Just as I occasionally crave Mexican in Italy, here is the best Italian restaurant in Playa del Carmen.
Been here a couple of weeks with Cultural Adventurer. Rented casita. Great riding, very friendly people...no hay problemas. Good camping in Satevo 7km from Batopilas at Raul Chavez'...take dirt drive to right JUST BEFORE the church, up to end. Camping, food, games at night with family. Cute daughters..........recommended. Muy tranquilo aqui Kings XXX y mas
2nd !!!! that and keep it stored for pre-trip & evening planning. I like the Rough Guide map in my tank bag window for general reference(even though it is often somewhat wrong, it is plastic coated and easier to read enroute(read into that old fart wears reading glasses) and the one not to buy is the blue map sold in Walmart in MX. After my rough guide brand map was stolen I bought the blue whatever else its called-(sealed up) and it is terrible.
And then there's the part where entering some towns is the near equivalent to being on a bike then placed in a jug and shaken well and tossed out to fend for yourself.There were a couple of times I really wondered if I'd be in Guadalajara for the rest of my life? Signs behind trees, signs never made yet,signs that have become a floorboard or house building materials,signs that are spelled differently than the map, names that are not on the map, all in a days fun in Mexico!
Karen is the only girl I've ever known to tolerate being cussed out and everythings OK a minute later
Bingo !!! that is about the best way to SEE Mexico . ....And I would add that if you stay off big highways you don't even need to take "an exit". Highway number signs are used in a somewhat capricious fashion. You can be many kilometers from major federal highway #XX and suddenly come to a sign on the state or federal highway saying #XX. This is just done as a service , a reminder that the road you are on actually does eventually join with #XX Leaving Guadalajara west the signs for Mex 15 will direct you to Tijuana and Nogales but farther down the road Nogales i s only mentioned off and on and other towns along the route get juggled about.This again is the reason for making up your own little "route sheet" with the expected towns in order so you won't have an anxiety fit . As for getting mazed in city streets that is the reason for carrying a compass. Look at your map and find the compass direction of which way you want to head out of town and just find a street , any street, which moves you in that direction.
Ha! Thats my blog! Thanks for the link. I must add that having ridden my DR650 from Portland, Oregon in to Mexico down and beyond Guadalajara to Michoacan the summer of 2010, despite the warnings by the US border agents in Presidio Texas, I found it quite safe. Mostly the roads were very light in traffic and Mexicans drive quite slowly so it felt safe. In tight traffic city situations I felt it was probably easier on my bike to weave out of a tight spot than if had been in a car. Many Mexican drivers are also quite courteous and will drive as far to the side of the road as possible to let you pass with oncoming traffic. I got lost a few times trying the smaller roads and asked for directions and the locals were quite helpful. I was pulled over only once entering Guadalajara by a bike cop, but although not friendly he didn't try and fine me after he checked all my paperwork. The only thing I was weary of were the odd horse walking on the road. There are some photos of my bike trip to Mexico on my blog www.mexicanhuaracheodyssey.wordpress.com
went the wrong way down a few one way streets until I got used to looking for signage in locations like this:huh
I hilighted in yellow some very remarkable comments about travel in Mexico. (Having just come back to the US from Mexico via Presidio, I laugh because a Presidio border agent told me the same thing). I also thank you for another link (last line of your post) that will now cause me to lose the rest of this afternoon
If you get off the really big highways you get to see the local countryside and some of the agricultural hazards .Notice the expert manner in which the strawbales have been built up and outward. Doubles the capacity of he truckIt also is a testimony to the expert knot tying skills.Nevertheless I try to stay a good length behind this kind of load Yayyy! on second try I copied it from your post Trice Thanks. I am struggling along with this stuff, something like feeling for dimes at the bottom of a pudle in the driveway with my work boots still on. The more I try the muddier it gets .
Two things: Time for a new tire on the back? Can't remember what the 2nd item was. Oh yeah, man that's a big honking photo! LL75
RED ARROWS means that street has passing preference (if you are riding on the street with WHITE/black ARROWS and you will cross the red arrow street, you need to make full stop, even if there is not any stop sign)
Had a meeting with the Travel Clinic on my college campus today. I wanted to see what immunizations they recommend for my upcoming Central America trip... After describing the various immunizations, the PA told me to stay away from roadside vendors.:huh How the heck am I going to eat anything if I stay away from those delicious vendors?! Needless to say the conversation went down hill from that comment. Just had to share. Also if anyone is interested I have a list of recommended vaccinations before entering Mexico/Central America. -Alex
