why not?

I will be arriving in Mexico on Saturday hopefully I run good with bank employees, apartment, internet, phoneline, utility bill, and most importantly POKER.

GL keep us updated!

Will do

11:35 landed in cozumel.. got through customs no problemo.. requested 90days.. they gave me 180.. no questions asked.. i found a van packed with touristas heading to the ferry.. the driver almost killed someone less than a minute into the trip.. lol_driving in mexico... after getting eyed up and down.. and a feelin like i might jacked at the ferry dock, i was on the boat by noon... my cellphone wasn't getting any reception so i couldn't call back to the states at all.. which was a bit frustrating.. after 30-40min we docked.. on a really beautiful beach.. the water looks like the pictures.. as does the sand... i picked up my 2backpacks and laptop and headed toward 5th ave.. where i was to meet a person who lived in the condo complex that was gonna help me get set up... it was hot and beautiful.. and i was sweating my balls off by the time i found the shop.. dude wasn't there.. and i bullshat w/ his employee.. which, if you don't know any spanish, is like talking to a wall... eventually he told me traffic was bad and i was to meet him at 10th and 2nd.. by this time i had been offered more cocaine than if i were at a rave with __(famouscokeheadcelebrity)__.. this was probably the sketchiest part of the trip as i've never met or talked to this guy save a couple emails.. he picked me out of the crowd and i hopped into his old toyota.. not really knowin' where i was goin'.. dude was super nice though.. and he looked like exactly like adam goldberg... then we had more of that awesome mexican driving.. the place i was staying was a lil ways off the tourist area.. i asked if i could talk to the landlord about signing the lease asap.. and he laughed a lil.. 'he's the kind of landlord you don't see often' he said.. ... along the way he mentioned that the last guy was also from chicago and he lasted a week before he threatened to kill people in the complex and threw the tv off the balcony.. he also said that he got caught up the gang out here... 'the gang'? i asked.. 'i thought that was mainly near the border etc.'.. 'how is that out here?'.. 'they're outta control out here' he said.. 'pick up a paper and you'll see new bodies everyday'... 'hm' i thought. lol.. 'just don't buy any drugs and you'll be ok' he said... by this time we were walkin up to my apt. ... he said 'it's a really nice place.. can't believe you found it... it's really nice.. the only thing i can't get rid of here is the ants. i've tried everything.'... 'fml' i thought.. we walked in and the place wasn't awful.. it was 'ok'.. except for teh ants on the table.. and the counter.. and floor.. the stainless steel fridge was a cheap knockoff like everything else in the place.. smelled like ass.. he tried to turn on the stove and the knob fell off.. turned on the water and it sprayed like a hose with your thumb over the nozzle... sprayin undrinkable calcified cenote water.. my internet and cable were not on like i had hoped.. and i was still unable to reach ppl back in the states.. and he was like.. 'cool.. well.. gotta jet.. gonna go getcha a new tv'.. and i'm like :/ wait what.. i can't even call you.. i need the interwebz at least.. he leaves.. sigh.. so i'm sittin there checking out the place.. and thinking **** this.. the balcony was dece over lookin a smaller than advertised pool.. then i opened my bedroom curtains to the beauteous barrio.. felt sketchy.. i didn't even wanna walk to the supermarket to buy food that i'd have to scrub with bottled water to put in a shty fridge that woulda been devoured by the ants or that i'd try and cook on a half busted stove.. so i contemplated my options... at that point there was a knock at the door.. the guy standing there claimed to be maintenance.. so i let him in and he shanked me to death. well that's what i thought could've happened.. but it turns out he was the maintenance guy to turn on some sht... a half an hr goes by and i'm just thinkin'.. fk this should've gotten into a poker house.. or moved to canada.. and then i see the guy downstairs that was supposed to be getting me a tv.. he seems upset on the phone so i try to catch him before he leaves.. and says 'oh... hey - everything should be working in there now... i've wasted my day and i have to go make a deal in cancun.. i'll getcha a tv in cancun'.. 'ok - sounds good' i said.. knowing that i'll be leaving shortly to stay in the nicest hotel i can find on the beach before i book a flight to _____... didn't really know if i was gonna fly back to chicago or go straight to canada.. just to make sure i double check the internet again and it wasn't working.. pissed off i grab all my sht and head down the road.. lookin for a cab before i get jacked and my face gets sewn into a futbol... i tell the guy to take me to what i thought was a hotel but turned out to be a restaurant.. i get out there anyway and look for a room.. went to a handful of places that cost anywhere from 120-255.. finally decided on a place on the beach.. which, after i paid, i found out it wasn't on the beach as they walked me down road to a room with security.. my room had three ppl in it fixing the ac which had flooded the room... it was wonderful! eventually i hopped on their wifi and found a flight out of cancun for the next day.. as i don't have the time or money to really fk around.. after chillin out i went to the beach and got a beer.. then a massage.. and made my way into the water.. all of which were nice and much needed.. later that night i wanted to walk the famous 5th ave. that everyone raves about.. after walking past my security guard, the policia, and the other guys with machine guns.. i enjoyed a smoke lookin at all the shty trinkets that the hustlers had to offer.. it was amazing how everyone seemed to 'have what i was looking for'.. i was mobbed irt to cocina mota etc.. idk i think i just give off that vibe.. every seven steps i was being walked with and hollered at.. really fkn annoying.. by the time i got to the end of the strip i wondered why the hell anyone likes this place.. as this was supposed to be the 'nice part' of town.. on the way back i did stop to enjoy some bomb ass nachos.. and some free tequila that came with a souvenir... walking back to my room i didn't feel that safe gettin off 5th ave.. prolly cuz i kept remembering about how the cops try to jack you.. and the taxis with their 'double dipping' schemes... i was stopped by security at my place who was givin me dirty looks.. made me feel safe.. fell asleep watching spanish subtitles.

i could go on.. but i digress..

cliffs: didn't like the town or the condo..

holy wall of text, I don't think u used enough ellipses. It's all one sentence

I've been in playa for about 2 weeks now and my experience has been the complete opposite in every way possible other than getting holla'd at on 5th, and that's not even so bad. Everyone has been super nice and accommodating, despite me speaking maybe 15 words of useful spanish.

What do you guys mean you are getting holla'd at on 5th?

Guys trying to sell you cuban cigars, henna tats, etc. It goes no further than "hey, want some great cuban cigars?" They don't get within arm's length of you and its less obnoxious than the guys with the hookers cards on the strip in vegas.

i know i know.. just felt like writin' .... stream of consciousness ftw...........

i know that some people love it down there including my people in mi familia..
but i just felt like putting my take on it for anyone who might be considering it... i, for one, will not be returning to mexico.. hopefully ever lol

i was in cancun 10 yrs ago with like 12ppl partyin' and half of us got sicker than sht.. montezuma's ain't no joke.. said we wouldn't go back..
ate at papa john's for the rest of the week.. and now i remember why we said that..

it's funny cuz the chick that owns the place down there that loves it... but said she hates cancun and cozumel..
and that they're sketchy and dumps etc...
i'm like 'it's 40min away!'..

That's one of the craziest stories I've ever read. I've been here weeks and haven't been offered any drugs. Sounds like the guy showing you around was insane. Not sure what you meant by the cops trying to jack you. Also the cabs are the best part about Playa imo, you can get a cab ride from one end of town to the other for $2-$4, it's insane. Also seemingly 10-15% of all cars on the road are cabs, so if you ever felt unsafe for some reason late at night, you could hail one in about 2 minutes.

meh idk - that doesn't sound that bad tbh... but like i said i was offered cocaina, weed, pipes and everything else they were selling every other min...
it was really obnoxious... but like i said, maybe it was cuz i look like i might be into that sht that it was more prevalent... my uncle said he doesn't get bothered too often.

the 'double dipping' thang i heard about was that the cabs will pick up someone they know around midnight and take you to an atm... so you can take out the max.. and wait til midnight passes so they can get ya for the next days max as well.

that was just my experience. i guess i should add a IMHO lol..
i'm happy to have left and i'm movin' to Vegas on Thursday.
Barton/Reid bill - one time.

I dunno then. Just be smart about things. I stopped wearing my watch, dress like I'm going to work out all the time, and I don't go out alone at night. Dunno if that's 100% necessary, but probably better to look like a busto tourist and not attract attention.

just curious if youve ever been to a resort town ever. do you feel as freaked out in atlantis?

also how frequently do you think double dipping cabs get american tourists?

really seems like illogical hysteria. shouldve tried to see a few places since your condo sucked

i really don't wanna fear monger and i was debating on just pm'ing that to the dude that asked.. but.. ya.. i've read lots of positive TRs on playa and mexico in general.. that's why i went there.. and to reiterate the beach was really beautiful and the nachos were delicious lol.. if you go with another person or persons i'm sure it would be better.. at least safer.. just be careful.. and try to get a place on the beach if you can.

are you referring to the bahamas? cuz i've never been
but i have back packed europe for a few months and have been to a dozen different countries.. 5+ canadian provinces 30+states... never really felt unsafe.. (except once when i was piss wasted in valencia.. and i didn't know where the hell i was at.. i still didn't really feel unsafe..)

maybe i'm just spoiled from goin to hawaii..

just saying any resort town ever has 184738484 of those cocaina/pipe/cigar guys. also try to sell fake silver, etc. it's all basically scams and they pose no real threat

i'm not sure on the double dipping.. probably not often.. same with the police jacking you for money...
i just said that i was reminded of that when i was walking at night off the strip.

my landlord said that there are scams out there for drivers..
that's what i was thinking about irt the police.. she said 'if you ever get pulled over out there.. don't take out any money. Just give them your i.d. and pretend you don't speak any spanish and they'll eventually send ya on your way'.

def. could've been<--
i considered lookin at other places.. but after hearin' his take on the zetas.. or whatever they're called out here.. and not liking the 'nice' part of town i just thought that i wasn't gonna make a home out it so why wait around?

edit: oh and i was shocked to find this on the 'chos

holy paranoia. have you ever been outside the US?

edit: the 'mozza' was most likely panela imo. they put that on everything and it's delicious

Kinda disturbing to read when your headed to Mexico on Saturday...def think its a bad experience that is uncommon tho...well I hope!

lol yes.. multiple times..
hmmm.. i'll have to check that out.

sorry thought i'd give my honest TR, but i would agree..
what can i say? i enjoy a good hyperbole now and again.

my advice from being there <30hrs:
1. try to go with someone
2. don't wear anything flashy
3. pretend like you're deaf on 5th ave
4. try to get a place on the beach
gl

if anyone is gonna be in vegas - hit me up
and thanks for all the help itt - truly.

Ricepaw is just a life nit

For anyone who has traveled to Mexico by car,they don't check your passport/ID at the border when you enter Mexico correct?