Mexico City travel advice?

[dan_pdx]

Wondering if the collective has any travel wisdom to share. I'm going to Mexico City for work next month. I've been all over Asia, including some pretty off the beaten track/sketchy places, but I've never been south of the border before, so not quite sure what to expect.

With all the narco-violence in the headlines, safety is a bit of a concern, but the State Department doesn't have any travel advisories for Mexico City, so I figured it was all good. Having said that, our client is pretty concerned about it, so much so that they won't be sending any staff to observe the project (usually SOP). (They also asked me if I wanted to cancel, but I didn't think there was enough risk to make that necessary.)

All relevant TGR memes will naturally be implemented as often as possible: hookers/blow, nuke from space/behead remains, furious masturbation, tits or GTFO, bacon-centric diet (that one could be a challenge), etc. Beyond that, is there anything special from a safety/security point of view that I should think about besides the obvious stuff about visiting a big city that I'm unfamiliar with? (Keeping in mind that I speak Spanish like a drunken 3 year old.)

And, I'll be in the Polanco neighborhood - any tourist recommendations in/around that area?

[Tye 1on]

I'm no expert, but have hung around that town just south of San Diego a fair bit, last trip a year ago. IMHO don't sweat it. The one in a million chance you end up in the middle of something would be purely by accident. Just don't be a blackout drunk obnoxious American. If you were going to Veracruz or Juarez my thoughts would be different.

[Steven S. Dallas]

The Polanco boasted an extremely prominent police presence when I visited, so no problems there. I don't have any specific recommendations for that neighborhood other than to enjoy it- very European-feeling, very few tourists, lots of good cafes and restaurants. As for safety in the rest of the city, there was never cause for concern. We took the subway around and although not every area we checked out was gorgeous, neither did any of them seem unsafe. Everyone told us not to take the green VW bug taxis, which we didn't, and our heads didn't wind up in a duffel bag somewhere. So that worked out I guess.

I thought most of the major museums were really good and recommend the National Anthropology Museum, the National History Museum, and the Templo Mayor. I'm not that crazy about Diego Rivera but the giant mural at the National Palace is pretty rad. (They're very nationalistic there in the Distrito Federal.) And there's lots of shit to do in Chapultepec, although most of it might be boring if you're traveling solo.

Have fun.

[DasBlunt]

If your company is that worried about stuff, they will not mind some extra line items, like, personal car, an escort or 3, etc, let your imagination run wild!

Mexico City is so fucking big, I would not worry one sec. Milk the sympathy for all its worth though; bitches love a good drama filled story about a sketchy cab ride.

I am there a bunch and I never think twice, but...in all latin amerian countries, you have to keep the other eye behind you, and remember to chill out, but be firm, if shit hits the fan at any time.

[GBB]

Don't take the green VW taxis.
My dad worked down there for three years relatively incident free. I'll ask him if he has any recommendations.

[dan_pdx]

Thanks guys, good to know that normal big city behavior, maybe dialed up to 11, will suffice. Steven D, thanks for the info on the neighborhood and the touristic destinations, and GBB, I'd love to know if your dad has any thoughts.

If your company is that worried about stuff, they will not mind some extra line items, like, personal car, an escort or 3, etc, let your imagination run wild!

Ha ha, wonder if that would fly. "I know the receipt says 'escorts' but that's what they call bodyguards there."

[Tunco]

My friends who worked for the US embassy live in Polanco, its chill.

I found the subway pretty useful during the day. At night it was taxis.

Lucha Liebre. I'm not kidding. Don't bother to bring a camera as it will get confiscated, but you can pick it up afterward.

If you can get invited to the US ambassadors house for dinner, go. Its nice digs

Eat at the marcado in Coyoacán. Frida Kahlo's house is nearby if you are into that sort of thing.

[dumpy]

6 replies and no mention of a donkey show? You guys are slipping.

So whats the deal with the green VW taxis?

[SterlingSpikeDancer]

6 replies and no mention of a donkey show? You guys are slipping.

So whats the deal with the green VW taxis?

They all take you straight to the donkey show, and YOU are the primary participant. How do you say "do you like to pitch or catch?" in Spanish?

My little brother lives down there and married an affluent native, I will ask him about Polanco as well. Is that where you will be working?

[junto]

Eat at the marcado in Coyoacán.

Quoted for the mother fuckin' truth. Stuff your gringo face with as much tacos al pastor as you can handle. You may have seen them on menus in the states, but they don't even compare to the real deal. You'll see them in open air taquerias everywhere, but Coyoacán has the best.



San Angel is a cool neighborhood too, good tacos a couple nice small parks, Diego Rivera's studio and a convent with a bunch of mummified nuns and some cool bars.

Ice cream, delicious and in any flavor imaginable at a place that I can't remember the name of but it's right around the corner from the cathedral at the Zocalo.

[SterlingSpikeDancer]

My little bro said that Polanco is the best part of the city, safe, good restaurants and good night life around there. His advice for safety is to not draw attention to yourself. Nothing flashy, jewelry, watch, clothing and you shouldn't have any trouble.

[JoeStrummer]

Polanco is the most boring part of the city. As a result, it is also the safest. I don't spend much time there because its fairly uninteresting compared to the rest of the city but you'll be perfectly safe. The embassy is there and it's where multi-nationals do all their business so they try extra-hard not to let foreigners get jacked there.

Don't hail cabs off the street, use a Sitio (cab stand) or car service recommended by your hotel. Watch yourself at all times, especially on Friday nights when gringos tend to get robbed more often. I lived in Mexico City and maintained a residence there for awhile afterwards, one of my favorite cities on earth if you have a modicum of situational awareness. The subway will get you about anywhere you need to go.

Try Plaza Garibaldi (a sketchy walk north of the zocalo and cathedral, best to get a cab) for awesome mariachi entertainment. For nightlife - Coyoacan is a nice and relatively safe neighborhood where Frida Kahlo lived. San Angel is also a nice neighborhood, and Condesa is funky.

[bigdude2468]

I travel there often. I take all luggage tags off that reference who I work for, no logo shirts etc. Agree on the taxis, only use ones that the hotel or restaurant have called for you, do not hail one on the street. Our CFO who lived in Mexico City, transferred from Richmond VA did get in a VW taxi and they took him to ATM's to get cash from his credit cards. One card he did not know the pin, they took an ice pick to his leg. When they finally figured he must not know the number they threw him out on the street, he ended up in a hospital for about a week. US Embassy had him moved to a "higher"quality hospital.

I never travel alone and the police are all corrupt. Had a customer that brought his wife with. Someone tried to grab her purse, she screamed and a cop ran over and chased the guy away. Then the cop wanted $100 for saving her. When she refused they took her to the police station and took about five hours to write up a report. Polanco is ok but other than there or in the embassy district I would not walk anywhere alone. Oh yea,the air pollution is gross, city stinks. I only exercise indoors never outside.

Yea good restaurants for sure.

[JoeStrummer]

I never travel alone and the police are all corrupt. Had a customer that brought his wife with. Someone tried to grab her purse, she screamed and a cop ran over and chased the guy away. Then the cop wanted $100 for saving her. When she refused they took her to the police station and took about five hours to write up a report. Polanco is ok but other than there or in the embassy district I would not walk anywhere alone. Oh yea,the air pollution is gross, city stinks. I only exercise indoors never outside.

Yea good restaurants for sure.

One of my friends there is a bit of a ginger, he has one of those magnificent pink bald heads seen on some older members of that sub-species. Anyway, for a long time he carried extra money in his car because when he drove by a cop he was invariably pulled over for some minor offense cured by a small bribe.

Finally he got smart and bought a hat, which cut down on his la mordita expenses considerably.

I've been abducted there myself. I've also knocked out a couple pickpockets and some cat in the Zona Rosa who used to squirt ketchup on gringo shoes and run away so you would support the local shoe shine guys. It's quite a sporting place to live!

But yeah, stay away from the police under any circumstances.

[Tippster]

So is the Zona Rosa just meh now?

[JoeStrummer]

So is the Zona Rosa just meh now?

Not if you want to watch college football and eat chicken wings!!

[Dhelihiker]

pastor and bullet proof vest, you'll be less than dead

[DasBlunt]

I travel there often. I take all luggage tags off that reference who I work for, no logo shirts etc. Agree on the taxis, only use ones that the hotel or restaurant have called for you, do not hail one on the street. Our CFO who lived in Mexico City, transferred from Richmond VA did get in a VW taxi and they took him to ATM's to get cash from his credit cards. One card he did not know the pin, they took an ice pick to his leg. When they finally figured he must not know the number they threw him out on the street, he ended up in a hospital for about a week. US Embassy had him moved to a "higher"quality hospital.

I never travel alone and the police are all corrupt. Had a customer that brought his wife with. Someone tried to grab her purse, she screamed and a cop ran over and chased the guy away. Then the cop wanted $100 for saving her. When she refused they took her to the police station and took about five hours to write up a report. Polanco is ok but other than there or in the embassy district I would not walk anywhere alone. Oh yea,the air pollution is gross, city stinks. I only exercise indoors never outside.

Yea good restaurants for sure.

good shit, listen to this guy. Fuck I let my guard down compared to others. But a lot of it is instinct. I show a lot of people around, and I always wondered why they ask so many questions, how I just did something, got a deal, or made a friend or what ever. Accent is everything down there because if they do not understand you, you can be fucked. I have ridden the cheapest taxis I can find, never an issue. Granted I had to beat the shit out of one guy, and had a knife pulled on me by another, but, yeah, just no hailing a taxi. Personal car or driver is the best.

Mexico City has that rotating car thing with the license plates. Last digit of the plate means you can't drive certain days. Fucked me up a few times coming in from the countryside. Dirty city regardless and the poverty is sad. Most Billionaires in the world I think, or last I noticed. I always give a shit ton of money away on my SA trips.

[Catfish]

Garibaldi is definitely cool, I didn't think the walk from the Zocalo was that sketchy but I certainly wouldn't go any further than that. If you have the chance Teotihuacan is unbelievable, just get there early. Also, no one has mentioned pulque yet, you should check out a pulqueria. Order the real thing, not curados.