Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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Spanish-English dictionaries
Right
Tourist taking a photograph of a
mariachi
Etiquette
!
Courtesy
$
Service
&
Public Toilets
Courtesy is important
in Mexico City, and even
a simple,
buenos días
(good morning), or
buenas tardes
(good
afternoon), is much
appreciated. The Mexican
communication style is
lengthy and indirect;
losing your temper or
complaining about a
situation often makes
people less inclined to
help you out.
@
Friendly and
Many Mexicans will
offer a personal service
in exchange for a small
fee, and there are times
when you may want to
utilize these services.
Hotel and
sitio
taxi
drivers can accompany
you into markets if you
ask them to, wait while
you visit an attraction, or
pick you up at a specified
time - all for a
reasonable charge.
%
Attire
Public toilets are not
common in the city, but
most sit-down
restaurants have clean
bathrooms for their
customers. Many public
bathrooms have an
attendant and you pay a
few pesos to enter; be
certain to take the toilet
paper they hand out.
*
Time
Mexico City is in the
Central Standard Time
Zone, which is 6 hours
behind Greenwich Mean
Time. Although Mexico
City has a reputation for
not being punctual, most
people in tourism and in
business are prompt with
appointments.
Helpful
Mexicans are friendly and
helpful, especially if you
make an attempt to ask
questions in Spanish.
However, they also do
not like to say “no , so
they will often respond to
a question by giving an
answer even if they are
not certain. When
seeking directions, ask
several people. Most
employees take their
own job responsibilities
seriously and will seldom
bend the rules or make
any exceptions.
£
Language
In Mexico City people
dress conservatively;
they wear very little
jewelry, and do not wear
shorts or sandals. They
are tolerant of other
styles of attire; however,
women traveling alone
will do well to dress
conservatively when out
in public to avoid
unwanted attention.
^
Single Women
(
Tipping
A tip of 10% is
standard in restaurants,
but check your bill first as
some restaurants add a
service charge to the
total. For porters and
bellhops, 10 pesos per
bag is enough. Taxi
drivers are tipped if they
provide a special service.
For tour guides, a tip of
50 or more pesos for
four hours is usual.
)
Photography
Mexican
machismo
is
very common in the city,
and can be both a benefit
and a hassle for the
single woman traveling
alone. On the plus side,
men will assist you if you
are in difficulty and male
tour guides may pay you
more attention. You can
minimize advances by
dressing conservatively
and avoiding eye contact.
However, if you are still
approached a simple “no”
and a shake of the head
is often enough. Taking a
seat will lessen the risk
of unwanted attention on
a crowded Metro.
Many Mexicans
speak a few words of
English, especially
college and high school
students, but it helps to
know some basic
phrases for use at
restaurants, with
sitio
taxis, and getting around.
Pick up some useful
Spanish phrases
(see
p126-7)
and carry a
handy Spanish-English
dictionary.
Mexicans are
generally tolerant
towards photographers
taking pictures, but it is
always polite to ask first.
Some people will request
a small payment, and
many indigenous people
will refuse to have their
picture taken.
107
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