Is Mexico Safe? Compared to What?

We've never spent a lot of time in Mexico.  With a lot of journeys all over the world, we somehow bypassed this country to a large extent.  

Mexico is a great place.  We have been here a few days now and already love the people and the land.  There are so many things that are impressive and noteworthy about our southern neighbor.

This is a surprisingly popular place for foreigners to visit.  I've never seen so many Canadians outside of Canada.  And the Americans are thick down here.  

Is it safe here?  Many people ask that question about Mexico.  There are a lot of stories about drugs and violence here.  But we have never felt unsafe for a moment.  The people are wonderful and cheerful and very friendly. 

Like anywhere, you have to use common sense.  Don't go down a dark street late at night.  The same holds true for Chicago, or Portland for that matter.  The people here want a peaceful life.

Of course there is an element of trouble makers like any place.  But that element generally fights among themselves.   We have found the place to be clean and organized and the buses run on time.  Sure, a taxi ride can be a little adventurous, but that's part of the fun. 

It might be a fair question to ask the people here "Is America Safe?"  When we arrived here and stepped off the plane, there was news of yet another hideous shooting at a school in Florida.  The news out of America would frighten many foreigners.  

Yesterday we rode on a five hour bus ride across the outback of Mexico.  It was a modern bus and the roads were good.  My wife and I have been to some pretty dangerous places in our travels, but this is not one of them. 

 

There are a lot of visitors to Mexico

One big plus is the weather.  It's the middle of February and the temperature is mid 80's with bright sunshine.  Doesn't feel like winter down here.  Although Oregon weather is generally quite mild compared to other places, people from other places want to get away from the snow and cold and enjoy some warmth. 

 
The economy here seems fairly healthy.  There is a lot of commerce and business taking place, and construction seems to be pretty active.  

We've been in Ixtapa, on the coast, which is a tourist destination with lots of activities and beaches and hotels and restaurants.  And today traveled to the central highlands of Mexico, to Morelia - we are now in Old Mexico.  

There was a serious elevation gain getting here.  From sea level we climbed up and over an 8,000 foot pass, and settled in at around 6,200 feet altitude.  You find yourself a little out of breath.  But the temperature is still in the 70's with bright sunny days and clear blue skies.

Morelia is a colonial town, with many historic buildings from the days of the Spanish "occupation".   In fact, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  There is a magnificent church cathedral on every corner (at least it seems like it). 

What have we been doing?

Looking back at the last week in Ixtapa, we stayed with friends Ken & Mary and others in a nice deluxe beach side condo.  That is not exactly the way we travel a lot of the time.   Generally we tend to rough it, heading to out-of-the-way places. 
But hey, it sure was nice for a few days. 

Our activities included snorkeling, deep sea fishing, boat rides, fine dining every night, numerous dips in the ocean, observing lots of wildlife (Crocodiles and huge Iguanas), parachute hang gliding, whale watching, acrobats swinging in the air 100 feet off the ground - and playing blues harmonica with the local entertainment at the fancy Valentines Dinner. 

And there was a bit of relaxing in there too.  It's almost like a vacation.  We don't often use that word when are moving around.  We like to say we are travelers on a journey.  But chilling on the beach has its value too!

In Morelia we will spend three days and then travel to Guanajuato, San Miguel, and Leon.  We will be taking public transport.  We like to see how the locals live and get off the beaten path.  

Of primary note - the food here is outstanding.  While near the coast, we feasted on seafood and fish everyday.  Everybody loves Mexican food, and this is the heart of it.