Two Week Trip - Post One

Hola! While we are waiting for our visas to be ready, we have come to Mexico City for a two week trip. We are already four days into our stay.

We are in temporary housing, in a hotel in Santa Fe, which is about 40 minutes West of Mexico City. It is the same hotel that we stayed in for three nights in October, during our first visit.

In four days, we have noticed many cultural differences and had some new experiences!

On the way to Santa Fe, from the airport, we passed many billboards, including those from American companies. The advertising in Mexico is much more provocative than the U.S. would ever allow. It was odd seeing a provocative Sears ad, as I would associate them with conservative products and advertising.

Once we arrived at the hotel, the nice, non-English speaking driver Victor dropped us off, then took Mike to Superama - the grocery store. Superama is owned by Walmart and reminds of Jewel in the 80's - very small, a fifth of the size it is now, carrying far fewer products. Mike got a cart full of groceries and proceeded to checkout. However, mistake number one...we did not think to call Mastercard to tell them that we would be using the card out of the United States. Thus, Mike's credit card was declined and he came home emptyhanded. Victor must have been so confused, wondering why Mike was in there so long and came out with nothing!

After taking care of the credit card snafu (which was interesting, because the same card was used in Mexico in October with no issue or call), Mike walked to Superama and came back with a few items. Luckily, from the front of our hotel, we can see the blue roof of Superama!

For dinner, we walked down the street to Vips. Upon arrival, the waitress began speaking to us in Spanish. I quickly said "no habla Espanol" and she brought us menus in English. However, what good is an English menu if your server can't read the menu or follow what you are ordering? Luckily, I remembered "hamburgeusa" from my high school Spanish classes. However, Mike ordered chicken fajitas. He got the fajitas...but the meat definitely wasn't chicken! He'll remember "fajitas de pollo" for next time!

The next day Mike went to work, leaving Annie and I to fend for ourselves. Out the back of our hotel is a little piece of home...the golden arches! For lunch, Annie and I walked down to McDonalds. Luckily McNugget is a universal word! However, when I tried to add "leche" (milk) to my meal, I received a drink for Annie, but nothing for myself.

Ordering in Spanish is proving to be my most difficult task - at this point. The concierge at the hotel speaks English, but that is about it. Waiters, waitresses and those working the hourly jobs do not tend to speak English. So, Annie and I are fumbling through, saying "no se", "no habla Espanol", "gracias", and "hola"!

More to come shortly! Hasta leugo!