how to safely visit mexico city and survive

gxaxalpa

May 22, 2010

Travel

this is an explicit guide as how to have great vacations at Mexico City,going to the best events, dinning in the best places and most important doing it safetely. this is the ultimate guide with tips and what not about the biggest city on the world provided by people from the actual city.

Hello

well as the descrption reads this is a complete guide as how have a magical vacations on one of the most romantical places in the entire world, known by its huge population and is by far the biggest economic and polityical entite in Mexico

But thats why we are going to review today all the things that you can do and what you shouldnt do while here in the city, although you can see lots of tourists here at the city all the time, i have noticed that when i try to speak to them, sometimes ill get a hi, but mostly they just walk away and to me thats sad, cause thats show that they are intimidated by the city, because vacations to me means to free your spirit ( at least for a while ) not to be afraid.

I would like to point out that, this is a wonderfull city full of fun and beauty and just as any big city, the rush and the stress are in everybodys head so this is what you need to do avoid all that and truly have a great vacations

The first thing and thats more and advice than anything try to practice your spanish and dont be afraid to use it, most people here in mexico are really nice so dont be afraid to ask in spanish they will help you.

Another good thing to know its that mexican professionist are required to speak another language besides spanish to get their bachelors degree so if you really dont speak much spanish look for people that look like professionist ( you know tie and suit) they most likely will help you as they should speak english( besides that will boost their self steem so think that way and you are doing them a favor.

TRANSPORTATION

ok so you need to move around the city to know places place right ? all right so this how you do it, well first I would like to point out that you must carry the lest amount of accesories with you, i will suggestt you to carry a back pack with your camera of course, water, sweeter or hoddie and very important your ID, may be some chips if you may and just enough money for your day no CC.

My favorite personally its the subway (metro) wich is the most safest, economic and fastest transportation method it currently cost about 0.30 usd ( 3 pesos) , very very cheap and very fast you can travel up to 20 milles in less than half an hour, including all the stops, its very fast considering the travel time in any metropoli, ok now so its the fastest but like anything thats is good it sometimes just gets overcrowed so you will like to avoid using the subway between 7am and 10 am and 7pm and 9pm, rush hour believe me you WANT TO AVOID IT its just crazy.

for this situations we have buses that run along the city with an acceptable travel time of up to 30 miles per hour according to the zone, now this may not be faster but at least is better to be on than the subway at least at rush hour, price ranges between 0.40 and 0.60 usd according to the route and the length of travel, this is an acceptable transportation method wich will also allow you to watch everything around you and if you see something you like you can always get off on the next corner.

or as anywhere else you can always ride a cab, the price range between 5 and 15 usd depending where you go and the traffick (that you know)

OK So you can go around but where to go rigth?

Well theres a lot of places that you really wanna go im going to list a few but if you need more info you can always surf the net, but my favorite places been native are,

Coyoacan wich is and open air culture market center where you can find native art, paintings,sculptures, smoking accesories, and much more from where Im sure you wont leave without taking souvenirs, also to mention that it has the most delicious restaurants where you can enjoy the most suculent dishes from diferents taste and cultures around the world, exotic food and the best service to anyone as well as being one of the neiborhoods with the most luxury but people as well is really courteous and polite as the area has a high socioeconomic level, so please visit us, you will not be disappointed.

Polanco just as coyoacan its also a high socioeconomic level for all his inhabitants but it also a great destinattions for bars and restaurants such as Hard Rock Cafe Mexico, I also have to mention the high class designer stores and coffe shops surrounded by manny peaceful parks whare neighbors can take their children to play and have a really quality family time, this is a place where you truly will love to live, really nothing like what you see on the news the opposite I should say also its only steeps away from Auditorio National wich is one of the biggest arenas and it host multiple events so check on the listings you may be able to see something you like, and since we are speaking on pesos 1/13 of a usd then it will be much cheaper.

I can go on with the list however this a tutorial as who to survive so we ll stay on that, but look for my next tutorial wich i belive i will name how to find the best destinations to mexico city or something of that nature but it will be here shortly

Ok so you know where you want to go, how you can get there and what to take with you, cool but what if you are hungry??

Well for breakfast and dinner i would suggest you to stick with food on stablished places such as restaurant chains or even supermarkets if you want some fast like a sandwich or something like that, in the first 2 days or so if you planned to stay longer, kind of stay away from food in weels or street, not because they are bad but because your stomach needs to get acusttom to the spices an dflavors it may be to heavy for you as we Mexican are used to really food really spicy and condimented so just be careful, even to me everytime i go away and come back it take a day or two but then Im ready to eat anything and everything, after 2 days you should try, you will feel in love with our food , seriously.

SAFETY after hours

Enjoy your day from sunrise to sunset, but be at your hotel or place where you staing at the latest by 11, sure you may want to go to a club or bar, first of all dont take any plastic CC take some cash only and please make a plan as how you coming back, try to set up 2 diferent routes just in case take a map with you, you can print it out from google or so, and just so you know there internet places where you can rent a pc with internet for farly 2 dollars per hour and you will find this places almoust everywhere so always reach up to your internet, i mean you reading this guide here right ?

bars and such are suppossed to close down by 2am however you may find places that stayed open later than that, please under any circunstance DONT STAY THERE AFTER 2AM, trust me on this one it isnt pretty, BESIDES AT THIS TIME (2AM ) theres more police because of DUIs, so this will be the best time for you and your friend to leave, and do so as a group.

If you are to take a cab after the bar please make sure the drivers picture on the passanger window matches the driver, those pictures there for a reazon if you have a bad feeling please dont take that cab and wait for another one, and very important always ask how much would he charge you guys, at this time most of them charge whatever they want especially with drunk people and just because you didnt ask you may end up paying double so please ask, if you took a cab from your place to the bar you will have an idea of how much the fare should be.

So now you know whats the basic for you to survive and have a cheap, safe, romantic, magical or family like vacations, this is the place to be, now our police deserves mention appart not for its eficiency more because of their corruption, so very important NEVER HAND YOUR ID TO A COP unless you are in a dayligh or surrounded by people or some of that nature otherwise stick to it and ask for a layer, that will do it, just any country we have laws and tourism its a great revenue at our city so you will always be protected, also remember this, no matter where you are just ask for the metro (subway) and you will get home, thats a rule even for us natives, any metro station will get you home safe, thats all that you have to watch for, and have a nice vacations in our beautiful mexico city