Semana Santa Report

[El Feo]

Well, it was rockin this weekend. Streets closed, ATVs everywhere, lots of beer consumed. If you have never experienced the Malecon with all the bands and huge crowds, you gotta try it. It's a true Mexican celebration. Yeah, yeah, heavy traffic, lots of people, that the price.

 

[rockyptjoe]

I've been down there a couple of years to see the celebration (missed it this year). Bands from all over Mexico....with their tour buses!

 

[Submarine]

It was pretty much impossible to make it down to old port after 4:30. The traffic was at a standstill and there was no parking unless you cut through up the hill early and knew some of the side streets.

It was complete gridlock at benito juarez and calle 13 (think that's the streets, at the overhead sidewalk). Just utter chaos. I was so glad I found a place at Playa Encanto and didn't have to deal with that mess the whole trip. Kinda like the worst spring break you could imagine X2 but with no nudity. It's gotta be chaos if I'm complaining!

 

[La Huerita]

Great news, isn't it! RP really needed the revenue! I'm glad the town was packed (and also glad I wasn't there, lol)! :sunny:

 

[Submarine]

You think they get the same kind of money as they do from us? I bet there is a 'Gringo Tax' lol.

They were still deep discounts to be had even if you were a gringo. Stay 3 pay for 3 was pretty common.

 

[Stuart]

You think they get the same kind of money as they do from us? I bet there is a 'Gringo Tax' lol.

Indeed there is a "Gringo Tax" and most folks aren't even aware of it. I've had it proved to me in Rocky Point by a local. I went into the Modelo distributor and bought a case of cold Pacifico in cans. Cost to me as a gringo $22 USD. Then, my local Mexican buddy went into the same place and bought the same case of beer. Cost to him $17 USD. So, in essence, a $5 "Gringo Tax" on a case of beer.

The same is true at farmacias, stores, and various other places in town. It's an unsaid, undocumented thing but it does indeed happen on a regular basis. My local amigo confirmed it. When he goes fishing with us, he insists on buying some of the items because he knows he gets a better price than we can get as gringos. We give him the money and let him buy those things. I've really only seen this Rocky Point. In San Carlos and Baja not so much. But I'm sure it's common in other tourist areas, too.

Getting the same kind of money from them as us? Hardly. As a whole, Mexicans are terrible tippers. Have seen it many, many times. Large Mexican group, eats and drinks, then leaves no more than a few pesos on the table and leaves. My wife is in the restaurant business and she always feels terrible when she sees this. She over tips, in my opinion, but we get fantastic service whenever we walk in the door! :lol:

 

[bahiatrader]

What you said, Stuart. I always have my Mexican buddy buy stuff for me in the smaller establishments. Places like Ley's or the bigger hardware stores where the price is marked aren't so much that way. Everything in Mexico is negotiable though. I love watching my wife haggle with vendors. It's a sport she picked up when we lived in Tampico. It really trips her trigger to haggle. She never pays the asking price for shrimp on the Malecon. You can tell by the look on her face in the attached pic, she really got a good price on that deal. Tammy has been accused of being a Mexicano disquised as a Norte Americano by appreciative vendors. I haggle sometimes, but I'm not nearly as good at it as she is. She was a genuine asset when we'd go on buying trips for our import business. We'd do a good guy, bad guy routine on artisans and vendors. We'd usually leave them scratching their heads wondering why they gave the stuff away so cheap. Great fun. She even haggles with vendors in the US on larger items and sometimes comes away with unbelievable savings. She also is a big tipper, and says the same thing as Connie about Mexican tippers. It's just not in the Mexican culture to tip. Tricking you out of money and "gringo taxes" are very acceptable though.

 

[La Huerita]

Sure, I've run into the gringo tax all over Mexico, including Baja north and south. After we've been in a place long enough and gotten friendly with store owners, that tax usually stops. I've also found that while tipping well is appreciated, treating the waiters and cooks with respect and courtesy is more likely to get us good service than big tips do. I've seen gringos with arrogant, ugly American attitudes leave large tips and then complain when those tips didn't get them the service they thought they had bought. Attitude goes a loooong way in Mexico!

ANYhooo, though the Semana Santa revelers certainly didn't spend like gringos tend to, their business was sorely needed. Every little bit helps in times like these. I hear that San Felipe, San Carlos and other beach areas throughout Mexico were also jam packed. It's a GOOD thing.

Hey, I read a funny thing on another forum. Everyone was talking about what they'd be doing and where they were going for Easter and finally a guy chimed in saying: "Are any of you going to church?"

He went on to say (not an exact quote, but close), "You Christians have got some great holidays. Christmas for getting presents, Easter for taking vacations... I'm gonna convert. Just as soon as I can get that circumcision reversed."

:lol: :lol: :lol: (Well, I thought it was funny)

Edited to say: Hey again, I've got someone new writing for my blog and he's posted his ideas on what should be done with the Mirador area. You may not agree, but if you're interested drop on by when you have a minute.

 

[Submarine]

No doubt. Did you see where some TV station was simulcasting the Vatican easter service but cut to a Girls Gone Wild informercial when they had to do an EBS test? Only one person complained.


I'll bargain but don't get into 'haggle' territory unless I'm in the mood. I never spend a whole lot of money on crap down there anymore anyways. I got ripped off on a bottle of vanilla that my g/f wanted. $10 in old port and a larger bottle was only $6 in Sonoyta. Oh well, she paid me back ten times over lol.
Next time I buy shrimp I'm going to pick them out myself though. The guy I bought from was entertaining enough but he gave me a bunch of broken ones and they seemed to get smaller the more he dug down. Still tasted the same though!

I completely agree with the attitude thing. I tip too but would rather not. I guess I've spent too much time in French Polynesia where tipping isn't the custom. They incorporate a service charge into the bill but it's only about 1000-500xfp which is about $11-$6 depending on the exchange rate. Even without the tip 'incentive' the service is always better than anything I've experienced in the US or Mexico.

 

[bahiatrader]

La Huerita is right about respect and politemess, but that goes anywhere in the world. Another trick Tammy uses to get the price of shrimp down is to get them bidding against each other. She usually starts that the day before we go home. They'd better be there with the goods the next morning, or she just walks away. Walking away is one of the biggest bargaining chips you have anywhere. I'm told los vendedores del camarón use two differnet sets of scales, but I really haven't confirmed that for myself.