tallperson

Ok, I know this isn't strictly related to Canada but I need advice fast so where else to turn but BE?

We have the very last minute chance to go to Mexico City this wednesday for 2 weeks. Husband will be working, I'll be sightseeing with an 8 and 5 yr old. Is it worth us tagging along? Any advice gratefully received,
Ta.

hot wasabi peas

I've been to Mexico, but not Mexico City. I adore Mexico and I'd go in a flash but I've never travelled with kids before so I dunno what that entails. I remember having to get shots before I went ... a month or so prior but I was going more rustic so maybe that's irrelevent to your possible plans? Still, I got that Montezuma's Revenge big time.

Rich_007

Maybe there are deeper and wider reasons for not vacationing in Mexico....

http://thetyee.ca/Views/2007/02/07/OaxacanTeachers/

Peeps still disappear. Human life still worthless.

Rich.

Judy in Calgary

I've been to Mexico City. I loved it, but it is not without its challenges. There are many issues I could cite but, just for starters, you have to use bottled water for everything, even brushing your teeth.

Even after taking the greatest care, I still got Montezuma's Revenge. Luckily I got a fairly mild dose of it, and it hit me just as I got home. It was nice to be able to nurse myself back to health in the comfort of my own home, rather than being sick on the road.

Also, it's basically a Third World country. You have rich people living cheek by jowl with poor people. You walk down the sidewalk and have to thread your way through vendors selling lime green bras and stuff like that. When I was there I had to be careful about getting my purse snatched and my pockets picked. I didn't have my kids with me but, if I had had them with me, I'm sure I would have been worried about them getting separated from me and getting lost or, worse, being kidnapped.

I think two weeks is too long to spend in Mexico City with two kids. Keep in mind it's in the middle of the country. It's not as if you'd have beaches and stuff like that to keep you amused. Okay, you'd have warm weather and green vegetation and probably a hotel pool, and that certainly would give you a break from the Canadian winter. It would be nice, but the novelty would wear off after a while.

The things that interested me, the FABULOUS museum of anthropology, the impressive churches, etc., probably would not interest kids.

There's also the matter of the shots that HWP mentioned. To be honest, I've forgotten what shots I had for Mexico. I have a vague recollection of having had a couple of shots, but I may be getting mixed up with one of my trips to Africa (where I come from originally). I've had quite a few shots for Africa and then, when I've travelled to other places that ordinarily would have required shots, I've been okay, because I've already had them done for Africa.

If you go at all, I would say go for a few days, but not two weeks. My guess is that five days would be enough (one day travelling there, three days staying there, and one day travelling back).

If you're not going to go for two weeks, you could find out if you could follow your husband later, and then return with him. That would give you more time do research what's involved -- possible shots and whatever else.

I guess it also depends who's paying. Would you be paying or would your husband's company be paying? If you'd be paying yourselves, I honestly don't think it's worth it. It would be throwing pearls to the swine. What I mean by that is that your kids would not appreciate it, and it would not be worth the worry and the expense in return for escaping winter for a few days.

If you had a chance to go to one of Mexico's beach resorts, it would be a different matter.

Hope that helps.

tallperson

Thanks for the replies. Still tempted to go even though it is us paying for the flights. We're all up to date with vaccinations due to a trip to Costa Rica so that's not an issue. The museums would interest the kids, maybe not the churches so much.
Well I have before the end of the school day today to decide - have to tell the school at some point