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chinagringo

Apr 15, 2011, 8:03 AM

Post #1 of 17 (6802 views)

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Semana Santa Travel

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http://www.informador.com.mx/...estas-vacaciones.htm

According to the above article from INFORMADOR, only 1 out of 10 Guadalajara residents will be traveling during this holiday season. Reasons given for staying home: stay out of the traffic, stay out of the heat and high economic costs. It will be interesting to see if this is a National Trend or something unique to Jalisco. I would be willing to speculate that while Guadalajara residents have provided these responses, there will now be more residents making day trips to Lake Chapala?
Regards,
Neil
Albuquerque, NM

jerezano

Apr 15, 2011, 9:45 AM

Post #2 of 17 (6765 views)

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Re: [chinagringo] Semana Santa Travel

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Hello Neil and others,

For someone living in Alburque NM your interest in Mexico continues to surprise me. And your question about travel over the Semana Santa is a good one. I find it hard to believe that only 1 in 10 residents of Guadalajara will be traveling during this holiday season. In the past, for example, Mexico City has always seemed a desert during this holiday. And Guadalajara too, it seemed that everyone was off to a beach somewhere.

So your supposition that travel to Lake Chapala will increase is a good one and of course would probably NOT show in the poll taken by "Informador".

As to your wonder about whether restriction on travel is a national trend or not, I can only think of my own travel plans from here in Zacatecas. . I will go somewhere for the Holiday. Proposals so far have been Chiapas (too far, too expensive), Tabasco (also too far and too expensive), Veracruz (maybe), Xilitla SLP (distance OK, expense OK), maybe include Tuxpan Veracruz? SLP? that too is possible. A really inexpensive trip to Real de Catorce? Been there too many times already. Aguascalientes Aguas. Nearby, inexpensive, lots to do. Morelia? Lagos de Moreno? Inland Jalisco?

So, as you can see, the expense, the highway times, the bus fares, the airfares, and other travel times all play a part. Is this playing with costs, time, hazards, etc., a national trend? Of course.

Too, my economic situation as a retiree is stable. Consider the fact that many Mexicans do not have that stability of income.

Conclusion: Yes, I do believe that many people who ordinarily would be traveling over this holiday season will NOT be traveling. But I still find it hard to accept the "Informador" statistic of only 1 in 10. From what my friends here in Zacatecas are planning and saying, I would guess that 7 or 8 out of ten WILL be traveling.

Neil, when can we expect you to come to Mexico and live with the rest of us?

As ever, jerezano

robt65

Apr 15, 2011, 10:03 AM

Post #3 of 17 (6753 views)

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Re: [jerezano] Semana Santa Travel

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Hello Jerezano,

I was surprised to see Xilitla SLP on your list of possible travel destinations. This is the birthplace of my mother-in-law. I have had the pleasure of visiting there many times. Sir Harry James was quite a character. It is mind boggling to see what he was able to construct without any of the modern conveniences or tools. Bring your swim trunks as there is a great "swimming hole" at the base of the very tall waterfalls. Truly in the middle of a high jungle. If you need plants for your garden, the road up is lined with plant vendors. Just a wonderful place to visit.

robt65

turnabout

Apr 15, 2011, 10:06 AM

Post #4 of 17 (6752 views)

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Re: [chinagringo] Semana Santa Travel

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Living in New Mexico, Hmmmm. I guess Mexico must be a hobby. If you know Mexicans as I know them, married to one and have lived in Mexico 11 years, anyone taking a survey of Mexicans asking them if they are going to go away for vacation the answer might be closer to 99% say "no". They don´t even tell their next door neighbors they are going to be gone on vacation, let alone a stranger likely cold calling.
I have seen tourism, mostly Nationals but also international, picking up steadly since the first of the year with levels at about what they were 4 years ago.

jerezano

Apr 15, 2011, 10:29 AM

Post #5 of 17 (6741 views)

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Re: [turnabout] Semana Santa Travel

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Hello all,

Mexico has many different states, areas, regions, municipios, and tierras natales. And they all differ in one way or another. I cannot count how many times when i see posts from fellow ex-pats who have lived here for years (like turnabout with 11 and married to a Mexican family) I have wanted to know where they live. Why? Because it controls what they think and say. None of us are Universal residents of Mexico.

May I suggest to all that you list in your profile the state, region, or city in which you live ? It would sure add to the weight of what you are saying. For example, if you are complaining about all Mexican foods as being too damn hot I would know immediately that you are not living in Nayarit or Jalisco. But then the question arises: Just where are you living?

And what privacy are you giving away by listing in what part of Mexico, the USA, or Canada or wherever you are living?

Sorry, this is a deviation from the thread, but I am frustrated again by turnabout. Just where has he seen tourist levels increasing? Perhaps the monitor can pick this thought up and do something about it.

As ever, jerezano.

(This post was edited by jerezano on Apr 15, 2011, 10:33 AM)

tonyburton

Apr 15, 2011, 10:31 AM

Post #6 of 17 (6735 views)

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Re: [robt65] Semana Santa Travel

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Edward James...

We have numerous articles about James and Xilitla on MexConnect, including:

Xilitla and Las Pozas

Las Pozas: Edward James' fantasy stands tall in a jungle in Mexico

Xilitla is a magical place in San Luis Potosí

Edward James, builder of dreams

Enjoy! Tony

robt65

Apr 15, 2011, 10:51 AM

Post #7 of 17 (6725 views)

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Re: [tonyburton] Semana Santa Travel

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If no one has been there, it really is worth the trip. It is really a place to visit, close your eyes and think back to Sir Edward James times, really almost another Hemingway (not for literary reasons) but even more eccentric.

robt65

(This post was edited by robt65 on Apr 15, 2011, 11:08 AM)

Anonimo

Apr 15, 2011, 11:08 AM

Post #8 of 17 (6720 views)

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Re: [jerezano] Semana Santa Travel

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Hola, we are on a bus from PATZCUARO to
Mexico City, where we are attending a wedding tomorrow.
So, fwitw, we are traveling.

Now skirting Toluca.

Adios
Anonimo

tonyburton

Apr 15, 2011, 11:56 AM

Post #9 of 17 (6705 views)

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Re: [robt65] Semana Santa Travel

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I've often wondered whether Edward James was really "Sir" Edward James. I'm well aware of the large number of web references to him as "Sir Edward James", but most if not all appear to be unsubstantiated...
Not that it really matters, his artistic creations are amazing!

tashby

Apr 15, 2011, 11:58 AM

Post #10 of 17 (6702 views)

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Re: [chinagringo] Semana Santa Travel

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Today is Friday. I was in Chapala this morning running errands, and then back to Ajijic by noon. I have a feeling we are going to get absolutely hammered with visitors for the next two weeks. Just a guess...

robt65

Apr 16, 2011, 12:29 PM

Post #11 of 17 (6602 views)

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Re: [chinagringo] Semana Santa Travel

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Hi all,

Here is the name of the very new and very clean hotel with ample size rooms with especially big bathrooms with showers large enough to hold another "Woodstock"!!! (smiling) Well not quite but they certainly large, and some of the walk-in showers even come with a tiled bench seat. It really is quite a place and for all it has to offer (including a small cafe with both inside and outside seating available) it is pretty reasonable. I can't tell you the exact rates of the rooms as they do change from season to season. I had a pair of prosthetic legs made for the owners best friend, who lost his lags in an automobile accident. The name of this lovely imitate hotel in Xilitla is the hotel “Los Jirasoles” and it is located on “Carretera Los Pozas”. If you do happen to stop by, even for just a cup of coffee, please tell them Jimena and I said hello and the baby Angi is doing fine. We will come to visit them soon, to check up on my patient.
Have a great time of any one goes there.
Robt65

RickS

Apr 18, 2011, 10:41 AM

Post #12 of 17 (6457 views)

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Re: [chinagringo] Semana Santa Travel

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"only 1 in 10"

Let's assume that, for the sake of this discussion, the population of Guadalajara is 6 million. That means that 'only' 600,000 of them will venture out on a trip this holiday. That doesn't seem like a small number to actually 'confess' that they are going out-of-town to me even if it is Samana Santa. Just saying.....

chinagringo

Apr 18, 2011, 3:38 PM

Post #13 of 17 (6420 views)

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Re: [tashby] Semana Santa Travel

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I haven't seen any complaining about any great influx at the Lake. Can we assume that it didn't happen or have people become more accepting of the reality?
Regards,
Neil
Albuquerque, NM

bournemouth

Apr 18, 2011, 3:48 PM

Post #14 of 17 (6417 views)

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Re: [chinagringo] Semana Santa Travel

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It's happening. Folks are out stocking up on basic grocery stuff, getting cash from ATM's while there still is some etc. etc.

DavidHF

Apr 18, 2011, 4:47 PM

Post #15 of 17 (6404 views)

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Re: [chinagringo] Semana Santa Travel

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I love the seeming "vacuum effect" after Semana Santa and Easter Week; the Tapatios go back to Guadalajara and the Snowbirds head north.

chinagringo

Apr 18, 2011, 5:55 PM

Post #16 of 17 (6390 views)

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Re: [RickS] Semana Santa Travel

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You are sort of right with your math! According to the preliminary census results, Guadalajara has a population of about 4.4 million (way less than numbers I have seen thrown about) but 10% of this figure would constitute a sizable number traveling.

Not that it necessarily applies to Guadalajara, I did read a report in a Morelia newspaper, where the reservations for Semana Santa were virtually non existent in Patzcuaro. For example, Hotel Mansion Iturbe on the main plaza had zero reservations for this past weekend. On the other hand, the Artisans Fair in Uruapan reportedly had a record artist participation with about 2000 artists exhibiting.
Regards,
Neil
Albuquerque, NM

Anonimo

Apr 19, 2011, 4:19 AM

Post #17 of 17 (6335 views)

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Re: [chinagringo] Semana Santa Travel

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We saw big crowds lined up buying bus tickets at Mexico City's Terminal Poniente yesterday morning. However, as we've never been in that bus station at Semana Santa before, we have no way of knowing if it was an increase or a decrease in travelers.

We took the first ETN bus available to Morelia at 11:00 a.m., foregoing an INAPAM discount, for which we would have had to wait until a 1:00 p.m. departure. We wanted to get home, so we paid full fare.

Saludos,
Anonimo