MEXICO
Conventional Long Form: United Mexican States
Local Long Form: Estados Unidos Mexicanos
Local Short Form Mexico
Capitol City
Mexico City
Location and Climate
Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, between Belize and the US and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and the US. Climate varies from tropical to desert.
Population
104,959,594
Religion
Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 6%, other 5%
Language
Spanish, various regional indigenous languages
Currency
Mexican Peso (MXN)
1 USD = 11.447 MXN (September 2004)
The Peso uses the same symbol ($) as does the US Dollar.
All border towns accept US dollars, so you don't have to exchange money.
Internet Country code
.mx
CIA FACT BOOK
Other Information for the Traveler
Airports
Mexico city (MEX)
Abelardo L. Rodriguez International Airport, Tijuana (TIJ). Only international flights are to/from Los Angeles.
Visas/Duty Free/Health
No visa is needed for stays of 180 days or fewer. A passport or photo ID is always required. A tourist card (FMT, folleto de migración turística) is also required, unless you're visiting the border towns for three days or fewer.
FMTs cost nothing. Get one on the plane or from the airline if you're flying in. Get one at AAA offices in Arizona, California, New Mexico, or Texas if you're driving in. An FMT is valid only for one entry. Get several if you plan to enter and leave Mexico more than once.
Always keep the blue copy of your FMT with you, because you need to show it during immigration inspection and hand it in when you leave Mexico. It's as important as your passport. Without it, you'll get delayed.
If your FMT is lost or expired, get another at an immigration department office (Departmento de Migracíon). There are downtown branches in the larger cities.
Duty-free allowances into Mexico are three bottles of liquor (including wine), plus 400 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco, plus 12 rolls of camera film or camcorder tape. The monetary limit for duty-free goods is US$150. It is illegal to take antiquities out of the country. Penalties are severe.
For minor medical problems, go to a Farmacia (drug store). For more serious problems, ask someone at big hotels and tourist offices to recommend someone. Mexican border towns have doctors/dentists used to treating foreigners.
HIV/AIDS (2003 est.):
Adult prevalence rate: 0.3% | People living with HIV/AIDS: 160,000 | Deaths: 5,000
Transportation
Driving is your best bet for getting around. IMPORTANT: You should be aware of two things when you drive.
1. Mexican insurance is a must. It's inexpensive and easy to get. Buy it before you cross the border. Don't take chances here.
2. Beware of bandits. Robberies and assaults of motorists can happen, particularly in the northwest and in the state of Sinaloa. Criminals can pose as police who want to check your car, hitchhikers, or people in distress, so think twice about stopping.
However, there are legitimate police checkpoints along main roads, where you must stop. The police will ask to check the trunk of your car for firearms or bullets, which are illegal in Mexico. Don't even think about bringing those items into the country.
And above all, avoid driving after dark.
More about driving into Mexico
Internet
It's not difficult to find a cybercafe here. Even a smaller town has at least one place with decent connections. Hourly rates are typically about US$1, but can be more expensive in tourist areas.
Telephone
To make a local call, ignore the area code and dial direct. To call into Mexico, dial prefix 01, the area code, and then the telephone number. Some area codes are listed below.
Acapulco 744
Mazatlan 669
Cabo San Lucas 624
Mexicali 686
Cancun 998
Mexico City 55
Juarez 656
Puerto Vallarta 322
To call internationally from Mexico, dial 00, the country code, the national dialling code (omit the first zero), and then the local number.
To call a mobile phone, dial the 3-digit access code from the mobile operator, the area code (where the phone was purchased), and then the phone number. If you're on the same network, you don't need to dial the 3-digit access code.
Electricity
Same as that of the USA. Most plugs have two flat prongs, just as in the USA.
Cuisine
As Mexican restaurants are common in North America, most people are familiar with Mexican dishes. However, the indigenous dishes you'll find in Mexico are more authentically prepared and are better tasting than those found in your typical North American chain restaurant. Dietary staples are corn, beans, and chiles. Seafood, chicken, beef, and eggs make up main courses. Corn tortillas take the place of bread.
To be safe, don't eat food that has been sitting out. Peel fruit and stay away from salads. Don't eat raw shellfish, avoid milk drinks, and beware of eating at street stalls. Drink bottled water, but stick with known brands and check the seal.
Restaurant water is usually safe.
Legal Status
Prostitution is tolerated in Mexico. Governments in most larger cities have set up special red-light districts ("zona rojas"). Most Zona Roja prostitutes operate either on the streets or in bars (example: Adelita Bar in Tijuana) and strip clubs. The rest work in brothels, or out of hotels or private apartments as escorts. The age of consent is 18.
Hard-core pornography is illegal. You might find something along the lines of Playboy, but that's it. You will not be able to buy adult videos or DVDs. However, adult films broadcast from North American satellite providers show up occasionally on hotel cable television systems. Also, some Tijuana video stores have been known to screen adult films in back rooms.
Links
Visit Mexico - Tourism
Website
| Author |
Message |
    
Kim
Silver Contributor
Username: Kim2r
Post Number: 8
Registered: 2-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, April 21, 2006 - 7:53 pm: |      |
OAXACA:
Prostitution is legal and there are many massage parlors and sauna clubs, which are subtly discreet under religious pressure. Taxis, without cricifixes dangling from rear view mirror know where to go. The3y are quite cheap and seemed honest. A ride within the city is 25 pesos. Airport 75 etc.
I went to the Havana club where for about $50 you get a dance or two and a BBBJ in the darker corner of the room. The girls are 8-9, but I am very fussy. I am told of several clubs within 15 mile radius, which are less expensive and the girls are reputed to be gorgeous. More in about a month.
OAXACA should be on the monger's list of Mexican Cities.
(Message approved by admin) |
Euro
Platinum Contributor
Username: Euro
Post Number: 278
Registered: 11-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, December 05, 2006 - 12:46 pm: | |
As of January 23, 2007, all persons, including U.S. citizens, traveling by air to Canada, Central and South America, Mexico, and the Caribbean will be required to present a valid passport to re-enter the country. A valid driver's license will no longer suffice for re-entry documentation.
If you're planning on traveling out of the country next year, I recommend applying for a new passport, or checking your current passport to ensure it is still valid. It can take up to six weeks to process a new one, so plan ahead. For more information please visit the U.S. State Department web site at:
PASSPORT DETAILS
(Message approved by admin) |
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