Driving RV to Baja

[Gone4Good]

But there are plenty of tourists here who prefer not to interact with local culture.

We noticed that in San Miguel de Allende. It's a beautiful town but the historic area felt like an American retirement community. Everywhere we went we were surrounded by the exact same demographic. I found it a bit weird, almost like the town had been colonized by the cast of Cocoon.

It was also a little off-putting too to see expats who were clearly staying for the long haul not even making an effort to learn any Spanish. We even saw folks get angry at locals for not speaking English. That level of entitlement is off the charts.

 

[dixonge]

We noticed that in San Miguel de Allende. It's a beautiful town but the historic area felt like an American retirement community. Everywhere we went we were surrounded by the exact same demographic. I found it a bit weird, almost like the town had been colonized by the cast of Cocoon.

It was also a little off-putting too to see expats who were clearly staying for the long haul not even making an effort to learn any Spanish. We even saw folks get angry at locals for not speaking English. That level of entitlement is off the charts.

At least they made the Starbucks on the main plaza change their sign to fit in w/ the local aesthetic a bit ...

The language thing puzzles me. We've run into several who refuse to learn Spanish. Strange...

 

[Gone4Good]

The language thing puzzles me. We've run into several who refuse to learn Spanish. Strange...

I guess that happens everywhere. When an immigrant community gets large enough in an area, the need to assimilate goes way, way down.

I don't quite get it myself. There's probably a half dozen countries in the world I'd like to stay for an extended period and one of the big reasons why is to learn the language, learn the cuisine, learn the culture. I know I'd never become a local, but I'd love to have enough of an understanding of Mescal to walk into any cantina and order something specific or be able to go to a local market and pick up all the right ingredients to make everything from a good verde to escamoles.

At the same time, I can understand why San Miguel keeps pulling in the American retirees. The weather is great. The town is beautiful. And the needed adjustment is small.

 

[kcowan]

Our Mayan Palace complex has been rebranded Vidanta, and is going to be huge, e.g. 2 golf courses. We visited some friends from San Diego who were staying there for 3 weeks. Although all the staff were Mexican, they spoke perfect English. It was possible to spend the 3 weeks as if it was a resort in California (but warmer).

 

[Tandemlovers]

We bicycled the Baja from LA to Cabo. The people were great and very helpful. I would not have thought about telling you about water but there were many 'water stores'. Most people go there with 5 gallon bottles. We just asked if they would fill our water bottles. They were always gracious.

I also expected to see a poorer country. However, I thought the standard of living was fairly high. I do not know if that is true but by the number of cars and the quality of the retail stores made me feel that way.

We are planning to do the same in a day or two, just now getting ready to fly out to San Diego with our bike to begin our ride over to Tecate (crossing at Tijuana looked too overwhelming, plus, we were concerned we might not be able to get the tandem through the turnstile).

I think I remember you posting about your trip some time ago, and perhaps you have a journal on crazyguy?

 

[haha]

I am not a Mexican travel virgin. My first trip there was late 60s, returning from a work assignment in an Andean country. I had friends in Mexico and Panama. I went duck and dove shooting in Sonora, and hunting in the Panamanian jungle in the east of that country. I spoke good Spanish and more or less had a feel for what was going on in Latin culture. I have great pics of the crowds at cockfights, and other sporting events. I lived in LA, and went down often, usually to visit my friend in Sonora.

I have an Anglo friend in his early 30s who was an Olympic flyweight, and had some number of pro fights. He developed a strong respect for latinamerican fighters, and got interested in the life of boxers in the Colombian Caribbean city of Barranquilla. He goes down and spars with these young Colombian fighters who very often are trying to support a sizable family with their fists. He understands Latin culture much better than I do. Probably better than any non Latino, and possibly understands latino street culture better than anyone who is not a part of it or a cop down there. It is very much more involved than most of us gringos understand. http://www.elheraldo.co/deportes/hoy-otra-noche-de-boxeo-gratis-en-el-coliseo-elias-chegwin-222896

Mexico has changed, as has everything else, and to me it is no longer very appealing. And I am not a person in search of or in need of cheap rent or servants. Down there an American in what is to most locals an impossibly expensive rig has only one role- to be a goose to be plucked. Hopefully gently. The US is a long way from the perfect existence, and it seems to be getting more idiotic every month, but at least as a norteamericano I have some modest hope of figuring out what is going on. Not necessarily liking it, but also not being completely in the dark.

Ha

 

[Gone4Good]

So we're now at the airport ready to leave Mexico after 70 days. One thing that is a bit surprising about Mexico compared to everywhere else in the world we've traveled is that not a single cab driver tried to rip us off.

I don't think we can say that about anywhere else we've been. No mater how law abiding a citizenry, shady taxi drivers are a near universal constant.

 

[kcowan]

Taxi drivers are struggling. Gas has gone up to 13.6 pesos per litre. The posted rate have gone up 10 pesos on average. They will charge the old rate to regulars but sometimes an extra 10 pesos to tourists (i.e. 20 pesos more) to make up for it.

But they will hunt you down to return possessions you leave in their cars. They hope that you reward them more than your stuff would be worth on the secondary market.