wrote an orientation of several pages, printed it up, and gave it to them before the trip.  It gave them some advice on what to expect and some of the cultural differences that they would encounter.

Next month I will be playing "tour guide" for the first time in Mexico City when my friends Nancy and Fred come to visit me.  They had already been with me in Mérida, but the two cities are very, very different. So I wrote up an entirely new and even longer orientation for the Mexican capital.  Here are a few excerpts from it...

Mexico City, with a metropolitan population of over twenty million people, is a universe unto itself.  Sometimes you will think that you are in a large, modern U.S. city, other times you will feel as if you are in Europe, and sometimes you will cross through the looking glass into what Salvador Dalí called the most surreal place he had ever seen.  I have to admit that there are moments when I hate the place (especially when stuck in traffic), but most of the time I find it endlessly fascinating.  The key to enjoying this overwhelming city is to go with the flow, and just absorb its sights, sounds and smells. 

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SAFETY

Obviously, in a huge city in which half the population lives in poverty, there is much more crime than in a place such as Mérida.  However, the responsible tourist is unlikely to have any problem.  Petty crime such as purse-snatching and pickpocketing are common, but Mexico City is less notorious for that than cities such as Barcelona or Rome. Use the precautions you would use in any big city… purse hung across the body, wallet tucked in the front pocket.  Be prudent, but you do not have to be paranoid.

As I have said before, your biggest dangers are the uneven sidewalks, and the traffic.  Be careful with bicyclists who tend to ignore traffic signals. 

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MONEY

The exchange rate is hovering just below 20 pesos to the dollar, so 1000 pesos is a little more than $50 US.  Remember that in Mexico they use our dollar sign with pesos, so don’t be shocked when, for example, you see $150 for a meal on the breakfast menu… that’s only around $7.50 in our money.

The ATMs tend to give out a lot of 500 peso bills.  Even though that is only $25 US, those bills can be hard to spend at some places.  (It’s amazing how many businesses don’t have change.)  Use those “big” bills at nicer restaurants and larger stores. 

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CLOTHING

Shorts are generally a no-no.  First of all, it is not going to be that hot.  The people that you see wearing shorts are often jogging, bicycling or headed to the gym.  Younger people now seem to be wearing shorts more often, but, among people our age, they are not common.

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THE TOILET PAPER DEBATE

I have read articles saying that it is OK to flush the paper down the toilets as long as you don’t use too much.  However the idea persists that the paper will clog the toilet.   At your hotel, unless you see any signs to the contrary, I wouldn’t worry about throwing toilet paper into the bowl.  In the restrooms of restaurants or museums I suppose you should comply if there is a sign that says to put the paper in the wastebasket.

Always carry a wad of toilet paper with you in case there is none in the restroom.  It occasionally happens even in nice restaurants.

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So for what it is worth, that is a bit of my advice for the first time visitor to Mexico City