WELCOME TO MEXICO This is some basic information about Mexico, its beaches, people, currency, language, traditions, flavors, and some specific information about Cancun. Mexico is a beautiful country with a vast diversity of scenarios; mountains, ocean, deserts and forests. Whatever it is you are looking for to take a vacation, you will find it in Mexico. Entering the country you will need a passport and you will be asked to fill out a form that the airline company will give you to get through customs. I suggest that you always pack in a different place a copy of your passport and also a scanned copy in a USB, this makes it very easy to get a new one in the embassy in case the original one is lost or stolen during your trip. Driving in Mexico is not as easy as in the states; road signs, traffic lights and speed limits are different and not always very visible or clear so if you plan to rent a car we suggest that you get used to the signs of the specific city you are visiting. Our country is worldwide known for its fertile soil and crops. You will find a lot of new kinds of fruits and vegetables of all colors and flavors. We encourage you to try them at restaurants or buy some in the grocery store, if you have any doubt about its flavor or if it is spicy most of the local people speak English and can help you. Please be aware that us; the Mexicans, clean all the fruit and vegetables before cooking or eating them even if you are going to peel it. Do not buy peeled or prepared fruit from street or beach vendors. Supermarkets and grocery stores carry a lot of the same products you buy in the States, plus a lot of local brands that vary from city to city. The two most important differences are: milk, you will not find so many kinds of fresh or cold milk, most of the Mexicans drink milk that comes in a paper box (tetrapack) that is in the shelves and doesn’t need to be refrigerated until it is open. Grocery stores and supermarket do not keep eggs in fridges or cold containers we also suggest to wash eggs with water before using them. You will also be surprised that in Mexico you will find beer, liquor (rum, tequila, vodka) wines and cigarette packs at the supermarkets, grocery and convenience stores. You can´t take back to the states any fruit or vegetable from Mexico, you do have a limit per person to carry back home of liquor and tobacco. The population is mainly Catholic, we have many churches and cathedrals; some of them (not in all the cities) are human heritage, which makes these buildings one of the attractions of the country and most visited sites; In some of them you can listen to English mass at a specific hour. However, our country is secular and practices the freedom of belief so we also have Jewish, Christian, Orthodox Temples/Churches and many more. The most important holidays are; holy and eastern week, Christmas and New year’s eve week and September 15th, If you are visiting a touristic destination during this dates please expect crowds everywhere; from the airport, traffic, hotels and restaurants to the clubs, beaches, sites, churches and grocery stores, even in the quietest beaches usually empty and the smaller and remote towns. Is not only that we get a lot of tourism, is also that local people will go visit with their families and enjoy city attractions that somehow they can’t enjoy in working or week dates. By law in Mexico all beaches are public and you can access any of it walking trough or by the special entrances between hotels or houses. Specialty restaurants, American and Europe chain restaurants and a lot of local restaurants are easy to find throughout the country. My suggestion is to try Mexican typical dishes, you can order them spicy or not and will add a culinary experience to your vacation; when we order Mexican food outside the country, it never taste the same. Try tacos, arrachera, tortillas, enchiladas, chilaquiles, sopes, enfrijoladas, flautas, migas, salbutes, lime soup and cochinita pibil just to name a few. Typical dishes, ingredients and flavors change in each region of the country. Mexico also produces and exports silver, gold, handcrafts, tequila, mezcal, hammocks, red wine among many other, you will find this items cheaper than in the States. At little local markets or stores that are attended by the owners you can negotiate the price and get a better one. Currency in Mexico is the Mexican Peso and the symbol ($) is the same as in the United States. Most places accept USD but suggest always having some pesos, for tips, bus, taxis and small convenience stores. If you are using your credit card be aware that all charges will be made in Mexican Pesos, your bank will convert your charges to USD using their exchange rate and some banks also charge an extra fee when using your card or ATM services outside USA so I recommend to double check with your bank. [FONT="] If you pay with credit card don’t let the waiters take your card, ask them to bring the terminal to your table or follow them to the cashier. :italyflag: [/FONT]
