Mexico, safer than most people think...

[fallensaviour]

Having travelled extensively myself I can find no reason why I would want to go to Mexico or Europe when I can find everything I need in Canada or the US???
I think the same could be said for Europe,if I lived there I do not think I would feel the need to travel anywhere else as it has everything there.
I have often found that many people who travel abroad have never even explored their own country very well?
It's strange really.

[BOTZWANA]

Having travelled extensively myself I can find no reason why I would want to go to Mexico or Europe when I can find everything I need in Canada or the US???
I think the same could be said for Europe,if I lived there I do not think I would feel the need to travel anywhere else as it has everything there.
I have often found that many people who travel abroad have never even explored their own country very well?
It's strange really.

Because Canada and U.S. don't have the Monster Cafe. It's ONLY in Mexico.

[Bill]

Traveled the Yucatan, Belize, Guatemala and Honduras so far, remote areas too, no cruise ship BS. Never had a problem in seven years. That being said I don't hang out in Guatemala City, Belize City, Mexico City or San Pedro Sula, I tend to get out as soon as I'm off the plane. Mexico does seem to have issues though; I have friends in the Yucatan that moved there to avoid the growing business of local kidnapping. But I recall doctors being stuffed into the trunks of their own cars in front of Johns Hopkins just a few blocks up from where I lived in Fell's Point back in the 90's, so every place has its issues.

[lepage]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9OqVTDdP5U

[toys2cool]

Because Canada and U.S. don't have the Monster Cafe. It's ONLY in Mexico.

true

[samurainoir]

Having travelled extensively myself I can find no reason why I would want to go to Mexico or Europe when I can find everything I need in Canada or the US???
I think the same could be said for Europe,if I lived there I do not think I would feel the need to travel anywhere else as it has everything there.
I have often found that many people who travel abroad have never even explored their own country very well?
It's strange really.

Don't get me wrong, it's plenty obvious around these parts how proud I am to be Canadian, and how much I dig Canadian culture.

However, I've been to Winnipeg. Winnipeg does not have these...


And I've yet to be on a beach on either left coast or right coast or any of the Great Lakes, that have beaches or diving sites as lovely as the ones in Mexico. (not that there isn't good wreck dives or ocean diving in Canada, I just wish it wasn't so gosh darn grey and cold most of the year!)

On the other hand, we are very fortunate to have our own pockets of Mexican immigrants who bring their food and traditions to our wonderful Canadian multicultural tapestry, so it is entirely possible to find authentic Mexican dishes of all types here, as well as different products and in particular artisan goods, as well as music and dancing.

El Sol. One of my absolute favourite places on the Danforth in Toronto.
http://www.elsol.ca/

and a wonderful hole in the wall on Bloor street, Mexi Taco (don't let the name fool you).
MEXITACO: Authentic Mexican Taste

[samurainoir]

For me, I always think of this to sum up the concept of traveling.

Here is the one thing that always amuses me when I'm hanging out with friends from other countries visiting Canada. Many of them seem fascinated with our squirrels. Walking through parks or any kind of scenic nature, and I often find they want to chase squirrels and take pictures of them.

So my lovely spouse and I are in Mexico, and I am just fascinated by the Lizards! Particularly since they seem to hang around many of the historical sites. At one site I saw a big one go scampering across the grass and I go tearing after it to get some pictures. When I come back, of course there are many Mexicans who are quite amused, and my lovely spouse turns to me and says, "Dude, you remember that time that your friend Kevin was visiting us from Korea and chased Squirrels around the park with his camera-phone? Well apparently those lizards are like Mexican Squirrels!"

[samurainoir]

Traveled the Yucatan, Belize, Guatemala and Honduras so far, remote areas too, no cruise ship BS. Never had a problem in seven years. That being said I don't hang out in Guatemala City, Belize City, Mexico City or San Pedro Sula, I tend to get out as soon as I'm off the plane. Mexico does seem to have issues though; I have friends in the Yucatan that moved there to avoid the growing business of local kidnapping. But I recall doctors being stuffed into the trunks of their own cars in front of Johns Hopkins just a few blocks up from where I lived in Fell's Point back in the 90's, so every place has its issues.

I spent a week in Mexico City and a week in the Yucatan. What a wonderful contrast! Wandered around all over both places on foot and didn't have any problems at all.

Love the fact that all the galleries are free and open to the public on Family Day. And the ruins that were unearthed UNDER the City Centre was pretty fascinating to me.

The irony about Mexico City is that the best high-light for us was seeing the Ashes and Snow exhibit they had erected in the City Square. It really amused me that we travelled all that distance and lined up for so many hours to discover that we were looking at the breathtaking work OF A CANADIAN ARTIST!
ashes and snow

[Hector]

I spent a week in Mexico City and a week in the Yucatan. What a wonderful contrast! Wandered around all over both places on foot and didn't have any problems at all.

Love the fact that all the galleries are free and open to the public on Family Day. And the ruins that were unearthed UNDER the City Centre was pretty fascinating to me.

The irony about Mexico City is that the best high-light for us was seeing the Ashes and Snow exhibit they had erected in the City Square. It really amused me that we travelled all that distance and lined up for so many hours to discover that we were looking at the breathtaking work OF A CANADIAN ARTIST!
ashes and snow

[Hector]

Places I've been to...and much safer than the border towns:

Guadalajara, Jalisco - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cuernavaca - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

San Miguel de Allende - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Puebla (city) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

One of my personal favorites:

Guanajuato, Guanajuato - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

...and of course...the big one (but like any large city, it has its good and bad parts):

Mexico City - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

To compare these cities to Juarez and Tijuana...well...that's just plain silly.

Too bad about the city of Monterrey though. It's a pretty modern and industrial city...but unfortunately...it's in the northern part of Mexico...were many of the drug cartels make their home...so a lot of bad stuff is going on there as well...I would avoid this city...

Monterrey - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[SeattleEd]

Hector,

Best places you selected there.
I'll add these as well:

Zihuatanejo:
Zihuatanejo - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Taxco:
Taxco A silver City, Mexico, Cathedral, Vacation, Architecture

By far my favorite is San Miguel. Perfect place to retire.
Love the tunnels in Guanajuato. Totally trippy.
Taxco has the shops built into the mountain from old silver mines. The climb in the market place is steep but picturesque.

[Hector]

Zihuatanejo:
Zihuatanejo - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

That's where Andy Dupree and Red finally embraced each other as free men at the end of Shawshank Redemption...

[samurainoir]

I was at Chitzen Itza for the Solstice. Was that a sight to behold.


(although I could have done without all those hippies)

[samurainoir]

I forgot, I was in Chiapas as well. Yet another contrast compared the Mexico City, Cancun and the Yucatan. It was really fantastic to get away from tourist stuff and actually experience a "real city" where you didn't have to haggle for everything and a guy wasn't trying to sell you a cactus hammock every five seconds. Although in the norht, I really missed having the fresh grapefruit and Mango with lime and chilis that I could get on the street corner in Merida every morning.

[Mikey]

I'd like to go visit Andy and Red in Zihuatanejo