Travel Alert
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Bureau of Consular Affairs

This information is current as of today, Fri May 02 2008 08:08:11
GMT-0700 (Pacific Daylight Time).

Mexico

April 14, 2008

This Travel Alert updates information for U.S. citizens on security
situations in Mexico that may affect their activities while in that
country.  This supersedes the Travel Alert for Mexico dated October
24, 2007, and expires on October 15, 2008.

Violence Along The U.S.-Mexico Border
-------------------------------------

Violent criminal activity fueled by a war between criminal
organizations struggling for control of the lucrative narcotics trade
continues along the U.S.-Mexico border.  Attacks are aimed primarily
at members of drug trafficking organizations, Mexican police forces,
criminal justice officials, and journalists.  However, foreign
visitors and residents, including Americans, have been among the
victims of homicides and kidnappings in the border region.  In its
effort to combat violence, the government of Mexico has deployed
military troops in various parts of the country.  U.S. citizens are
urged to cooperate with official checkpoints when traveling on Mexican
highways.

Recent Mexican army and police force conflicts with heavily-armed
narcotics cartels have escalated to levels equivalent to military
small-unit combat and have included use of machine guns and
fragmentation grenades.   Confrontations have taken place in numerous
towns and cities in northern Mexico, including Tijuana in the Mexican
state of Baja California, and Chihuahua City and Ciudad Juarez in the
state of Chihuahua.  The situation in northern Mexico remains very
fluid; the location and timing of future armed engagements there
cannot be predicted.

Armed robberies and carjackings, apparently unconnected to the
narcotics-related violence, have increased in Tijuana and Ciudad
Juarez.  Dozens of U.S. citizens were kidnapped and/or murdered in
Tijuana in 2007.  Public shootouts have occurred during daylight hours
near shopping areas.

Criminals are armed with a wide array of sophisticated weapons.  In
some cases, assailants have worn full or partial police or military
uniforms and have used vehicles that resemble police vehicles.

U.S. citizens are urged to be especially alert to safety and security
concerns when visiting the border region. While Mexican citizens
overwhelmingly are the victims of these crimes, this uncertain
security situation poses risks for U.S. citizens as well.  Thousands
of U.S. citizens cross the border safely each day, exercising
common-sense precautions such as visiting only legitimate business and
tourist areas of border towns during daylight hours.  It is strongly
recommended that travelers avoid areas where prostitution and drug
dealing occur.
Criminals have followed and harassed U.S. citizens traveling in their
vehicles, particularly in border areas including Nuevo Laredo,
Matamoros, and Tijuana.  There is no evidence, however, that U.S.
citizens are targeted because of their nationality.

U.S. citizen victims of crime in Mexico are urged to contact the
consular section of the nearest U.S. consulate or Embassy for advice
and assistance.

Crime and Violence in Mexico
----------------------------

U.S. citizens residing and traveling in Mexico should exercise caution
when in unfamiliar areas and be aware of their surroundings at all
times.  Violence by criminal elements affects many parts of the
country, urban and rural, including border areas.  Though there is no
evidence that U.S. citizens are specifically targeted, Mexican and
foreign bystanders have been injured or killed in some violent
attacks, demonstrating the heightened risk in public places.  In
recent years, dozens of U.S. citizens have been kidnapped in Mexico
and many cases remain unresolved.  Moreover, new cases of
disappearances and kidnap-for-ransom continue to be reported.  No one
can be considered immune from kidnapping on the basis of occupation,
nationality, or other factors.  U.S. citizens who believe they are
being followed should notify Mexican officials as soon as possible.
U.S. citizens should make every attempt to travel on main roads during
daylight hours, particularly the toll ("cuota") roads, which are
generally more secure.  It is preferable for U.S. citizens to stay in
well-known tourist destinations and tourist areas of the cities with
more adequate security, and provide an itinerary to a friend or family
member not traveling with them. U.S. citizens should avoid traveling
alone as a means to better ensure their safety.  Refrain from
displaying expensive-looking jewelry, large amounts of money, or other
valuable items.

Demonstrations occur frequently throughout Mexico and usually are
peaceful.  However, even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can
turn confrontational and escalate into violence unexpectedly.  Some
deaths occurred during violent demonstrations, including an American
citizen who died in the 2006 violence in Oaxaca.  During
demonstrations or law enforcement operations, U.S. citizens are
advised to remain in their homes or hotels, avoid large crowds, and
avoid the downtown and surrounding areas.  Since the timing and routes
of scheduled marches and demonstrations are always subject to change,
U.S. citizens should monitor local media sources for new developments
and exercise extreme caution while within the vicinity of protests.
The Mexican Constitution prohibits political activities by foreigners,
and such actions may result in detention and/or deportation.
Therefore, U.S. citizens are advised to avoid participating in
demonstrations or other activities that might be deemed political by
Mexican authorities.

For more detailed information on staying safe in Mexico, please see
the Mexico Country Specific Information at:
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_970.html. For the
latest security information, U.S. citizens traveling abroad should
regularly monitor the Department's internet web site at
http://travel.state.gov where the current Worldwide Caution, Travel
Warnings, and Travel Alerts can be found. Up-to-date information on
security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in
the United States, or, for callers from Mexico, a regular toll line at
001-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00
p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal
holidays).  American citizens traveling or residing overseas are
encouraged to register with the appropriate U.S. Embassy or Consulate
on the State Department's travel registration website at
https://travelregistration.state.gov/.

For any emergencies involving U.S. citizens in Mexico, please contact
the closest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. The U.S. Embassy is located in
Mexico City at Paseo de la Reforma 305, Colonia Cuauhtemoc, telephone
from the United States: 011-52-55-5080-2000; telephone within Mexico
City: 5080-2000; telephone long distance within Mexico
01-55-5080-2000. You may also contact the Embassy by e-mail at:
ccs@.... The Embassy's internet address is
http://www.usembassy-mexico.gov/.

Consulates:
Ciudad Juarez: Avenida Lopez Mateos 924-n, telephone (52)(656) 611-3000.
Guadalajara: Progreso 175, telephone (52)(333) 268-2100.
Hermosillo: Avenida Monterrey 141, telephone (52)(662) 289-3500.
Matamoros: Avenida Primera 2002, telephone (52)(868) 812-4402.
Merida: Calle 60 no. 338 k, telephone (52)(999) 942-5700
Monterrey: Avenida Constitucion 411 Poniente, telephone (52)(818)
345-2120.
Nogales: Calle San Jose, Nogales, Sonora, telephone (52)(631) 311-8150.
Nuevo Laredo: Calle Allende 3330, col. Jardin, telephone (52)(867)
714-0512.
Tijuana: Tapachula 96, telephone (52)(664) 622-7400.

Consular Agencies:

Acapulco: Hotel Continental Emporio, Costera Miguel Aleman 121 - local
14, telephone (52)(744) 484-0300 or (52)(744) 469-0556.
Cabo San Lucas: Blvd. Marina local c-4, Plaza Nautica, col. Centro,
telephone (52)(624) 143-3566.
Cancún:  Plaza Caracol two, second level, no. 320-323, Boulevard
Kukulcan, km. 8.5, Zona Hotelera, telephone (52)(998) 883-0272.
Ciudad Acuña:  Ocampo # 305, col. Centro, telephone (52)(877) 772-8661
Cozumel:  Plaza Villa Mar en el Centro, Plaza Principal, (Parque
Juárez between Melgar and 5th ave.) 2nd floor, locales #8 and 9,
telephone (52)(987) 872-4574.
Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo:  Hotel Fontan, Blvd. Ixtapa, telephone (52)(755)
553-2100.
Mazatlán:  Hotel Playa Mazatlán, Playa Gaviotas #202, Zona Dorada,
telephone (52)(669) 916-5889.
Oaxaca:  Macedonio Alcalá no. 407, interior 20, telephone (52)(951)
514-3054 (52)(951) 516-2853.
Piedras Negras: Abasolo #211, Zona Centro, Piedras Negras, Coah., Tel.
(878) 782-5586.
Playa del Carmen:  "The Palapa,"  Calle 1 Sur, between Avenida 15 and
Avenida 20, telephone (52)(984) 873-0303.
Puerto Vallarta:  Paradise Plaza, Paseo de los Cocoteros #1, Local #4,
Interior #17, Nuevo Vallarta, Nayarit, telephone (52)(322) 222-0069.
Reynosa:  Calle Monterrey #390, Esq. Sinaloa, Colonia Rodríguez,
telephone: (52)(899) 923 - 9331
San Luis Potosí:  Edificio "Las Terrazas", Avenida Venustiano Carranza
2076-41, Col. Polanco, telephone: (52)(444) 811-7802/7803.
San Miguel de Allende:  Dr. Hernandez Macias #72, telephone (52)(415)
152-2357 or (52)(415) 152-0068.

President Arias Reassures He Is Serious About Crime

by Rod Hughes

Speaking before the Legislative Assembly yesterday, President Oscar
Arias reassured the nation that he realizes tha citizen's concerns for
their safety in the face of growing crime is "real" and that his
administration will treat the threat seriously. Public unrest about
crime and the helplessness of the country's inadequate laws have grown
to a mighty chorus this year.

As the daily newspaper La Nacion pointed out, "the President's tone is
much different from that of his new Minister of Public Security Janina
del Vecchio" who told a press conference two weeks ago that she found
violent crime "not as bad as (she) had expected." (Both Chief
Proscutor Francisco Dall'Anese and Judical Investigation chief Jorge
Rojas had rushed to counter the statement, realizing that it
endangered the quick passage of a comprehensive crime bill in the
Legislative Assembly.)

Recently the English-language weekly The Tico Times took the lawmakers
to task in a blistering editorial for their lackadaisical attitude
about the bill while crime swirls out of control. Indeed, public
concern runs so high that a campaign has been mounted by Arnoldo
Garnier, advertising entrepreneur here, and former Security Minister
Juan Diego Castro to urge the administration and the courts to push
the legislators into action on the bill.

The occasion for the President's declarations was the traditional May
Day "State of the Nation" address to the Assembly, postponed this year
until May 2. Usually, a president will review the accomplishments of
the past 12 months, but Arias used his 37-minute speech to urge the
lawmakers to take their responsibilities seriously and laid out what
needs to be done.

Arias also made a priority of the rising cost of living while
acknowledging that most of its causes were factors abroad beyond this
country's control: rising petrolum prices, the use of foodstuffs like
corn as alternate fuel, international expenditures for arms, the U.S.
slide toward recession and the decline of economic aid. He limited
himself in "pointing with pride" chiefly the 3.5% reduction in poverty
figures, increased tax revenues, used in social programs including aid
to impoverished students and, above all, the restoration of confidence
in the government.

Without a doubt, the message on crime created the greatest resonance
with a public that has placed the subject in first place in polls.
Toward this concern, an informal movement, Recuperemos la Paz, (We
will recover the peace) has turned its attention. As The Tico Times
pointed out in a recent article, this movement contains two different
facets which reporter Nick Wilkinson took as a "fracturing" of the
movement.

But the result may not be a diffusion of effort so much as a classic
carrot-and-stick approach to move a lethargic government into action.
Founder Arnoldo Garnier, reflecting his advertising background, favors
a persuasive approach and got President Arias, Legislative Assembly
president Francisco Pacheco, Supreme Court Chief Justice Luis Paulino
Mora and Alajuela Bishop Angel San Casimiro to sign an informal pact
containing intent to pass the crime bill within six months.

But hard-liner Juan Diego Castro favors an aggressive approach, not
only toward crime but in pushing a vote. He distrusts the lawmakers to
act and is gathering forces to offer a referendum. Garnier, two weeks
before the State of the Nation address, admitted that it might come to
that, but favors the softer approach first as more effective. That
appears to be the case with Arias.

But certainly reporter Wilkinson had it right when he wrote that
Castro has issues with Vice President Laura Chinchilla, who is one of
the authors of the crime bill. Castro was Chinchilla's boss when she
was Deputy Minister of Security and then took over the job. Castro
considers the bill weak on protecting the crime victim. He feels that
the bill, moreover, reflects Chinchilla's political ambitions more
than concerns for crime.

Chinchilla, in presenting the bill, acknowledged that it needed
changes that the lawmakers could make in debate but said it was
offered as a starting point of deliberations. It would be a pity if
one or both of these public figures allowed policy or personal
frictions to interfere with the average citizen getting the improved
law enforcement protection he so dearly desires.

I am a long term resident of Central America...I drink the tap
water..I don't own land....I don't even remember how to
be 'politically correct' since I have been living down in the
Tropics for so so long...

Anyway, got a nice fine camping area for any RV folks who wish to
enjoy nature in a crime free area of El Salvador...Cinquera...just
18 klicks..km. north of touristy trendy Suchitoto, spent Wednesday
there in teh Tropical Rain Forest below the waterfalls..the parking
area is just a few hundred meters below...the path goes up teh
mountain 14oo meters more. To get a permit contact us via
elsalvadorinfo at gmail.com anytime, a volunteer will answer you in
English en caso lo que no se habla español.

From Andy Hobo Traveler....

"Thanks for Educational Emails
I just want to thank all of you for your educational e-mails over
the past year.

------------ --------- --------- ---
Panajachel Guatemala
Lago Atitlan - Lake Atitlan
Friday, May 2, 2008
Andy of HoboTraveler. com --- Free Hotel Webpage
------------ --------- --------- ----

Thanks to you, I no longer open a public bathroom door without using
a paper towel.

I can't use the remote in a hotel room because I don't know what the
last person was doing while flipping through the adult movie
channels.

I can't sit down on the hotel bedspread because I can only imagine
what has happened on it since it was last washed.

I have trouble shaking hands with someone who has been driving
because the number one pasttime while driv! ing alone is picking
your nose (although cell phone use may be taking the number one
spot) .

Eating a Little Debbie sends me on a guilt trip because I can only
imagine how many gallons of transfats I have consumed over the years.

I can't touch any woman's purse for fear she has placed it on the
floor of a public bathroom. Yuck!

I must send my special thanks to whoever sent me the one about poop
in the glue on envelopes, because I now have to use a wet sponge
with every envelope that needs sealing.

Also, I have to scrub the top of every can I open now, for the same
reason.

I no longer have any savings because I gave it to a sick girl (Penny
Brown)who is about to die in the hospital for the 1,387,258th time.

I no longer have any money at all, but that will change once I
receive the$15,000 that Bill Gates/Microsoft and AOL are sending me
for participating in their special e-mail program.

I no longer w! orry about my soul because I have 363,214 angels
looking out for me, a nd St. Theresa's novena has granted my every
wish.

I no longer eat KFC because their chickens are actually horrible
mutant freaks with no eyes or feathers.

I no longer use cancer-causing deodorants, even though I smell like
a water buffalo on a hot day.

Thanks to you, I have learned that my prayers only get answered if I
forward an e-mail to seven of my friends and make a wish within five
minutes.

Because of your concern, I no longer drink Coca Cola because it can
remove toilet stains.

I no longer can buy gasoline without taking someone along to watch
the car, so a serial killer won't crawl in my back seat when I'm
pumping gas.

I no longer drink Pepsi or Dr. Pepper since the people who make
these products are atheists who refuse to put 'Under God'on their
cans.

I no longer use Saran wrap in the microwave because it causes cancer.

And, thanks for letting me know I can't boil a cup of water! in the
microwave anymore because it will blow up in my face...disfiguring
me for life.

I no longer check the coin return on pay phones because I could be
pricked with a needle infected with AIDS.

I no longer go to shopping malls because someone will drug me with a
perfume sample and rob me.

I no longer receive packages from UPS or FedEx since they are
actually Al Qaeda in disguise.

I no longer shop at Target since they are French and don't support
our American troops or the Salvation Army.

I no longer answer the phone because someone will ask me to dial a
number for which I will get a phone bill with calls to Jamaica ,
Uganda , Singapore and Uzbekistan .

I no longer buy expensive cookies from Neiman Marcus, since I now
have their recipe.

Thanks to you, I can't use anyone's toilet but mine because a big
brown African spider is lurking under the seat to cause me instant
death when it bites my butt.
And thanks to your great advice, I can't ever pick up $5.00 dropped
in the parking lot, because it probably was placed there by a sex
molester waiting underneath my car to grab my leg.

I can no longer drive my car because I can't buy gas from certain
gas companies!

If you don't send this e-mail to at least 144,000 people in the next
70 minutes, a large dove with diarrhea will land on your head at
5:00 p.m. this afternoon, and the fleas from 12 camels will infest
your back, causing you to grow a hairy hump. I know this will occur
because it actually happened to a friend of my next door neighbor's
ex-mother-in- law's second husband's cousin's beautician.. .

Have a wonderful day.

Oh, by the way...

A German scientist from Argentina , after a lengthy study, has
discovered that people with insufficient brain activity read their e-
mail with their hand on the mouse.

Don't bother taking it off now; it's too late

---
A joke, but to me is real, I hear travelers and! tourisst list out
all these things they cannot do, water, walking, etc, I think to
myself, if you concentrated on living and not dying your life would
be worth living instead of the joke I see it.

Live your life today, I drink the water.

I hope my readers consider these fears above silly.

Thanks for Educational Emails "

--
Posted By Andy HoboTraveler. com to Andy HoboTraveler. Com Travel
Blog Vol II at 5/02/2008 10:00:00 AM

"Life In The Tropics..not for the faint of heart nor the bleeding
heart"...My words.

President Arias Reassures He Is Serious About Crime

by Rod Hughes

Speaking before the Legislative Assembly yesterday, President Oscar
Arias reassured the nation that he realizes tha citizen's concerns for
their safety in the face of growing crime is "real" and that his
administration will treat the threat seriously. Public unrest about
crime and the helplessness of the country's inadequate laws have grown
to a mighty chorus this year.

As the daily newspaper La Nacion pointed out, "the President's tone is
much different from that of his new Minister of Public Security Janina
del Vecchio" who told a press conference two weeks ago that she found
violent crime "not as bad as (she) had expected." (Both Chief
Proscutor Francisco Dall'Anese and Judical Investigation chief Jorge
Rojas had rushed to counter the statement, realizing that it
endangered the quick passage of a comprehensive crime bill in the
Legislative Assembly.)

Recently the English-language weekly The Tico Times took the lawmakers
to task in a blistering editorial for their lackadaisical attitude
about the bill while crime swirls out of control. Indeed, public
concern runs so high that a campaign has been mounted by Arnoldo
Garnier, advertising entrepreneur here, and former Security Minister
Juan Diego Castro to urge the administration and the courts to push
the legislators into action on the bill.

The occasion for the President's declarations was the traditional May
Day "State of the Nation" address to the Assembly, postponed this year
until May 2. Usually, a president will review the accomplishments of
the past 12 months, but Arias used his 37-minute speech to urge the
lawmakers to take their responsibilities seriously and laid out what
needs to be done.

Arias also made a priority of the rising cost of living while
acknowledging that most of its causes were factors abroad beyond this
country's control: rising petrolum prices, the use of foodstuffs like
corn as alternate fuel, international expenditures for arms, the U.S.
slide toward recession and the decline of economic aid. He limited
himself in "pointing with pride" chiefly the 3.5% reduction in poverty
figures, increased tax revenues, used in social programs including aid
to impoverished students and, above all, the restoration of confidence
in the government.

Without a doubt, the message on crime created the greatest resonance
with a public that has placed the subject in first place in polls.
Toward this concern, an informal movement, Recuperemos la Paz, (We
will recover the peace) has turned its attention. As The Tico Times
pointed out in a recent article, this movement contains two different
facets which reporter Nick Wilkinson took as a "fracturing" of the
movement.

But the result may not be a diffusion of effort so much as a classic
carrot-and-stick approach to move a lethargic government into action.
Founder Arnoldo Garnier, reflecting his advertising background, favors
a persuasive approach and got President Arias, Legislative Assembly
president Francisco Pacheco, Supreme Court Chief Justice Luis Paulino
Mora and Alajuela Bishop Angel San Casimiro to sign an informal pact
containing intent to pass the crime bill within six months.

But hard-liner Juan Diego Castro favors an aggressive approach, not
only toward crime but in pushing a vote. He distrusts the lawmakers to
act and is gathering forces to offer a referendum. Garnier, two weeks
before the State of the Nation address, admitted that it might come to
that, but favors the softer approach first as more effective. That
appears to be the case with Arias.

But certainly reporter Wilkinson had it right when he wrote that
Castro has issues with Vice President Laura Chinchilla, who is one of
the authors of the crime bill. Castro was Chinchilla's boss when she
was Deputy Minister of Security and then took over the job. Castro
considers the bill weak on protecting the crime victim. He feels that
the bill, moreover, reflects Chinchilla's political ambitions more
than concerns for crime.

Chinchilla, in presenting the bill, acknowledged that it needed
changes that the lawmakers could make in debate but said it was
offered as a starting point of deliberations. It would be a pity if
one or both of these public figures allowed policy or personal
frictions to interfere with the average citizen getting the improved
law enforcement protection he so dearly desires.

Latin Americans to hold food crisis summit

1 day ago

MANAGUA (AFP) — Presidents and representatives of several South and
Central American nations prepared to meet here to discuss regional
strategies to avert the food crisis affecting poor nations around the
world, officials said Tuesday.

The meeting Wednesday was to include Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez,
who last month announced a 100 million dollar donation toward a cereal
production boosting program for Central America and members of the
ALBA trade group -- Venezuela, Bolivia, Nicaragua and Cuba.

Hosted by Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, the summit will study
emergency measures Latin America can take to ensure domestic supplies
of staple foods, as well as establishing fair prices for the region's
food exports, in view of the ongoing crisis, said Nicaragua
Agriculture Minister Ariel Bucardo.

Costa Rica's Deputy Agriculture Minister Roman Solera said the
measures included using Chavez' initiative to create a "cereal fund"
for Central America, which he said needed some 630 million dollars to
get the 2008-2009 farming cycle under way.

Roman said the region was greatly underfunded for long-term investment
in farming infrastructure, including storage and transport of goods.

Cuba and Mexico, he added, have offered their technological know-how
in the effort.

Besides Chavez and Ortega, the one-day summit on Wednesday will also
include presidents Evo Morales of Bolivia, Rafael Correa of Ecuador,
Oscar Arias of Costa Rica, Antonio Saca of El Salvador, Manuel Zelaya
of Honduras and Martin Torrijos of Panama.

Cuba will send its Vice President Carlos Lage and Haiti, Dominican
Republic and Belize, their government representatives.

Guatemala President Alvaro Colom, by law, cannot attend the summit
because the country's vice president is abroad visiting Chile, his
spokesman said, adding that Foreign Minister Haroldo Rodas would take
his place.

Rising shortages of basic grains, milk and foodstuffs that have led to
deadly violence in developing countries was described Tuesday as
perhaps "the first global humanitarian emergency," by World Food
Program chief Josette Sheeran in Washington.

WFP is seeking contributions for a 755-million-dollar emergency fund
while the UN Food and Agriculture Organization is trying to raise 1.7
billion dollars to provide seeds to the poor and boost output.

Global food prices have nearly doubled in three years, according to
the World Bank, sparking riots and protests in several poor countries.

Poll: Mexicans Spent $2.5 Billion in Bribes in 2007


Day to Day, April 18, 2008 · Bribery has been a fact of life in Mexico
for a very long time. According to a new survey, conducted by the
non-profit group Transparency Mexico, it's on the rise. 197 million
bribes were paid nationwide in 2007, compared to 115 million in 2005,
the study shows.

Every single police officer in Mexico has likely demanded a bribe at
one point or another, says Economist Mexico correspondent Konstantin
Kakaes.

Today I find myself in Guatemala City a day earlier than expected.
Recently, in Guatemala, the truck drivers that supply goods throughout
the country have gone on strike.  For some reason, of all the stuff
these guys deliver-- food, water, you name it, gas is the first thing
to be a problem.  Gas stations started closing their doors, and long
distance buses threatened to stop running.  So.... I squeezed onto a
bus this morning before the gas ran out.  I know this sounds crazy...
But seriously, my host mom was running around screaming "No Gasolina,
no gasolina" at unprovoked moments-- at a lull in the conversation
say.  At my Spanish teachers recommendation, I left early.  I was
really worried I wouldn't make it for my flight.

So, I am going to spend the night in the capital before flying out to
Honduras tomorrow.  This gave me a little time to explore "Guate," as
the locals call it.

Guatemala City is a big, stinky, polluted, hot, humid, impoverished
city.  The first thing I noticed that is different from Xela is the
huge number of security guards.  All of them armed.  (Crime is a big
problem here.)  In Xela, only banks had security guards.  Here, the
freakin' toy store has an armed guard.  (No, I am not exagerating.  I
actually saw this.)  And these guys are not minimally armed, they are
heavily armed.  Most of them have a shot gun strapped, Rambo-style,
across their torso.

Is, it just me, or did anybody else think about this?  Suppose,
somebody steals a Little-Tikes, remote control truck from the toy
store, and the only apparent way to stop them is to shoot their ass.
How many kids are you going to put down along with the bad guy when
you unload into the crowd with a sawed-off?  I sincerely hope this is
ONLY a game of intimidation.  As if thats not enough, after work,
these guys hop on their mopeds to go home with the shotgun, still in
hand, pointed up into the air.  I'm sorry, but all the pro-gun folks
that I know ought to come hang out in Guate and see just how nervous
seeing an adolecent security guard with a sawed-off makes them feel.

Otherwise, I have to say that I have been pleasantly suprised by
Guate.  There are some very cool buildings to see (including a
palace), and a trip to the market is well worth pushing through the
crowds.  You can find ANYTHING at the market.  Most interesting were
the rip-offs of every popular American DVD ever made.  Didn't "Horton
Hears a Who" just come out on the big screen?  Well, its selling like
hotcakes here.  The DVDs are clearly homemade, with labels printed
from a desktop.  Oh!  And they had vintage Nintendo games!  The
original 8-bit cartridges.  Remember when Super Mario Bros. and Duck
Hunt were on the same cartridge?  Well, it can be yours for 10Q.
There was a huge selection of titles from my 4th through 6th grade
Nintendo playing years.  Very nostalgic.

Anyway, tomorrow I am going to try to make it to the huge relief map
of Guatemala in Zone 2, and then I will catch a flight to Honduras for
Mayan Ruins, Scuba diving, and other fun activities.  Meanwhile, hope
you enjoy the pictures from my stroll around "Guate."

Decently intriguing film
Under discussion:

The Movie...Walker  (1987)

I noticed no one has said anything about this movie, so I figured I
would be the first to say that it is a pretty good film.  It is all in
all a commentary on the 1980s Nicaraguan conflict, exploiting the
story of a forgotten American "hero" during the time of Manifest
Destiny.  What it is really trying to say is that the idea of Manifest
Destiny and ultra-patriotism still existed in the United States,
especially during the 1970s-80s, when we just couldn't seem to keep
our noses out of Central American affairs.  It succeeds on that level,
but not too many others.

The acting is at times pretty corny...Ed Harris successfully portrays
William Walker and his many undeveloped personality traits, but even
he slips up at times as his performance slips into camp.  Peter Boyle
makes a pretty funny cameo as millionaire Cornelius Vanderbilt, the
man who funds Walker's campaign in Nicaragua and ultimately sets him
up as dictator.

Some of the scenes are actually really cool, such a scene where Walker
walks right down the middle of an apparent massacre in a village,
telling his men to press on even though it seems all is lost.  A man
asks him what he is doing, to which he replies, "The only thing I know
how to do...advance."  A scene in which they burn the town of their
dictatorships residence at the end is a little bit drawn out, with
probably around 4-6 minutes of burning buildings and depravity of
Walker's soldiers (called "Walker's Immortals").  It's one of many
scenes that seems forced and just doesn't work...however, for each of
these scenes, there is a few that do, which makes the movie an overall
accomplishment.

The film's infamous anachronisms that appear as Walker's dictatorship
begins to fall apart actually seem relatively in place in terms of the
story.  It is hilarious in most cases, and just puzzling in others.
My personal favorite is the cover of Newsweek, where one of the
smaller stories listed on the cover is something about gay priests.
The main cover, however, shows Walker's face, claiming him as an
American hero.  This was really just to show the celebrity status
someone gains when they conquer and exploit in the name of America.

While it certainly would not be recommended for the most cynical of
human beings, it is an entertaining experiment in politcal satire.
While it often delves into the realm of the hallucinatory and the
bizarre, it mostly stays on its main topic, though it is very good at
doing both.  Especially in the final sequence, which I thought was the
most impressive part of the entire film

TEGUCIGALPA, May 14 (Reuters) - Wearing white and waving
handkerchiefs, some 30,000 Hondurans marched in the northern city of
San Pedro Sula on Wednesday to condemn a bloody crime wave fueled by
violence between rival drug gangs.

"We want peace, we want peace," shouted the marchers who took to the
streets of the country's second largest city, home to drug traffickers
fighting to control routes of Colombian cocaine bound for the United
States.

Some marchers carried photographs of relatives killed in the violence
and dozens of doves were freed at the city cathedral where the march,
organized by the Roman Catholic Church and local business groups, ended.

"Enough with so much bloodshed," local Bishop Romulo Emiliani told
reporters. "There are a lot of mothers that cry every day and this
bloody crime wave does not stop. This is hell."

Street gangs, known as maras, are also behind some of the murders. The
city also has a high rate of kidnappings and other violent crimes.

President Manuel Zelaya has been unable to reduce the rate of murders
and other violence, an issue he promised to tackle when he took office
in 2006. (Reporting by Gustavo Palencia, Writing by Chris Aspin)

El Salvador :: Why Go?

. . .So we decided that I should go on my own; this would be a
fact-finding mission for me as well as a well drilling mission.


I was really excited to learn that we would be drilling a well for a
school. Living Water (the organization we went with), drills wells all
over the world for communities, churches, schools, and all those in
desperate need of clean water. But there just seems to be something
special about providing water for a school. Several things happen when
a school has good water. It's customary for the women and children to
be the ones to fetch the water every day. Many children have to miss
school because they have to be the ones to get the water (especially
young girls). When there is good clean water at the school, attendance
goes up as children come with their pots to take water back home.

More children getting an education will have a huge impact on the
community for generations.


Being at a school also gave our hygiene team a unique, and
challenging, opportunity to teach many children some of the
fundamentals of good health. The children learned how germs are
spread, why it's important to wash your hands after using the toilet
and before eating, and how to protect your food and water from
contamination.


Chronic illness is rampant because people simply do not have access to
clean water. Around 85% of the worlds illnesses are related to unsafe
drinking water. So many of the children we saw seemed so happy and
healthy, but looks can be deceiving. One of the days we were there, a
couple of the team members went across the street to talk to some of
the people in the community. When asked if their children were sick,
many parents would say no. But if asked if they had problems with
diarrhea, they would say oh yes, the children have diarrhea every day.
If every time you have a bowel movement, it's diarrhea, that becomes
normal to you, and many don't even realize that this is a chronic
illness. In some areas of Africa, they will not even name their
children until they are 2 years old because the infant mortality rates
are so high. The vast majority of the sicknesses killing their
children are in their water. In El Salvador, we saw several hand-dug
wells. These wells are probably only 20 feet deep, but they are also
in close proximity to the hand-dug toilets. The contamination from
their own waste flows right into the water they are drinking. Those
who live near a river or stream suffer from the contamination of their
neighbors up stream. Those who drink from water holes like this one
next to the highway suffer from contamination from the road.

My family may not be able to solve the world's water crisis, but we
can absolutely have a profound impact. I choose to go because these
children are loved by God just as much as my own children, and they
have just as much of a right to clean water as my children do.

Travel Alert
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Bureau of Consular Affairs

This information is current as of today, Tue May 27 2008 07:36:53
GMT-0700 (Pacific Daylight Time).

Mexico

April 14, 2008

This Travel Alert updates information for U.S. citizens on security
situations in Mexico that may affect their activities while in that
country.  This supersedes the Travel Alert for Mexico dated October
24, 2007, and expires on October 15, 2008.

Violence Along The U.S.-Mexico Border
-------------------------------------

Violent criminal activity fueled by a war between criminal
organizations struggling for control of the lucrative narcotics trade
continues along the U.S.-Mexico border.  Attacks are aimed primarily
at members of drug trafficking organizations, Mexican police forces,
criminal justice officials, and journalists.  However, foreign
visitors and residents, including Americans, have been among the
victims of homicides and kidnappings in the border region.  In its
effort to combat violence, the government of Mexico has deployed
military troops in various parts of the country.  U.S. citizens are
urged to cooperate with official checkpoints when traveling on Mexican
highways.

Recent Mexican army and police force conflicts with heavily-armed
narcotics cartels have escalated to levels equivalent to military
small-unit combat and have included use of machine guns and
fragmentation grenades.   Confrontations have taken place in numerous
towns and cities in northern Mexico, including Tijuana in the Mexican
state of Baja California, and Chihuahua City and Ciudad Juarez in the
state of Chihuahua.  The situation in northern Mexico remains very
fluid; the location and timing of future armed engagements there
cannot be predicted.

Armed robberies and carjackings, apparently unconnected to the
narcotics-related violence, have increased in Tijuana and Ciudad
Juarez.  Dozens of U.S. citizens were kidnapped and/or murdered in
Tijuana in 2007.  Public shootouts have occurred during daylight hours
near shopping areas.

Criminals are armed with a wide array of sophisticated weapons.  In
some cases, assailants have worn full or partial police or military
uniforms and have used vehicles that resemble police vehicles.

U.S. citizens are urged to be especially alert to safety and security
concerns when visiting the border region. While Mexican citizens
overwhelmingly are the victims of these crimes, this uncertain
security situation poses risks for U.S. citizens as well.  Thousands
of U.S. citizens cross the border safely each day, exercising
common-sense precautions such as visiting only legitimate business and
tourist areas of border towns during daylight hours.  It is strongly
recommended that travelers avoid areas where prostitution and drug
dealing occur.
Criminals have followed and harassed U.S. citizens traveling in their
vehicles, particularly in border areas including Nuevo Laredo,
Matamoros, and Tijuana.  There is no evidence, however, that U.S.
citizens are targeted because of their nationality.

U.S. citizen victims of crime in Mexico are urged to contact the
consular section of the nearest U.S. consulate or Embassy for advice
and assistance.

Crime and Violence in Mexico
----------------------------

U.S. citizens residing and traveling in Mexico should exercise caution
when in unfamiliar areas and be aware of their surroundings at all
times.  Violence by criminal elements affects many parts of the
country, urban and rural, including border areas.  Though there is no
evidence that U.S. citizens are specifically targeted, Mexican and
foreign bystanders have been injured or killed in some violent
attacks, demonstrating the heightened risk in public places.  In
recent years, dozens of U.S. citizens have been kidnapped in Mexico
and many cases remain unresolved.  Moreover, new cases of
disappearances and kidnap-for-ransom continue to be reported.  No one
can be considered immune from kidnapping on the basis of occupation,
nationality, or other factors.  U.S. citizens who believe they are
being followed should notify Mexican officials as soon as possible.
U.S. citizens should make every attempt to travel on main roads during
daylight hours, particularly the toll ("cuota") roads, which are
generally more secure.  It is preferable for U.S. citizens to stay in
well-known tourist destinations and tourist areas of the cities with
more adequate security, and provide an itinerary to a friend or family
member not traveling with them. U.S. citizens should avoid traveling
alone as a means to better ensure their safety.  Refrain from
displaying expensive-looking jewelry, large amounts of money, or other
valuable items.

Demonstrations occur frequently throughout Mexico and usually are
peaceful.  However, even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can
turn confrontational and escalate into violence unexpectedly.  Some
deaths occurred during violent demonstrations, including an American
citizen who died in the 2006 violence in Oaxaca.  During
demonstrations or law enforcement operations, U.S. citizens are
advised to remain in their homes or hotels, avoid large crowds, and
avoid the downtown and surrounding areas.  Since the timing and routes
of scheduled marches and demonstrations are always subject to change,
U.S. citizens should monitor local media sources for new developments
and exercise extreme caution while within the vicinity of protests.
The Mexican Constitution prohibits political activities by foreigners,
and such actions may result in detention and/or deportation.
Therefore, U.S. citizens are advised to avoid participating in
demonstrations or other activities that might be deemed political by
Mexican authorities.

For more detailed information on staying safe in Mexico, please see
the Mexico Country Specific Information at:
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_970.html. For the
latest security information, U.S. citizens traveling abroad should
regularly monitor the Department's internet web site at
http://travel.state.gov where the current Worldwide Caution, Travel
Warnings, and Travel Alerts can be found. Up-to-date information on
security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in
the United States, or, for callers from Mexico, a regular toll line at
001-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00
p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal
holidays).  American citizens traveling or residing overseas are
encouraged to register with the appropriate U.S. Embassy or Consulate
on the State Department's travel registration website at
https://travelregistration.state.gov/.

For any emergencies involving U.S. citizens in Mexico, please contact
the closest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. The U.S. Embassy is located in
Mexico City at Paseo de la Reforma 305, Colonia Cuauhtemoc, telephone
from the United States: 011-52-55-5080-2000; telephone within Mexico
City: 5080-2000; telephone long distance within Mexico
01-55-5080-2000. You may also contact the Embassy by e-mail at:
ccs@.... The Embassy's internet address is
http://www.usembassy-mexico.gov/.

Consulates:
Ciudad Juarez: Avenida Lopez Mateos 924-n, telephone (52)(656) 611-3000.
Guadalajara: Progreso 175, telephone (52)(333) 268-2100.
Hermosillo: Avenida Monterrey 141, telephone (52)(662) 289-3500.
Matamoros: Avenida Primera 2002, telephone (52)(868) 812-4402.
Merida: Calle 60 no. 338 k, telephone (52)(999) 942-5700
Monterrey: Avenida Constitucion 411 Poniente, telephone (52)(818)
345-2120.
Nogales: Calle San Jose, Nogales, Sonora, telephone (52)(631) 311-8150.
Nuevo Laredo: Calle Allende 3330, col. Jardin, telephone (52)(867)
714-0512.
Tijuana: Tapachula 96, telephone (52)(664) 622-7400.

Consular Agencies:

Acapulco: Hotel Continental Emporio, Costera Miguel Aleman 121 - local
14, telephone (52)(744) 484-0300 or (52)(744) 469-0556.
Cabo San Lucas: Blvd. Marina local c-4, Plaza Nautica, col. Centro,
telephone (52)(624) 143-3566.
Cancún:  Plaza Caracol two, second level, no. 320-323, Boulevard
Kukulcan, km. 8.5, Zona Hotelera, telephone (52)(998) 883-0272.
Ciudad Acuña:  Ocampo # 305, col. Centro, telephone (52)(877) 772-8661
Cozumel:  Plaza Villa Mar en el Centro, Plaza Principal, (Parque
Juárez between Melgar and 5th ave.) 2nd floor, locales #8 and 9,
telephone (52)(987) 872-4574.
Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo:  Hotel Fontan, Blvd. Ixtapa, telephone (52)(755)
553-2100.
Mazatlán:  Hotel Playa Mazatlán, Playa Gaviotas #202, Zona Dorada,
telephone (52)(669) 916-5889.
Oaxaca:  Macedonio Alcalá no. 407, interior 20, telephone (52)(951)
514-3054 (52)(951) 516-2853.
Piedras Negras: Abasolo #211, Zona Centro, Piedras Negras, Coah., Tel.
(878) 782-5586.
Playa del Carmen:  "The Palapa,"  Calle 1 Sur, between Avenida 15 and
Avenida 20, telephone (52)(984) 873-0303.
Puerto Vallarta:  Paradise Plaza, Paseo de los Cocoteros #1, Local #4,
Interior #17, Nuevo Vallarta, Nayarit, telephone (52)(322) 222-0069.
Reynosa:  Calle Monterrey #390, Esq. Sinaloa, Colonia Rodríguez,
telephone: (52)(899) 923 - 9331
San Luis Potosí:  Edificio "Las Terrazas", Avenida Venustiano Carranza
2076-41, Col. Polanco, telephone: (52)(444) 811-7802/7803.
San Miguel de Allende:  Dr. Hernandez Macias #72, telephone (52)(415)
152-2357 or (52)(415) 152-0068.

26 May
New immigration regs are out; the good bad and ugly!

My attorney, Ann G., specializes in immigration visia's for many of
our clients and she sent me a 58 page document containing the new
immigration regulations with the following one liner; Here are the new
immigration regulations and so far, it looks horrible!

I immediately sent it out for translation and expect to have it back
sometime this week. I called her and asked for a brief of the
highlights. Here is what she told me in the short phone conversation;

There is a new immigration police force established. "Your papers
please!" The determination of what additional requirements for
documentation for the various visa's will be left to the digression of
the individual immigration officer. It is no longer just a matter of
complying to a list of documents. (Good opportunity for payoffs)

Elimination of the $40k small investor visa.

Forestry visa goes up from $40k to $80k

A pensionado must show income of $1000, up from $500. There is no
change in the age requirment. You can be any age. The pensionado is
now permanent and does not need renewal. Pensionado can now apply for
citizenship after 5 years.

An investor visa will require $350k in a home or CD at national bank.
That's up from $200k. There will no longer be a special investor passport.

Any foreigner caught working without a work permit will be deported
and fined (probably in reverse order). Work visa's must now be
approved by ministry before a worker can start. Before they could
begin work when the application was in to the ministry. (Now prepare
to wait many months before a worker can begin)

Work visa is no longer permanent. Must renew every 6 years? Foreign
workers must show having paid into Social Security for 12 consecutive
months and show a minimum income of $1000 a month paid in Panama.

These new regulations only apply to new applicants. Those in under the
old regulations are grandfathered.

The concern of my attorney are that the government has put in new
provisions to attract foreign investment and companies to headquarter
here and now they have implemented many new hurdles to get the workers
in. All the while there is a real lack of qualified Panamanians to do
the work.This is all she had time to go into as the weekend was upon
us, but we will review the translated document and provide commentary
later this week.

As far as the increase in minimum income of pensionado's, it is
probably because most gringos are perceived as being rich. The
government does not want the few poor ones to come and take advantage
of their system

Diesel prices climb above gas in Panama

29 May

An unexpected turn of events. Panama has always had lower diesel
prices than gasoline which is contrary to what we see elsewhere in the
world. This is because the government subsidized diesel fuel as it was
mostly used for agriculture and the farmers have a hard time with
expensive fuel on top of bad or no roads. In this article from La
Prensa we see that for the first time the price of diesel is higher
than gasoline which they attribute to demand. Although this may be a
part of the reason, the fact that the government reduced the tax on
gasoline, but not diesel has played a major part. I would expect some
major demonstrations from farmers when the price of diesel raises .39
cents next week.
Diesel price hits record high as pump prices rise

Between now and June 11, prices of 91 and 95 octane gasoline will
increase by 20 cents and 13 cents, respectively. Diesel fuel will see
a hike of 39 cents.

"Diesel fuel is much more efficient than gasoline, and that is causing
the demand for this product to increase much more than gasoline in
terms of volume," said Francisco Ycaza, secretary of the Comité de
Hidrocarburos of the Cámara Americana de Comercio e Industrias de Panamá.

A survey of gas stations in the capital yesterday by the Autoridad de
Protección al Consumidor y Defensa de la Competencia found that a
gallon of normal and improved diesel cost between $4.01 and $4.20; a
gallon of 91 octane gasoline costs between $3.97 and 4.13 dollars, and
the price of 95 octane gasoline ranged between $4.19 to $4.33 per gallon.

Yesterday's announcement of increase in fuel price means that 91
octane gasoline will go up to $4.33 per gallon and 95 octane to $4.46.
Normal diesel will hit $4.55 per gallon, the highest fuel price in
Panama's history, said the president of the Asociación de Consumidores
Libres, Raúl Eduardo Molina, who indicated that diesel fuel has been
more expensive than gasoline since the elimination of a gasoline tax.

Source: http://primapanama.blogs.com/_panama_residential_devel/

Today's Lens of the Day is so well written, so comprehensive, and so useful, I might as well save you my witty introductory banter and let it speak for itself.

http://www.squidoo.com/liveinmexico

"Tired of the rat race? Ready to live in a country where it's cheaper, safer for your kids, and a great adventure? You can have it all in Mexico, from beaches to inland Haciendas. How do I know? I lived in Mexico for 36 years and raised two children there. I sold real estate as one of my businesses. At that time there were no real estate regulations. I qualified because I was honest and could speak Spanish. So I hung up my shingle in Alamos, Sonora, and started to sell."

In this lens you can find:

# What's The Cost of Living in Mexico?
# Where's Your Favorite Place to Live (or Dream of Living)?
# Differences in Mexican and American Real Estate Law
# The Property Forfeiture Clause
# All About Mexican Trusts
# Mexican Wills and Probate
# Mexican Employees
# Paid Mexican Holidays
# Taxes, Taxes, Taxes
# Making a Living in Mexico
# Living Under Mexican Laws
# Mexican and American Cultural Differences
# Raising Kids in Mexico
# Links to People Living Their Dreams in Mexico

And way more.

Hi Marie,

I enjoyed your Blog. I wish you had sent us trip reports along the way.

Sorry, if I could link to you on this Yahoo Group, I do not know how
to do it. I do not think it can be done.

I recommend to all of our readers to review your Blog. It has great
pictures and commentary.

Do you have any best of/worst of experiences/ memorable moments,
etc...?...If yes, feel free to post them here.

All members, feel free to ask Marie whatever questions come to your mind.

Jim

--- In panamaorbust@yahoogroups.com, Marie Gagnon <paspossible@...> wrote:
>
> Hello Jim
> My friend, Thomas, and I made it to Costa Rica and back.
> If you are interested, please check out our blog:
> http://whereisthomas.blogspot.com/
> feel free to make a link to it if you think it's good....
> Let me know what you think
>
> Marie
>

Hello,

Just found this group today. I've had a lifelong fascination with
central and south America and always wanted to go, primarily to look
at the ruins (though beaches are nice, too.). I have three weeks
vacation in December, and now I've gotten this wacky idea that maybe
this would be a good time to go.

This, of course, brings up a series of questions.

I have a brand new truck with a camper shell on it that I use to camp
locally. No bathroom facilities of course. Is this a good choice of
vehicle for travel to Mexico and points south? I'm thinking I should
buy or borrow an older vehicle that I wouldn't mind tearing up,
rather than risking a nice new truck. Are facilities going to be a
problem? I've heard boondocking is the norm, would I be better off
buying an old, cheap RV so that I could bring my own kitchen and
bathroom facilities wherever I go? (If this is the case, would a
trailer or a motorhome be a wiser bet?)

As I said, I'll have three weeks vacation. How much ground can I
realistically expect to cover in that time? I like to spend 6-8 hours
on average on the road before stopping (More when covering ground,
less when exploring).

Is there a comprehensive list of sites that I should look into? Ruins
are the main things I would like to see, with shrines/basilicas
placing secod on a list of priorities and nature third.

What's a good figure for a budget? I usually travel a lot, so gas is
a primary expense. Campgrounds should be ceap, right? And if I do buy
an RV, it would be useful after the trip, too, so I wouldn't really
call that a trip expense. (For that matter, I suppose I could sell it
upon my return.)

Of course, if anybody has any other advice they think I'd find
helpful, I'd sure appreciate that, too. I'm mostly trying to decide
right now if this is an idea worth pursuing, or if it would be too
much trouble or expense to bother with.

Matt Hardin

I`ll fill in the blanks in the info. I sent yesterday:

1) I`ll be leaving from Ky. I`d be willing to drive long hours until
I got to Mexico, just to ``cover ground``.

2)I can depart anytime after December 12 if I make appropriate
arrangement, but have to return by January 6. That`s a little over
three weeks, but not much.

3) I speak precious little Spanish, but I'm good with French and
Latin, so I usually can understand spanish. Answering a question
posed in Spanish is another matter.

Do you think it would be a good idea to take the new truck and
camper shell or should I find another means of transportation?

Matt Hardin


--- In panamaorbust@yahoogroups.com, "Jim Jaillet" <jimj@...> wrote:
>
> Hello Matt and welcome to our group.
>
> Just a few comments and hopefully others in our group will offer
some of
> their thoughts.
>
> In my opinion.....
> First, if you can only see one ruin, I recommend Tikal in
Guatemala.
> During my 343 day trip we went to about two dozens ruins. Tikal
was by
> far the best. It's awesome!
>
> Second, you did not say where you are starting your journey from.
We
> departed from Lukeville, AZ and it is about 2,700 miles to the
Guatemala
> border. That's 5,400 miles round trip. Even in the United States
with
> the good roads, that's alot of driving to do in three weeks. The
roads
> in Mexico in comparision are really bad. With my motorhome I
figure we
> averaged about 25 miles per hour. With a pickup truck you might do
a
> little better. With only three weeks, you may want to consider
flying
> down there and take local buses to go to different places. They
have
> lots of buses that go everywhere down there.
>
> Third, there are many churches there. A "don't miss" is Santo
Domingo in
> Oaxaca, Mexico.
>
> Fourth, I recommend you spend $40 and buy both of my books. In the
first
> one, (Panama or Bust, A 343 day adventure in a motorhome) I detail
every
> day of my 343 day trip and the things we saw. It might be a good
way to
> help you identify some of the things you may want to see with your
> limited time. In my second book, (Central America, The New RVing
> Frontier) I detail everything you need to do to prepare your
documents,
> body and vehicles before you go and how to conduct yourself to
minimize
> your potential problems and maximize your pleasures.  You can find
these
> books on my website at http://www.panamaorbust.com
> <http://www.panamaorbust.com>
>
>
> Fifth, if you do not speak any Spanish, make an effort to learn the
> basics. It will make your trip more enjoyable.
>
> Sixth, especially in Central America, there are more potential
dangers.
> I really recommend you do not travel alone. Find a traveling
companion.
>
> I hope this info will be of help to you.
>
> C'mon you other members who have been there........give Matt some
of
> your advice!
>
> Jim
>
> --- In panamaorbust@yahoogroups.com, "hardin_matthew"
> <hardin_matthew@> wrote:
> >
> > Hello,
> >
> > Just found this group today. I've had a lifelong fascination with
> > central and south America and always wanted to go, primarily to
look
> > at the ruins (though beaches are nice, too.). I have three weeks
> > vacation in December, and now I've gotten this wacky idea that
maybe
> > this would be a good time to go.
> >
> > This, of course, brings up a series of questions.
> >
> > I have a brand new truck with a camper shell on it that I use to
camp
> > locally. No bathroom facilities of course. Is this a good choice
of
> > vehicle for travel to Mexico and points south? I'm thinking I
should
> > buy or borrow an older vehicle that I wouldn't mind tearing up,
> > rather than risking a nice new truck. Are facilities going to be
a
> > problem? I've heard boondocking is the norm, would I be better
off
> > buying an old, cheap RV so that I could bring my own kitchen and
> > bathroom facilities wherever I go? (If this is the case, would a
> > trailer or a motorhome be a wiser bet?)
> >
> > As I said, I'll have three weeks vacation. How much ground can I
> > realistically expect to cover in that time? I like to spend 6-8
hours
> > on average on the road before stopping (More when covering
ground,
> > less when exploring).
> >
> > Is there a comprehensive list of sites that I should look into?
Ruins
> > are the main things I would like to see, with shrines/basilicas
> > placing secod on a list of priorities and nature third.
> >
> > What's a good figure for a budget? I usually travel a lot, so
gas is
> > a primary expense. Campgrounds should be ceap, right? And if I
do buy
> > an RV, it would be useful after the trip, too, so I wouldn't
really
> > call that a trip expense. (For that matter, I suppose I could
sell it
> > upon my return.)
> >
> > Of course, if anybody has any other advice they think I'd find
> > helpful, I'd sure appreciate that, too. I'm mostly trying to
decide
> > right now if this is an idea worth pursuing, or if it would be
too
> > much trouble or expense to bother with.
> >
> > Matt Hardin
> >
>

I cannot advise you about vehicles. I can only tell you I bought an
older motorhome specifically for the trip because when I went in 2004
there was zero information on the internet about taking an RV into
Central America. I felt there was a 50/50 chance I might have to
abandon it during my trip and I wanted something in which I didn't
have a lot of money tied up in. I also wanted an engine with NO engine
computers because I was wandering off into the toolies and if it quit
there would be no way to work on it. On the other side of the coin, a
new vehicle SHOULD be mechanically reliable. How would you feel if it
were stolen?

The type of vehicle remains a personal choice with what we feel
comfortable. By the way, my "Central America, The New RVing Frontier"
book remains the only "how to" book on the market to the best of my
knowledge.

Also, I like to encourage our group site members to send us trip
reports during their travels in Mexico and Central America so that all
our members can benefit from the latest information. I hope you will
do that for us.

Jim


--- In panamaorbust@yahoogroups.com, "hardin_matthew"
<hardin_matthew@...> wrote:
>
> I`ll fill in the blanks in the info. I sent yesterday:
>
> 1) I`ll be leaving from Ky. I`d be willing to drive long hours until
> I got to Mexico, just to ``cover ground``.
>
> 2)I can depart anytime after December 12 if I make appropriate
> arrangement, but have to return by January 6. That`s a little over
> three weeks, but not much.
>
> 3) I speak precious little Spanish, but I'm good with French and
> Latin, so I usually can understand spanish. Answering a question
> posed in Spanish is another matter.
>
> Do you think it would be a good idea to take the new truck and
> camper shell or should I find another means of transportation?
>
> Matt Hardin
>
>
> --- In panamaorbust@yahoogroups.com, "Jim Jaillet" <jimj@> wrote:
> >
> > Hello Matt and welcome to our group.
> >
> > Just a few comments and hopefully others in our group will offer
> some of
> > their thoughts.
> >
> > In my opinion.....
> > First, if you can only see one ruin, I recommend Tikal in
> Guatemala.
> > During my 343 day trip we went to about two dozens ruins. Tikal
> was by
> > far the best. It's awesome!
> >
> > Second, you did not say where you are starting your journey from.
> We
> > departed from Lukeville, AZ and it is about 2,700 miles to the
> Guatemala
> > border. That's 5,400 miles round trip. Even in the United States
> with
> > the good roads, that's alot of driving to do in three weeks. The
> roads
> > in Mexico in comparision are really bad. With my motorhome I
> figure we
> > averaged about 25 miles per hour. With a pickup truck you might do
> a
> > little better. With only three weeks, you may want to consider
> flying
> > down there and take local buses to go to different places. They
> have
> > lots of buses that go everywhere down there.
> >
> > Third, there are many churches there. A "don't miss" is Santo
> Domingo in
> > Oaxaca, Mexico.
> >
> > Fourth, I recommend you spend $40 and buy both of my books. In the
> first
> > one, (Panama or Bust, A 343 day adventure in a motorhome) I detail
> every
> > day of my 343 day trip and the things we saw. It might be a good
> way to
> > help you identify some of the things you may want to see with your
> > limited time. In my second book, (Central America, The New RVing
> > Frontier) I detail everything you need to do to prepare your
> documents,
> > body and vehicles before you go and how to conduct yourself to
> minimize
> > your potential problems and maximize your pleasures.  You can find
> these
> > books on my website at http://www.panamaorbust.com
> > <http://www.panamaorbust.com>
> >
> >
> > Fifth, if you do not speak any Spanish, make an effort to learn the
> > basics. It will make your trip more enjoyable.
> >
> > Sixth, especially in Central America, there are more potential
> dangers.
> > I really recommend you do not travel alone. Find a traveling
> companion.
> >
> > I hope this info will be of help to you.
> >
> > C'mon you other members who have been there........give Matt some
> of
> > your advice!
> >
> > Jim
> >
> > --- In panamaorbust@yahoogroups.com, "hardin_matthew"
> > <hardin_matthew@> wrote:
> > >
> > > Hello,
> > >
> > > Just found this group today. I've had a lifelong fascination with
> > > central and south America and always wanted to go, primarily to
> look
> > > at the ruins (though beaches are nice, too.). I have three weeks
> > > vacation in December, and now I've gotten this wacky idea that
> maybe
> > > this would be a good time to go.
> > >
> > > This, of course, brings up a series of questions.
> > >
> > > I have a brand new truck with a camper shell on it that I use to
> camp
> > > locally. No bathroom facilities of course. Is this a good choice
> of
> > > vehicle for travel to Mexico and points south? I'm thinking I
> should
> > > buy or borrow an older vehicle that I wouldn't mind tearing up,
> > > rather than risking a nice new truck. Are facilities going to be
> a
> > > problem? I've heard boondocking is the norm, would I be better
> off
> > > buying an old, cheap RV so that I could bring my own kitchen and
> > > bathroom facilities wherever I go? (If this is the case, would a
> > > trailer or a motorhome be a wiser bet?)
> > >
> > > As I said, I'll have three weeks vacation. How much ground can I
> > > realistically expect to cover in that time? I like to spend 6-8
> hours
> > > on average on the road before stopping (More when covering
> ground,
> > > less when exploring).
> > >
> > > Is there a comprehensive list of sites that I should look into?
> Ruins
> > > are the main things I would like to see, with shrines/basilicas
> > > placing secod on a list of priorities and nature third.
> > >
> > > What's a good figure for a budget? I usually travel a lot, so
> gas is
> > > a primary expense. Campgrounds should be ceap, right? And if I
> do buy
> > > an RV, it would be useful after the trip, too, so I wouldn't
> really
> > > call that a trip expense. (For that matter, I suppose I could
> sell it
> > > upon my return.)
> > >
> > > Of course, if anybody has any other advice they think I'd find
> > > helpful, I'd sure appreciate that, too. I'm mostly trying to
> decide
> > > right now if this is an idea worth pursuing, or if it would be
> too
> > > much trouble or expense to bother with.
> > >
> > > Matt Hardin
> > >
> >
>

Do you have pictures of the modifications you made to the RV? If
they're on the website I apologize, I couldn't find them in a quick
search.

I'm pretty well dead set on driving for several reasons: I'm
moderately phobic when it comes to airplanes, I believe that you miss
out on a lot of the country when you fly, and I have a terrible
tendency to overpack (hard to do when luggage must be weighed). I
suppose I can fly, if it comes down to it, but I'd rather not.

Is it an overly ambitious plan to allow 2 days for the drive from
Brownsville, Texas to Mexico City (arriving in Oaxaca on my third day
in Mexico)? IF (yes that's a big IF) I was able to go from Kentucky
to Oaxaca in five days of driving, I'd have a week and a half to poke
aroud before heading back. Is a week and a half in Oaxaca alone
enough (I am willing to narrow the scope of the trip for time
constraints - Central America isn't going anywhere and I can always
come back)?

To me part of the joy of traveling has always been taking in the
different landscapes. I wouldn't necessarily call the days spent on
the road a waste, unless the time spent on the road began to detract
from the time in Oaxaca (or elsewhere, I haven't finalized a
destination, but you arn't the first to praise Oaxaca).

On the other hand, if flying is the best choice:
1) Can anyone recommend a good hotel (or a string of good hotels) in
Oaxaca? and
2) Does anyone know how much trouble it would be to rent a car in
Mexico?

Thanks,
Matt Hardin

--- In panamaorbust@yahoogroups.com, "Amy K. Young" <kolanaki@...>
wrote:
>
>
> Matt, I agree with Jim that 3 weeks is not enough time to explore
Mexico and Central America while driving.  You will end up spending a
lot of time driving . . . and driving by all the things you would
like to see just to get to your next destination.  I think your best
bet would be to fly down and either continue traveling by bus or
bus/plane combo to get a taste of the region.  I think this 3-week
trip would be a nice way to wet your palette and get you excited to
return to the region on your road trip.  Doing this short trip by
plane now would also allow you to thoroughly research and prepare
your vehicle for a longer road trip.
> Also, if you are interested in learning Spanish, I would suggest
that you consider attending a Spanish school for a portion of these
three weeks in December.  Not only would it enhance your December
trip but would jump start learning more Spanish for a Latin American
road trip in your future.  There are a plethora of Spanish schools
that you can research on the internet.  My husband and I went to a
school called Solexico in the city of Oaxaca which I highly
recommend.  (Note that Oaxaca is the city where Jim recommends
visiting the Santo Domingo church).  It has excellent instructors,
learning environment and class sizes are no more than 5 students with
week-long classes.  We also attended a school in the city of
Panajachel which is ideally located on the shores of beautiful Lago
de Atitlan in Guatemala.  I can't remember the name of the school,
but Panajachel and the surrounding lake-side villages probably have
20 different schools to choose from. My husband and I traveled
through Mexico and Central America for nearly two years with our two
dogs.  You can visit my website (aaronandamy.com) for more details
but I will give you a summary here. Our vehicle was a 24 foot class C
RV that my husband, Aaron, altered for a boon docking life.  He
installed an extra water tank, a solar panel system with six in-line
batteries and had someone convert the RV to run on propane as well as
gasoline.  We had our little kitchen and bathroom which means all we
needed was water.  Having traveled this way it would be hard to
imagine doing it without having a bathroom/kitchen, but maybe you can
get a response from someone in the group that traveled in a rig
similar to yours.  I imagine even if you had a little refrigerator
that would be a big help.  I met people doing this trip in Land
Cruiser/Land Rover type vehicles that didn't have a kitchen/bathroom
and they do just fine. My degree is Anthropology, with a subfield of
archaeology and I visited well over two dozen archaeological sites
and museums throughout Mexico and Central America.  Jim mentioned
Tikal in Guatemala as his favorite. I agree with that for sure, but
Palenque (Mexico) just might be my all-time favorite.  (If you visit
Palenque, whether in your vehicle or by bus; I highly recommend the
Mayabel RV Park & Cabanas.  They have cabanas, RV facilities, palapas
to hang a hammock or grass to pitch a tent.  There is a pool,
restaurant, bathrooms and really good nightly entertainment!  One of
our favorite campsites!) If you want to focus on visiting
archaeological sites, I think you would have a great time if you
concentrated your 3 weeks in December in southern Mexico (maybe the
states of Chiapas, Oaxaca and the Yucatan peninsula) and Guatemala.
As I write this it seems like a lot to see in 3 weeks, but you could
easily take buses between these states/countries and see as many
ruins as you could squeeze into 3 weeks!
> If you travel by plane and wanted to add a stop-over in DF, or
Mexico City, I would highly recommend that you stay near the Zocalo
(there are several reasonable hostels & hotels).  The Templo Mayor
archaeological site is fascinating and extremely unique being in the
center of one of the largest cities in the world.  It also has an
excellent museum.  The easily navigable subway system will drop you
near the National Archaeological museum which I also highly
recommend.  Don't forget that Teotihuacan is only a short bus ride
away from the city. If you take these 3 weeks to fly to Mexico and
then take buses, you may be better off sticking to the larger
archaeological sites and  saving the smaller sites for your road
trip. If around Mexico City, you should definitely see Templo Mayor
and Teotihuacan if you have time.  If around Oaxaca you should see
Monte Alban and Mitla.  Mitla was unique with its geometrical shapes
a constant feature in the buildings.  Palenque for sure, Tonina (near
Ocosingo) is great but may be easier in your own rig.  Yaxchilan is
really amazing and getting there by boat on the Usumacinta River in
the dense morning fog is half the fun!  I didn't do this, but I heard
it is very easy (if you are NOT driving) to cross the Usumacinta
river into the Peten region of Guatemala.  There are lots of smaller
sites to see from there on your way to Tikal.  The Yucatan peninsula
is FULL of archaeological sites!  Top sites to recommend are Uxmal,
Chichen Itza and Tulum where you will get both your ruins and your
beach! (Wear a swimsuit!)  There are lots of smaller ones that you
can spend more time getting to know with FAR FEWER people when you
are in your own vehicle; like the Puuc Route, Coba and Chincultik
(which is back in Chiapas near the border with Guatemala).
> You may contact me directly by email if you have questions about my
trip or traveling in Latin America in general.  Again, please feel
free to visit my website aaronandamy.com for photos and travelogues.
Unfortunately I haven't posted the last travelogue that covers
Chiapas because my trip ended early and I haven't posted them yet.
Good luck and enjoy your trip! Amy K. Young email: kolanaki@...
> _________________________________________________________________
> Now you can invite friends from Facebook and other groups to join
you on Windows Live™ Messenger. Add now.
> https://www.invite2messenger.net/im/?source=TXT_EML_WLH_AddNow_Now
>

Matt Hardin wrote:
I'm pretty well dead set on driving for several reasons: <snip>
(I am willing to narrow the scope of the trip for time
constraints - Central America isn't going anywhere and I can always
come back)?

Good thinking Matt. Limit the scope of your trip and you'll have half a
chance to experience Mexico.

I have traveled quite a bit throughout Mexico, by bicycle and later by
RV. Today I am living in Oceanside, CA and am feeling the urge to find
myself a little hacienda close [but not too close] to the border. I
like Ensenada and when I visit there it seems to have enough culture
to sustain my interests. But when I lookup on the internet "Ensenada
Real Estate", they all are trying to sell the American lifestyle down
there.

Does anybody have a good strategy for finding a simple . . . even
plain old Mexican house in a neighborhood? I could use the most modest
of places because my long range plan is to bring my old Airstream down
there and dock it next to a palapa :)

I would like to live in the outskirts or central city. Not on the
coast. And I can't afford a fortune for the place. Anybody have advice?

Bob

Hi Matt; glad you found this group. I see that no one has mentioned
one very important part of your plans. You said you have a "brand
new truck". If it's diesel, and has an engine manufactured in 2007 or
later, it requires ultra low sulfur diesel (ULSD), which is NOT yet
generally available in Mexico and Central America. But maybe yours
uses gasoline?

For a three week trip, I'll agree with the opinion that you should
really limit your objective to Mexico. While most roads are OK, you
will encounter some very slow travel, and remember NOT to travel at
night. There will be other events, most likely, that will make you
pause (or want to pause) in your travels, so it's MUCH better to
have a more relaxed attitude about your schedule.

Besides Jim's excellent books, and the Churches' "Mexican Camping"
book, I would recommend the great "Mexican Road Atlas" by Guia Roji.

If you would like to see a narrative (as it happened) of our first
RV trip (60 days) in Mexico, you can download a PDF file at:
<http://homepage.mac.com/wlhalberstadt>. It describes road
conditions and lots of interesting stops all around Mexico.

If you would like to see why leaving extra time may be important, see
our blog about our (just completed) trip which was supposed to be to
Panama, but made it only as far as the jungles of Guatemala, where
we spent an extra 5 weeks for engine repairs. Had a great time,
though.  <http://blog.halberstadt-net.com>

In summary, you may be getting off "on the wrong foot" if you plan
to travel as far as Central America on a tight schedule. That doesn't
fit with the reality of travel there, nor with the needed attitude
to enjoy the trip, the culture, and the people you will meet.

Bill Halberstadt

--- In panamaorbust@yahoogroups.com, "hardin_matthew"
<hardin_matthew@...> wrote:
>
> Hello,
>
> Just found this group today. I've had a lifelong fascination with
> central and south America and always wanted to go, primarily to look
> at the ruins (though beaches are nice, too.). I have three weeks
> vacation in December, and now I've gotten this wacky idea that maybe
> this would be a good time to go.
>
> This, of course, brings up a series of questions.
>
> I have a brand new truck with a camper shell on it that I use to
> camp locally.
----snip----

San Crisobal de Las Casas

Upon arrival in this pretty colonial town, we found the weather to be
far so reminiscent of home. Trousers and raincoats were a necessity
throughout our stay, but nevertheless there were interesting things to
see and do here.

Our main outing from the town was on a guided tour of some nearby
Indigenous villages which showed us more about their way of life and
their religious practises. The local church was very different from
what we expected, no pews or chairs, but several large groups of
candles with people sat around praying and drinking cocacola. We
witnessed traditional healers armed with eggs, herbs and live
chickens! There were also large numbers of saints represented in the
church, dolls of whom are housed by a local family for a year at a
time. We were lucky to experience the celebrations that occur when a
saint changes families, although with so many of them they are a
reasonably common occurance.

Firecrackers and fireworks exploded from every direction for most of
the tour, and numerous deafening brass bands played throughout the
town; all were fueled by the local spirit named "posh". As well as
this, we had an interesting market to look around, and of course the
tradional dress which changes in each town and region. For the elders
at least it is almost a uniform, our guide was able to point out
certain travellers from other nearby towns, but for the younger
generations modern Americanised fashion has become more popular.

Finally we visited a house where they had made scarves, blankets and
other  weavings to sell, and also tried home made tortillas! They were
made by squashing a lump of dough into a flat circle using a wooden
press, and then a short cook on a limestone plate. Adding some salsa
and guacamole we had some tasty snacks!

On our last night in San Cristobal we visited a small local cinema
where we learnt more about the Zapatista group who fight for the
rights of the indigenous population, and who have ran into troubles
with the Mexican national forces. The Chiapas area of Mexico, which is
the poorest region, has often been the victim of discrimination and
hardship. To this day there is a large military presence here after
the uprisings of 1994

I have traveled quite a bit throughout Mexico, by bicycle and later by
RV. Today I am living in Oceanside, CA and am feeling the urge to find
myself a little hacienda close [but not too close] to the border. I
like Ensenada and when I visit there it seems to have enough culture
to sustain my interests. But when I lookup on the internet "Ensenada
Real Estate", they all are trying to sell the American lifestyle down
there.

Does anybody have a good strategy for finding a simple . . . even
plain old Mexican house in a neighborhood? I could use the most modest
of places because my long range plan is to bring my old Airstream down
there and dock it next to a palapa :)

I would like to live in the outskirts or central city. Not on the
coast. And I can't afford a fortune for the place. Anybody have advice?

Bob