# Canadian Moving to Taxco



## LivingLarge (May 25, 2021)

Hi there everyone! Hannah here...I'm a Canadian, but have been living in Costa Rica for a couple of years. Time to move on, and I'm planning to stay in Mexico for 5 or 6 months starting in late October. I've got my heart set on Taxco, and was wondering about ease of finding a place to rent for that length of time, and maybe some cost guesses? I can't find much for cost of living on Taxco online. I'll be looking for somewhere simple and tidy to live while I finish working on my online business and take some Spanish lessons, go for hikes, walk the cobblestones etc.. (the hills should be GREAT training for upcoming El Camino de Santiago plans!). Would it be possible to just arrive and then look for a rental in person? 

Thanks for any feedback, and of course other comments & suggestions would be wonderful! It's really my first time traveling solo, so it's exciting and a little scary all at the same time.


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## Stevenjb (Dec 10, 2017)

El Camino de Santiago - a venture I would like to experience.

Fear - a thought in our head.


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## surabi (Jan 1, 2017)

I visited Taxco 50 years ago, but I'm not familiar with it as far as giving advice on finding a home or the average cost of living there.

Generally speaking, the best way to find a place anywhere, unless money is no object and you're okay with renting a place for long term sight unseen, is to book a small hotel or Airbnb for the first week or two, and explore and talk to locals. I found a great place in San Miguel de Allende years ago where I stayed for 5 months by doing that- I found it posted on a bulletin board. Even the hotel proprietor or Airbnb host might be able to give you leads- they know you aren't going to continue to stay in their place, paying short term rental prices, when you intend to live in the city full-time, so it's no skin off their nose. I'd assume you have at least some Spanish under your belt, so it's going to be easier for you than for a tourist who doesn't speak the language at all.

Boots on the ground is always the best way to find a place anywhere, unless you already know people there who could secure you a place before you arrive, and of course the best places, in terms of being a great deal, usually get passed around by word of mouth. 

For instance, I look after a little cabin on the property next to me where I live, in Sayulita, for the owners who live in Canada, and am in charge of finding the renters. I have a list of people I know who would love to rent it if it ever becomes available (the guy who's been there for two years is in no mind to move anytime soon), so I would never have to advertise it.


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## LivingLarge (May 25, 2021)

Stevenjb said:


> El Camino de Santiago - a venture I would like to experience.
> 
> Fear - a thought in our head.


I agree wholeheartedly!! Feel the fear and do it anyway...


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## LivingLarge (May 25, 2021)

surabi said:


> I visited Taxco 50 years ago, but I'm not familiar with it as far as giving advice on finding a home or the average cost of living there.
> 
> Hi Surabi! Thanks for the great reply.
> 
> ...


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

The happiness of some are the unhapiness of others. I have friends in Chiapas who are from Taxco. They are from several generations of siversmiths and moved to Chiapas because business for them is way down and there is too much cartel activity in town. I guess it does not affect most of the expats but that is a local point of view. Taxco is still pretty but not what it used to be.


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## LivingLarge (May 25, 2021)

citlali said:


> The happiness of some are the unhapiness of others. I have friends in Chiapas who are from Taxco. They are from several generations of siversmiths and moved to Chiapas because business for them is way down and there is too much cartel activity in town. I guess it does not affect most of the expats but that is a local point of view. Taxco is still pretty but not what it used to be.


That makes sense Citlali... there is usually a significant economic difference between expats and locals, which likely provides an advantageous buffer to many of the challenges of daily life.


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## MangoTango (Feb 8, 2020)

How did you select Taxco ? I think it is a swell place to spend a weekend. (Not the place you want to buy any silver related items). For me - the most special part of Taxco was the grutas outside town. We stayed at the Hotel Montetaxco. Not expensive at all and it certainly offered the best views of the area. (Years back they filmed a famous movie there - I think you can find it on Youtube). At the time of our visit we were in pretty decent physical shape but unless you are an Olympic athlete I'm not sure you would want to walk from the town center to the hotel. They do have a cable car between the hotel and town (which we did not take). There were a gazillion 40+ year old VW bugs which have their front passenger seats removed and act as taxis. 

Taxco is kind of isolated and you say you have an online business. I wonder how the internet service is in Taxco ? 

Not to play the fear/crime card but I think you might not want to venture outside town (on foot) alone. I believe there is a Youtube video on that as well. Someone had a bad experience when they had car trouble outside Taxco. And of course we are talking Guerrero (and I say that even though I love Acapulco).

You might want to expand your search area to include Tepoztlan, Morelos. Has some similar aspects to Taxco eg. weekend crowds, traffic congestion... .(I like to visit there but I wouldn't choose to live there either). AND - at one point earlier this year, due to COVID - they were only allowing residents and maybe those who could prove hotel reservations into town (but that may not be the case any longer).

Where do you live in Costa Rica ?


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## LivingLarge (May 25, 2021)

MangoTango said:


> How did you select Taxco ? I think it is a swell place to spend a weekend. (Not the place you want to buy any silver related items).



Hi Mango Tango! Thanks for such a great reply... it really helps to get multiple views of a place. I've been researching places in Mexico that fit what I'm looking for in a short-term (5 months) experience: away from beaches/inland, not too big but not as tiny as where I've lived for the past two years, some liveliness and culture but not a young party crowd, and somewhere with a small expat community but not overrun. I'm also planning to do the El Camino De Santiago in Spring so somewhere walkable was a must. And cost factored in of course - I'll be mostly working on launching my online business (anti-aging e-course & program), and studying Spanish, so a smaller more isolated location is perfect to help keep me focused. And of course Taxco is absolutely gorgeous! 

Yes, I have been reading similar warnings about solo wandering outside of Taxco, and of Guerrero in general. The consensus amongst locals and expats living there seems to be that, although Guerrero has some issues, Taxco remains a very safe place to live. 

Internet is something I need to confirm with someone living there, but for my purposes, as long as I can get a 10+ Mbps connection, I'm good. Where I live currently is VERY remote, a tiny fishing village at the tip of the Nicoya Peninsula called Cabuya. With a population of 400, I manage quite well with local internet speeds of 10 to 20 Mbps, so hopefully Taxco can match that. 

Are you living in Mexico currently?


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## MangoTango (Feb 8, 2020)

LivingLarge said:


> Hi Mango Tango! Thanks for such a great reply... it really helps to get multiple views of a place. I've been researching places in Mexico that fit what I'm looking for in a short-term (5 months) experience: away from beaches/inland, not too big but not as tiny as where I've lived for the past two years, some liveliness and culture but not a young party crowd, and somewhere with a small expat community but not overrun. I'm also planning to do the El Camino De Santiago in Spring so somewhere walkable was a must. And cost factored in of course - I'll be mostly working on launching my online business (anti-aging e-course & program), and studying Spanish, so a smaller more isolated location is perfect to help keep me focused. And of course Taxco is absolutely gorgeous!
> 
> Yes, I have been reading similar warnings about solo wandering outside of Taxco, and of Guerrero in general. The consensus amongst locals and expats living there seems to be that, although Guerrero has some issues, Taxco remains a very safe place to live.
> 
> ...


Yes I have lived in Mexico for going on 10 years now and am a dual-national (US/Mexico). I don't think I have left Mexico in 6 or 7 years.
I have no idea what the local newspapers are in Taxco, but I am sure they will have some sort of online presence. You need to read the crime/security/sos pages on those sites to get a true sense of crime. 
You need to determine which company will be providing your internet connectivity. A lot of companies (Telmex) don't provide nearly what they promise.
I have no idea what the " El Camino De Santiago" is - but I'm not sure 'walkable' is an attribute I would use in reference to Taxco.
I guess gorgeous is in the eye of the beholder - but for me - multi colored houses - in and of itself does not make a place gorgeous.

Anyway - sorry if I come across as negative - just my honest impressions. Good luck in your endeavors. 

PS : Between lives I spent some time in the jungles outside Limon. So small in fact we had a private air strip. And some of our best vacations were on the other coast by Ocotal.


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## surabi (Jan 1, 2017)

Living Large- Sayulita has become a crammed full of tourists town. One of the reasons I finally bought a lot and built a house here after renting for several years is because there were becoming fewer and fewer places that were affordable to rent for locals. Not so bad in the hot humid summer, but then come autumn, the owners want to rent to tourists for big bucks. 

When I bought my lot here, it was considered to be out in the boonies, even though it's only a 5 minute drive into town, and I was pretty much out here alone. Now, 14 years later, I have lots of neighbors. And there is not really anything to rent out here long term for what you would probably budget for. The little place next to me rents for 5000 pesis/month, but that's only because the owners (two sisters in their 30's and 40's- it was their mom's, who was a friend of mine, but she died 3 years ago) don't really care to make a bunch of money on it- they are happy to have a good renter in there and me look after whatever comes up and not have to do anything.

Many locals now live in neighboring towns and commute if they work here, because there is just little housing available of the type you'd be looking for.

But if you wanted to just come visit and check out the area, I have a guest room I normally Airbnb, that I've had closed to bookings since March 2020 due to Covid, as guests share my kitchen and I'm still I'm still waiting for my second vax. So you could get in touch with me if you wanted to come stay for a couple weeks at some point. I just wouldn't rent that room long term because I don't want a full-time roommate.


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## LivingLarge (May 25, 2021)

surabi said:


> Living Large- Sayulita has become a crammed full of tourists town. One of the reasons I finally bought a lot and built a house here after renting for several years is because there were becoming fewer and fewer places that were affordable to rent for locals.



Thanks Surabi.. that sounds very much like what is happening in many areas in Costa Rica, including Cabuya. It's one of the reasons I'm feeling more and more interested in living in the mountains vs. beach. Thanks for your great information!


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

Mango maybe you should get a little curious about the Camino a SIantago de Compostela.. It is the route of a pilgrimage going back to the Early Middle Ages probaby..honoring St James the Apostle that was supposed to have preached the gospel in the Asturias. In Paris Rue St Jacques near the Sorbonne was one of the many points of the pilgrimage.. My dream would have been to have gone from Le Puy in France cross the Massif Central and the Pyrenees but I am running out of time.. If you like to hike it is prfect because there were places to sleep and eat every 25 km.. Now you can still get your papers stamped at each refuge.. and then make it to Siantago de Compostela.. I still may try it in May.. It is my mother´s 100th birthday and I could just go for a nice walk after the party...


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## surabi (Jan 1, 2017)

MangoTango said:


> I have no idea what the " El Camino De Santiago" is - but I'm not sure 'walkable' is an attribute I would use in reference to Taxco.


Walkable to most people means that there are shops, restaurants, etc. within walking distance, as opposed to having to get in a vehicle and drive to them.

Of course if someone has mobility issues, they probably wouldn't consider a town with steep hills, and cobblestone roads with no sidewalks to be walkable, but for someone planning to do a pilgrimage walk, or something like that, it would be a good way to get yourself in shape.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

Over the years, I have spent a lot of time in Spain, both on vacations and for longer stays, working as an English teacher. One of my vacations was spent in Galicia (the NW corner of the country, with roots in Celtic culture), in Santiago de Compostela, the end of the Camino de Santiago. It's a beautiful city, with amazing medieval architecture to feast your eyes (and camera) on, not to mention plenty of seafood to feast on, and a friendly, welcoming populace.


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## MangoTango (Feb 8, 2020)

I'm sure it is on a much smaller scale - but around here there is the pilgrimage to Chalma. For maybe the better part of a week there are many people. most with bedding material on their backs, walking along the side of the road. At times there are truck loads of people.

Mexico’s second-biggest pilgrimage site has its own indigenous origin story

Of course if you were to live in Taxco you would likely need to enjoy walking because you could spend half a day sitting in a taxi as it tried to make the loop through town (because of the grid-locked traffic).


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

I always thought the cruisades and pilgrimages were the middle ages versions of vacations. It was an excuses to make points with Gods and get away from ther dreary life.. Interestingly enough when I got to Mexico I found out that the gardener refused to take vacations but always ask for time off to go to the pilgrimage to the Guadaupe in Mexico or to Talpa .. He would walk to Talpa and also walked partly in parts to Mexico.
In France the Camino started from Paris and went to the border and also from the Puy to the borber and then on to Spain and it was the same in many countries, people would take off for a year or years at a time to walk to Santiago..
Now people chose to do a 100 km or several 100 kms at a crack and return to do a different part of the walk over the years..
The Catholic church being smart always had pilgrimages going to sacred places and in many cases those places wherer the place where other deities were revered before the Catholic Saints were.. It would be interesting to find out what was special about those places before the Catholic church chose ithem but I bet some pagan deity or credence was linked to these places. Of course some places were chosen at random as well because the church needed some more money in their coffers as well, like the grottes of the virgin in Lourdes.


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## surabi (Jan 1, 2017)

citlali said:


> I always thought the cruisades and pilgrimages were the middle ages versions of vacations. It was an excuses to make points with Gods and get away from ther dreary life..


Interesting idea and likely true. One of my daughters has done the Santiago camino and others and certainly not for religious or historical reasons. She's a runner who likes to challenge herself physically and she also loves travel. 

She researched lots of them, and some aren't recommended for women travelling alone, so she chose ones that were, as I guess they have more people doing them, so you wouldn't find yourself totally alone in some remote area.

She did one in Sweden that she quit partway through, as the terrain was really difficult and rocky, it would have been easy to break an ankle, and her feet really hurt, even though she regularly runs 20 km and has participated in "Tough Mudders" races (watch the videos if you're curious), so it must have been quite rough.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

surabi said:


> Interesting idea and likely true. One of my daughters has done the Santiago camino and others and certainly not for religious or historical reasons. She's a runner who likes to challenge herself physically and she also loves travel.
> 
> She researched lots of them, and some aren't recommended for women travelling alone, so she chose ones that were, as I guess they have more people doing them, so you wouldn't find yourself totally alone in some remote area.
> 
> She did one in Sweden that she quit partway through, as the terrain was really difficult and rocky, it would have been easy to break an ankle, and her feet really hurt, even though she regularly runs 20 km and has participated in "Tough Mudders" races (watch the videos if you're curious), so it must have been quite rough.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

Thanks for your input. I will be doing the one from Le Puy or Vezelay that is well travelld with family who are Spanish and French so it will be safe.. No intention of running it either.. 

I have not don in Mexico but I would think it is interesting as well..The problem seems to be that a lot of the routes take regular roads and that I have no interest in.
In a couple of years , I will do one in Chiapas from Tenejapa to a lake where a Maya godess is supposed to live. They have selected a virgin and her mother to do a huipil for the godess of the lake. They walk from all over and spend the night in a small chapel praying , singing and getting high. In the morning the virgin with the rest of the people walks to the lake and then passes the huipil to a priest (mayordomo) who floats the huipil on the water. When it sinks they say that the gift has been accepted.
The virgin is not supposed to get married as long as she is doing the huipil and until they find the next virgin. They believe that if she goes with a man before her charge is done , she will die.

That is the Mexican pilgrimage I will do in 2 years.. They only do it every 3 years.. 

I was shown a tape of the ceremony and it was obvious to me that it was about the sacrifice of a virgin , in the old days. When I asked if before a woman was sacrificed and I was told yes.. A little chilling..


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

citlali said:


> Thanks for your input. I will be doing the one from Le Puy or Vezelay that is well travelld with family who are Spanish and French so it will be safe.. No intention of running it either..
> 
> I have not don in Mexico but I would think it is interesting as well..The problem seems to be that a lot of the routes take regular roads and that I have no interest in.
> In a couple of years , I will do one in Chiapas from Tenejapa to a lake where a Maya godess is supposed to live. They have selected a virgin and her mother to do a huipil for the godess of the lake. They walk from all over and spend the night in a small chapel praying , singing and getting high. In the morning the virgin with the rest of the people walks to the lake and then passes the huipil to a priest (mayordomo) who floats the huipil on the water. When it sinks they say that the gift has been accepted.
> ...


More than a little chilling. I wonder when "the old days" ended.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

Isla Verde said:


> More than a little chilling. I wonder when "the old days" ended.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

Good question, I was wondering too. I know several anthropologists and I am going to ask them if they know the lake and if they have ever explored it .. It is a little isolated so who knows.. It is on the limit of the municiaplaity of Tenejapa and Chamula. The Chamulans also recver the lake or its Goddess but they only burn candles and burn copal.
I haf red the young girl that haf been found sacrificed in the Andes had probably drugged before being sacrificed and I wonder if the same happened there . They spent the nice drinking so maybe the virgin would drink until she passed out and was passed out when they put her on the water.. The way they carried the huipil and floated it on the lake was really spooky. It was interesting to me that when I asked I was told yes .. The Spamiards arrived 500 years ago and it is hard to believe they would have been that positive about something that happened 500 years ago unless some research had been done more recently and it is common knowledge that virgins were sacrificed to the Godess of the lake....or may be they did not understand really what I was asking..
I am invited so when I go , I may learn more..


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

citlali said:


> Good question, I was wondering too. I know several anthropologists and I am going to ask them if they know the lake and if they have ever explored it .. It is a little isolated so who knows.. It is on the limit of the municiaplaity of Tenejapa and Chamula. The Chamulans also recver the lake or its Goddess but they only burn candles and burn copal.
> I haf red the young girl that haf been found sacrificed in the Andes had probably drugged before being sacrificed and I wonder if the same happened there . They spent the nice drinking so maybe the virgin would drink until she passed out and was passed out when they put her on the water.. The way they carried the huipil and floated it on the lake was really spooky. It was interesting to me that when I asked I was told yes .. The Spamiards arrived 500 years ago and it is hard to believe they would have been that positive about something that happened 500 years ago unless some research had been done more recently and it is common knowledge that virgins were sacrificed to the Godess of the lake....or may be they did not understand really what I was asking..
> I am invited so when I go , I may learn more..


Fascinating stuff! Has anything been written about this (hopefully) no-longer-practiced example of "usos y costumbres"?


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## surabi (Jan 1, 2017)

citlali said:


> No intention of running it either..


Haha. My daughter didn't run those caminos, she walked like everyone else. She's just one of those crazed sporty types who goes out running 4 or 5 mornings a week for anywhere from 15-25 km, just for fun. (Actually it's physically addictive, as it floods the body with endorphins, so if they don't go running every few days, they feel stressed out and antsy, the same way alcoholics might need a drink).


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## MangoTango (Feb 8, 2020)

surabi said:


> Haha. My daughter didn't run those caminos, she walked like everyone else. She's just one of those crazed sporty types who goes out running 4 or 5 mornings a week for anywhere from 15-25 km, just for fun. (Actually it's physically addictive, as it floods the body with endorphins, so if they don't go running every few days, they feel stressed out and antsy, the same way alcoholics might need a drink).


I had forgotten that period of my life. Between the ages of maybe 13-17 I ran something like 10-12 miles almost every afternoon. I grew up in a kind of 'rough' neighborhood and there really wasn't much to do. There was a dirt field nearby and 5 laps was about a mile. I would get 'high' after about 3 miles. Most every run I had to push my fingers into my sides to get rid of cramps, and run through it. And in those days there weren't fancy running shoes like today. I ran in something like 'Keds'. That early training had a huge impact on my high school athletics.


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## LivingLarge (May 25, 2021)

citlali said:


> Mango maybe you should get a little curious about the Camino a SIantago de Compostela.. It is the route of a pilgrimage going back to the Early Middle Ages probaby.


Citlali and Mango, if you haven't seen the movie with Martin Sheen (The Way), check it out. I have a few friends who have either walked the El Camino or are actually currently doing so, and this movie is fairly true to life according to them. Plus it's a fun way to get excited about going!  I'm actually planning to start in May, so maybe I'll see you there Citlali!


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## LivingLarge (May 25, 2021)

Isla Verde said:


> Over the years, I have spent a lot of time in Spain, both on vacations and for longer stays, working as an English teacher. One of my vacations was spent in Galicia (the NW corner of the country, with roots in Celtic culture), in Santiago de Compostela, the end of the Camino de Santiago. It's a beautiful city, with amazing medieval architecture to feast your eyes (and camera) on, not to mention plenty of seafood to feast on, and a friendly, welcoming populace.


That's wonderful to hear Isla... I'm really looking forward to experiencing Spain and Spanish culture.


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## LivingLarge (May 25, 2021)

citlali said:


> The Catholic church being smart always had pilgrimages going to sacred places and in many cases those places wherer the place where other deities were revered before the Catholic Saints were.. It would be interesting to find out what was special about those places before the Catholic church chose ithem but I bet some pagan deity or credence was linked to these places. Of course some places were chosen at random as well because the church needed some more money in their coffers as well, like the grottes of the virgin in Lourdes.


That's so true... not identifying as Christian myself I don't necessarily feel a strong religious energy for doing the walk, but who knows once I"m out there. I know the gypsies had/have a few sacred or magical spots out that way, so perhaps that would be a place to start researching possible deities or significance outside of the Catholic church.


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## LivingLarge (May 25, 2021)

MangoTango said:


> I had forgotten that period of my life. Between the ages of maybe 13-17 I ran something like 10-12 miles almost every afternoon. I grew up in a kind of 'rough' neighborhood and there really wasn't much to do. There was a dirt field nearby and 5 laps was about a mile. I would get 'high' after about 3 miles. Most every run I had to push my fingers into my sides to get rid of cramps, and run through it. And in those days there weren't fancy running shoes like today. I ran in something like 'Keds'. That early training had a huge impact on my high school athletics.


Mango, you were probably better off with your Keds... I'm a big believer in not excessively padding or otherwise overprotecting the feet, so go barefoot or in simple Teva sports sandals all the time. I'm actually considering doing the entire Camino (the 850km one starting in France) barefoot, with the Teva's in tow just for in town/paved roads. Thought it would be an interesting challenge, and to see how my feet and the rest of my body fares as a result.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

Where are you planning to start in France? I cannot wear any kind of tennis , none of them are comfortable to me and teva are great. Actually here I go i men s huaraches and I have been doing so for ever. barefooted. flip flop or teva I say.


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## MangoTango (Feb 8, 2020)

LivingLarge said:


> Mango, you were probably better off with your Keds... I'm a big believer in not excessively padding or otherwise overprotecting the feet, so go barefoot or in simple Teva sports sandals all the time. I'm actually considering doing the entire Camino (the 850km one starting in France) barefoot, with the Teva's in tow just for in town/paved roads. Thought it would be an interesting challenge, and to see how my feet and the rest of my body fares as a result.


Long before it was chic to work remotely I worked out of the house maybe 3 weeks out of the month. I had daily Skype sessions to start the day and report progress with others. But my point is - I went _years_ without putting on a pair of shoes. (I opted for my Rainbow flip-flops). Years later I had a podiatrist tell me that is what probably led to my falling arches...

There is an interesting guy on Youtube called Cruzan Mongoose. He lives on St Croix USVI - a place I spent time in my early twenties. Anyway - this guy has something like 25+ videos where he started walking around the coastline and completed the loop, walking in the water, on the hard/sharp coral, really challenging rocky areas, walking on sea urchins etc and he did most of it barefoot. Have you ever stepped on a sea urchin ?


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## LivingLarge (May 25, 2021)

citlali said:


> Where are you planning to start in France? I cannot wear any kind of tennis , none of them are comfortable to me and teva are great. Actually here I go i men s huaraches and I have been doing so for ever. barefooted. flip flop or teva I say.


I was going to start at *St.* *Jean Pied-du-Port in France*, though I have a 'bucket list' desire to spend a weekend in Paris, so I will likely start there before making my way to St. Jean... yep, I'm with you on the footwear.


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## LivingLarge (May 25, 2021)

MangoTango said:


> Anyway - this guy has something like 25+ videos where he started walking around the coastline and completed the loop, walking in the water, on the hard/sharp coral, really challenging rocky areas, walking on sea urchins etc and he did most of it barefoot. Have you ever stepped on a sea urchin ?


Never! And hope never to do so....  A lot of locals here in Cabuya go barefoot, on unpaved, really sharp, rocky terrain and rocky beaches. I've been practicing, so hopefully my feet will be ready to give it a go in the Spring!


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

When you are in St Jean Pied de Port visit the modern cellar .. ay I forgot their names. any how they have a great modern cellar and have dwarf goats eating the grass in their vineayrds. They make Irroulegy wines , of course and also eau de vies with mountain berries.. Great place to start... It is a beautiful area. The young man may not be so young any longer would routinely walk to Spain with his dogs to go hunting..
My grand mother was raised on a farm inthe mountains and when I was a kid you could hear people smuggling at night and passing the small horses to take them to Italy. There was a lot of smuggling back then,,, We used to go to the Feria in Pamplona and Bayonne in July..those were the days..


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

Domaine Brana, I think it was called, a brother and a sister ran it. They had the most indredible musique of Basque men choirs in the cellars and their products are excellent .. visit the vineyards too..They are worth a visit. St Jean Pied de port is also great especially in th summer when they have the chistera and pelote games and the festivals After St Etienne you may even pass on the Spanish side via the village I got my family name from "Ordoqui.". small world

I have walked barefooted or in flip flops since I was a kid and my arch has yet to fall.. I do not believe that walking without good shoes makes any difference. I hate enclosed shoes and for the last 20 years have not worn them rain or shine..


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

Mango 
Sea urchins are to be eaten, not stepped on!!


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## MangoTango (Feb 8, 2020)

citlali said:


> Mango
> Sea urchins are to be eaten, not stepped on!!


Once - on a night dive - I managed to sit on one !


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## surabi (Jan 1, 2017)

I'm a barefoot gal myself, and never wear shoes around my place or my countryside neighborhood. My feet are really tough. I feel sorry for people who have such sensitive feet from always wearing shoes that they are obviously in extreme pain just walking from their towel to the water if they are on a rocky beach or the sand is a bit hot. 
When I go out, it's flipflops. It feels so weird to put shoes on again when I go up to Canada once a year for a month.

No, flip flops don't lead to fallen arches. Many people's arches fall when they age, or not, as the cadse may be. 

BTW, if we call them running shoes, we are really showing our age. They're called "trainers" now, even if you only wear them to walk from your house to your car and from your car into the store


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

MangoTango said:


> Once - on a night dive - I managed to sit on one !


😀 you made me laugh on that one! I bet you did not sit very long..

Gypsies in that area are Catholic and do not have a whole lot of weird rituals. My grand father let them camp on his land in exchange for not robbing the villagers so they robbed the next village.. Being vry rebellius , I had a gypsy boyfriend.. a tabou int house days so I am pretty familiar with their way of life. By the way in May they have a huge festival in Camargue in Saintes Maries de la mer...
They come from all over Europe to honor Sainte Sarah their Patron. She was supposed to be dark skinned and was the servant of 3 Maries, Marie Madeleine, Marie Salome and another Marie who where supposed to be the first women who were present at the opening of Jesus tomb. . They somehow drifted there and were with their Egyptian servant Sarah.

Well Sarah being dark is the patron saint of the gypsies and they come or used to com, I do not know anymore .. in May. It was a huge scen of music and fiesta.. pretty fabulous if you were with one of them,
The place is not far from Arles another starting point for the Camino de Santiago. and not that far by car...If you have time in May go ther and cross the Cathar country , it is beautiful and you will not see many tourists.

I will be starting from Vezelay after the 24th of May so we will miss each other... 

I was just trying to get the consulat to tell me about health passes because without them right now it is a real pain and it is expensive to keep getting tst to do anything. I am vaccinated with Sinovac which is not recognize so I am fighting that battl now..In May everything will be differnt , hopefully for the better but who knows.


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## MangoTango (Feb 8, 2020)

surabi said:


> I'm a barefoot gal myself, and never wear shoes around my place or my countryside neighborhood. My feet are really tough. I feel sorry for people who have such sensitive feet from always wearing shoes that they are obviously in extreme pain just walking from their towel to the water if they are on a rocky beach or the sand is a bit hot.
> When I go out, it's flipflops. It feels so weird to put shoes on again when I go up to Canada once a year for a month.
> 
> No, flip flops don't lead to fallen arches. Many people's arches fall when they age, or not, as the cadse may be.
> ...


Well if you were to walk barefoot in my backyard you would be one of Cruz Roja's favorite clients. Not nearly a day goes by that I don't come across an alacran - and apparently the going rate these days is 800 pesos at Cruz Roja for treatment (plus the 100 peso entrance fee) - and that really is THE place to have it taken care of. Even wearing my flip-flops in the yard is taking a chance.

And then we have the fire ants. We have been spraying a Carex like chemical around the perimeter of the lot every few weeks or so and that has kept things under control somewhat.

Apparently you are correct. The principal reasons for falling arches are; high blood pressure (guilty), a long history of running (guilty), aging (guilty) and large feet (size 13).

As for the use of 'trainers' versus 'running shoes' - you will need to inform Amazon - or perhaps Jeff Bezos is showing his age at 57. When I search Amazon for 'trainers' it comes up with more walking shoes type hits.


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## LivingLarge (May 25, 2021)

citlali said:


> I have walked barefooted or in flip flops since I was a kid and my arch has yet to fall.. I do not believe that walking without good shoes makes any difference. I hate enclosed shoes and for the last 20 years have not worn them rain or shine..


Oh that sounds incredible! I'm a lover of artisan food and drink, one of the main reasons I'm so excited to do this pilgrimage is to sample local flavours like the ones you describe. Wonderful! And yes, I agree - I've been in open sandals or barefoot for most of the past 10 years, and my feet are healthier than ever.


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## LivingLarge (May 25, 2021)

surabi said:


> No, flip flops don't lead to fallen arches. Many people's arches fall when they age, or not, as the cadse may be.
> 
> BTW, if we call them running shoes, we are really showing our age. They're called "trainers" now, even if you only wear them to walk from your house to your car and from your car into the store


I've always felt that it's the wearing of too much support in our footwear that leads to stress injuries and the like... feels like all that 'support' just makes the muscles and ligaments in our feet and ankles lazy, and then when we do walk without the support, we are more likely to injure ourselves. Humans walked and ran everywhere for thousands of years without arch supports.  Just need something strapped on the soles to protect from stepping on broken glass or dog poop while in towns and cities.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

On the 23rd 24th of May you should go to the Stes Maries.. If you like to experience differnt types of cultures.. You can hear Tzigane music, flaminco , all gypsy music. It is quite an experience but watch your wallet...Then you can always go to the Basque country in St Jean Pied de Port.. You will cross the French Catalan country then the Basque Country...
My mother 100 will be on the 24th so I am done for that day... but if sh does not make it , I certainly will be there..


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## LivingLarge (May 25, 2021)

citlali said:


> I was just trying to get the consulat to tell me about health passes because without them right now it is a real pain and it is expensive to keep getting tst to do anything. I am vaccinated with Sinovac which is not recognize so I am fighting that battl now..In May everything will be differnt , hopefully for the better but who knows.


I was thinking the same thing - one of the reasons I'm going to ride out the winter in Mexico before attempting to do more traveling, including the El Camino. I'm REALLY hoping the world will have calmed down somewhat by then!


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## LivingLarge (May 25, 2021)

citlali said:


> On the 23rd 24th of May you should go to the Stes Maries.. If you like to experience differnt types of cultures.. You can hear Tzigane music, flaminco , all gypsy music. It is quite an experience but watch your wallet...Then you can always go to the Basque country in St Jean Pied de Port.. You will cross the French Catalan country then the Basque Country...
> My mother 100 will be on the 24th so I am done for that day... but if sh does not make it , I certainly will be there..


Oh wow... thanks for the tip! I'd LOVE to experience that! Gives me a good starting date to aim for too. Here's hoping your mum reaches that milestone of 100!


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## surabi (Jan 1, 2017)

MangoTango said:


> Well if you were to walk barefoot in my backyard you would be one of Cruz Roja's favorite clients. Not nearly a day goes by that I don't come across an alacran -


Oh, there's plenty of alacrans where I live, too, as well as biting ants. I've been stung several times over the years, but I've never had one of those reactions where one's throat start to close up, and have never gone to the hospital for anti-venom.

And I've only stepped on one once, and that was in my bedroom, not outside. Not bad after going barefoot here for 18 years. 

All the other stings were on my hands, picking up something without looking.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

My husband was stung 3 times by scorpions and never had a bad reaction , I got lucky never stepped on one and I walk barefoot and in the dark at night.. Fire ants , I stepped on a nest once in Alabama when my car broke down and that I have never forgotten and I had shoes on.. 
I think that if you walk barefoot you are more aware of the ground and what you step on.. I haver never hurt myself badly.

I too got more things biting my hands than my feet..In Chiapas we have tons of those black caterpillar that burn if you touch them. I have never stepped on one but I have been stung by them many times looking for snails,and other things in the garden


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## MangoTango (Feb 8, 2020)

.


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## surabi (Jan 1, 2017)

I've had bad reaction, like feeling shivery and weird, with my throat burning for a couple days, but no reaction where I couldn't breath, nothing life-threatening. When I got stung on the base of my thumb it took 4 months to fully get the feeling back in my thumb.

The tiny light colored scorpions pack a bigger whallop than the larger, brown ones. 

If you ice a sting right away, it helps, and the spear-like plant refered to as mother-in-laws tongue, cut up in pieces and pounded into a mash as a poultice also does.


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## MangoTango (Feb 8, 2020)

We have four distinct types of scorpions here. Black/brown ones, red ones, white ones and translucent ones.
The black ones are not a big deal. The others are taken very seriously.

I once had a scorpion crawl up into my shorts as I sat on a sofa. It stung my thumb. It could have been worse.

We also have black widow spiders, centipedes and snakes. We have these tiny little foot long, worm shaped snakes that scare the heck out of the campesinos in our community. 

Now bringing that back into the Taxco context - Taxco is a lot more arid than where we live. What we have here they have in abundance.


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## surabi (Jan 1, 2017)

MangoTango said:


> I once had a scorpion crawl up into my shorts as I sat on a sofa. It stung my thumb. It could have been worse.


And what was your thumb doing down your shorts?  Never mind, you don't have to answer that.


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## MangoTango (Feb 8, 2020)

surabi said:


> And what was your thumb doing down your shorts?  Never mind, you don't have to answer that.


Ha ha. If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so is perversion. 

I happened to be sitting in the community tv room at college when I felt something crawl up my shorts. I instinctively tried to swat it away. After getting zapped I waddled my way to the nearest restroom and after shaking out my shorts the scorpion fell into the bowl.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

MangoTango said:


> Ha ha. If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so is perversion.
> 
> I happened to be sitting in the community tv room at college when I felt something crawl up my shorts. I instinctively tried to swat it away. After getting zapped I waddled my way to the nearest restroom and after shaking out my shorts the scorpion fell into the bowl.


I'm glad you cleared that up!


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## MangoTango (Feb 8, 2020)

Isla Verde said:


> I'm glad you cleared that up!


Thank you for your contribution !


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## surabi (Jan 1, 2017)

My very first scorpion sting, back in my early 20s, was from a pair of shorts. I was camping in Puerto Escondido at the trailer park, and a woman I had met who was living in a cabin up the beach gave me a pair of shorts one day, saying they were too small for her, maybe they'd fit me. I went to try them on and a scorpion inside them stung me on the thigh.


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## MangoTango (Feb 8, 2020)

For our 39 years of marriage we have always had a household full of indoor cats. They are the best protection from pests inside the house.

At one point we moved into a 'very nice' house in Austin Texas which had been vacant for a period (boom/bust). The AC/heat vents were at ceiling level. At times we could sit in the living room and just watch the small white scorpions drop from the vents...


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

After reading about all of these adventures with scorpions and their ilk, I am happy I live in Mexico City, where the only wee creatures I have run into are the infamous "cucarachas"! In my case I haven't seen any for many years, thanks to the skills of my neighborhood exterminator.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

I wish you a Buen Camino en route to Santiago. I have walked to Santiago three times, twice from St Jean Pied de Port in France, and once from Seville. It is a wonderful experience.


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## eastwind (Jun 18, 2016)

Isla Verde said:


> After reading about all of these adventures with scorpions and their ilk, I am happy I live in Mexico City, where the only wee creatures I have run into are the infamous "cucarachas"! In my case I haven't seen any for many years, thanks to the skills of my neighborhood exterminator.


Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. On the 9th floor there's less to contend with than there was in my 2nd floor apartment in the same building. Dunno as I'd want to live on the 9th floor in an earthquake zone like CDMX though.

Scorpions? Your definition of paradise and mine are vastly different.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

eastwind said:


> Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. On the 9th floor there's less to contend with than there was in my 2nd floor apartment in the same building. Dunno as I'd want to live on the 9th floor in an earthquake zone like CDMX though.
> 
> Scorpions? Your definition of paradise and mine are vastly different.


I wouldn't want to live on the 9th floor of any building in Mexico City either. Luckily, my sturdy, old building only has 3 floors (Mexican style), and I live on the top floor, more sunshine and birdsong.

I don't understand your comment about my definition of paradise. Please explain.


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## eastwind (Jun 18, 2016)

Sorry, that throw away line wasn't directed at you Isla, it was directed at the people that want to live in places with scorpions. They have chosen their paradise, as we all have, and theirs has scorpions, so that boggles my mind. My paradise has humidity, and I don't like it either, and can only stand it by staying indoors a lot during the day in the humid season, so I get that there are always tradeoffs, but, scorpions?


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

I am not sure what the big deal is about scorpions , black widows etc..They are sharing the planet with us and have been there longer than we have , I lived in a bayou on Mobile bay and we had way more snakes and bugs than we have here. Yes there are scropions and spiders but I have been here 20 years, , walk barefoot at all time in the garden and in the house and we have yet to have a problem with any of these bugs.. People are making a big deal out of nothing. There are also Africanized bees and I am sure plenty of other things that bite and sting but as a rule everyone minds their own business and everything is fine.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

eastwind said:


> Sorry, that throw away line wasn't directed at you Isla, it was directed at the people that want to live in places with scorpions. They have chosen their paradise, as we all have, and theirs has scorpions, so that boggles my mind. My paradise has humidity, and I don't like it either, and can only stand it by staying indoors a lot during the day in the humid season, so I get that there are always tradeoffs, but, scorpions?


Paradise, eh? I like living in Mexico City, but I wouldn't call it "paradise". In fact, I've never really sought out a perfect place to live, just one where I am reasonably content.


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## MangoTango (Feb 8, 2020)

In Florida we had termites and bees and snakes. That is where I learned that if I get stung by a bee it is a big deal. The house we inherited had a massive cactus garden. I once opened the front door and as I about to place my foot down there was a piggy rattler with its little tail active. I don't know what ever happened to that snake - I never saw it again.

I hate to jinx it - but we have gone perhaps 2 maybe 3 years without a serious African been problem here. They are amazing to watch. There are thousands of them and they can form a home in an hour. I think three times now we have had the bomberos rid us of the bee hives. The bomberos come by in the middle of the night and they really have a technique. I've no doubt those bees could kill me in a very short time.

Yesterday I got bit by a single fire ant and nearly stepped on a single scorpion. We have this powder we use for the ants called something like Tuscan3. 

We lived many many years in Miami. I think the reason I like Cancun so much is because it is basically Miami. The greatest threats in Cancun are the potential hurricanes (and crime). There really isn't much distance between Puerto Aventuras and Cancun. I, personally, LOVE humidity - as long as I am dressed appropriately. 

Here - we live in a house made of vigas. Hundreds of them. We have had to replace one massive viga because of termites. Took 6-8 men half a day to replace. Just got a quote from a carpenter (recommended by a friend). 23,600 pesos to bring all our vigas back into good shape. (We did that perhaps 5/6 years ago also).


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## surabi (Jan 1, 2017)

eastwind said:


> My paradise has humidity, and I don't like it either, and can only stand it by staying indoors a lot during the day in the humid season, so I get that there are always tradeoffs, but, scorpions?


For starters, what makes you assume that we consider where we live to be "paradise?"
I like a lot of things about where I live, but I wouldn't call anywhere paradise. Any place has its pros and cons. 
Where I lived in Canada has bears and cougars. When I was visiting my daughter up there this summer, you can't take your eye off the 2 year old when she is playing outsude, or stray far from her- a cougar can snatch a kid in the blink of an eye. I knew a woman whose 8 year old son was killed by a cougar.

There are millions of insects everywhere, unless you live far from nature in some sterile environment. I'll take scorpions over that any day. I would hate to be so fearful that I literally couldn't understand why anyone would live where there is actually wildlife, and yes, some of it is dangerous.


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## MangoTango (Feb 8, 2020)

LivingLarge said:


> Yes, I have been reading similar warnings about solo wandering outside of Taxco, and of Guerrero in general. The consensus amongst locals and expats living there seems to be that, although Guerrero has some issues, Taxco remains a very safe place to live.


So today is garden day here. I generally work with our gardener and we talk a lot. 

Yesterday morning at 9AM his cousin had his car stolen at gunpoint by what he says were youngsters. Then the conversation kind of evolved into safety in Mexico. His wife's family is from Taxco. In their opinion Taxco has become so dangerous that they have recently left and now live in Morelos.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

MangoTango said:


> So today is garden day here. I generally work with our gardener and we talk a lot.
> 
> Yesterday morning at 9AM his cousin had his car stolen at gunpoint by what he says were youngsters. Then the conversation kind of evolved into safety in Mexico. His wife's family is from Taxco. In their opinion Taxco has become so dangerous that they have recently left and now live in Morelos.


¡Qué lástima! I am more grateful than ever to be living in my safe little corner of big, bad Mexico City.


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