Living in Mexico - Archives: March 2006
Wednesday, March 8, 2006
How much does a cop earn in Mexico? According to a radio broadcast this afternoon, Pesos $3000 per month! Adding to this misery the fact that they receive new uniforms only once every 3 years, it’s no wonder that corruption is rife here! As a sideline, 300 of these cops were about to go on strike, with their apologies to the public, to protest against the infrequent renewal of their wardrobe (yes, you're not dreaming).
I can already picture 300 cops in flowery boxer shorts walking up Reforma… a spectacle not to be missed!
Posted by Serge @ 08:54 PM MEX [Link] [Karma: 1 (+/-)] [1 Comment]
Tuesday, March 7, 2006
Some things only happen in Mexico… I’m innocently sitting in a taxi heading back home after my usual 14-hour day of work when the driver, without preamble, asks me if I like mariachi songs. I immediately become suspicious of some dirty trick and reply that mariachis tend to block my digestive process (which is a polite and subtle way to say that… well, I let you guess) and I prefer salsa, merengue or even reggaeton (not to say complete silence to relax a little bit).
A long pause ensues, until the taxi driver finds a suitable merengue tune on the radio. I utter a sigh of relief – after all my devious mind imagined a non-existent plot. I return to my apathy, watching the car lights disappear in the night.
“You know, I asked you that question because foreigners are known to love mariachis”, indicates the cab driver, continuing with was going to pave the way to my worst nightmare turned reality “You know, I’m actually a mariachi singer” (at that stage you can imagine my entire universe collapsing around me) “and I would like to interpret a few songs for you”.
For a few seconds I was torn between an irrepressible desire to laugh and an urgent need to find an emergency exit somehow hidden in the bottom of the car! Then he began to sing… quite well actually, going from one tune to another for a solid 15 minutes of auditory torture! Arriving at my doorstep, I felt obliged to compliment him on his talent, at which point he said he would like to produce a CD with a compilation of mariachi songs…
… I requested he sent me a copy whenever the CD was available…!
Posted by Serge @ 07:09 PM MEX [Link] [Karma: 3 (+/-)] [34 comments]
Monday, March 6, 2006
I have never quite understood the attraction of scantily clad waitresses with big bosoms when it came to restaurants. Blame my French background in that respect, but I’m mostly looking for great ingredients with natural, fresh, flavours in an enjoyable atmosphere. The waiter might be Frankenstein incarnate, I don’t care the slightest as long as my terrine de foie gras tastes what it should!
Tonight I was surprised to discover that Angus was not alone in vying for the expense bill of businessmen around the city: two blocks from the Presidente Intercontinental hotel in Polanco, a discrete restaurant offer the same “charms” as Angus, though with slightly better quality food (i.e. the meat in your plate is not totally incinerated).
This episode suggests that I need to seriously consider a posting on the sex industry in Mexico City. Let’s see if the hit counter on my blog goes crazy after peppering my text with sensual keywords?
Posted by Serge @ 08:14 PM MEX [Link] [Karma: 1 (+/-)] [1 Comment]
Sunday, March 5, 2006
I’m a confessed fan of a disco in San Jeronimo called “Worka”, yet many of my friends mentioned another very popular place, on the “fresa” end of the scale, named “Hotel” and located on Insurgentes Sur a few blocks after the turn to San Angel.
I found few redeeming characteristics in “Hotel”. Though they apply the “foreigner preference” rule at the entrance, the pack of kids wanting to get in is so dense that it takes a fight anyway to duck under the chains and come into the cavernous place. This is actually both an advantage and a drawback – there is LOTS of space in “Hotel”, perhaps too much, which makes it difficult to build up an atmosphere.
On the negative side, prices are not worth what you get for. Pesos $200 cover for men, Absolut Vodka bottle at Pesos $870 and waiters positively begging for their tip and following you across the disco like stray dogs until you agree to give them a few Pesos. The music was bland and boring, with a sound system designed to make possible friendly conversations but not drum ‘n bass sessions.
The crowd is in their early twenties mostly, slightly older than the babies who just crawled out of their nappies in “Worka”. Not as many beautiful people as in the “Cluv” of Bosques de las Lomas or “Worka” for that matter. Overall, a sore disappointment given the cost and a disco where I won’t go again unless the ownership changes.
Posted by Serge @ 01:04 PM MEX [Link] [Karma: 5 (+/-)] [No Comments]
Saturday, March 4, 2006
Some people will laugh their socks off at what I’m about to write… I’m looking to buy a property in Mexico! Incredible but true, the same guy who used to pour venom on this lovely (ahem) country has gotten to the point where he is considering settling in, at least for a little while. Of course there is more than meet the eye, and in particular the high cost of renting a decent place in the capital, which is a pure and simple waste of money, as well as the realization that the real-estate market is buoyant and a property would make a good investment.
What to buy? The market is crammed with new apartments with prices hovering around US$1000 per square meter. Except I cannot live in an apartment, I need some greasy turf that I can step on in the morning. So the quest for the perfect object is on.
In the meantime, I’m exploring the mortgage market. For any European the first shock will be the interest rates: 12% per annum, compared to around 5.5% in England and less than 4% in France. Gulp, borrowing money doesn’t come cheap here. Banks usually lend up to 80% of the value of the transaction, the remaining 20% needs to be paid from one’s own pocket. Other hurdle, a Mexican credit history is required to obtain a mortgage. Hence it is key to get a credit card as soon as you come to Mexico to build that all-important history (assuming you do pay off your credit card balance on time).
Interestingly, banks do not lend money for you to buy some land and build your dream house on it. I guess I’m going to have to give up on that dream of mine to construct my own Canadian-style log-house in the hills of the West of the capital…
Posted by Serge @ 07:15 AM MEX [Link] [Karma: 1 (+/-)] [14 comments]
Soon I’ll be the only reader of my blog… This is probably true. Blogging about Mexico used to be a mean to express my surprises and frustrations about life in this country. Slowly but surely I have adapted to my environment (don’t worry, I keep on winging and hating the smell of tacos), my reactions have been blunted by time and I noticed that I simply didn’t have much of a keen interest left for writing long, soporific, articles on this forum. So exit Living in Mexico 1.0, and welcome to the brave new world of Living in Mexico 2.0!
This new incarnation of my blog will feature more frequent (if my business schedule permits it), shorter and more factual postings. I promise less endless ramblings and more useful information on topics that could be insightful to people interested in Mexico. Hopefully the result will be a more dynamic and enjoyable site for you my dear Readers.
Posted by Serge @ 06:56 AM MEX [Link] [Karma: 1 (+/-)] [1 Comment]
