[News] Mexico over 50,000 people killed each year by drug cartels .

[portlock seagull]

A friend of mine went there late last year with her husband and she tells me they (were shitehouse?) were ripped off at every single opportunity and often by someone openly in possession of a firearm.
Needless to say, she also told me they ain't ever going back.

Which is fair enough but then your friends were a bit dim not knowing that in advance. Lunn Poly brochure isn’t the only source of information these days.

 

[portlock seagull]

often wonder why every time there is a shooting in US it makes the news, while thousands murdered in shootings throughout central america, doesn't register more than a Stacy Dollittle expose in 2015.

Probably because everyone’s seen Narco’s?

 

[dwayne]

We went five years ago to an all-inclusive place and were told pretty much to not leave the resort - so we didn't.

Not a problem because it was a huge place and the whole point of the holiday was to go somewhere hot and do as little as possible. Had we wanted a sightseeing break, we may not have chosen Mexico.

Of course the resort told you that !! They want you to stay there.

A friend of mine went there late last year with her husband and she tells me they (were shitehouse?) were ripped off at every single opportunity and often by someone openly in possession of a firearm.
Needless to say, she also told me they ain't ever going back.

Sounds like nonsense. Mexico is cheap as chips. What were they buying? Drugs?


I've travelled around Mexico a fair bit, I don't love it but I've never seen any trouble or felt in any danger. Tourist areas aren't dangerous. Gringos arent targeted.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

Of course the resort told you that !! They want you to stay there.



Sounds like nonsense. Mexico is cheap as chips. What were they buying? Drugs?


I've travelled around Mexico a fair bit, I don't love it but I've never seen any trouble or felt in any danger. Tourist areas aren't dangerous. Gringos arent targeted.

Well, not really. It was all-inclusive, so it wasn't like they were going to make any extra money out of us. There were arranged tours and trips that we could've done, but we chose not to.

That fact that they were a few murders that took place not far from where we stayed, while we were out there, (and we spooted a number of police check points on the transfer from airport to hotel) suggests they knew what they were talking about. But you probably know better

 

[Jim in the West]

Mexico City is a pretty amazing place. We’ve been twice. We didn’t feel in danger, but we were careful where we went. In my experience of travelling, the poorer the country the kinder the people….and that was certainly the case in Mexico - lovely people (I know that’s a huge generalisation, by the way!)

 

[Wrong-Direction]

More importantly, how different are their fajitas and tacos to here?

 

[dwayne]

Well, not really. It was all-inclusive, so it wasn't like they were going to make any extra money out of us. There were arranged tours and trips that we could've done, but we chose not to.

That fact that they were a few murders that took place not far from where we stayed, while we were out there, (and we spooted a number of police check points on the transfer from airport to hotel) suggests they knew what they were talking about. But you probably know better

More than 31 million Americans visited Mexico in 2016, the National Travel & Tourism Office says, and State Department data shows there were reports of 75 American homicide victims there!!

murder rate in Mexico’s Yucatan State (Cancun,playa del Carmen etc) is 2 per 100,000.

That is about the same as Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Or Evansville, Indiana. Mexico City’s murder rate is 8 per 100,000, despite being the second-largest city on the planet. That is on par with Albuquerque.

Don't believe the hype.

 

[Bakero]

More importantly, how different are their fajitas and tacos to here?

Fajitas are Tex Mex so you're unlikely to come across one south of the border. As for the tacos, check out Taco Chronicles on Netflix to see the difference.

 

[BN9 BHA]

OK, cool. We could be bothered - for various reasons - and had an amazing time.

Pleased for you.

I thought the point he was trying to make was that there are hot countries with holiday resorts that are 2 hours on a plane.
Personally I couldn’t be bothered sitting on a plane for 11+ hours to be confined to a holiday resort.

 

[Zeberdi]

Mexico is a fantastic place - I only know personally the Mexicans in my family (Nephew’s wife and family) and they are incredibly hospitable and don’t all eat tacos all the time! A Country of high contrasts and one of the best footballing Countries in the World.

 

[Yes Chef]

I travelled overland from the El Paso/Ciudad Juarez border all the way to Guatemala, zig zagging my way down the country using local transport. The only trouble I had was a dodgy huevos rancheros near Palenque.

A wonderful country, with really friendly people. Amazing scenery and rich in culture and heritage, it's one of the best places I have visited

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Mexico City is a pretty amazing place. We’ve been twice. We didn’t feel in danger, but we were careful where we went. In my experience of travelling, the poorer the country the kinder the people….and that was certainly the case in Mexico - lovely people (I know that’s a huge generalisation, by the way!)

My friend’s twin brother is a pastor, running a church in Mexico City, and working with street kids. He’s been there for thirty years. His wife is Mexican.

 

[southstandandy]

Good job the World Cup isn't going there anytime soon..........Oh hang on

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Bodies hanging from bridges all over the country has been common place over the last couple of years . It’s drug cartels sending out warnings apparently. Often the heads have been cut off . Mexico has some seriously dangerous people & there are thousands of them !

I went to Tijuana when I was a student staying in San Diego. Didn’t see any of this.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

More than 31 million Americans visited Mexico in 2016, the National Travel & Tourism Office says, and State Department data shows there were reports of 75 American homicide victims there!!

murder rate in Mexico’s Yucatan State (Cancun,playa del Carmen etc) is 2 per 100,000.

That is about the same as Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Or Evansville, Indiana. Mexico City’s murder rate is 8 per 100,000, despite being the second-largest city on the planet. That is on par with Albuquerque.

Don't believe the hype.

Er, ok.

Believe me, I'm as cynical as they come (especially when it comes to sales pitches from big organisations), but the idea of doing a spot of sightseeing with three kids (in an area where there wasn't exactly a lot to see outside of the resort itself), with even the remote possibility of getting caught up in anything remotely dodgy, didn't really appeal.

Yes, we probably would've been fine. But we didn't need – or want – to leave the place, so we didn't.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

Pleased for you.

I thought the point he was trying to make was that there are hot countries with holiday resorts that are 2 hours on a plane.
Personally I couldn’t be bothered sitting on a plane for 11+ hours to be confined to a holiday resort.

I can't believe I'm doing this, but...

a) We wanted guaranteed hot weather – you couldn't get that around Christmas-time in anywhere two hours away
b) It was actually cheaper for a family of five to go to a comparative hotel complex in Mexico than anywhere two hours away
c) The kids actually liked the idea of a long plane journey, so it wasn't a problem. Going somewhere further afield was more exciting than, say, Spain.
d) It had been a particularly busy and stressful time in our lives so we were more than happy to be, as you say 'confined to a holiday resort'.

 

[Perfidious Albion]

Did a bit of googling to see comparison homicide rates. Usually the rate is stated as a % per 100K people. El Salvador was way out front but Mexico didn’t make the top ten highest rates . I am not making light of their crime problems but there are places worse.
I have never been there but the Mexicans I have met were lovely warm people. My impression is that the crime spots are localised and the tourist places are ok . I don’t see that penalising the ones making an honest living is going to help

 

[BN9 BHA]

I can't believe I'm doing this, but...

You didn’t have to really

As I said I’m pleased for you.

 

[WATFORD zero]

Never been, but a friend of mine goes over each year for 3-6 months teaching. I don't know where, but I believe it's out in the sticks as it's a six hour bus ride from the airport. She's told me about it many times but never mentioned any fear of violence

 

[Mr Phil]

I can't believe I'm doing this, but...

a) We wanted guaranteed hot weather – you couldn't get that around Christmas-time in anywhere two hours away
b) It was actually cheaper for a family of five to go to a comparative hotel complex in Mexico than anywhere two hours away
c) The kids actually liked the idea of a long plane journey, so it wasn't a problem. Going somewhere further afield was more exciting than, say, Spain.
d) It had been a particularly busy and stressful time in our lives so we were more than happy to be, as you say 'confined to a holiday resort'.

Mental, it's almost like circumstances play an impact and this whole thread is a load of nonsense