A MAZATLAN ART PARTY!!

Now the great news here, is that not only does this amazing Christian art come in a broad range of prices but it’s also super easy to find. Just stop by Sandi’s house for wine and snacks (321 Aleman) 3:00 – 8:00 Pm on the first Friday of every month when she hosts a showing or stop by Macaws restaurant in Olas Altas where you can check out her crosses on their gallery wall.

Worse yet, what about the big community of expat Canadians, Aussies, Brits and Americans “like me” that live here year round? Can we all be collectively out of our minds? Thrill seekers with a quasi-death wish? After all, it’s not as if there aren’t options. So then what’s the real story from our points of view?

So Then Why All The Negative Publicity??

Ask any one of us down here, including myself, and we will tell you that it’s all ((fear politics)) and recession era economics. You see, if you read beyond the headlines and further on in the business section of your paper, you’ll find that tourist venues up north of the border are suffering badly.

All the lifeguards here are off-duty cops

Disney World in Orlando, Las Vegas, Wisconsin Dells, Atlantic City, New Orleans, all the winter ski resorts, and the list just goes “on and on.

They all need your precious vacation money spent up there, and they’re at an “extreme disadvantage” when it comes to what your dollar will get you up there, versus what it will buy you down here.

So yes there’s been a lot of publicity about the violence in Mexico in general, and even some in Mazatlan. However, as you read about it do keep one thing in mind. That’s that the vast majority of it is up at the border, over a thousand miles away.

Not One Tourist In Five Long Years!

Also the odd thing about it, is over the past five years that it’s been making headline in all the papers up north of the border, ((not one tourist)) in Mazatlan has been kidnapped or killed. In fact if you do some research you’ll find that it’s that same story in virtually all the vacation venues up and down the entire pacific coast here.

Yes there’s drug related violence here to a certain degree, and it for sure continues up north on both sides of the border where Phoenix Arizona now “tops the nation” for drug related kidnappings. The fact is though, that without exception it’s confined to drug traffickers “whomping away” on one another for all their various reasons.

But wait! What about getting caught in a cross-fire if it’s “whomping time” and your sitting at a table next to a group of them that’s about to get whomped on?? Sorry. Hasn’t happened to anyone here yet, and it’s been five years now of drug turf conflicts both here and in the US.

Mazatlan Is Actually A Pretty Big City

The reason is simple, and that’s that Mazatlan is a big city with a population of close to a million people. It spreads out about five miles in all four directions. So just like major cities in the US and Canada, it has it’s “rougher districts” where the bad guys tend to conduct their gang activity.

I feel as much in danger here when I hear about a drug related killing in the far flung outskirts of the city as, say a person living in a better area of any city up north would upon hearing about a drug related killing that occurs miles away down an alley in one of their ghettos. Sure I don’t like it but it doesn’t make me feel worried for my safety in the least bit.

Try to understand that with a population of over 140 million people with 50% of them living on $2 per day or less, Mexico in general has it’s fair share of crime problems. Just imagine what the area that you live in would be like if half the people sharing it with you had to live on $2 per day?

So Hats Off To Mazatlan Cops And Locals

So all things considered the Mexican cops have done and continue to do a great job of keeping their coastal tourist venues safe to visit. You’ll see cops “all over the place” down here, and they have a well earned reputation for being tough on crime that effects tourists. They don’t need search warrants here and there’s no criminal rights like they have up north of the border.

Also after five long years of watching their tourism economy in decline, the the locals that you’ll run across down here, particularly in the tourist areas do a great job of keeping their eyes on the tourists who do show up now. Even all the lifeguards on the beaches are off duty Mazatlan cops.

So in the end if you have plans on coming to Mazatlan to smuggle drugs, I would advice you not to do it. It’s downright dangerous to be a drug trafficker now!! However, if you want to come here for a vacation than come on down because you’ll be a heck of a lot safer here than you would vacationing in any big city in the US for sure.

The bottom line:

Go ahead and check the crime statistics in virtually all popular travel destinations around the world, and what you’ll find is that the global economic decline has had its effect on all all of them. Petty crimes like theft are up anywhere you travel today, so of course here in Mazatlan a little common sense goes a long way.

In fact people have even been known to finance their entire Mexican dental vacation just on what they saved on work they had done down down here.

So Just How Low Are They???

It’s not hard to believe either, once you find out that for instance a dental implant that will run you $8000 up north of the border, will cost you about $1000 down here with a Mazatlan dentist. Or that a $1,500 to $2,000 crown will run you a whopping $200 “or so” here as well.

So then with prices so low, what’s the real story? As a matter of fact in the five years that I have lived here in Mazatlan, I’ve always wondered that myself.

Now I understand that prices are lower here on pretty much anything you shop for in Mexico but I couldn’t help but notice in talking to people who have been to a Mazatlan dentist that that prices on all types of dental work are just “so much” lower than in the US.

Now I wish I could have written this article sooner but the fact is that I’m one of those people who avoid dentists. In fact the last time I went to one prior to my first dental visit to a Mazatlan dentist was about ten years ago when I sought out a dentist in Northern California regarding a tooth that part of it had broken off of.

Now at that time the dentist told me that the two teeth on both sides of the chipped tooth had to be ground down, so he could install a bridge. However, there was just one minor problem that cropped up.

That was that I didn’t have dental insurance, so the plan had to be changed to just installing a much less costly simple crown, which by the way has functioned just fine to this day.

It Was My Time To Try Out A Mazatlan Dentist

So fast forward to June of 2011 when it became painfully obvious that I had a problem with one of my molars. My jaw became inflamed and my hopes were that it was only an infection.

So off I went to the pharmacy to pick up some antibiotics after visiting one of the local store front clinics that are dotted around the city.

Well the antibiotics worked for a time but the pain and swelling kept returning which meant just one thing. That was that it was time for a visit to a dentist. But not just any dentist, rather a Mazatlan Dentist.

So as much trepidation as I have about dentists in general, I saw this as a chance to see first hand just how they compared to dentists I had been treated by back home.

Three Visits For My Root Canal….About $125

So to make a long story short, I had a root canal done, and the doctors work was nothing short of superb. Now my final bill converted to American dollars came out to be around $125, and by the way my first examination visit was free of charge.

Now that was a bit of a surprise coming from the US where virtually nothing is free.

As far as his office was concerned, there was “virtually nothing” that would differentiate it from any modern fully equipped office in the US. The equipment was all new and up to date, and it was all arranged just as you would expect any dental office to be, with one exception.

You see, he had no receptionist. I simply sat in the waiting room until it was my turn and that was it. Dr. Pineda poked his head through the door waved me in a little while after his last patient had exited. Also let me say that although he didn’t speak fluent English, he spoke what I would call “dentist English”

That is that while I doubt he would be able to hold a “detailed” conversation about life in general, none the less he knew all the English terms and phrases relating to his work.

So we communicated “perfectly” in that respect and there was never any problems there. All just “fine and dandy”.

So Just How Are Mazatlan Dentists Able To Do It???

So then just how are the dentists here in Mazatlan able to charge such low fees for their work as compared to what you would pay up north of the border. Especially considering that they use the same equipment, same treatment techniques, same everything. The answers it turns out, are quite basic.

For starters because the Mexican government subsidizes the education of dental students there are just more dental offices here. You see them pretty much everywhere as you make your way around the city.

It’s not accomplished with student loans either, so Mazatlan dentists don’t graduate with crushing debt like so many medical professionals in the US.

Low Costs For Them Means Lower Costs For You

They also don’t have to foot the same “massive” malpractice insurance costs like all medical professionals do in the US either, so you’re not paying near as much for that in your bill as well.

You see, people just aren’t as “sue happy” down here. Also Mexicans would no more consider suing a doctor as they would the village priest.

What it all boils down to, is that when you’re treated by Mexican dentists you’re pretty much only paying for his time and perhaps the rent on the building will be factored in as really his or her only operational overhead.

So the bottom line here: is Dr. Pineda gets an A+ from me, and I’d for sure recommend him to anyone.

Dr. Edgar Sinhue Lopez Pineda, Av. Insurgentes No. 1016, Colonia Maria Fernanda. (Just open the gate and knock on the door.)

Tel. 669-176-2565

As a matter of fact I’ve been to all the strip clubs down here several times and there’s more than the three main clubs Hipocampo, La Botana, and Tarrandas. However, the others like the Red Dragon are on the outskirts of the city. Too far to travel, and in areas that are really best to be avoided. Besides these 3 local clubs have “all that you need”.

Now all three clubs are different in certain respects and while I happen to prefer Tarrandas, you may for your own reasons prefer one of the others. For instance La Botana which translates into (little snack) in Spanish, is more upscale. It’s right on the beach in the middle of the malacone, and caters to a more touristy crowd. You can’t miss it.

Now the girls look real swell and I even ran into one in there that spoke pretty damn good English. The one time that I went in there because as noted above, it caters to a tourist crowd, so it has tourist prices and a “tourist hustle”. For instance the girl that I talked to kept trying to talk me out of money, and I don’t just give away money in strip clubs unless I “get something” in return. So I got tired of that real quick.

Mazatlan Strip Club Hipocampo during its off-hours. It's a nice place but I like Tarrandas better.

The next stop is Hipocompo, and in my opinion the girls there aren’t as nice looking as the chicks in Tarrandas. Also the place is ran by a couple of lesbians who I suspect tend to hire girls who are also lesbian. Anyway they aren’t near as friendly as the girls in Tarrandas. Plus every time I’ve tried to negotiate a price for “backroom sex” with one they wanted way too much money.

So this brings us to Tarrandas which is where I direct any tourists that ask for advice on the topic, and is also really the only strip club I go to. It’s not in the best part of town but it’s not in the worst either. Just a few blocks off the malacone, and there’s always 4 or 5 taxi drivers sitting in their cars out in front, plus and a beefy security guy at the door.

Mexican Strip Club Ground Rules

• Get your money broken into smaller bills before entering. (100 & 200 peso bills)
• Don’t let the girls or the waiters see inside your wallet if you have a large amount of money in it. (You won’t get robbed. It just makes price negotiating more difficult)
• Don’t order mixed drinks or wine. Just drink beer because they hardly put any booze in the cocktails, and the wine is “absolutely ghastly”.
• Pay for your drink orders as they arrive at your table because running a tab is a sure fire way to get overcharged. Then always make sure to tip the waiter.
• Don’t stare at the patrons sitting at the next table over when they’re getting table dances. (It’s hard not to do because some of the girls are “so damn cute”, and they’re quite often fully naked.)

I like to go in, have a seat at a table then sit back and down a few beers while I watch the stage for a while before I consider doing anything. Just to check them all out before I go for any of the 60 peso lap dances. Then after about an hour of watching and “getting my drink on”, I’ll start to roll the idea of screwing one in a back room around in my head.

So the next step is on to the negotiating process. Now I learned the hard way the first time I went in there about not coming to a “clear understanding”, so I don’t make that mistake any more. Now I make sure that it’s “perfectly clear” what I will be paying before I walk off with her.

The backrooms are a uniquely strange experience. They’re quite small with an armless vinyl upholstered chair plunked in the middle. For roughly 500 to 700 pesos I get oral, and straight sex in the sitting position. Or, sometimes I stand and bend the girl over the chair but either way it’s important that you understand one thing.

That is that the “time that you get in the room” is measured by 2 songs being played in the club. When two songs are over the guy at the table knocks on the door, and wants another 200 pesos. Now it’s never been a problem for me to get my “business” over with back there in around 7 minutes, but I was in there one time with a friend who ended up getting milked for about $150 US.

Now I always have a great time in Tarrandas and from my very first visit had no trepidations about checking out the odd back room sex. However, about half the time a run across tourist in there it takes a little coaxing to get them to “give it a go”. Having noted that however, not one has returned to the table with any kind of regrets. They all thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

The back rooms are cleaned regularly and the girl will always slap a condom on you. Also I do have to say that they’re good at what they do and in spite of the cramped quarters, seem to be fully experienced at having great sex in them. By the way it’s worth mentioning that you won’t find any older broads working there like in American strip clubs. They’re all between 18 and, say 25, or so.

Now right inside the back door, is a short hallway with a man sitting at a desk in it. You have to pay him 200 pesos for “rent” on one of the rooms that line the hallway. Then I usually pay the girl I’ve negotiated with between 200, and 300 pesos, but I understand one important thing.

That is that I’ve learned through experience that the girls will do their best to “confuse” you, or make unclear the exact amount being paid. Does my arranged 500 peso fee include the man at the table, or is it all for them? Do I have to pay the table guy another 200 pesos on top of it?

So I always make sure that she understands and acknowledges that that 300 pesos is “por usted” (for you) and that 200 pesos is for “la mesa” (the table). Otherwise the chicks going to take the total 500 from my hand then turn to me and tell me to now pay the guy at the table.

The beers in Tarrandas are about the same price you’ll pay anywhere else, 20 pesos each, and the girls are always “cute and friendly”. It’s also worth knowing that no one is getting trafficked or forced into doing anything in there. It’s all just local chicks that are too lazy or stupid to work at a regular job, and simply want to make money “doing what they do best”.

I’ve never met one girl in there that speaks a word of English, so what I advise tourist that I run into to do is ask around among the waiters or the doorman. One of the them usually does, and in fact the last time I was in Tarrandas the doorman spoke it perfectly. For a 100 peso tip they’ll be glad to help you to negotiate a deal, and by the way every girl you see dancing in there also works the back rooms.

On a final note: I have seen couples in there before and in some cases the women were even getting lap dances. I’m sure that some of the girls will even do the “back room thing” with them too if that’s what “spins your wheel”. I’ve also seen a “live sex act” on stage before during bike rally week a couple of years ago. Bottom line: if you have the money to pay it’s all there for you.

Touring the Town Square

Center to Concordia, like most Mexican colonial towns, is the church square. This is the gathering for everyone local or tourist alike. When we arrived there were already a small handful of Mexican tourists taking pictures and laughing as they tried to prop themselves up on a large wooden chair that looks like it was made for a giant.

The Chair

The wooden chair is a simple monument constructed as a testament to their local furniture trade along with the way of life it’s provided for the people here. When you visit you’ll understand why they’ve paid tribute to the furniture trade, it’s a big deal here.

The Church

The church’s simple stone construction is decorated lavishly on the outside by ornate carvings, angelic statutes, and complex concrete pillars. In my opinion this is what makes Mexican colonial towns a treat to see for the first time: the beauty, age, and history of their churches.

The “Palace”

On the next street you’ll find the Municipal Palace. I’m not entirely why it’s called a palace and at first I even thought this was just a boring government building. However, it does hang some interesting murals that tell the unique story of Concordia in a series of dramatic images. One of the murals shows the history of Concordia in just one painting, from the arrival of Spanish conquistadors to destruction that French soldiers brought in the 1860′s along with everything in between: mining, pottery, and more.

Raspadas!

Directly across from the Church at the town square is a small place on the corner that sells something called raspadas. If you’re from up north you’ll be familiar with this kind of treat, its basically a shaved ice drink but they do it a bit differently down here. With a fresh fruit topping, a bit of milk (if you want), and hand shaved ice its the perfect way to cool off after your tour of the town square.

As you enter the little building marked “Raspadas” you’ll be greeted by the constant scraping sounds of someone preparing the fresh shaved ice for the next person’s drink. After we ordered and were handed our drinks I saw an older man saunter in with a basket full of pineapples. As he sat them on the counter I realized something. This is as fresh as it gets!

Colorful pinatas hang from the ceiling and make for good decoration, contrast to the hundreds of swim trunk/bikini clad models plastered on the wall (I have no idea).

Hunting Down Some Handcrafted Furniture

You can normally find a furniture store open nearby the square but you might find the selection on the two-lane road coming into town better.

Made of Cedar

As you walk into any of the furniture stores you’ll be greeted by the strong beautiful smell of cedar, it seemed to be the only thing that they made their pieces with. Naturally resistant to bugs, no toxic chemical treatment needed, and totally renewable I can see why they are primarily using this quality wood.

The store we went to was stacked 2 levels deep with all kinds of wooden furniture from armoires, tables with chairs, rocking chairs (which is what we came for), bed furniture…In Concordia you’re going to find a literal treasure trove of furniture for sale and it’s all fairly priced.

I palm-faced myself as I wondered why we bought our dining set from the chain department store Coppel. Especially considering this furniture-lover’s paradise is just a short drive away.

SOLD! The “Executive” Rocking Chair

After mulling over the chair choices we eventually picked out what I would called an “exective rocking chair” It reminds me of the kind of chair a fortune 500 CEO would use if he had to take care of a baby in his office, I laugh when I think about it but it is a very fine looking chair. The total price: 1700 pesos or approx $142 dollars. Considering the craftsmanship and the style of the chair I think this was a very fair deal. If you look at the photo of chairs above, its the second chair with the padding.

Pottery Paradise

Before heading back home I stopped to take some shots of one of the pottery stores. The styles and vivid color schemes of the hundreds of pieces out on display really caught my eye. Although we didn’t buy anything or inquire on the pricing, I figured it was worth a picture nonetheless.

More Pictures of Concordia

This is Stone Island (or “Isla De Piedra” as the locals call it). It’s a stark, comfortable contrast to the hustle and bustle of a place like El Centro or the Golden Zone.

You’ll find a lot more locals here than tourists and thankfully the prices reflect that fact. It’s separated by a body of water and an entertaining boat ride, usually the only tourists here are the ones on a paid-tour.

Getting to Stone Island by Boat Taxi Is Easy

Getting here yourself is simple. Instruct the taxi to take you to the “Embarcadero Isla de Piedra”. From here you’ll pay 30 pesos for a round trip boat ticket (save the stub to get back) to the other side of the water. Strap on your life jacket and enjoy the ride.

The boat ride from the docks is only about 10 minute journey and for me it doesn’t last long enough. Getting a view of Mazatlan, the lighthouse, and its giant fishing boats, all while treading water on the covered motorboat reminds you that this place is a fishing/shrimping port first and a tourist destination second. There’s plenty of pelican and jumping fish sightings to be had while the cool ocean breeze wards off the relentless Mexican sun.

Before you know it the boat ride is finished and you’re nearly there.

Landing on Stone Island

When you arrive to the other side you’ll be greeted by a line of taxis who will take you to the restaurants and beach for about 40-50 pesos depending on how big your party is. You’ll have to use a taxi to get back to the boats and if none are available in your area then any restaurant will be able to call one for you.

If you want to go to the tip of the Island, tell them to take you to Benji’s. If you want to go to the more populated side with ATV and horseback riding, a simple “La Playa” will work.

There’s only a couple choices for restaurants on the tip and they all serve their own style of family-friendly dishes. This is definitely a family place and if you’re traveling with kids they’ll have a ball here. There are inner tubes and mini kayaks to rent for the kids and the calmness of the bay makes for a safer swim.

Every time I visit this side of Stone Island we go to Benji’s Pizza. Named after a mysterious Donkey that supposedly roams the tip of the Island, it’s our favorite restaurant out of the bunch that line the beach here. The proprieters Victoria and Juan are personable and very friendly. They serve a mean mariscos (seafood) pizza for only about $10 bucks, it’s hard to beat.

If you’re the adventurous type there’s also some free land out here where you can park your RV or set up a tent, last time we went we saw some people doing just that. Or if you’re not bringing your own equipment Benji’s has a handful of simple rooms for about $18 a night and from what I understand there’s some tourists that stay here long-term, off and on.

This is as far as you can go and still have an authentic, comfortable scene.

Also the water temperature at the beach during the winter is cooler then it is during the summer but it is still quite warm and comfortable and easy to acclimate to once you dive in. Hot summer weather begins to transition into milder winter temperatures around the end of November, with January, February and March being the most optimal.

Hot Summers Mean Great Deals

April and May are still nice but it does begin to warm up a bit during those two months. June and July are pretty hot but August is brutal. The high humidity and high temperatures of the summer months in Mazatlan combine to form a combination that is almost unbearable. However; there are breaks in the evening when ocean winds blow in to cool things off a bit.

If you love the heat, the summer months are the best time to find the absolute best prices on everything in Mazatlan, as hotels sit empty and taxis and pulmomnias drive round and round desperately looking for a rider. You have to bear in mind though, that the hot summer weather in Mazatlan is truly “the real deal”.

Dress Casual and Come to Have Fun

Mazatlan’s mild warm winters and hot summers have fostered a tradition of casual dress that makes packing for a vacation  just too easy. Floppy cotton or wide brimmed woven shade hats, comfortable, colorful short sleeved shirts, shorts and sandals or tennis shoes are pretty much the norm, not just during the day but in the evenings as well.

In mid winter it can get a little cool in the evenings occasionally, so you will want to bring along a long sleeved shirt or two as well as a light jacket or sweater. If you have a goofy looking Hawaiian shirt with umbrellas or ukuleles and hula girls on it bring it on down, because in Mazatlan you will finally have your chance to make your fashion statement with it.

Don’t Get Burned

Another thing to make sure that you pack is plenty of good biodegradable sunscreen. This is because, even on mildly cool days, being that it is closer to the equator, the sun packs a more potent kick. This means that sunburns have a way of creeping up on you in Mazatlan and just an hour or two on the beach is all that it takes sometimes.

Related Links

• Weather.com – Get the weather forcasts for Mazatlan, Sinaloa.

This is because, it is a little crazy and if you aren’t up to driving in it, don’t worry, because you are not alone. You can rent a car at the airport or you can rent one downtown, also some car rental agencies will deliver a car to your hotel if you wish. The daily rates will also vary depending on the type of car that you rent and the mileage that you rack up.

Take a Taxi or a Pulmonia

However; many people who wouldn’t think of visiting other vacation resort areas without a rented car find it quite easy and convenient to do without a car in Mazatlan. This is because, taxis are cheap and prevalent there and open air pulmonia’s are also cheap and enjoyable to ride in along the beach.

You have to “make sure” that you have an agreed on price before you jump in a taxi or a pulmonia or you are at  mercy of the driver when you arrive at your destination. One trick that they will often use is to act like they are unsure of your destination when you are talking to them and will say” jump in and we’ll find it” and skip over the price negotiation process.

The average rate in 2008 has been $5-$6 per ride but with gas prices on the rise that average is expected to rise a buck or so this upcoming 2009 winter season. If the cab or pulmonia driver is insisting on an unreasonably high rate when negotiating, which they will often do with tourists, simply wave him away with your hand and look down the street for the next one. $6 plus a $1 tip is damn good money for five or ten minutes of work in Mazatlan.

Mazatlan Public Transit is Cheap and Convenient

The buses in Mazatlan are cheap, clean and convenient and even if you don’t consider yourself a “public bus person”, you will enjoy a bus ride in Mazatlan. You sit up high in a bus, so you can take in a lot more sightseeing and they only cost 5 pesos (50 cents) per ride.

The big green newer buses with “Sabalo Centro” displayed on the front of them are the only buses you have to concern yourself with. They loop continually through the Gold Zone, up the beach along the malicon and on to downtown Centro. It will let you off right in front of the main market and to get back on to go back where you came from, simply walk to the other side of the market and board one there heading back the other way.

The Sabalo Centro buses are air conditioned, clean and well maintained with fresh seat covers and are a great place to meet other tourists on the go to chat with. If you want to go to Wal Mart or the mall you will need to hop on one of the smaller buses that have “Lay del Mar” painted on their front window and it will drop you off at a transfer stop at the mall across the street from Wal Mart.

To get back again, catch the “centro” bus across the street from the mall, take it back to the downtown market where you can jump back on a Sabalo Centro. The buses run constantly in big circles all over the greater Mazatlan area and once you understand the route information that is painted on their windshields, getting around the entire city is cheap and easy.

Related Links

• Carnaval – More information on taking taxis and buses in Mazatlan.

Until the upcoming date of June 2009 you can travel to Mexico by land or sea and the only identification documents that will be required of you are a formal state or federal government issued picture identification card and a “stamped certified” original copy of your birth certificate.

New Rules and Regulations

After June 1st 2009 you will need a passport to cross either way on the border, by both land and sea. To fly either way across the Mexican, U.S. border right now you will need a passport and if you don’t have one in your possession you will won’t be allowed to board the plane. Also to return to the U.S. from Mexico by plane you will need a Mexico tourist card and it will be provided for you on the plane trip down.

If you are crossing the border by land or sea and intend on flying back you can obtain a tourist card at a Mexican consular office or a Mexican government tourism office. If you are walking across the border you can also obtain a tourist card at the border inspection station.

Driving in Means More Paper

If you are planning on driving into Mexico there are still other documents that you will need. To begin with, you will need a temporary vehicle importation permit along with a Mexico tourist card which you can obtain at the border. To obtain them at the border you will have to have in your possession proof of car ownership (pink slip), proof of American registration, affidavit from lien holders authorizing importation, proof of valid American drivers license and your passport or birth certificate (until June 1st 2009.)

Get Mexican Insurance

It is also highly advisable that you get a temporary Mexican car insurance policy as well. Even if you have full coverage with a reputable American car insurance carrier it most likely doesn’t cover you for bodily injury in Mexico. You can obtain a policy form numerous sources long the border or you can get it online by contacting mexinsure.com or mexpro .com.

Driving your car into Mexico without a “good” Mexican full coverage, temporary car insurance policy is so foolish that it would best be described as moronic. This is because, if you are in an accident without Mexican insurance and someone is injured, you can and most likely will be arrested and put into a Mexican jail until such time as the victim is sufficiently financially compensated.

Related Links

• PeoplesGuide – Read this article entitled “Crossing the Mexican Border: What Might Happen.” for more info on crossing the border.
• About.com – Read all about Mexican car insurance, renting a car in Mexico, as well as crossing the border.

Back then, with prices so low and the dollar so strong, all that a vacationer needed was a handful of one dollar bills in his or her pocket for cab rides, food, drinks and tips. Mexican nationals would gladly snatch up the dollars, take them home and stash them away as a hedge against the uncertain future that their peso offered.

Get to Know Mexican Money

This has all changed now and in fact vendors will often eye American dollars that are offered them with with a look of trepidation and the fact is that they now prefer pesos. This means that you now have to get your money changed into pesos and learn to recognize the value of each denomination.

Basically a 50 peso note is worth roughly $5 and the small ten peso coins are equal to $1. A $20 bill is accepted universally now in Mexico in the place of a 200 peso note. However; with the peso now valued at roughly 10.8 against the dollar, you are losing about $1.60 on that deal.

Bring your Credit and ATM Cards

Virtually all of the restaurants and hotels along the beach in Mazatlan now accept major credit cards, so there is no problem there. However; you will still need pesos for shopping around, cab rides and tips. There is a small exchange house that offers fair rates on the main boulevard in the Gold Zone, near the Burger King, across the street and down about a block from the big white castle building on the beach.

1oz. Caution = 1 lb. Cure

The worst exchange rates you will get are from the front desk of any of the hotels in the Gold Zone. ATM’s are now located at all of the banks and they can also be found at any of the larger supermarkets such as Lays and Wall Mart. Don’t leave large amounts of money in your hotel room, no matter how nice the hotel is, unless you keep it in a good sized locked suitcase.

Also, stashing anything under your mattress or in your shoes is the same as leaving it out in the open in your hotel room. You will learn quickly that larger peso notes can become a problem at many of the smaller shops and restaurants that are sprinkled around the city, so make a point of getting larger notes such as 500 peso bills broken into smaller denominations.

Learn the Easy Way not the Hard Way

When you are out shopping do your best to hand a merchant a bill that is as close as possible in denomination to the actual cost of what you are purchasing, because using large peso notes for smaller purchases is just asking to get short changed. Also, peso notes are made from a plasic material that is slippery, stiff and springy, which makes them far more prone to falling out of your pockets then dollars, so keep them in your wallet or purse or an envelope that you can keep in your pocket.

Related Links

• Mazatlan.com.mx – Tips and information regarding banking, money, and credit cards.
• Xe.com – Use this popular currency converter to get an idea of how many pesos you will get for your dollars.