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NEOhio

Sep 26, 2004, 10:54 AM

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Traveling with allowed alcohol.....? How

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Okay, 4 bottles of wine each adult over 18. I know there is wine to buy in Mexico, but I plan to ask the hostess if there are any special wines that she has not been able to have that she would like to serve and have a couple bottles for herself later.

I need to know how I take these bottles, do they go in the checked luggage, can I put them in a case wrapped each bottle in bubble wrap and tape it shut and check that and what about breakage. Is it better to take them as carry-ons? Since the flight originates in Cleveland and transfers in Chicago who is going to want to see them and when?

Thanks.

Delia

Sep 26, 2004, 11:37 AM

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Coals to Newcastle

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I have seen wine and liquor bottles break in luggage - not a pretty scene especially with red or sweet wines/liquors! When flying internationally, seasoned travelers and expatriates only take with them that which cannot be acquired (or a reasonable facsimile) at their destination, even if it’s a little more expensive than in the home country. Luggage space is to be used for what can NOT be bought at the destination.

Don’t waste your luggage space and weight dragging stuff to Mexico like wine, ham, tuna, corn, granola, avocados, tea, rice, soap, candy, etc. as others have. Between Guadalajara and Lakeside these kinds of items are available in quantity and variety the year round. Even exotic spices unavailable in Mexico can be mail ordered very reasonably from the USA.

Save precious luggage space for stuff that’s actually in very limited supply in Mexico such as English language books and magazines. Or specialty items - unavailable in Mexico - for people with serious hobbies. Or if you have all this excess luggage capacity you insist on filling, why not fill it with clothes for donation to charity?

Bubba

Sep 26, 2004, 11:51 AM

Post #3 of 12 (722 views)

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Re: [JohnO] Coals to Newcastle

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Good point JohnO. We sold off an extensive cellar of French and California wines when we retired here and find very good wines at reasonable prices here in Jalisco. We are especially pleased with the Chilean, Spanish and Portuguese wines and their prices. Just this morning in Ajijic I bought a Gato Negro Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile for only $54 Pesos. Gato Negro's whites and reds are consistently good, We rarely pay more that $150 Pesos for very good wines here. You are also correct that in Metro Guadalajara and in the Lake Chapala communities you can get a large variety of gourmet food items. Try Susazon and Super Lake at lakeside and the Europea chain or Goitti in Guadalajara for excellent liquors, meats, cheeses and other food items.

Carol Schmidt

Sep 26, 2004, 1:09 PM

Post #4 of 12 (704 views)

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Re: [JohnO] Coals to Newcastle

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Don't say the used clothes are to be donated to charity, of course--duty on imported used clothing is horrendous. A friend wanted to have a used Halloween costume (witch's dress and hat) sent to her from the States and duty was going to be far more than the cost of a new costume.

My aunt tried to send me a used dressy suit from the States and I had to turn it back--I knew it wouldn't fit and would be in her taste and not mine, so I wasn't eager to pay $32 duty to get it! I still had to pay $15 postage to send it back.

The extra cost of a gourmet imported item at one of the gourmet deli shops in Mexican cities with a lot of gringos would still be less than the luggage space you'd use bringing it. I looked hard in the States for fennelgreek spice and had to worry crossing the border that it looked just like pot in its rinkydink plastic package, and then I found fennelgreek in abundance at Bonanza supermarket here in San Miguel. I found Mateus wine from Portugal at La Europa here, and it wasn't even available in many places in the States any more.

I had a friend bring back Liquid Smoke, at 99 cents in the U.S., and now it's available at Harry's gourmet deli,at a higher cost, to be sure, but cheaper than a trip to the States! I now buy specialty Thai seasonings from importfoods.com--the live kaffir lime leaves don't make it, snatched at the border because they could harbor disease, but all the other Thai foods make it okay. And I can even find canned coconut milk here for around $2.25 a can, but have learned to make it myself.

I did have a friend bring back cherry-flavored Phillips Milk of Magnesia and Fixodent, and later the Wal-Mart cheap equivalent of Fixodent, and I'd like to find the exact unscented deodorants and soaps I enjoyed in the States. I had another friend bring down one last bag of Old Mother Hubbard dog biscuits since our dog was very persnickity about substitutions (we had six big bags with us on our menaje de casa), but now she has had to adjust to Science Diet for Seniors anyway.

Maybe your hostess has mentioned a particular cosmetic she couldn't find in Mexico? I had a heck of a time finding a gray eyebrow pencil here, since everything seemed geared to black and brown-black eyebrows in the Mexican complexion, but some older Mexicans must use the gray because I finally found one, and a blonde one, too!

Generally whatever you want can be bought here at higher cost or ordered online. But there are a few exceptions. My dog sure would love some Old Mother Hubbard dog biscuits!

Carol Schmidt

not_ally

Sep 26, 2004, 6:31 PM

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Re: [Carol Schmidt] Coals to Newcastle

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Carol, importfoods.com is a great site, thanks for the tip. I figured that kaffir lime leaves would be tough to ship, likewise galanga root. Have you ever tried the dried or powdered galanga? If so, is it a reasonable substitute?
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"The first question I ask myself when something doesn't seem to be beautiful is why do I think it's not beautiful. And very shortly I discover there is no reason." John Cage

Bubba

Sep 26, 2004, 6:45 PM

Post #6 of 12 (657 views)

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Re: [not_ally] Coals to Newcastle

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One can find fresh galangal and keffir lime leaves here and can grow these things plus excellent lemon grass. A number of southeast asian ingredients from shrimp paste to you name it are available at Lake Chapala and in Guadalajara. We grow a number of fresh herbs in our garden as can you if you live here. However, if you are a cous cous freak, rutabagas are impossible to find. That's life.

jennifer rose

Sep 26, 2004, 7:14 PM

Post #7 of 12 (645 views)

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Re: [NEOhio] Traveling with allowed alcohol.....? How

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TSA http://www.tsa.gov will inspect and repack your luggage after it's presented for check-in. Your carry-on will be subject to inspection immediately at the time you enter the gate area; when making a connection, it will be subject to inspection again by TSA should you leave the restricted area, often a necessary step when changing terminals.

Familiarize yourself with your carrier's limitations relative to carry-on items. Depending upon the aircraft and space limitations, there is always the risk that your carry-on may become checked baggage at the gate.

Upon entry into Mexican, your luggage will be again subject to inspection by Mexican customs.

That said, and in consideration of other responses to this thread, the wiser course of action might be carry fewer than the maximum limit of bottles of wine.

not_ally

Sep 27, 2004, 7:55 AM

Post #8 of 12 (596 views)

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Re: [Bubba] Coals to Newcastle

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Bubba, where can you get lime leaves and galangal in Guadalajara? I am planning a stopover there in a few days and would love to pick some up.

Also, not exactly on topic, but for those who have had problems with broken locks during luggage searches, you can buy a standard TSA lock for about $15 (I have TSA combination locks which are really easy/quick to open close) that can be opened by airport personal so that they don't have to cut them off.
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"The first question I ask myself when something doesn't seem to be beautiful is why do I think it's not beautiful. And very shortly I discover there is no reason." John Cage

NEOhio

Sep 27, 2004, 11:10 AM

Post #9 of 12 (561 views)

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Re: [jennifer rose] Thank you

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Jennifer, thank you for the step-by-step, it is appreciated.

I do not food shop well, I hate stores and especially hate the piped in music, if I can have it with me when I arrive then my time is my own. To each their own. I shop the open market and butcher here in town every week because I enjoy the free-for-all atmosphere, and the real life cacaphony that goes with the market. We have some things delivered (Schwan's) and husband goes to the grocery for the basics.

So footing it or driving around looking for a special something is not on my agenda. If I have free time I am gonna be looking for a boat dock to rent.

But thanks for the coals to newcastle advice yet again.

Bubba

Sep 27, 2004, 1:25 PM

Post #10 of 12 (541 views)

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Re: [not_ally] Coals to Newcastle

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My dear husband is dreaming again! I use various citrus leaves but not keffir lime leaves. I have used leaves of various lime including key limes and grapefruit leaves, they are not as fragant as the keffir lime leaves but they work and I got fresh galangal at a market in San Cristobal so God only knows where you would find it here but I think that the abastos in Guadalajara may be a place to check or any "thai restaurant" in Guadalajara may know. I planted some but it did not do great. The powder for me is not a great substitute. There was a nice chinese lady married to a vietnamese man who opened a restaurant out of her home in Tlachichilco, I think the restaurant is now closed but if she still lives there, she may be able to help you. She once gave me seeds of Thai basil so she may have other interresting herbs. She is the one who told me to use other type of citrus leaves. Do not ask me for her name as I do not remember but someone on this forum may know her.

not_ally

Sep 27, 2004, 6:44 PM

Post #11 of 12 (483 views)

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Re: [Bubba] Coals to Newcastle

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Thanks Mrs. B. The quest continues!
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"The first question I ask myself when something doesn't seem to be beautiful is why do I think it's not beautiful. And very shortly I discover there is no reason." John Cage

NEOhio

Sep 28, 2004, 5:37 AM

Post #12 of 12 (452 views)

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Re: [NEOhio] Thank you

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As I re-read my earlier post thanking Jennifer for her info it occurs to me that it might sound a tad snide. It was not meant that way, and I apologize if it came across as being clipped, rude or mean-spirited.