Are you just plain tired of high pressure sales? Do you find yourself desperately wanting to cut to the chase when getting a sales pitch? If you answered yes to either of these questions you NEED to come to Mexico.
Honestly most sales personnel here in Mexico must be shaken to be sure they are breathing. You have questions – forget about it. You best know what you want. If you want to know if they have something you better just look around the store. Chances are the salesperson has no idea whether the store has the item – no idea.
If you want a sale pitch you will have to wait for a street vendor to come by – there you can definitely get a pitch – but not in a retail outlet here in Mexico.
We have this cloud over our head with vehicles and parts to keep them running here in Mexico. Recall a while back the five month sage (that is months – not a typo) trying to get a part for our Ford Truck – we are not talking a Maserati or Jaguar here – a Ford truck!
We ended up buying a car in order to drive back to the U.S. to finally find the part. Part in hand it took 15 minutes to get the truck running.
Now our Chinese scooter is in need of a starter. Before you roll your eyes – we bought the scooter here in Mexico; and they are seen everywhere here in Mexico.
It is possible the starters are very reliable – but I doubt it. Yet no one seems to have the part. The prices quoted when and if they can get the starter are all over the map by a factor of at least 3. Of course the shop that quoted the best price (about 30% higher than the best price in the U.S.) would have to order the part and it would take about 20 days.
OK if you were wondering or accusing, we are unhappy and frustrated; and most of all missing Cruise Azul riding. We actually drove to Coatepec in the Jetta yesterday looking for the part and shopping.
The last two vehicles we have purchased were purchased in Mexico in order to have a better shot at local maintenance and parts availability.
We started working on cars early in life. Before we were old enough to legally drive we were under hoods and greasy. Early on I commented to my father, rest his soul, “One day I am going to know enough about cars to be able to fix everything about them myself.” My father’s reply and here I thought a good piece of wisdom, “Son, I hope one day you make enough money to pay to have someone else fix your cars.” I never forgot that and even passed the sage wisdom to my son.
A few times in my life I actually have had enough money to have someone else repair my vehicles. Enter the computer age. Cars got so complicated with computer chips and modules and a lot of engineering dedicated to keeping the weekend tinkerer out from under the hood. Do not even get me started about the special tools designed for one task.
Here in Mexico car maintenance is far more affordable than in the U.S. by a factor of 10 or so I would guess. But all good news usually comes with a caveat. In this case it is the aforementioned parts situation.
But there is more. Getting back to little Cruise Azul the Chinese scooter. The little scoot has no computer and I have tools. It is little more than fixing a lawnmower to keep it going when you can get the parts. All still the aforementioned rate of savings on vehicle labor caused us to attach ourselves to a moto mechanic here in Xico – Pepe.
Pepe started out very inexpensive. But as he got to know this gringo his fees seem to escalate. There was one constant charge that was beneficial or so we thought. An oil change for 100 pesos. That is about $8 U.S. including a liter of mixed synthetic oil – quite a bargain; so good that in spite of our having tools and knowledge to perform an oil change in 15 minutes, it still made sense to have the work done by Pepe. When you deduct the cost of oil, we are talking maybe $3.00 U.S. Why would we get our hands greasy or have to deal with a liter of used oil to dispose of?
The other day before the starter died we ran Cruise Azul across town to Pepe’s garage for an oil change. For the first time we decided to wait for the work to be done rather than leave the scooter and return later.
We watched as Pepe went about his work. Without getting too technical and losing most of our female readers the oil was changed incorrectly. It was drained from the wrong orifice thereby eliminating the cleaning of the oil filter. I watched in subdued horror realizing my little jewel was not receiving proper treatment. The 100 peso oil change suddenly was no bargain.
So now I have to tell my son new found wisdom. Be smart enough to work on your vehicles because no one will care about your ride as much as you do; and buy some tools and spare parts – you will need them.
I have a very smart younger Cousin who has aspirations of designing a car that meets two amazing criteria. The vehicle must get 100 miles to the gallon and be able to go 100 mile per hour. I hope this vision includes having 100% available spare parts and that 100 out of 100 people with tools will be able to repair the thing. It is Friday the Thirteenth. We had to get this off our chest. Stay Tuned!
If you thought this was going to be about golf’s long shot – it is not. This is about the long drive from Xico, Veracruz to Las Vegas Nevada and back. Round trip is four thousand miles through four states and two countries. We did it in five weeks.
On the return trip the first part within the United States can lull a driver into a confidence that is better not acquired for the second part – the drive through Mexico.
Leaving Las Vegas is like visiting a casino on Saturday night – crowded and exciting with lots of cars and people, and bright lights.
Arizona is a land of many textures. Flagstaff has to have the longest ongoing road work project in history unless it is beat by the new bridge at Boulder dam. We were startled at 12% sales tax rate in Winslow, Arizona. In spite of the bad press Arizona is a lovely state to drive through especially if you have time to stop at the Grand Canyon.
New Mexico is more of the same but includes the humongous Very Large Array satellite dishes. These grande platos listen in on deep space (radio astronomyobservatory). They are a sight to see even from the highway – better still close up with a visit to the visitor’s center. Remember the Jody Foster film “Contact”?
VLA dishes shot taken near our car on the highway. (ENLARGE)
Many of the mountain tops are peppered with giant electric windmills slowly turning in gentle winds. In the little town of Carrizozo, New Nexico just 20 miles from our casita in Capitan we were delayed in traffic while two propellers were trying to make a turn that required some maneuvers.
You had to be there to get a feel for how BIG this is. (ENLARGE)
There is no better place to doze while driving than meandering through Texas (this is not an endorsement of such behavior). I mean Texas is a snooze with little more than miles and miles of flat unappealing land and a few giant grasshoppers that are in fact oil well pumpers.
There is danger from driving 875 miles though Texas. It can dull your senses for driving the next 600 miles through Mexico – yikes! The Mexico drive is 100 miles longer than the Indy 500 and no less daring at a sluggard average speed, slightly more than a quarter of the average speed of this year’s 500 mile race.
Driving the highways of eastern Mexico is a dangerous challenge likened to going to war. Only the stout of heart should attempt this.
Trucks will pass you at 80 mph like you are standing still. There is almost always a road warrior that challenges reasonable survival practice by passing on blind curves or beginning a pass climbing a hill. Apparently solid yellow highway lines are meaningless to many Mexican drivers.
We encountered an older woman driving a small car packed with people – head on. On a main highway with a posted 110 kilometers speed limit we both had to come to complete stops; ending nearly front bumper to bumper as she came to a screeching rest on our side of the highway.
Now when these insane drivers get close enough to see the whites of their eyes you will never achieve eye contact. They seem to assume that by diverting their stare they become invisible – no eye contact no foul, no matter how heinous the traffic violation or how close to death you all may have just come.
We saw huge trucks lying on the side of the road turned over like belly up dinosaurs. Ambulances stalk the roadways rushing the injured for repair – sadly some are totaled. It is dangerous territory. Slow moving tractors and the occasional tiny moto (scooter) or burro can clog a lane – often when there is only one to be had.
Want to get from there to here? Do not count on the signs or most maps. Truly we have seen three steel plated signs pointing in three directions mounted on the same pole, with the exact same name imprinted on all. In Xalapa for example there are signs leading you to Coatepec. You follow wide-eyed looking for confirmation and further instructions.
At an intersection there suddenly is no indication of direction? Assuming nothing must mean continue straight; then out of the corner of your eye you spy a Coatepec this way sign off to the right. It is obvious some road engineer (warrior) forgot to provide instructions for that turn. It is easy to get lost for an hour or more wandering aimlessly around Xalapa. We have done it, and we live in the area!
We are more confident now after nearly six years and having seen just about all of it – but to gain sure confidence is a path to disaster because just when you think you have seen and know it all a new anomaly will erase that notion.
The horn always works – the tail lights probably do not – Mexico has no such thing as equipment violations. If it can move it is ‘legal’. Those seldom if ever used emergency blinkers you have in your car – here they are used often as a license to park anywhere or to do some insane maneuver like doing a 180 in a busy intersection with no more regard for sensible behavior than “You must have seen my warning lights?”
Many of the roads are in disrepair. Carrying a spare set of shock absorbers and perhaps even springs and ball-joints is a good idea. Do not plan on averaging distances covered anywhere near that of which may be covered in America – figure at best half the distance for the same time frame.
On the east side of Mexico you will have no problem obtaining gas. “Pemex filling stations” abound. Buy no less than a compass for your dash and better still a GPS. Get pesos at the border; dollars are rarely accepted below 200 miles down in Mexico. DO NOT come here without Mexican auto insurance. We have written plenty about “mordida” (being stopped for a contrived traffic violation), as well as preparations for meeting immigration and transportation inspection events.
Like the last three or four round trips to the United States from our home in Mexico, we had an easy time of it with officialdom. In fact this time other than showing our passports to enter into the United States and my obtaining a tourists visa re-entering Mexico we had no inspections or delays from any authority. Everything went smoothly.
Even at Hoover dam where we have been harangued in the past, we were greeted cordially in Spanish; assuming from our cars Mexican license plates we hailed from there – no one wanted to bother with why we were in a Mexican plated car. The United States should be credited with the fact virtually all border people and in this case personnel at Boulder dam are bi-lingual. A feature you will not find typically in Mexico.
We have mentioned that our Mexican insurance covers us in Canada and the United States as well as all of Mexico for about a third the cost of just U.S. auto insurance.
Do not drive in Mexico at night – good advice – not always taken by us. However this time we adhered to that and were thankful as we had several risky to downright dangerous encounters.
We are home and ready to get back to writing about living in Mexico – right after I do something about the jungle that has become our yard. So Stay Tuned!
Soon we will head back to Capitan. New Mexico – population is about 1700. A smaller city than Xico, Veracruz by nearly a factor of ten.
Capitan has all the romantic trappings of small town America; Smokey the Bear hails from Capitan and a museum and proper burial site and even “Smokey Bear Days” happens there.
The people are right leaning; their children bright faced spend almost as much time with 4H projects as they do computer games. A close knit community where if you haven’t lived here for generations you probably will be an outsider regardless of the amount of years you will settle there.
We have had a small adobe house in the middle of town for about 12 years – so we are new to the party.
There are a disproportionate amount of pickup trucks and if the wind is headed in your direction it will smell a little like a stable regardless of where you are in the town. But, not a problem as horses and associated farm animals are very much the norm.
We wrote about some of the glaring differences between Las Vegas and our part of Mexico. There are fewer when one compares Capitan to Xico as one might expect greater differences in small town versus bright lights, big city. However differences do exist.
Small towns, no matter where, seem to be steeped in novella type situations. The good ol’ boy network is strong and strains to remain pure to that end.
In Xico we lived for a while near a small town newspaper editor whose lot in life was to challenge the authority – this is typically not popular and that was no exception for our neighbor.
Here in Capitan our next door neighbor recently ran for mayor. He lost by 100 votes which to hear him tell it was a landslide loss. Of course this is relative to the total vote which is never big in a town of 1700 or so total souls. Our neighbor is new on the scene with a mere 12 years under his belt – not going to beat out those with generations of local history.
But, in Capitan the living is easy and the people adjust to differences, learning to live with their fellow man, quite simply because you have to. It is easy to run out of opportunities to make new friends in a small fish bowl. Better to learn to live and let live.
This can be said of Xico as well. People have lived there for many generations. The Suarez’s don’t do battle with the Valenzuela’s like the Hatfields and the McCoys, they simply ignore each other and drive on. I suppose that is a good thing?
Capitan has a big small town July Fourth Parade. At least as many towns’ folk participate as watch. High school bands, fire engines, horse trailers, the big truck that digs electric poles for the power company and just about anyone with a Jeep or vintage automobile or a horse is in the parade. Flat bed trailers pull groups of Obama supporters dressed in Uncle Sam attire and other flat beds, not too close, that support The Tea Party. You have seen these parades. Essentially Norman Rockwell-esqe.
Small town America parades are much the same as the many religious and war memorial parades that occur in Xico. Everyone loves a parade. Going back and forth between countries is bound to present many parade ‘opportunities’.
We are somewhere in the U.S. enjoying their July Fourth holiday and parades. We plan on getting home to Mexico before the BIG July Celebration where Mary Magdalene or Mary of Magdala, our patron saint, will be revered and celebrated. The best of both worlds is a retirement luxury I suppose. Maybe we will see you in Xico. Stay Tuned!
When visiting the U.S. we often miss the Mexican food that we eat most of the year. We get great tortillas in Mexico. The tortillas that happen in Las Vegas can stay in Las Vegas.
A couple miles east of my sister and brother in-law’s casa is Viva Zapatas Mexican Restaurant. Here Emilio is prominently displayed and of course Mexican food is the attraction. Behind glass a woman flips tortillas on a flat grill. Other than looking more sanitary than most handmade tortilla cookeries in our Mexican neighborhood the preparation and product looks the same.
The proof however is in the eating. No one was shouting Viva Zapata’s tortillas. I am guessing their masa is from an industrial powder of some sort. The restaurant seems to get overwhelming approval for its authentic Mexican food. I suggest those advocates have not actually eaten any authentic Mexican food.
Some years ago my father-in-law and I use to go to a tortilleria somewhere on the east side of Las Vegas, but just where escapes me. My memory is that those tortillas were the real deal. However, I am a lot more versed in the fine art of flat bread than I was in those days. The search continues.
Never let it be said that one cannot get good food in America’s true entertainment capital. You will not starve in Las Vegas.
Last week when our son Julian was here, we dined out with my cousins Steve and Bart and their lovely Tania’s (both their wives are named Tania). We all met at P.F. Chang’s China Bistro in the Summerlin area of Las Vegas.
The company was grand and the food excellent. I hadn’t seen my two cousins for about 30 years. We recalled stories of our impetuous youths and generally caught up on our lives.
Their dad, my Uncle, who has passed away was an Indianapolis 500 race car driver; one of a select group of men and women that have completed an Indy 500 race. Racing is in our blood and these guys continue along those lines manufacturing patented laminated racing helmet ‘tearoffs’. Every driver (33 in all) racing in last month’s Indy race wore their helmet tearoffs.
My nephew Seth continues the racing legacy as a champion USAC sprint car driver. Readers who are surprised that Anita and I tool around Mexican streets on a motor scooter will have a better understanding of our daring now
Last night my cousin Steve and his lovely wife and me and mi guapa esposa met in the Summerlin area again; this time to dine across the street from P.F. Changs at the Kona Grill. Serving Asian Fusion food. Wow!
From their web site I learned they have locations in 16 States. The one and only one in Nevada is not to be missed. We showed up for Happy Hour (“Drinks and Eats from $3”) at five and lingered past its completion at seven. The misters on the outside patio tamed the 100 plus degree temperature.
Recent California Transplants – My Cousin Steve & Wife Tania
I am pretty sure we ate our way through their entire ‘California Roll’ menu save the eel cucumber roll. Totally awesome!
We had more “classic kona margaritas” than I could count at the finish and the entire menu of rolls made from various fresh fish flown in daily – all for quite the bargain price I thought.
We often write about the importance of family in Mexico. It is heartening to see the bonds of love within Mexican families.
No child needs to measure up – just being will get you gobs of love. Perhaps having so little puts their children’s importance in perspective.
Never let it be said that children in the U.S. are not loved. Because they are.
There are few advantages to getting old. One is grandchildren. They are a second chance.
Most often our babies come when our lives are jammed packed busy. Many opportunities are missed to just sit and look or play with our children. Our grandchildren are a reprise.
These two little twin ladies are mine.
They have an older brother too. On the other side of the United States there are those three and their mom. On this side our son lives; he is too young to give us grandchildren – things to come. My two children live as far apart as people can get on this continent. At the apex of a huge triangle are mom and dad.
Our son visited us for a few days here in Las Vegas.
Life doesn’t get any better than hugging your kid.
Imagine you are watching War of the Worlds. Suddenly the movie rocks you – literally.
D-Box technology, have you heard of this? With braggadocious fervor they tout, “Experience the new way movies will move you. D-Box technology creates the triangle of Audio-Video and MOTION.”
We just learned about a technology heretofore unheard of – D-Box Motion Code films. Apparently D-Box Motion Code has been installed in selected theaters for about a year – oh we technologically deprived.
I wondered if motion sickness air bags would be available for the squeamish. Our hosts here in Las Vegas became the intrepid motion detectors this weekend.
For $8.00 U.S. and the cost of a movie ticket (about $9.75) your world will be shaken not stirred. D-Box technology requires a film that integrates appropriate motion code signals to your motion adapted seat. The sitter can adjust the seats intensity in three levels. Apparently this will make you feel like you are in the scene. My brother-in-law reports the additional $8.00 per seat is worth it – he will do it again.
How long before we see this in Mexico? I wouldn’t fasten your seat belt just yet. We believe it will be a while. Our technology minded son visiting us from Los Angeles reports he had not heard of D-Box seating.
Currently “Toy Story 3” is not only available in D-Box Motion, but also 3-D. Personally I am waiting for the virtual reality glasses. Remember the film “Brainstorm”?
I do wish we had D-Box seats for tomorrow’s futbol game. Mexico plays Uruguay to get to the final group of 16 in the World Cup. When Mexico scores goals…well hang on to your seat. It should be a good ride. I predict a Mexico win. Stay Tuned!
There are a few refreshing signs of progress on the north side of the border. South of the border in our region of Mexico street (read stray) dogs are common sights. Having been a ‘dog person’ most of my life my heart goes out to these poor pooches.
A number of expatriates organize activities to help our four legged friends – canine and feline. They have free neutering and spaying events as well as adoption programs.
We have written about the general malaise towards the care and feeding of Mexico’s dogs and cats. The expat community efforts are heartwarming and encouraging.
I have not as yet been able to reason why otherwise wonderful people seem to have such different attitudes towards their pets. Good people keeping their dogs on 2 foot lengths of rope 24/7. We see dogs sitting with no shade or cover during rain and very hot days. They seldom have water bowls.
Pets come and go at a rapid rate. Children seem to accept the death of their pet with little emotion. When I was a kid when one of our pets expired we were traumatized for days.
A recent conversation in our Mexican Hood:
“Hombre where is your dog Bobby?”
“He died.”
“How did it happen?”
“He just died.”
End of conversation. The dog might have been four years old. The two young children in the house seemed indifferent about the whole thing.
Here in a somewhat more civilized society dogs are not only revered they are mostly kept behind block walls save a walk once or twice a day. The neighborhoods are quiet. You will never see a stray dog more than once. They have systems in place.
Veterinarians command fees that rival medical care costs for pet owners.
The city of North Las Vegas has a couple new-to-me pet maintenance options; these provided by the city. First and remarkably they have a pet poop depository station. Here bags are provided to pick-up your dogs deposits. A bag is provided with instruction on how to properly gather your pet’s excrement. The instructions include placing the tied bag into the basket provided.
The other rather novel pet accoutrement is a water fountain that works in conjunction with the human version.
I am often dismayed at the lack of water provided to Mexican pets and live stock. For the city to actually provide a water fountain for pets is quite remarkable – a good thing. Anita suggested that there was some lack of consideration for water conservation in the system where there is a single button to supply water to both the human and pet fountain – probably a button for each would be better. And of course one has to wonder about the sanitary issues of many animals drinking from the same ‘bowl’.
I suggested that many pets drink from mud puddles and it was probably OK. The thought certainly counts. My sister and brother in-law carry their own water when walking their dog in the hot Las Vegas out-of-doors.
It certainly is different being here where pets are treated as family members.
Glaring differences abound when one compares the U.S. to Mexico. We have already covered the roadways and touched on the difference in litter. Overall it can be said that it is more expensive in the United States; there are exceptions to this rule.
When we travel into the United States we know we are going to be spending more money than usual – in part that is why we are here. We come to get what we can’t find or get for as good of price in Mexico.
We love the thrift stores. We have not earned the frugal travelers’ moniker by coming to America to shop at Dillards and Saks. Those stores are here in Las Vegas, but the bargain shoppers frequent the thrift stores and the big-box stores like Costco and Sam’s Club.
We have mentioned electronics before – not only are they more expensive in Mexico, but the latest stuff does not typically show in Mexico. So we have to make a visit to Fry’s Electronics and Sam’s Club.
So far I have purchased a new keyboard and mouse, a 500 GB HP ‘SimpleSave’ portable hard drive storage unit – this is very cute. It is about the same size as an ipod and comes with a cute little zippered case for 79.95 plus tax. And we bought a refurbished HP laptop from an Ebay seller; have had good luck doing this in the past. Also we bought a 12 volt power cube at the thrift store the other day. We may replace our food saver which came up lame in Xico.
I hope to gather a few spare parts for our scooter. Add WD40, tubes of silicon, screening material, weed eater line and a few other household odds and ends.
In the food department we are getting some Lawry’s seasoned salt, some green Tabasco sauce, some sesame oil, unscripted stuff Anita wants and a few bags of mesquite wood chips for the barbie.
New socks, a few pairs of jeans and any great deal off the thrift store clothes racks. We miss the thrift stores in Mexico. Seldom can we find shoes and pants that fit – shoes too big and legs too long.
We don’t do jewelry or cars – but the motorcycles are tempting and the housing market is even more worse off than even the last time we were here. It is tempting to buy a house just to hang on to. Deals abound! It is safe to say you get more bling for your buck north of the border. But south of the border few care.
In the more unusual category I am looking to get a couple nose jars – huh? You say. There is a woman in Capitan that sells a small jar of spices splattered with some essential oils. This setup clears the sinuses and can even wake you up a bit.
Finally I plan on having some business cards made – just as soon as I can figure out what business I am in. Do they have Monkey Business cards?
