# best way to explore Mexico



## Ross&MaryAnn (Dec 28, 2017)

Hi! My husband and I are planning a trip to Mexico this summer to explore a few areas we are thinking of retiring in. What is the best way to book this trip? Should we rent a car? Can we rely on transportation to look at different areas/homes for sale? Is there someone who can guide us? We are thinking of moving to the the Aguacalientes area or somewhere around Morellia. We would prefer to live in a somewhat rural area rather than a big city. How do we choose a real estate agent or construction company to build a home? Who can we trust? Thanks so much!


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

Please don‘t bite off more than you can chew in one trip. If you are not familiar with a particular area, renting a car may not be all that helpful. I suggest that you find a central location to stay, then contact a realtor, if there are any, to show you listings. Naturally, you should make arrangements with a local realtor, online, well before your arrival. He will want to know a lot about what you are looking for.
Rural areas are not adviseable; even farmers live in town. If you are not familiar with Mexican architecture, building methods and customs. You may want to just be a tourist for a bit longer, before buying, and get to meet people and visit various homes, and areas around the city you choose. Of course, being able to speak Spanish will be a great advantage, if you are able.
Local transportation is very inexpensive by bus or taxi. Some areas have colectivos, too. Car rentals are very expensive and parking is often a problem, especially for strangers.
You did not state the length of your visit, but you will soon find that _Mexican time_ will be a new experience. Our rule was to plan only one thing per day, then spend the remaining time just enjoying ourselves chatting with folks, eating, wandering about, etc.


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## eastwind (Jun 18, 2016)

Can't really trust anybody, best thing is to rent for the first year.


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## lat19n (Aug 19, 2017)

Ross&MaryAnn said:


> Hi! My husband and I are planning a trip to Mexico this summer to explore a few areas we are thinking of retiring in. What is the best way to book this trip? Should we rent a car? Can we rely on transportation to look at different areas/homes for sale? Is there someone who can guide us? We are thinking of moving to the the Aguacalientes area or somewhere around Morellia. We would prefer to live in a somewhat rural area rather than a big city. How do we choose a real estate agent or construction company to build a home? Who can we trust? Thanks so much!


We traveled throughout Mexico for maybe 25-30 years before moving here. When we zeroed in on a particular area we made maybe 3 or 4 house-hunting trips - while our house was for sale NOB. Our house sold more quickly than we expected and we were about to find ourselves 'homeless'. We ended up signing an annual rental through the name brand realtor who had been showing us around. The house was our number two choice - so it gave us the chance to try it before we bought it. I think on any trip we have ever taken to Mexico we have always rented a car. I often drove the realtor around freeing him up to 'work the phone' moving appointments around etc. Besides - I like to drive.

During that year we looked at perhaps 100 houses - with the same realtor - who spoke English (Canadian mother). We did end up buying a house near the end of our rental - which is in a rural area outside a city. If you invest in ANY Mexican real-estate realize that it may take YEARS to sell it. The previous owners of the house we are in had it on the market for about three years.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

That is an excellent point! It can take years to sell a home, because the cost of maintaining a home is so low, especially if the owner stays in residence. As such, they can afford to wait for the right market conditions, etc. 
In 2004, we sold our first house, for well above asking price, in just three days. In 2014, we sold our second house, at 90% of asking price, after about a year on the market. Times and conditions change, as do circumstances of both the owner and buyer. Flexibility helps.


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## perropedorro (Mar 19, 2016)

I'm with the consensus. Don't rush into the arms of a real estate peddler until you're really sure of what and where you want to buy. I'd been coming to Mexico on long vacations for ten years before I gave any thought to purchasing property. I ended up finding a wife here first, then vacationed together for a few more years before investing in a lot and then building a house. Also think long and hard about building vs. a house that's already there. In my town, undeveloped lots, especially on the beach sell quickly, but existing houses have been on the market for years and end up being sold for very little more than a bare lot. Seems retirees like to build their dream house, use it infrequently for vacations, maybe retire for a few years, and then they drop or illness takes them back to the U.S. for medical needs. Some return and some don't and often their children are indifferent. My point is that an existing house can be a bargain, but it's _someone else's_ Dream House, which is OK if you're not fussy. I'd find a nice town and rent a while, at least for the wet through the dry season, and talk to the residents. Best of success!


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## surabi (Jan 1, 2017)

RVGRINGO said:


> Please don‘t bite off more than you can chew in one trip. If you are not familiar with a particular area, renting a car may not be all that helpful. I suggest that you find a central location to stay, then contact a realtor, if there are any, to show you listings. Naturally, you should make arrangements with a local realtor, online, well before your arrival. He will want to know a lot about what you are looking for.
> Rural areas are not adviseable; even farmers live in town. If you are not familiar with Mexican architecture, building methods and customs. You may want to just be a tourist for a bit longer, before buying, and get to meet people and visit various homes, and areas around the city you choose. Of course, being able to speak Spanish will be a great advantage, if you are able.
> Local transportation is very inexpensive by bus or taxi. Some areas have colectivos, too. Car rentals are very expensive and parking is often a problem, especially for strangers.
> You did not state the length of your visit, but you will soon find that _Mexican time_ will be a new experience. Our rule was to plan only one thing per day, then spend the remaining time just enjoying ourselves chatting with folks, eating, wandering about, etc.



RV, your advice, as usual, is great. Except "rural areas are not advisable, even farmers live in town" ??????? I can't imagine what prompted that statement. I know plenty of foreigners who live in rural areas, myself included, and plenty of farmers do not live in town. I wouldn't want to live in town at all.


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## perropedorro (Mar 19, 2016)

surabi said:


> RV, your advice, as usual, is great. Except "rural areas are not advisable, even farmers live in town" ??????? I can't imagine what prompted that statement. I know plenty of foreigners who live in rural areas, myself included, and plenty of farmers do not live in town. I wouldn't want to live in town at all.


Whoa! Before we get into judgement, perhaps we need to define town vs. rural. We can agree that CDMX is urban, Morelia, Guanajuato..... down to how small? Where we live, it's sort of both, a village with maybe a thousand permanent year-round residents which quickly transitions to rural: cow pastures and coconut groves. Then I've got friends with a small ranch _inside_ the Guadalajara periférico. Just find someplace you like and make your own description of it.


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## Ross&MaryAnn (Dec 28, 2017)

Thanks for your advice. We do appreciate it! My husband speaks Spanish so that should help. We plan to spend about 3 weeks maybe 4. Rural for us means not a big city. We would like to be driving distance maybe an hour or two away from a big city. We are not set on building. If there is anyone in the Aquacalientes or Morellia area who would be willing to meet with us for a short talk while we are in Mexico, that would be very helpful.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

My definition of Mexican “rural“ would mean that there is no public water service, and that the power lines on the road may not be available to you for electricity, and that you would have to get government permission to drill a well, which the government would then own and charge for usage, etc., etc. Security is also a concert out in the boonies, whenever a place is left unattended.
Things to think about.


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## lat19n (Aug 19, 2017)

My definition of Mexican rural is something like - no organized police force, yes there is a 'force' but they do not wear uniforms and kind of impose a 'law' that goes back years - but is different from that in town. Cows, sheep, horses, chickens, dogs. CFE needing 3 of your neighbors complaining of a problem before they come out. You live far enough out of town that people will ride their motor bikes rather than driving their cars when they visit. Being awakened by the sound of gunfire.


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## surabi (Jan 1, 2017)

RVGRINGO said:


> My definition of Mexican “rural“ would mean that there is no public water service, and that the power lines on the road may not be available to you for electricity, and that you would have to get government permission to drill a well, which the government would then own and charge for usage, etc., etc. Security is also a concert out in the boonies, whenever a place is left unattended.
> Things to think about.


To me rural means not in town. Whether that's in Canada, Mexico or wherever. I live in a rural area in Mexico. The lot I bought and built on was at some point used for agriculture. There were a couple scrappy little guanabana trees on it and the rest was just weeds. My nearest neighbor was about 200 meters down the road. There was a water line I could hook up to, and I had to pay for a couple extra poles and cable from the end of the CFE line to my place. 

Over the years the area became more and more desirable as town filled up and got crazy busy with tourists. So now there are quite a few houses and neighbors out here, but the lots are fairly large, so no one is right next to anyone else.There are still no phone lines out here, in spite of a neighbor going to Telmex with a list of 25 households that were prepared to sign up for phone and internet service.

It's quiet out here, no one blasts loud music or sets off firecrackers, and thankfully, no one has roosters. Cows and horses wander down the road. My view is of jungled hillsides. The roads are dirt and get pretty bad in the rainy season. The arroyo is 60 meters from my gate. It's a 20 minute walk, 8 minute drive into the center of town. I love it out here and if I had made the mistake of buying and building in town, I'd have sold out and moved long ago.


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## Ross&MaryAnn (Dec 28, 2017)

surabi said:


> To me rural means not in town. Whether that's in Canada, Mexico or wherever. I live in a rural area in Mexico. The lot I bought and built on was at some point used for agriculture. There were a couple scrappy little guanabana trees on it and the rest was just weeds. My nearest neighbor was about 200 meters down the road. There was a water line I could hook up to, and I had to pay for a couple extra poles and cable from the end of the CFE line to my place.
> 
> Over the years the area became more and more desirable as town filled up and got crazy busy with tourists. So now there are quite a few houses and neighbors out here, but the lots are fairly large, so no one is right next to anyone else.There are still no phone lines out here, in spite of a neighbor going to Telmex with a list of 25 households that were prepared to sign up for phone and internet service.
> 
> It's quiet out here, no one blasts loud music or sets off firecrackers, and thankfully, no one has roosters. Cows and horses wander down the road. My view is of jungled hillsides. The roads are dirt and get pretty bad in the rainy season. The arroyo is 60 meters from my gate. It's a 20 minute walk, 8 minute drive into the center of town. I love it out here and if I had made the mistake of buying and building in town, I'd have sold out and moved long ago.


This is what we would like. Not totally away from people or town but a little space.


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## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

Ross&MaryAnn said:


> This is what we would like. Not totally away from people or town but a little space.


You could also check out some towns in the state of Morelos, near Cuernavaca, Yautepec and Cuautla. There are many rural settings, still with the convenience of nearby cities. Also the whole region is about 1 to 2 hours south of Mexico City, and from there easily accessible to the rest of the world. 

I know Tepoztlán and nearby Amatlan the best. Santo Domingo Ocotitlan is another nearby village. All 3 of these towns have stunning panoramic views of the surrounding mountains, and there are more sparsely populated, rural but safe areas between the three towns. You can find everything from expensive custom built homes/mansions to more humble abodes 

Oaxtepec is a little closer to Cuautla, and at a slightly lower altitude is a bit hotter than Tepoztlán/Amatlan. It has several natural springs and water parks, and is a vacation destination for Mexicans (as it was for Aztec emperors, including Moctezuma). Every time we go there I see signs for new housing developments and gated communities (e.g. Lomas de Cocoyoc) so it’s a growing region. Tlayacapan is also nearby, and is also growing as a tourist destination. It is traditionally famous for its pottery and ceramics. 

I just saw in your post on Introduction to the Forum that you are interested in being near hot mineral springs. There are many natural springs in Morelos, hot, warm and cold. In Cuautla there is the well known Agua Hedionda (“smelly waters”), the only thing is that it’s in the city rather than a more bucolic natural setting. Las Huertas (south of Cuernavaca) is a more natural setting, but still with installations and amenities. Here’s a link to various water parks and natural springs in Morelos: https://www.mexicodesconocido.com.mx/balnearios-morelos.html


If you want rural or semi-rural, this whole area is quite beautiful and you have the benefit of nearby cities when you need them.


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## lat19n (Aug 19, 2017)

Please don't report me to the Tepoztlan chamber of commerce - but I am a 'little' concerned with what I perceive as an 'up-tick' in crime in the area. By area I will include Santa Catarina and Cuatla. Not a week goes by that they don't find a body (or two). True -they do not seem to be targeting 'good' people. But - it may tarnish the Pueblo Magico theme.


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## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

lat19n said:


> Please don't report me to the Tepoztlan chamber of commerce - but I am a 'little' concerned with what I perceive as an 'up-tick' in crime in the area. By area I will include Santa Catarina and Cuatla. Not a week goes by that they don't find a body (or two). True -they do not seem to be targeting 'good' people. But - it may tarnish the Pueblo Magico theme.


All I can say is that I continue to feel very safe in Tepoztlan, as do family and friends who live there. It’s also a bit misleading to imply that bodies are being found on a regular basis in the town. I’ve Googled in Spanish and what I am finding is that nearly all of these bodies (6 in the past year) have been found where the greater municipality of Tepoztlan actually borders Cuernavaca, and the locations of these towns on a map show they are actually suburbs/outskirts of Cuernavaca, even though they technically are part of the greater Tepoztlan Municipality. From what I can find not one has been found in the town of Tepoztlan itself. 

March 2017 Tetecolala (outskirts of Cuernavaca)
April 2017 Colonia Loma de Esmeralda at the border with Jiutepec (outskirts of Cuernavaca)
June 2017 Tetenco (outskirts of Cuernavaca)
July 2017 body found of young man who went missing following a rave held in what sounds like a remote rural area near San Andres de la Cal (between Tepoz and Cuernavaca)
Sept 2017 Tetenco (Outskirts of Cuernavaca)
Jan 2018 A body was dumped by the highway between Tepoztlan and Yautepec, no way of knowing where the person was killed

A decade or so ago there were some incidents of a couple of cadavers showing up in the town itself. It appeared they had been killed elsewhere then brought into town and dumped. The townspeople, Tepoztecos, are a pretty feisty bunch when anyone starts messing with their town - as an example, read about the “Golf War” from the 1990’s here: El Andar Back Issues 1997
and Part 2: El Andar Magazine 1997 Tepoztlan Part 2 text only

Anyway, after some bodies were dumped in the town more than ten years ago, all the local men were organized into rotating groups who had to be on guard duty all night, and search ALL vehicles circulating in the town in the night. Our friend, a Tepozteco born and bred, whose ancestors have lived in this area since time immemorial and who is well known for being upright and honest, was taking us to the bus station at 5:00 am. Even though the men on duty that night were his friends, we were stopped and they checked the car, trunk, etc. No exceptions. And since the guard duty rotated constantly, there wasn’t really anyone to try to intimidate or bribe. That seemed to stop the problem.

Disclaimer: I am not part of the Tepoztlan Chamber of Commerce and I’m not concerned about real estate value, as I have no plans to sell my house for many, many years (more likely my kids will have to decide what to do with it when I’m gone..)


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## lat19n (Aug 19, 2017)

I visited google, searched on Tepoztlan, hit the news tab and then translated to English.

Jan 22 2018 (you found this one) - Dismantle and throw a subject in Tepoztlán

Jan 17 2018 - They kill a man with a bullet in the head, in Tepoztlán

Jan 19 2018 - They kill the transport leader in Tepoztlán with bullets - this may be the same as above.

Jan 15 2018 - 2 men are killed with stones in Tepoztlán

Jan 11 2018 - They kill the subject in a fight in his house in Tepoztlán

I'll stop there - those were on the first page of results. I'm not picking on Tepoztlan - honest. And as you point out these events probably did not happen on the main drag through town. It was just my perception that there are a lot of incidences considering how small the town is.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

Well that just shows you the cancer is from the outside and the inside.. I think you could see that in most places.. In Chiapas many people blame people from the outside for all the assaults on the road between San Cristobal and Palenque.. a few may be done by renages from the outside but you have to be pretty brave to go and commit crimes in indigenous territory as many times if you are caught by the locals you die by machete or fire..No most of the crimes, I am convinced are done by locals who know when the traffic is slow and who can put obstacles on the roads etc.. Most outsiders in those areas are being watched especially on that rod.. same deal in Las Choapas.. those guys ae locals..do not kid yourself.


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## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

lat19n said:


> I visited google, searched on Tepoztlan, hit the news tab and then translated to English.
> 
> Jan 22 2018 (you found this one) - Dismantle and throw a subject in Tepoztlán
> 
> ...


I had not seen the Jan 17 one (and it is the same as the Jan 19 one) - that’s the only one which has occurred within the town itself. Actually for me, that one is incredibly close to home as it happened along the route we take to get to our house. Neither my husband nor me are in Tepoz right now - I’m sure I’ll find out more when I’m there again in a few weeks. I’ll hear the “word on the ground” version.... It sounds like this man was definitely targeted. 

Interestingly, the Jan 11/18 (in San Juan Tlacotenco - a separate town) one has 2 versions: one that he was stabbed in the throat and died, the other that he committed suicide. It seems the truth will never be established as the family and neighbors of the deceased refused to let the police and state forensics team have access to the body or take it away. They defended it against the police with sticks and stones. 

I told my husband about the recent shooting near our house. His response (translated from Spanish): “It was likely a crime of passion or revenge. Remember here things are settled with bullets, not with reason. It’s the same throughout Latin America.” He reminded me that I have often pointed out that there is no single word in Spanish to express the idea of compromise, where each party gives up something they want to be able to arrive at a mutual agreement. “Llegar a un acuerdo” “Come to an agreement“ does not fully capture the idea of a compromise. And in my opinion, much as I love Latin America and in most ways I feel more _latina_ then _gringa_, the lack of the concept of compromise is problematic.



lat19n said:


> It was just my perception that there are a lot of incidences considering how small the town is.


This is where I take issue. Only one of these cases occurred in the town of Tepoztlan. The others have all been in outlying towns or colonias which are quite a distance from Tepoz, most actually in the greater Cuernavaca area. As of 2005, the Cuernavaca metropolitan area had a population of 802,371, with 349,102, living in the city proper. It’s probably grown since then. Crimes and homicides committed in the greater Cuernavaca area, but which happen to fall within the Tepoztlan “municipal region” which extends into the suburbs of Cuernavaca, or bodies which may have been killed wherever and then taken to a rural area in the Tepoztlan municipal region to be dumped, do not affect the safety in Tepoz, Amatlan, Santo Domingo Ocotitlan, etc. 

I also know the Tepoztecos, and yes, individual “crimes of passion and revenge” happen. But in the past any attempts at organized crime trying to make inroads in the town itself was met with fury and they were run out of town.


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## lat19n (Aug 19, 2017)

It is like that in our community which goes back to the Aztecs. The municipal/state police do not come here. The law is pretty much an eye for an eye. There is a term for that but it is escaping me at the moment.

On the topic of crime - given the current state of things we now have two rules to live by. And I am a big guy in decent shape. 

1) If we eat in a restaurant - particularly an upscale restaurant with valet parking and security at the front door - wallets / purses / cell phones stay in the car. I will put a couple 500 peso bills in my pocket. Seems like almost every weekend armed robbers are holding up restaurants. Friday, at one such restaurant, they sent security to the hospital and robbed everyone in the joint. 

2) We will NEVER walk away from a bank teller's window with cash in hand. Too much collusion going on. The robbers will follow you home. I have a favorite bank ATM in a local mall with a lot of armed security. They have gates to get in and gates to get out. 

For the life of me I don't know why the authorities don't try to impress on people to be more careful... We don't live in fear - but a little common sense can go a long way.


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## lat19n (Aug 19, 2017)

Ojos - I think you are splitting hairs. I think I could easily WALK from Santa Catarina to Tepoztlan in an hour. I believe it is in the 'municipality' of Tepoztlan.

Edit : I think the 'true' population of Cuernavaca is well under 400,000. The figure you mention is at the peak of a holiday weekend - but I've never counted them - that is only what I have been told.

I'm going to end my side of this conversation saying that Tepoztlan IS a very special place and well worth a visit (or more).


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## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

Well since a picture is worth a thousand words, this map shows where the majority of the bodies have been found. Hardly splitting hairs to say it’s more a Cuernavaca crime problem than a Tepoztlán crime problem. And the article about the bodies found in a field near Santa Catarina says it was obvious that they had been brought there to be stoned. (Ugh) Given that Santa Catarina is between Cuerna and Tepoz, I think given the size differential and known issues of crime (including organized crime) in Cuernavaca, I think it’s more likely this originated in Cuernavaca than Tepoztlán or even Santa Catarina. It states the men were “unknown”, and if they were from either Santa Catarina or Tepoz, as these are small tight knit towns where people know each other, they likely would have already been identified or at least reported as missing. Sadly, we’ll probably never know for sure as most of these crimes are never solved. 

Click on the photo to make it larger. The red zone is where most of the bodies over the past year were found in relation to Tepoztlán and Cuernavaca. 









I guess I’m a Tepozteca at heart, as I do feel a fierce protectiveness toward my town.


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## lat19n (Aug 19, 2017)

Violencia azotó Morelos en enero: una persona fue ejecutada cada 10 horas - Proceso

And mind you - this whole discussion has only dealt with murders .


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## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

Well, Ross and Mary Ann, if the above discussion hasn’t totally scared you off, here’s a video of some of the attractions of Tepoztlán. It’s accurate, but still doesn’t capture what I think is best about living there. While there is a significant number of expats (from around the world, not just the US), and Mexicans from other parts of Mexico, the majority of the population are native Tepoztecos, whose ancestors have been on this land from time immemorial. They continue to celebrate time honoured traditions, ceremonies and festivities. They fiercely love and defend their pueblo. 

I have always felt and continue to feel very safe in the town. About 5 years ago, when we were buying our house, I had to draw a large amount of money from the ATM, which is highly visible along the main street of town, and then walk several blocks to make the payment on the house. A Mexican friend was with me. He is originally from Mexico City and has lived in many places in Mexico, including Cancun, and is hardly naive. He noted I was very nervous about withdrawing several thousand dollars and then walking through town with it. He said, “Relax. This is Tepoz!” I’m not saying there is no theft and petty crime. Of course there is, as there is anywhere in Mexico. But there is both a quantitative and qualitative difference in crime compared to nearby cities like Cuernavaca, Cuautla and Yautepec. 

I first went to Tepoztlán 25 years ago, and it’s where I met my husband. I knew it was magical long before it was designated as a Pueblo Mágico. I hope you enjoy the video. It’s in Spanish with English subtitles.


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## lat19n (Aug 19, 2017)

Forgetting crime for the moment - there are some real positives about Tepoztlan. The climate is perfect for growing things like bananas, coffee, pepper, guava, oranges, limes, lemons, blackberries, raspberries, mangos, plums, peaches, palms, avacados - on and on. There is a very nice central market. If you want it - there is a sizable expat community. Closest thing to hippie's I've seen in Mexico. It is rather easy to hop on an executive bus and head into Mexico City - either the airport or the city itself.

A negative is the traffic - particularly on weekends when a lot of people descend from Mexico City.


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## lat19n (Aug 19, 2017)

We have a Mexican friend who could probably live anywhere in Mexico he wants. He says - Leon is the place to be.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

lat19n said:


> We have a Mexican friend who could probably live anywhere in Mexico he wants. He says - Leon is the place to be.


Could that because he has a fondness for shoes? That's what Leon is known for, the manufacture of footwear.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

lat19n said:


> Forgetting crime for the moment - there are some real positives about Tepoztlan. The climate is perfect for growing things like bananas, coffee, pepper, guava, oranges, limes, lemons, blackberries, raspberries, mangos, plums, peaches, palms, avacados - on and on. There is a very nice central market. If you want it - there is a sizable expat community. Closest thing to hippie's I've seen in Mexico. It is rather easy to hop on an executive bus and head into Mexico City - either the airport or the city itself.
> 
> A negative is the traffic - particularly on weekends when a lot of people descend from Mexico City.


I first visited Tepoztlán back in the 1970s, before the invention of the Pueblo Mágico moniker and before the Convento was turned into a museum. It was lovely and quiet with no hippies in site. I liked it better then, mil disculpas, Ojos.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

Leon... well to each its own..


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## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

lat19n said:


> Forgetting crime for the moment - there are some real positives about Tepoztlan. The climate is perfect for growing things like bananas, coffee, pepper, guava, oranges, limes, lemons, blackberries, raspberries, mangos, plums, peaches, palms, avacados - on and on. There is a very nice central market. If you want it - there is a sizable expat community. Closest thing to hippie's I've seen in Mexico. It is rather easy to hop on an executive bus and head into Mexico City - either the airport or the city itself.
> 
> *A negative is the traffic - particularly on weekends when a lot of people descend from Mexico City.*


The traffic on weekends indeed can be horrendous. People from Mexico City navigating narrow cobblestone streets in huge SUVs. We are more likely to stay home on weekends and contemplate the peace of the surrounding mountains (or go hiking in them; a 5 - 10 minute walk and we’re in the forest). If we do need to cross town, we’ll take the motorcycle which is much better at avoiding traffic jams. I don’t really know the expat community, as our social circle is pretty much all Mexican, but from what I’ve observed and those I’ve met, it’s an eclectic bunch, including hippies both young and old. 



Isla Verde said:


> I first visited Tepoztlán back in the 1970s, before the invention of the Pueblo Mágico moniker and before the Convento was turned into a museum. It was lovely and quiet with no hippies in site. I liked it better then, mil disculpas, Ojos.


No offense taken, Isla. Being a tourist destination can be a blessing - for the economic benefits it brings to the town, as well as having more places, services and events in the town, including restaurants (although I’m a quesadilla, taco, tlacoyo, pozole eat-in-the-market kind of girl myself, it’s nice to have the option of “finer dining”), live music, concerts, plays, art shows, a museum etc. But it can also be a curse, especially when the hordes descend and every third establishment seems to be a spa (I’m exaggerating, but there are many spas in Tepoztlán and Amatlan). The craziest time of year is Carnaval. Some people love the crowds, noise, colours. My husband avoids it like the plague. If I’m there during Carnaval, I’ll go for a couple of hours, but that’s enough for me.


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## lat19n (Aug 19, 2017)

ojosazules11 said:


> The traffic on weekends indeed can be horrendous. People from Mexico City navigating narrow cobblestone streets in huge SUVs. We are more likely to stay home on weekends and contemplate the peace of the surrounding mountains (or go hiking in them; a 5 - 10 minute walk and we’re in the forest). If we do need to cross town, we’ll take the motorcycle which is much better at avoiding traffic jams. I don’t really know the expat community, as our social circle is pretty much all Mexican, but from what I’ve observed and those I’ve met, it’s an eclectic bunch, including hippies both young and old.


So I hope you don't mind my asking - in any given year - roughly just how many days do you spend in Tepoztlan ?


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## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

As I’ve mentioned before, I go back and forth several times a year since I’m still working in Toronto. Sometimes I’m there a week, other times it’s 2-3 weeks at a time. My husband spends several months a year there, as he is working on our house and isn’t a fan of Canadian winters, plus he has family there. Since I really do like my husband, I try to get down as often and for as long as I can. Thank heavens for WhatsApp and FaceTime which make communication several times a day easy and free. It’s also really nice that Interjet now has direct flights from Toronto to CDMX, along with Air Canada and Aeromexico. It’s a 4 1/2 hr flight.

Let’s put it this way. I’ve been there enough that it’s rare that I can walk around the zócalo and mercado without running into someone (local, not expats) that I know well enough to stop, greet each other, exchange the usual pleasantries, “How are you?”, “How has your health been?”, “How’s the family?” etc. etc. I’ve also started collecting _ahijados_. Last year I was _madrina_ for a quinceañera, this year for a 3 year old. Did you know in Mexico (at least in Morelos and in Puebla where my grandchildren live), the 3 year birthday is a pretty big deal, often with the celebration of mass along with a big party? Almost like a mini-quinceañero, but boys get to have the 3 year old celebration as well.


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