CULTURE & CUSTOMS:

The siesta is still a part of Mexico's lifestyle and one of the reasons impatient North Americans talk of a laidback Mexican attitude. While it's true that the lifestyle in Mexico is slower, why would you go on vacation to a place that requires more work from you than you do at home? The image of a lazy Mexican asleep under a sombrero is just not true, especially not in the Yucatan. For example, you'll see men working in the blazing sun with machetes clearing the sides of highways of the encroaching brush. We watched welders and construction workers labor all day and into the following morning to finish the roof of the Flamingo Plaza Sanborn's restaurant in Cancan, which was due to open soon. Things may proceed at their own pace in Mexico, but it's not from lack of effort.

Because the heat of the day comes in the afternoon, it is customary to close shops and offices for long lunches or naps, then open again at four or five in the afternoon and remain open until seven or eight at night. Because of the pressure of tourists who, like mad dogs and Englishmen, go out in the noon day sun, not as many shops or restaurants close down in Cancan. But siestas are still a part of the countryside, so pace yourself accordingly.

Cancan differs from the rest of the Yucatan because of the overwhelming influence of North American culture. People speak English everywhere and the city's Mexican hotels, stores, restaurants and workers cater to American tastes. Two embarrassed patrolmen walk the north beach of Isla Mujeres once or twice a day and ask women to please not go topless. That particular beach is mostly extranjeros (foreigners) so they're really just going through the motions. It's definitely not acceptable to sunbathe topless where local families go, nor to wear revealing clothes or bathing suits in the shopping malls, on the bus or in the streets downtown. Mexicans are mostly Catholic and conservative, but they can party with the best of them too. We'd like to think that users of this guide would be sensitive to local mores.

One of the not-so-good things about Mexican culture is machismo. Women have doors opened for them, seats held and, in general, are put on a pedestal. Then again, attractive young women are also treated to little sounds, whistles, calls and veiled propositions in public. The good thing is that it happens much less in Cancan than in the rest of Mexico and even less outside the resort city. It should not be a big problem to you, even if you're a woman traveling alone. However, you might handle it the way Mexican women do by avoiding eye contact on the street, ignoring the occasional harmless strutting and by walking or sitting with other women. Because of limited opportunities in Mexico's male-oriented society, more and more Mexican businesses are women-owned, especially in the hospitality and service industry in the Yucat n. A high percentage of the hotels and restaurants we reviewed are owned and operated by women.

What's very positive about the society south of the border is its emphasis on the family. It's a real pleasure to stroll in a public park on Sundays and holidays and see so many families out enjoying themselves - a valuable example to take back home.

FOOD & DRINK:

Another way the Yucatan is different from the rest of Mexico is in its food. Two types of comidas tipicas, typical food specialties, are seafood or meat flavored with a spicy (but not hot) anchiote paste; and meats, marinated in a rich sauce then steam-baked in earthen pits.  Despite their habanero pepper, 20 times hotter than the jalapeno of northern Mexico, Yucatecans prefer their heat on the side, rather than cooked into the food. Always ask if the dish of salsa offered contains habanero before scooping some up on a chip. Otherwise you'll be drinking liquids and eating tortillas till the cows come home.
 
Each Yucatan state has its own culinary claim to fame - as well as the old stand-by of tacos and burritos. Thinly sliced pork, marinated in sour orange and vinegar then grilled and served topped by pickled onion, is poc chuc, a dish made famous by Los Almendros restaurants. Sopa de limon is a chicken soup with tortillas and a squeeze of lime juice; cochinita pibil and pollo pibil are flaky, tender pieces of pork or chicken, spiced and marinated in a rich sauce and baked in banana leaves; and anything called 'a la Yucateca,' is spiced in a wonderful anchiote paste and grilled. Valladolid has its own sausages, Campeche invented fresh shrimp cocktails and Mirida has incorporated Lebanese cooking into its cuisine. In addition, Canc£n boasts some of the best international cooking around. One thing you may want to remember is that waiters consider it rude to offer you your bill before you ask for it, so be sure to say 'la cuenta, por favor.'

A comida corrida is a fixed price complete meal that includes everything but your drink. It's low priced and not necessarily the best dish on the menu, but generally tasty and filling. Another dish that fills you up without costing much is molletes, grilled open-faced rolls with refried beans and melted cheese. And the soups in Mexico are very flavorful.  As for bebidas (drinks), favorite alcoholic national drinks include margaritas and tequila - and nothing beats Mexican tequila. You can buy Heineken or American beer in Canc£n, but why would you? Mexico's beers are excellent. Sol, Dos Equis and Corona brands may be familiar to you, but Superior and Victoria are superior Mexican beers. Two great local brews from Mirida are Montejo (our all-time favorite) and Leon Negra, a dark amber brew. A refreshing light-alcohol drink is chelada, a glass of limeade with a little beer added. Tourists and residents alike should appreciate the connection between 'trouble' and alcohol. Stay out of situations where you or other people drink too much; Mexico is not the place to lose control.

Coca-Cola is ubiquitous, of course, but other flavors in Mexico's soda (refrescos) line-up include orange, grapefruit and apple. Licuados, fresh fruit juice drinks, are available plain or mixed with milk. Our favorite is horchata, a refreshingly delicious drink made from rice and milk and flavored with cinnamon and cane sugar. Or try Jamaica (ha-micka), a fruity drink made from flowers.

SHOPPING & BARGAINING:

There are plenty of designer clothes and gift stores in the three large shopping malls of the hotel zone. Prices are lower but sales pressure is higher in downtown Cancan where two indoor markets are located on Av. Tulum. 'Senora, Senor, where are you from?' 'Like to look at some blankets?' 'Best price, cheaper than K-Mart,' vendors call out to entice you into shopping at their stalls. This constant come-on is a source of irritation to those more accustomed to searching for sales help at home. In Cancan they never leave you alone. It may help if you realize just how hard things are economically for people in Mexico. Most of the vendors can't afford to stock the stalls they sell from, so most have their goods on consignment, which can be tough, especially in a country where the wage averages only US $25 per week and gringo dollars can mean the difference between just being poor and abject poverty. And with hundreds of competing places to shop, perhaps you could be a bit tolerant of the high pressure and accept it gracefully as part of the shopping ritual. Usually a firm, 'no, gracias' discourages further patter.

We're less inclined to be hard bargainers because much of what we buy is already cheaper than it would be at home. A seasoned negotiator offers about half of what's asked and settles for a price somewhere in between. We still bargain in the markets and even at hotels, but our realization of the economic inequities between most tourists and the average worker in the Yucatan tempers our desire to bicker for a quarter of an hour just to save a dollar. But we never allow vendors or taxi drivers to cheat us. Always shop around or ask the tariffs first - a good habit anywhere.

What we do buy in the Yucatan are things not readily available at home. We'll buy some ground chili powder, anchiote paste and a bottle of honey on every trip. There are also unique gift items we can't pass up. Silver and gold jewelry are cheaper in Mexico so we always look for the unusual. Large hammocks, hand woven of string, are the traditional bed, couch and crib in the Yucat n. Made of nylon, cotton, silk or sisal, mostly in the state of Yucatan, they are extremely comfortable once you get used to sleeping in them. In Campeche, wooden model ships are hand-crafted, featured in a great Maya arts and crafts store in the Centro. Chetumal has an artisans' shop with carvings and crafts that combine Maya and Caribbean influences from Belize. Pottery is always a good bet, the Maya were known for their skills. Tree of Life candelabras, made in central Mexico, are elaborate and beautiful. Frequently used at Christmas, they depict the fall of Adam and Eve and are decorated with a snake, angels, leaves and flowers in bright colors. Also check out hand-painted laquerware and woven baskets.
 
Once you leave Cancan you will see Maya women dressed in their traditional white cotton shift dresses called huipiles (WE-peels). They're colorfully embroidered around a square neckline and hem. A white cotton lace-trimmed underskirt (ternos) peeks out demurely below the hemline. The embroidery on the huipiles of Quintana Roo is geometric and abstract, while in the Yucatan it is done in cross-stitched floral. Silk or cotton shawls (rebozos) are also part of the traditional dress.  Men's business dress includes short-sleeved embroidered and pleated light shirts, called guayaberas (guy-ya-bearas), that are worn outside the pants. This traditional shirt is common throughout the Hispanic Americas, where it's generally too warm to wear ties or jackets. They usually come in pastel colors and white. A good place to buy these are in the mercados and stores in Valladolid and Mirida. There are several shops along Calle 59 in Mirida, including the well-known Jack Guayaberas, where you can also have them made to order.

Panama hats are made in the state of Campeche from the fibers of the jipijapa palm. They offer good protection against the strong Yucatan sun and their fibers breathe, allowing the air to keep your head cool. Types of fiber, closeness of weave and suppleness determine the quality. The best ones are fino - a fine weave of thin palm fibers. The middle and fine grades are durable, pliable hats that, once flattened, tightly rolled and stuffed in a suitcase, can be ready to wear again with a sprinkle of water. If you're going to Campeche, street vendors and shops in Mirida and Isla Mujeres will be happy to sell you one. Buy the best you can afford for both comfort and long life.

MONEY, ATMs & TRAVELERS CHECKS:

The Mexican money is the peso, sometimes called the new peso after a drastic devaluation late in 1994. It floats against the dollar at the rate of 7.5 to 8 pesos to the dollar, as of this writing. The more pesos per dollar, the better the rate of exchange for you. Throughout Mexico, most prices (written as NP$ or N$) are quoted in pesos - but make sure beforehand. A careless Mexican businessman took one of the glamorous suites in Casa Turquesa in Cancan thinking that the 3,200 price was in pesos. The next day he was presented with a NP$24,000 bill - 3,200 US dollars. Good morning Senor.

Don't count on using credit cards anywhere but in the cities - and even then only in the larger establishments. Banks exchange cash or traveler's checks, usually without commission, during limited hours everywhere but the smallest towns. In Cancan and tourist destinations, such as Playa del Carmen, exchange booths will change cash or traveler's checks at a slightly lower rate, but they are open longer hours and offer more convenience. You'll need a copy of your passport and sometimes another ID.  Shop around because the rates vary between change booths and even banks - and they change daily. Make sure and ask about the rate before you commit. The worst place to convert money is your hotel, where the rate is generally lower than anywhere else. The change booths with the best rates in Cancan are downtown, as opposed to the hotel zone, and of those, the best rates are found at one of the two on the south side of Av. Cob , before you get to Av. Tulum, near the Plaza America. Furtive types also exchange money at a good rate during the day outside the Banamex bank downtown on Av. Tulum. It's perfectly legal and safe (though don't flash your money around) and saves the time and aggravation of waiting in line.  Be sure to tell your credit card company and bank that you'll be in Mexico. That way they'll not be suspicious of any overseas use and will approve your bank card for Automatic Teller Machine withdrawals. Big cities have ATMs in shopping malls and banks. Any credit card charges or ATM withdrawals go through at the official exchange rate. Watch those decimal places when you sign your charge slip.

SAFETY & CRIME:

In the many times we've been to the Yucatan we've rarely had a problem and are completely comfortable traveling everywhere there. But because it's a new environment, it's important to be aware of the possibility of danger. Safe traveling involves basic common sense. Inform yourself about where you're going and what to expect.  Pedestrian beware seems to be the unofficial slogan when it comes to walking on the streets and sidewalks of Mexico.  Cancan's hotel zone is an exception, of course, but elsewhere potholes, broken curbs or head-bashing sidewalk awnings are the norm. Be careful too, climbing around the thousand-year-old Maya ruins. Don't be embarrassed to use your hands or the rope aid and go slowly. Always think safety first. Be sure to wear good non-slip sandals or walking shoes and carry a flashlight after dark. Be aware of your surroundings. As Carl Franz, another Mexico aficionado, put it: 'Expect the unexpected underfoot, overhead, from ahead or behind.'  Ever wake up in the middle of the night and not know which hotel you are in or where the bathroom is located? Imagine if there were a fire. As any frequent traveler should do - at home or abroad - make sure you familiarize yourself with the emergency exits and escape routes at each of your hotels.

Besides charging too much for the drinks in the hotel zone restaurants, crime in the Yucatan is mostly limited to pickpocketing or lifting of things left unattended or in an unlocked automobile. Simple precautions lessen your chances of being victimized and if you are, your vacation is not completely ruined. Carry only enough money with you to cover the day and leave the rest with your valuables in the hotel's safe.  Leave your expensive watch and gold jewelry home.  It's rare that valuables or cash left in your hotel room are ever stolen, but it does happen. If your hotel offers a lock box safe it's worth making use of, but don't lose the key - it can cost up to US $50 to replace. Keep travelers check numbers separate from the checks in case they're lost or stolen. We've become addicted to fanny packs as a secure way to carry a wallet. They're difficult to pickpocket and, in addition, relieve the pain of sitting with a lumpy wallet in the back of your pants.  We once fell prey to the old 'drop some coins in front of a naive tourist so they watch you - or even help - pick them up while your accomplice nicks their camera' routine. Though we've never had another instance and have returned several times, we were suckers for that one in a crowded mercado a few years ago. Be aware of getting bumped or distracted by anything unusual. If you have a camera, keep your camera bag closed and secured between pictures.

BRIBES & SCAMS:

Although we're giving this section much coverage because people worry about it, problems involving bribes or being scammed happen infrequently in the Yucatan. When it does happen it's annoying but seldom serious. If it should happen to you, try not to let it spoil your vacation.  Tipping taken to its extreme in Mexico is the mordida, a small bribe paid to an official to 'expedite' matters. Tourists rarely encounter the 'bite,' as it translates, because they rarely have to deal with Mexican authorities. There is no need, for example, to bribe anyone at the migrat¡on office to extend your tourist card. The most common instances involve driving and the police. When you're stopped for a minor traffic violation, as we were once in Mirida and once in Chetumal, both times for driving the wrong way on an unmarked one-way street, you can expect a stern lecture and perhaps a fine. Don't be cowed or intimidated but maintain a respectful attitude. Wait to hear his lecture before you apologize for your honest mistake. If you're not sure, make him explain exactly what it is he thinks you've done wrong.

In Chetumal the policeman gave us an on-the-spot lecture about paying attention to signs that weren't there and the need to be law-abiding tourists. He must have known how basically honest we are because after carefully explaining all the laws in Mexico in great detail, he let us go. The two policemen in Mirida who stopped us one Easter Sunday were not as accommodating. We had turned right, realized it was a one-way and immediately made a U-turn. Not fast enough. The policeman signalled us over and got out of his car when we parked. We waited patiently through a lecture about the severity of the transgression until the subject of a fine came up. When it did, it came with an invitation to go to the stationhouse. It was a cue to say something like 'Officer, we're on our way to (wherever) so would it be possible for you to pay our fine for us?' (Usually US $5 or less.) It's the fastest and easiest way to handle things and, unlike in the States or Canada, acceptable.  Policemen must know what terror it strikes in the heart of tourists to think they have to go to a stationhouse to resolve such a simple matter. If you're adamant about not having done anything wrong, you can agree to follow him there, at which point he may backtrack and let you go with a warning. Always allow him to save face - this is not a one-upsmanship contest. No matter which course you choose, you can chalk the experience up to a complete appreciation of the idiosyncrasies of travel in Mexico.

An alternative angle is to feign total ignorance of even the most obvious words in the Spanish language. Never be impolite or snicker or you'll find yourself regretting the indiscretion. An attentive face that struggles to understand the complete depth of all your wrongdoings, as related in your lecture, followed by a 'lo siento pero no entiendo' (I'm sorry, I don't understand) may exasperate the officer until he finally gives up in disgust at your ignorance. This is a delicate game and you don't want to aggravate or insult him. If you're somewhat fluent in Spanish you could try not quite getting his point. We told the officer a long involved story about another policeman who directed us up that wrong way in our effort to find a store to buy flowers to put on the grave of Felipe Carrillo, a national hero. We were going the wrong way? Which way should we go? Was he now directing us on the correct route? Where was the graveyard that everyone told us was so beautiful in his wonderful city?

If the officer is on foot and waves you over for something minor you could always develop instant cataracts and keep driving. Few foot patrolmen have radios to call ahead so high-tailing it out of there avoids the inconvenience of a traffic stop. Good luck. Don't try that in a crowded area like Mirida's mercado where the traffic crawls and the policeman's whistle alerts the cop on the next corner. Nor at any of the numerous Army or agricultural checkpoints along the highway or side roads. You're usually waived through these stops, although you may also be questioned and asked to open your trunk. The Army is making an effort to control any drug or arms smuggling that may pass through the Yucat n's many miles of deserted coastline. If you try to outrun an Army checkpoint there's a soldier down the road in a sand bag foxhole who might shoot you. In rural areas you may see an open truck on the side of the road filled with soldiers dozing against their weapons. Just south of Cancan, there's even a semi-permanent checkpoint, complete with armed soldiers. Don't worry. Besides drug and arms eradication, this is Mexico's way of reassuring tourists that they are safe and secure.

Americans just want to be liked - it's part of their psychological make up. Unless you're a paranoid schizophrenic, chances are you travel, as we do, in wide-eyed wonder and complete openness. It brings out the best in us as well as the people we meet. But there's always the one person who looks at your innocence and says, 'sucker.' The only time anyone ever tried to take advantage of us with a 'scam' (other than the distraction ploy used to lift our camera) was at two gasoline stations. Considering the number of times we've been in the Yucatan, that's not a bad average. 

The simplest 'fill 'er up' scam happened to us on the western outskirts of Valladolid, where the city's one-way road joins with Highway 180. At Pemex (on the left heading west), several boys stood in front of the pump as we pulled up. As the overly attentive attendant quickly pushed the nozzle into our tank, two boys came to our windows with questions about how we liked Mexico and so forth. We chatted away until it came time to pay the bill - twice what it should have cost. The scam works by having someone screen your view of the pump to keep you from noticing that it was not cleared back to zero before pumping your gas. The solution? Make sure you have a clear view of the pump before saying how much gas you want. Especially effective is to step out of the car and look. If in doubt, wave him away as if you don't want gas, just directions. If you want to avoid this particular station (though this happened to us many years ago), there's a new and better Pemex in town. To find it as you head east: after 180 becomes Calle 41, it's on your left.

If you're heading west on Calle 39 toward Chichin, look for the Pemex sign on the side of a building with a driveway on your left, near the Super Maz shopping center.  It's hard to avoid the Pemex station on the Chetumal-Esc rcega highway, near Xpuhil, just east of the Calakmul biosphere's border. It's a long run between cities and most cars need to fill up here. The pump is the old-fashioned kind that registers only liters, not the total peso amount. We got out of the car to make sure the pump was cleared and were engaged in a friendly conversation with two other men and the attendant. When the tank was full the attendant showed us the price on his hand held calculator, about twice what it should have been. Since we knew we needed half a tank in our Bug, about 20 liters, the 25 liters the pump showed was probably correct. So we took out our calculator and punched in the pump's 25 liters, then multiplied that by the cost per liter we had paid in Chetumal. 'There must be something wrong with your calculator, here's what it should be,' we told him. Realizing we weren't going to fall for his sleight of hand he responded: 'Gasoline is more expensive this far from the city.' It was, but only by a peso or so, so we agreed on our price. Later we met a Canadian couple who had felt intimidated by the men hovering around them as they discussed the high price. They paid it without arguing.  Perhaps before filling up there, take out your calculator and confirm the price per liter. That should send a message to the attendant that you know what you're doing and will scrutinize the transaction closely. Know how many liters your car should take! Don't feel intimidated.

TELEPHONES:

We've made it easy for you to call Mexico. Dial 011 for an international line, then 52 for Mexico and then the number. We've listed the area or city code first separated from the phone number by a slash (/). Calls within different areas of Mexico are preceded by 91. Local calls do not need the area code. If you're in Cancan, for example, and the number we list is 98/88-88-88, simply drop the 98 when you dial.  Except in larger cities, international telephone service is not as convenient, accessible or inexpensive as we'd like. When you call home from your room (dial 95 to reach the States) make sure hotel surcharges aren't exorbitant. You can call through Telemex and charge your call to an AT&T card, but it's more costly than dealing direct with a USA-based server. Small towns have a central location for telephone service called a larga distancia, where you can reach an English-speaking Telemex operator. The phone offices are also good for local calls within the Yucatan, especially if you don't have a prepaid phone card, because you can pay in cash.  Reach a direct line to the cheaper major American telephone companies from any public telephone marked 'Ladatel,' or from any hotel that offers its guests access to long-distance calling.

AT&T USA Direct Service has been available in Mexico since 1989. To use the service, dial the access number, 95/800/462-4240.

MCI offers an identical service called Worldphone, available in Mexico by dialing 95/800/950-5555.

Sprint international calls can be charged at 95/800/877-8000. All three services accept their own credit or calling cards as well as collect calls.

If you can avoid it, do not place your call home on any of the phones that say you can call the US or Canada directly by punching *01, or whatever, and charge it on a major credit card. These phones are everywhere in Cancan and, although convenient, we asked the operator for the per-minute charges and found they were upwards of US $25 for the first minute! It's a rip-off aimed at young vacationers who might not have major phone company cards.  Few public phones accept coins, but most use a prepaid calling card, available in many stores, and a good cheap way to make local calls within Mexico.

HEALTH & HAPPINESS:

The first time we came back from Yucatan, we extolled the virtues of Cancan to a friend who was getting married. 'Did you get sick?' he worried. 'No, not at all,' we replied honestly. 'We spent two weeks wandering around the interior, eating what and where we pleased. The only precaution we took was to drink aqua mineral or aqua purificada.' It figures that Rich and Gail, ever the cautious ones, honeymooned in Canc£n - never left the hotel zone; drank only bottled water; and ate only in the fancy restaurants in their hotel. Regardless of their precautions, both of them got sick with tourista, a digestive disorder caused by bacteria foreign to your system. Since that time Cancan has improved its purified drinking water system, but discretion is always advised. Most ice in bigger restaurants is made from purified water, but if you're in doubt, ask for your drink sin hielo (without ice).  We eventually learned, firsthand, that drinking bottled water does not offer fail-safe prevention - nothing does. Some medical sources even suggest tourista can be caused by a combination of other factors. Its symptoms, which mimic salmonella poisoning, may include any or all the following: nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach cramps and low-grade fever. Purists suggest waiting it out for three or four days, but that's hardly realistic if you've got only a week's vacation and a gazillion things to do. So here's our tried and true treatment.

If we're in a budget hotel, the first thing we do when we start feeling bad (and it comes on very quickly) is upgrade to a hotel with air-conditioning - maybe cable TV - and a comfortable bed. A couple of aspirin and plenty of sleep is called for. If we suffer frequent diarrhea and stomach cramps, we take the recommended dose of Imodium AD. Pepto Bismol relieves the symptoms as well, but takes longer. It's necessary to drink plenty of bottled water or Coca-Cola with lime or, in severe cases, rehydration fluids such as Pedialyte, available at a local drugstore. We sometimes also drink manzanilla (chamomile) tea, without milk, a helpful folk remedy. Then we crank up the air-conditioner, curl up and go to sleep. We repeat the Imodium if the diarrhea returns. In about 24 hours we're usually feeling well enough to get back out and enjoy the sunshine - with some reservations. If you've had a bout, you may still feel a little weak so take it easy; and don't over-exert. For a few days you may also experience mild stomach cramps after eating. Eat light and cut out liquor and hot spices.

The US Public Health Service does not recommend taking any prophylactic medicines beforehand, but there are other ways to aid in prevention. Besides drinking bottled water, use it when you clean your teeth. Peel fruit before consuming and avoid salads outside large towns (or at least ask if it was washed in purified water). In addition, we theorize that much of the bacteria that gives problems can be eliminated with frequent hand washings. The sensory delights of the Yucatan include touching new things, so a good hand scrub every chance you get is a good idea. You should have a fair number of chances because many restaurants offer a sink right in the dining room and it's considered polite to wash before eating. Alternatively, use the antiseptic towelettes we recommended or consider taking along one of the new anti-bacterial sanitizing liquids, such as Purelle, available in the US.
One tends to be preoccupied with one's bowels in Mexico, with entire conversations revolving about whether they have or haven't yet moved. That's because the other side of the coin is 'travelers constipation.' Our 'killer' cure is plenty of fresh fruit in our diet and tons of liquid. Just relax; what goes around, comes around.