- It all started with British Airways' tickets purchased during the Skyman campaign in Riga - London - Mexico City - London - Riga for $ 457, which is about half cheaper than usual. Then we also started planning a tour route - until there was no idea, says Ints Murnieks. - We decided that in 17 days Mexico should see as many as possible and as much as possible without forgetting about the rest. We traveled around Mexico with a small Ford bus, which was also a guide for the driver. During the trip, 3,500 km were taken and about 70-80% of the sites recommended by Mexican tourist guides are located in the south and east of the country. Of course, there is something to see in the north of Mexico, but the tourists usually go there if they want to see certain places, such as the Coon Canyon or the Gulf of California. We visited the Theotivakana Solar and Moon Pyramid, the eternal spring city of Cuernavaca, the silver mining town of Tasko, one of the first Spanish colonial towns of Pueblo, crossed the Sierra Cadre ridge and cactus fields, one of the 'colorful and tastiest' cities of Oahak, Indian-populated areas, jungle and tropical forests in the state of Chiapah, climbing up the mountains to almost 2500 meters, appreciated the mysterious Mayan Indian pyramid of the Yucatan Peninsula to the Caribbean resort of Playa del Carmen, where we enjoyed the sea and the sun for three days. At the end of the trip from Cancun we flew back to Mexico City and home. For one person, this tour cost about $ 2,000.
Overall, Mexico is a little more expensive than Latvia. A daily meal of 90 to 150 Mexican pesos (10 to 17 US dollars) should be left for a normal meal. Beer or freshly squeezed orange juice costs 10-20 pesos (1 - 2 US dollars). In stores, fruits and vegetables are cheaper than us, meat, fish, bread, pastries - more expensive, and household and industrial goods at similar prices.
There are practically no train traffic in the country, but there are wide and convenient bus services, including different classes. $ 50 for a first-class bus (comfortable, long-distance travel, with air conditioning, WC and video) can take nearly a thousand kilometers. Taxis in Mexico are twice as cheap as in Riga and can and should be bargained before boarding.
The national language in Mexico is Spanish, but the Indian language is also common - there are 59 different Indian nationalities in their country, who speak their native language. English is mostly understood only in a tourism-related environment, so it would be advisable to learn the basics of Spanish while traveling individually, as then establishing contact with kind Mexicans will not be a problem, even if your language skills are limited to 10-20 standard sentences. Otherwise, you may be contacted by signs.
Although it is known that the transit route of drugs from South America and North America passes through Mexico, there is no particular problem for tourists from a security point of view. True, however, on the only major highway leading from South America, it is recommended to stop on an empty road. Much more care should be taken of the sunshine. Tourism is one of the whales on which the Mexican economy is based - income from this sphere is the second largest behind the oil industry, so foreigners are welcome everywhere. Mexicans themselves are great travelers. During their school holidays, families with their cars run from one country to another to spend a few days at Cancun or Acapulco resorts, while student groups in Mayan pyramids and museums were an integral part. After the events of September 11th, the number of American tourists in Mexico has dropped significantly, and Alberto, a tourist guide from Latvia, was very concerned. As a result, many families have lost their income or even have to deal with the consequences of unemployment.
From a medical point of view, tourists from Latvia do not necessarily have to take action, but there are things to watch out for, as in the south. You should not drink tap water and clean your teeth - a bottle of water will be available in any hotel room. It is not advisable to eat on the street, to drink drinks or to enjoy the untreated fruit - it can easily come to the "Revenge of Mastery" or diarrhea.
Urban and rural differences
Mexico City, Mexico City, is the largest city in the world, with thirteen million people living in the city, with 22 million suburbs. Every year, the population grows by 800,000, figuratively speaking, there is one Riga present. This is mainly due to migration - as in Mexico too, there is a huge gap between wealth and wages between the capital, other cities and rural areas.
