I’ve done a lot of research about Mexico over the years, confident in my belief that I’d eventually live there, if only as a snowbird. But now that it’s really real, I’m having a burst of panic thinking that I really need to know things I take for granted in Canada and the US, like tipping and how the currency works, never mind all the cultural etiquette!
My only experience traveling in a country that doesn’t use dollars was a month-long trip to Scotland in 1998. I remember my first night in Edinburgh (third night in Scotland) like it was yesterday. A fellow backpacker, Michael, and I decided to go have dinner together. I ordered penne in a rosé sauce and was shocked to find meat in it (I was a vegetarian back then). But even more clearly than that I remember paying the bill and Michael asking me three times if I really mean to tip what I was tipping. It was only later that night that I realised I’d given a nearly 30% tip on a mediocre meal with poor service! I had a good laugh at myself about it.
This is how I’m going to approach my first trip into Mexico proper (I’m not counting the two trips I’ve taken to border towns). I am going to make mistakes. I will likely get scammed more than once. It’s just part of the experience and I will do my best to keep my sense of humour!
Living in another country that does not use dollars and whose primary language is not French or English has been a major dream of mine. I can’t believe it’s about to come true!
You will do fine! Just take your time when slopping and when you figure out that you are not being scammed you will be pleasantly surprised at the prices. My advice is to think in pesos, you will drive yourself mad doing the conversions every time.
Don’t be afraid to eat in the markets and roadside stands. They are a good deal and are cleaner than you imagine. A full meal (it has a name but I forget what it is) can be bought in a market stall for as little as 20 pesos, less than you could make it for.
You will be buying fresh fish right from the fishermen on the beach. It does not get fresher than that.
Do not be afraid to bargain for things other than food (grocery stores) and gas. Clothing can usually be bargained down 25% or so. We had a friendly shrimp salesman who came door to door selling huge (fresh!) shrimp for 150 pesos per kilo. He was happy to peel them for free if asked.
Don’t drink the tap water, Mexicans don’t so take a hint from them. You will be able to buy large water bottles (20 litre?) of purified water and have it refilled or replaced, probably by a truck that comes to your door. Cost of a refill is usually 10 – 15 pesos. You have room so you might want to buy two bottles so you never run out. Work from one while the other is waiting to be refilled/replaced. You don’t actually “buy” the bottles, you pay a refundable deposit.
Drink Mexican beer! As if I had to tell you! I like the Victoria brand but there are many to choose from. Mexicans serve beer very cold, just above freezing.
There are a couple of beach restaurants very close to you. Do not feel obligated to eat at them, you can just order a beer and watch the sunset.
Take lots of photos.
Croft, thanks for the tips!
Water will be just like I do here at Haven, two refillable bottles. The landlady did not give me a price, but told me that ‘agua es muy barato’, so we’ll see if our idea of what cheap water costs is the same. 🙂 Here, I pay $3 to fill a bottle and I get every third bottle free. The total cost is about $10 per month. I don’t drink soft drinks, juice, or milk, so I go through A LOT of water and this is not something I skimp on!
I ate from a roadside stand in Tijuana and lived to tell the tale, so I’m going to be brave and eat where the locals do. 🙂
First night in Scotland, I ate in this super gross fast food joint that looked like it belonged in a third world nightmare, but the locals were lined up around the block. Best veggie burger I ate all month. 😀
I look forward to cold Mexican beer. In the UK, beer is served at room temperature. Good for Guinness, not so good for lager. 🙂
PS: Carry small change so you always have the exact amount asked for. Some of the first English words Mexican salesmen learn is, “I have no change”! 😉
PS2: Begging children. This is less of a problem every year but you will run into it and it is awkward. My rule is, if they are selling something and it is very cheap, sometimes I buy. Sometimes it is a small unwrapped candy or a single Chicklet. They have been in their pocket and hand so do not eat them, toss them or give them to another child as a treat. Do not pay more than one peso. If they simply hold out their hand and offer nothing, I say no. The problem is, if you give to one then you could be swarmed by five of their friends. If this happens, walk away.
PS3: You will run into guys on the street waving red rags and “selling” otherwise free parking spaces. I have a soft spot for these enterprising guys who will guide you into your space, watch over your vehicle, help you load bags and stop traffic when you leave. 5 pesos is the going rate. There will also be guys who run over to you at a red light offering to clean your windshield. They do a good job for 1 or 2 pesos.
PS4: Many toll booths will have an ambulance parked and the attendants collecting money, presumably for the ambulance service. I usually give them 5 or 10 pesos. They will put a sticker on your window or mirror showing you have paid that you can point to at the next toll booth they are at. I always think it is good Karma to donate to these guys.
Thank you for all these PSes. 🙂
I better get good fast at IDing all the little coins and bills!
Bills are all different colours and well marked in 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1000 denominations. You will have trouble getting rid of the 1000 peso notes you sometimes get from ATM’s as no one will have enough change. Save them for grocery stores or maybe an empty gas tank if it will hold that much. Coins are easy, all different sizes. The 10 peso is the largest and looks like our toonie. You will get 50 centavo and sometimes even tiny 10 centavo coins the odd time as change from supermarkets that do not round up/down. These are good for nothing but tips. When I buy groceries, the packer gets these low value coins the cashier hands me plus two or three pesos.
I keep a small container of 1 and 2 peso coins beside the seat. If you drive the libres there are people at every tope collecting for school sports or selling cold water, fruit, etc. Handy for window washers etc as well.
I researched the money last night and figured out that the bills are just like ours — 500 and 1000 peso notes=our $50 and $100 notes, which are to pass. If I get the 1000 peso notes from the bank, maybe I can pass them off when I pay rent. I’ll see what the landlady says.
I just Googled the centavos coins and it looks like 10 and 50 are like our pennies and nickles while 1 and 2 peso coins are like our dime and quarters, so 10 pesos is like a dollar and 20 pesos is like two dollars. The values aren’t right, but it’ll make it easier to wrap my brain around the currency.
This is a good way to think about the money values.
The notes are very high tech, impossible to fake so people will take them if they have enough change or don’t need any. Grocery stores (WalMart, Soriana) will always take them as will gas stations.
The bills look like our new Monopoly money! 🙂
Thanks again, you’re treasure trove of useful info! So glad to have someone like you to help me navigate all of this!