[Aztlan] Mexico's message

[D. M. Urquidi]

Folks:
To get a car rental at the airport is not good business. It is much better to wait until you are in town, then look for a rental agency. It is a bit better that way.
Dea

D. M. Urquidi

P. O. Box 49485

Austin, Texas 78765

http://www.mayalords.org

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/ancientamericas/

--- On Mon, 6/22/09, Michael J. Fitzpatrick <fitzesq at earthlink.net> wrote:

From: Michael J. Fitzpatrick <fitzesq at earthlink.net>
Subject: [Aztlan] Mexico's message
To: aztlan at lists.famsi.org
Date: Monday, June 22, 2009, 1:05 PM

Matt, flying in won't necessarily help you.  On a trip to Puebla a couple of
years ago, I flew into Mexico City and rented a car.  The crooked police
were waiting like sharks at the traffic circle where the airport traffic
exits onto the main highway, and pulled me over there for a bit of the old
"mordita" on an imaginary traffic violation.  I hadn't driven a quarter mile
yet!  I think they look for the rental car stickers.  They wanted $100, but
after lying to them about not having any more cash (and offering a
traveler's check that they won't take because it is traceable if you report
them and cancellable if you don't), they let me go after 20 minutes for $40.

That said, I have happily and safely driven thousands of miles in Mexico,
Belize, Honduras and Costa Rica, through dozens if not hundreds of police
and army checkpoints, in big cities and the middle of the boonies, and I've
never had any problem even though my Spanish is primitively basic and I'm a
white guy in my late 50's.  When friends and relatives ask me if I'm afraid
while driving down there, I just tell them "Hell, no.  I've driven through
Oakland (CA)!".


Michael J. Fitzpatrick
152 North Third St., #800
San Jose, CA 95112
(408) 288-8013
Fax (408) 995-0531
Fitzesq at earthlink.net

"The trouble with most folks isn't so much their ignorance, as knowing so
many things that ain't so." : Josh Billings - [Henry Wheeler Shaw]
(1818-1885) American humorist and lecturer




Message: 7
Date: Sun, 21 Jun 2009 20:21:36 -0400
From: "Matt O'Mansky" <omansky at gmail.com>
Subject: [Aztlan] Mexico's Message
To: Aztlan at lists.famsi.org
Message-ID:
    <939dd5270906211721g1ed1d3d5r3141eeefc271dc03 at mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

While it may be inexpensive to travel to Mexico now, there may be
other complicating factors.  I just returned from 3 months of
fieldwork and a faculty-led study abroad trip in Guatemala and El
Salvador.  Driving my pickup through Mexico, I had several problems
with corrupt local police, particularly in Poza Rica and Reynosa.  I
was pulled over for various made up reasons.  In reality, my only
violation was being obviously white with US tags on my vehicle.  It
cost me hundreds of dollars in blackmail (the various police wanted
well over $1000 in total).  The problem seems to be specific to local
police -- I had no problems with the federal police or the military,
who were all very professional.

In addition to this problem, the trip with the students was originally
planned to go to Guatemala and Mexico but my university forbade us
from entering Mexico due to the flu.  Before that, I talked to the
travel company with which I was working in Guatemala regarding costs
for various things.  When I asked about border fees with Mexico, the
reply was, "It depends on who is working that day."  I have had no
such problems with Guatemalan borders and the Salvador border was
refreshingly fast and easy.  When I discussed these various problems
with friends and acquaintances, it became apparent that the problems
with Mexican police and border officials is fairly endemic -- many
people shared their own horror stories.  I realize that Mexico is
dealing with some serious problems right now, but if Mexican officials
want to increase tourism then they really need to crack down on
corruption.  I am going to fly to Guatemala in the future and I don't
know that I would take students to Mexico unless we fly into Mexico
and do not cross any borders.  It's too difficult and frustrating,
particularly when neighboring and nearby countries seem to be free (or
largely free) of such problems.  Perhaps I'm just bitter right now,
having just returned a few days ago, but these are real problems --
beyond the flu.
Matt


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