Mexico - Part 3
On the last full day, we decided to go with a hop-on, hop-off option. We bought the tickets in advance and checked the schedule for the nearest stop to our hotel. We boarded the bus, received wristbands, and were on our way.
After a few km it looked like a nice place, so we got off and continued our journey on foot.
After a long market, the others bought souvenirs and gifts they wanted for their relatives. Here was a creatively decorated vaccine commercial.
While the others were shopping, I was photographing the area.
After they bought what they wanted, we went to a park.
There were a lot of vendors shouting all the time, here the guys even bought some wrestling masks, we looked around and then went to lunch. Afterwards, we found the next bus stop, got on the bus and headed back to the hotel. I took a few more photos on the way.
With this, we reached the end of our planned activities. We had our final dinner there and packed up in the morning. We checked out at around 10 AM, if I remember correctly. We aimed to get to the airport on time, so we left around 1 or 2 PM, and used the intermediate time to work a bit on the laptop. Check-in was successful, and we boarded the flight from Mexico City. If I remember correctly, this flight had relatively few passengers, so we left our original seats and occupied entire rows to rest more comfortably. We had a layover in Amsterdam, where we had to wait for about 5 hours, so we worked a bit more here as well. Eventually, we arrived in Budapest, quickly found the transfer person. By this point, I was extremely tired, and the last 200 km to Pécs was quite challenging. I think I finally got home around 4 AM.
Regarding the experiences: Puerto Vallarta was clearly a high-end place, with a real vacation vibe. The food and drinks were very good, except for 1 or 2 poor choices, like the spicy cocktail. The staff there were incredibly kind and helpful, and they spoke English.
In Mexico City, the situation was a bit different; we encountered more of Mexico’s true, everyday face. As I already knew, I don’t prefer big cities. There are too many people and too much traffic. Even Budapest feels crowded to me, despite the greater number of options. Mexico City is much larger, and I don’t desire to be among so many people. The smells were unpleasant. Even though we were in the city center, the strong sewer smell on the streets, mixed with the scent of their corn-based foods, did not create a pleasant blend. It might be something you get used to, but I wouldn’t want to.
I was a bit surprised at how little English is spoken, even in restaurants with good reviews on Google. In most cases, we found that English was not spoken even at a basic level, maybe just a word here and there. In some places, we had to resort tocommunicate with hands and legs what we wanted. It worked, but was slower. I assumed that in the city center of such a major world city, English would be more common, at least at a basic level.
Their cuisine is interesting and obviously different from what we’re used to. Overall, we had tasty dishes, but by the end, we had a bit too much of the local fare. So, for safety’s sake before the flight, we opted for McDonald’s food.
Overall, I enjoyed both parts of the trip. It was refreshing to break away from the daily routine and spend time genuinely relaxing. Getting to know another culture – even if superficially – and seeing beautiful places was a great experience. It’s particularly rewarding when your work is recognized, especially when it manifests in the form of a trip like this.
Special thanks for the organization and for considering such an opportunity!