The People's Guide to Mexico by Franz, Carl -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

Cover Page Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents 1. Traveling in Mexico

Planning Your Trip A Travel Routine Where to Go How to Get There Travel Packages: Too Good to Be True? Tours Traveling with Friends Traveling Alone Traveling with Kids

2. The Best of Mexico

Wherever You Go … A Mercifully Brief Lesson in Geography and Climate The Seasons Baja California Copper Canyon Pacific Beaches Central Mexico: The Colonial Heartland The Gulf Coast The Indian Highlands: Oaxaca and Chiapas The Yucatán Peninsula The Ruta Maya

3. Getting Around

Buses Trains Rental Cars Taxis Colectivos Navigating in Mexico City Air Service Ferries Boats and Beasts Hitching A Ride to Remember

4. Driving

Why Drive in Mexico? Why Not Drive? Driving Overview Hazards Churpa’s Driving Story Road Conditions City Driving Night Driving Traffic Signs Toll Roads Cops Surviving Mexico City Steve’s Bypass Operation Police Roadblocks and Highway Checkpoints Parking Finding Your Way Ferries Green Angels and Breakdowns Gas Stations Rip-Offs Preparing Your Car Buying a Car Living in Your Vehicle Do-It-Yourself Camper Car Repairs Travels with Woody and Sonny

5. Accommodations

Hotels Renting a Place House Hunting Wood-Fired Water Heaters Living with Mexicans Maids and Gardeners

6. Camping

Camping with Children RV Motor Homes and Trailers RV Caravans Van, Pickup and Car Campers Rent-a-Car Camping What Will It Cost? Privacy Where to Camp Is It Safe? Where to Be Careful Exploring Camping and Kitchen Gear A Traveling Kitchen Food from Home Odds and Ends Camping Skills

7. Packing Up

Clothing Travel-Light Packing Suggestions The Hidden Pocket Health Information and Insurance Useful Travel Accessories Odds and Ends Gifts and Trade Goods

8. Mexico: A to Z

AA and 12-Step Meetings Addresses Banks and Money Bank and Legal Holidays Bathing Bathrooms Business Hours Computers Consulates and Embassies Electricity Email and Cyber Cafés Fuels Laundry Meditation Post Office and Mail Taxes—IVA Telegraph Service Telephones, Cell Phones, Online Calling and Fax Services Time and Zones Tipping Tourist Information Vegetables: Purifying Volunteer and Aid Groups Water

9. Staying Healthy

Prevention Got Sick Anyway … Health and First-Aid Kit Remedies and Cures Secrets of the Maya Revealed!

10. Safety

Is Mexico Safe? The Accidental Tourist Drinking and Drugs Valuables and Rip-Offs Swimming and Lifeguards Parasailing Revolutions and Guerrillas

11. Red Tape and the Law

Tourist Cards Vehicle Permits: A Step-by-Step Explanation Yachts and Private Aircraft Pets Guns and Hunting Fishing Licenses Car Insurance Accidents Official Documents and Checkpoints Mexican Customs Inspections Tourists and Mexican Law

12. ¡Viva Mexico!

Customs and Traditions Superstitions Celebrations and Fiestas Holiday Calendar Festivals, Fairs and Circuses Beggars and Con Artists National Lottery Machismo Brothels The Bullfight Mexico: A Brief History What the Hell Is That? Saints’ Days

13. Shopping

Shopping and Souvenirs Haggling Imports: Fortune or Fantasy? Shopping for Arts and Crafts Steve’s Shopping Tips Parrot Fever

14. Restaurants and Typical Foods

The Joy of Eating Types of Restaurants Street Food Mexican Fast-Food Tips Ordering a Meal Paying Up Tips Vegetarians What You’ll Eat Beverages

15. Booze and Cantinas

Drinking Customs Vino or Wine? Beer Tequila and Mezcal Hard Liquors Pulque Home Brews Bars and Cantinas

16. Markets and Stores

Markets and Tianguis Ins and Outs of Haggling Shopping Suggestions Stores The Shopping List A Typical Marketing Trip Market Days in Mexico Market Days in Guatemala

17. Our Favorite Mexican Recipes

Valuable Cooking Tips Our Favorite Mexican Recipes

18. Speaking Spanish

It’s Worth the Effort Greetings and Salutations Hand Signals Formalities and Titles A Typical Polite Letter Slang Nicknames The Mexican Media Speaking Spanish: Where Do I Start?

19. Live or Retire in Mexico

Don’t Burn Bridges or Make “Pink Cloud” Decisions What Will It Really Cost? A Few Words from Friends and Readers Living in Mexico Disconnecting from the “Real World” Can a Tourist or a Foreigner Own Land? If You Want to Read More …

20. Back to the U.S.A.

Searches Is It Legal? Declare Your Purchases Duty-Free Limits Mail It Home Pets and Plants Last but Not Least A Typical Border Crossing?

21. For More Information: Websites and Book Reviews

Mexico Guidebooks and General Information People’s Guide to Mexico Website Highlights Discuss Mexico and Latin America Online The Best of Mexico: From Baja to Central America Archaeology, Anthropology and Ethnology Booksellers and Sources Border Crossing: Before Leaving Home Border Crossing: Mexico (Red Tape) Border Crossing: U.S.A. (Back to the U.S.A.) Children Culture: ¡Viva Mexico! Driving Food and Recipes Gay and Lesbian Health History, Novels and Nonfiction Hostels Live or Retire in Mexico and Central America Maps and Sources Media Meditation Money Movies Music Natural History Newsletters Outdoor Activities Packing Up: Travel Accessories and Gear Pets Phones Photography and Photo Galleries Public Transportation: Getting Around Real Estate, Rentals, Vacation Properties Research, Archives and Libraries RV and Camping Shopping Spanish Study TV and Radio Volunteer and Social Action Groups Weather, Climate and Hurricanes Women Working in Mexico

Appendices Index