patrick.net

I tried to leave this review on TripAdvisor, but they demand that you allow the Google ReCaptcha spyware, so I couldn't. Same problem with the website of the hotel itself, Hotel Zocalo Central. Ah, they have a plain email address! Thank God for that. I'll send it to them there as well as posting it here.

My wife and I were exceptionally happy with room 215, overlooking the Zocalo square and the cathedral. I'm sure it costs more than the other rooms, but totally worth it.

It's noisy outside, but if you close the windows you can barely hear it. The air conditioning worked well.

There were a few flaws, like tiny mosquitoes in the hotel lobby, but nowhere else we went in Mexico City. Odd. There is a nice free cafe in the lobby where you just give your room number and get coffee, food, and beer all free for guests. The servers expect a tip, but two dollars seems well appreciated. Some of the servers seemed rather sullen and unfriendly most of the time anyway. Others were cheerful and friendly.

The front desk needs to have aspirin on hand. I had a headache and was surprised they didn't have any. They should also make a point of changing money at a reasonable rate, both for the benefit of the guests and because it is a potential profit center. A clerk told me that they will change money, but only at a very bad rate.

The breakfast on the amazing balcony is very good, though one waiter forgot my order so we waited around and eventually ordered again. The coffee is not quite as good as you might expect from the food and location. Seems like Robusta beans instead of Arabica, and not strong enough for coffee connoisseurs. It would also be nice if they had really good cocoa available, as Mexico is the origin of cocoa. It seemed like what they had was the Abuelita stuff, with cinnamon and suger, not what I was hoping for.

Overall, quite an excellent hotel, and you really can't beat the location.

Patrick says

like tiny mosquitoes in the hotel lobby, but nowhere else we went in Mexico City.

They have a fountain or something nearby? Open air lobby? Likely no see ums. They're common in warm and more humid climates. I don't know if Mexico city fits that mold, but they're bad on the Caribbean side of MX. Water/swampy areas are where they go.

We've been in Florida and the entire family looked like we had chicken pox after the week. No one felt like they were getting bit. Wasn't midwest style mosquitos that you just whack off your arm. You didn't know it was happening.

Patrick says

The front desk needs to have aspirin on hand. I had a headache and was surprised they didn't have any. They should also make a point of changing money at a reasonable rate, both for the benefit of the guests and because it is a potential profit center. A clerk told me that they will change money, but only at a very bad rate.

Tip. Always bring a first aid kit of some sort that includes pain meds. Internationally especially and account for any liquids over the ounce requirement. I don't take anything, but the wife might and if something bad happened I might. I've needed a kit twice for wounds on vacation, mainly camping. Basic stuff like bandaids, alcohol wipes to clean wounds, gauze, maybe some medical tape, etc. If you're doing tours Dramamine water or land is a go to now as I get sick if I'm not driving and in the back. I get shotgun or you may end up with puke in the back. I rent a car everywhere I go if I can. I need to be in control.

For the kit also account for location. My wife just got back from Costa Rica. She was stung in probably a dozen spots by jellyfish. I'll wait for the pee on it comments........ but there are other remedies you can bring with.

I have a weird timing things with stuff. First time I bought travel insurance for a trip to Disney my BIL hangs himself. We either miss the wake and funeral or $6k lost. We got it all back. Took my kids and nephew camping (before we had him) just me and the kids. Nephew falls at the campground playground and tears a wart he had on his knee off. Blood everywhere. I had a first aid kit I packed for the first time.

I love travel and I'm getting better at it. Contemplated getting into the travel industry, but I really don't want to deal with needy people that expect 5 start service for next to nothing. On the coffee thing I'd always bring it or just go to a local shop. I don't drink it anymore, but I did love good coffee when I did. We bring snacks for the flights and the room. Saves some $$$.

We have spring break and one camping trip planned the rest of the year. I'm disappointed. San Diego is out now too, which I'm pissed about. $500k on a house so it's time to be frugal and make more money. I've enjoyed the break. Time for me to adult again.

WookieMan says

Patrick says

like tiny mosquitoes in the hotel lobby, but nowhere else we went in Mexico City.

They have a fountain or something nearby? Open air lobby? Likely no see ums. They're common in warm and more humid climates. I don't know if Mexico city fits that mold, but they're bad on the Caribbean side of MX. Water/swampy areas are where they go.

We've been in Florida and the entire family looked like we had chicken pox after the week. No one felt like they were getting bit. Wasn't midwest style mosquitos that you just whack off your arm. You didn't know it was happening.

Patrick says

The front desk needs to have aspirin on hand. I had a headache and was surprised they didn't have any. They should also make a point of changing money at a reasonable rate, both for the benefit of the guests and...

One of the reasons I will likely never move to an overly humid climate. Fucking hate mosquitoes, rather wrestle a bobcat than a horde of these bloodsuckers. Ah California!

mell says

One of the reasons I will likely never move to an overly humid climate. Fucking hate mosquitoes, rather wrestle a bobcat than a horde of these bloodsuckers. Ah California!

Don't disagree. No clue if it's blood type, but mosquitoes don't F with me. I very rarely use spray in the summer humid months here in IL. I'm an outlier, but I actually like humidity. I'm a sauna and steam room guy. So natural steam room and sweat I feel is good. Gets shit out of the body. Frankly think it's healthy for you. I understand though people don't like it. But still why I'm eying Mississippi property on a lake for retirement. Cheap AF and I'm all good with humidity.

That said I'd prefer CA climate. Winters are awful here in IL. The value to climate equation for me to move to CA just isn't worth it financially. We'll make the same anywhere in the country, but housing it exponentially more expensive and income taxes alone would eat $25k/yr above what we pay. House we're building will be $3k/mo roughly. Same house in CA would be $7k/mo at least. Doable. Not getting house poor though. So I'll drag through the winters in the meantime.

WookieMan says

They have a fountain or something nearby?

There wasn't any visible fountain in the lobby, but they did have a wall of plants which might have enough water to keep those little buggers going. Here is the lobby:



It's pretty much a 5-star place aside from the little flaws.

I'm still a bit creeped out by learning more about the human sacrifice. They would cut you open, and then the priest would literally reach in and rip your heart out.

I imagine a Catholic priest talking to an Aztec something like this in 1520 or so:

priest: God sacrificed his only son to save you.
Aztec: Sure, Gods do that and this is why we have to sacrifice people, to return the favor. Was his heart ripped out?
priest: No, they nailed him to a cross.
Aztec: Creative! So you nail people to crosses?
priest: No, it was just a one-time thing.
Aztec: Boring!

Patrick says

Everyone hopes for tips, about 15% is normal like in the US. Lots of beggers.

That's odd. In TJ we usually only leave a few pesos, never go by percentage.

Patrick says

The European Mexicans are taller than the mestizo or Indians, and look much richer. Very hierarchical.

That's racist!! Seriously though, every non-white ethnicity is like this. The lighter the skin, the better. We're the only country that seems to have this ass-backwards.

Patrick says

I'm still a bit creeped out by learning more about the human sacrifice. They would cut you open, and then the priest would literally reach in and rip your heart out.

Weirdly, this happens in any society just before the Iron Age. There's Danish and other sites in China like this.

Sometime in the late Stone Age/Bronze age, people get the idea that sacrificing people is a Good Thing.

Patrick says

Food was cheap and good, and we never got sick. We were careful to avoid the water and anything that might have been washed in water, like lettuce.

I could not bring myself to try the brains or eye.

Never seen oreja, that's weird. Also, no buche!?

Eric Holder says

iPhone? I doubt it can be re-used if locked via iCloud. Android - I have no idea.

iPhone. Sold it for just over $200, must be good for something. If you can swap the IMEI, that's all that's needed to unlock it. Tried it a while back, but the SW didn't work, or I didn't know what I was doing.

AmericanKulak says

Weirdly, this happens in any society just before the Iron Age. There's Danish and other sites in China like this.

Yes, and Christianity itself is a kind of offshoot of this. Abraham was supposed sacrifice Isaac, but God stopped him. Just a test. Jesus's being sacrificed is kind of a reflection of that.

And I think in the Old Testament you have the rule that you can no longer sacrifice your firstborn to Baal or Moloch, implying that that's what people used to do.

My advice is don't set yourself up for any crime.

Try to fit in as much as you can so you don't stick out enough and there is a virtual sign above you that says "kidnap me"

.

Re: Human sacrifice above.
My Mexican friend (who is a lawyer and got good grades in school) told me that the traditional soupy dish Pozole was made with human meat sometimes back in the Aztec days.
Today it's made with pork.
She made pozole one cold day and told this to me and ruined my appetite for the pork. The hominy and broth went down OK.
There was a famous guy who disposed of narco murdered people using large drums and acid; his nickname was "El pozolero"=pozole maker.

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2023/02/27/Mexico-protest-election-institute-Obrador/3181677499079/

Feb. 27 (UPI) -- More than 100,000 Mexican residents crowded the Zocalo plaza near the presidential palace in Mexico City to protest changes to the National Election Institute they charge would weaken the agency.

Hey, that's pretty much the view we had from my hotel room, only our view was quite a bit lower, from the 3rd floor of Hotel Zocalo Central, room 215. (If you stay there, that is the room to get.)

And the protest is about election fraud, just like we have here.

Cool.

Patrick says

Food was cheap and good, and we never got sick.

I have to revoke the never sick part. I got classic tourista about 24 hours after getting back. Not sure how that happened, but seems like it has to be the trip. At least it was not on the plane thank God.

I did brush my teeth with the water, which may have been my mistake. I have also since read that "If the food isn't too hot to eat when it arrives at your table, you shouldn't eat it at all." This is because just a touch by a dirty hand on warm food can make a place where bacteria can proliferate quickly.

My wife is fine, but she never brushed her teeth with the tap water.

One of my friends came back from a vacation in Mexico with a TB.

Patrick says

My wife is fine, but she never brushed her teeth with the tap water.

This was likely the mistake on your end. I'll forget using bottled water and have never been sick in MX, but at some point you're better off not brushing your teeth as gross as that sounds. Resorts generally have their own filtration, but if you were in MX city that's a crapshoot for water quality.

Worst case if you don't have bottled water, and again it's going to sound crazy, but use vodka, beer, or any alcohol to wet the tooth brush if you don't have bottled water. Also never assume the bottled water is good either. Hence the alcohol suggestion.

I got covid in Mexico, but nothing else and I totally forgot this last time about using the bottled water. Fortunately no problems there.

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/most-violent-cities-world

The continental United States racks up seven mentions in total. Other than New Orleans, Baltimore (rank 17), Detroit (rank 23), Memphis (rank 25), Cleveland (rank 27), Milwaukee (rank 39) and Philadelphia (rank 46) make the list.

Not sure I believe that Mexico has 9 out of the top 10 most dangerous cities on earth, but I can believe it has some of the top 10.

WookieMan says

This was likely the mistake on your end.

I've never heard of a 24 hour delay for it though. Can't find much online about a delay before Montezuma's Revenge.

Maybe you get infected and it takes a while for the bug to proliferate in your guts.

Patrick says

Not sure I believe that Mexico has 9 out of the top 10 most dangerous cities on earth, but I can believe it's pretty high.

You are definitely going into a hot zone as I believe Mexico City is in the middle of that ring of violent crime and terror, which includes Celaya Uruapan, and Zamora. Stay in the high-end tourist areas and don't venture out unless you travel in an armored vehicle and have armed security.

AmericanKulak says

Patrick says

I'm still a bit creeped out by learning more about the human sacrifice. They would cut you open, and then the priest would literally reach in and rip your heart out.

Weirdly, this happens in any society just before the Iron Age. There's Danish and other sites in China like this.

Sometime in the late Stone Age/Bronze age, people get the idea that sacrificing people is a Good Thing.

Who knows exactly why human sacrifice was largely prevalent in neolithic cultures? Maybe it was a form of population control, since agriculture was in its infancy and booming populations depleted game animals.

Even earlier, during the hunter-gatherer days, population control was largely conducted by infanticide. Why else would a newborn cry when left alone, if not to signal to another barren woman on the move that this child was available (before it called down the wolves upon itself)?

In a lot of ways, the NWO is doing the same thing - push toxxines to sterilize breeders and kill them as well as their children. Encourage homosexuality and trans to further deplete the breeder population. Encourage women to have a "career," ride the cock carousel and end up childless with 100 cats. Sterilize men with estrogen-mimicking chemicals like plastics and pesticides. Encourage abortion to the extent that over 40,000,000 children have been roto-rootered to death since 1972.

cisTits says

Shame on you CisTits. Thats a MAN, baby! Red alert - manhands, shoulders, bolt-ons over a male torso, and face. Maybe it's not packing a sausage, but it screams trans. Notice how the face casts the neck in shadow so we can't see the Adam's apple?

Patrick says

I've never heard of a 24 hour delay for it though. Can't find much online about a delay before Montezuma's Revenge.

Maybe you get infected and it takes a while for the bug to proliferate in your guts.

Who knows it could have been food? Not sure if you do lounges as I know you've traveled to Europe. So not sure if you ate anything at the airport. I don't trust airport food anywhere. The leases for those lounges and even public restaurants are insane. Factor in that and getting the cheapest labor the food is generally sub par.

The few time I've been sick because of food, it took longer than I thought to kick in. Nothing you can do about it now obviously, but I didn't didn't each chicken for two years after a bad food poisoning incident. My youngest was an infant and my wife and I were literally not functioning. No need to get into details but it was top 3 worst sicknesses. We thought we were dying.

This is why I'll never eat before flying. Maybe a granola bar from the states that I know my gut has historically handled normally. We've basically stopped eating out in general even at home. Travel is more difficult unless you have a place with stove/oven and preferably grill so you know how it's cooked. That's if you like cooking I suppose. We do. I'd guess food, but you know what you consumed/drank.

Patrick says

I have to revoke the never sick part. I got classic tourista about 24 hours after getting back. Not sure how that happened, but seems like it has to be the trip. At least it was not on the plane thank God.

I did brush my teeth with the water, which may have been my mistake. I have also since read that "If the food isn't too hot to eat when it arrives at your table, you shouldn't eat it at all." This is because just a touch by a dirty hand on warm food can make a place where bacteria can proliferate quickly.

My wife is fine, but she never brushed her teeth with the tap water.

We always use the tap water to brush our teeth in Tijuana, but we rinse our tooth brush, and our mouth with clean water. You aren't swallowing while your brushing, so it's not from that.

When I was in Jamaica I got traveler flu where my stomach just rejected the dietary change, but that was after nearly a month.

WookieMan says

So not sure if you ate anything at the airport.

We did actually eat in the airport before the flight. Could have got me on the way out of the country.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11830957/Two-four-Americans-kidnapped-Mexico-dead.html

Two Americans who survived border kidnap linked to ultra-violent Gulf Cartel that killed their two friends as they drove south 'to get budget tummy tuck surgery'
Two Americans kidnapped at gunpoint at the US-Mexico border by 'Gulf Cartel' have been found dead, two others wounded, with one person now under arrest
Mexican officials have said that the leader of the 'Gulf Cartel' may be involved
The four Americans had been traveling south so that one of the group could have a tummy tuck when they got caught in gunfire between two gangs

Patrick says

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11830957/Two-four-Americans-kidnapped-Mexico-dead.html

Two Americans who survived border kidnap linked to ultra-violent Gulf Cartel that killed their two friends as they drove south 'to get budget tummy tuck surgery'
Two Americans kidnapped at gunpoint at the US-Mexico border by 'Gulf Cartel' have been found dead, two others wounded, with one person now under arrest
Mexican officials have said that the leader of the 'Gulf Cartel' may be involved
The four Americans had been traveling south so that one of the group could have a tummy tuck when they got caught in gunfire between two gangs

The good news is that two of them don't need the tummy tuck anymore.

Too soon?

Eric Holder says

The good news is that two of them don't need the tummy tuck anymore.

But they did get gang banged,

HeadSet says

Eric Holder says

The good news is that two of them don't need the tummy tuck anymore.

But they did get gang banged,

TWO FOR THE PRICE OF ONE!!! EVEN BETTER - FOR FREE!!!

Patrick says

WookieMan says

So not sure if you ate anything at the airport.

We did actually eat in the airport before the flight. Could have got me on the way out of the country.

It's like Tropic Thunder. Don't go full retard. Don't eat airport food. Eat light and bring small snacks to hold you over.

My travel is generally leisure. I usually have a couple beers at the airport and don't eat. Basically fast. Maybe a granola bar which I've mentioned so I don't have to buy expensive shit food. I'm not shitting on a plane unless I'm going to Australia or something. So something light that I bring with in my carry on/ backpack.

There's no incentive to make quality food when your lease is $20k/mo on 1,000-2,000 sq. ft. of space and employees are making $15/hr besides server tips. The margins are shit as the landlord is the government so they charge whatever they want. Now transfer that to Mexico and I'd venture to guess more corners are cut. I just do lounge access and pound beers for calories. Not healthy. I don't give a shit. Never disruptive. Thank everyone in the chain of travel. But I pound beers.

And I'm not fearful of travel besides trains in Ohio, Greece, or airplanes from Cuba recently... Southwest too with Cuba engine issues. I'll be massively drunk on our Jacksonville flights, both flights are on the Boeing 737 Max. I'm not afraid really, just will be drunk. Lol. No driving involved either so I'm safe.

Patrick says

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11830957/Two-four-Americans-kidnapped-Mexico-dead.html

Two Americans who survived border kidnap linked to ultra-violent Gulf Cartel that killed their two friends as they drove south 'to get budget tummy tuck surgery'
Two Americans kidnapped at gunpoint at the US-Mexico border by 'Gulf Cartel' have been found dead, two others wounded, with one person now under arrest
Mexican officials have said that the leader of the 'Gulf Cartel' may be involved
The four Americans had been traveling south so that one of the group could have a tummy tuck when they got caught in gunfire between two gangs

Two dead, two recovered by the US.

Last night I found out that Indians in the US (the Mississipian culture) built mounds that look a lot like pyramids, though not with stone, as far north as Illinois and Wisconsin. They had human sacrifice and art that looks very Mexican to me:



I bet the culture was somewhat continuous with Mexico.

Then today I saw a similar story pointing out it wasn't all kisses and hugs before white people arrived and improved things dramatically:

https://notthebee.com/article/the-replies-to-this-tweet-are-literally-savage-



https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1627318870166978560?ref_src=patrick.net

The Ancient City of Cahokia was located directly across the Mississippi River from present-day St Louis, Missouri and its famous arch

By 1100AD, Cahokia held 40,000 people, larger than London and Paris at the same time, and was the site of ritualistic mass human sacrifices, many of which were teenage girls

Patrick says

Then today I saw a similar story pointing out it wasn't all kisses and hugs before white people arrived and improved things dramatically:

The Apache were the worst of the plains tribes, did some pretty awful shit. But compared to mass genocide by Europeans...

Merely a lack of technology on the part of the Indians. If they could have utterly exterminated enemy tribes, they would have.

I read a book called "Cannibals and Kings" which went over the horrific torture American Indians would inflict on each other, like skinning enemy warriors alive.



And don't forget the Mongols. Their genocides make WWII look rather tame by comparison:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Destruction_under_the_Mongol_Empire

The Mongol army conquered hundreds of cities and villages and killed millions of people. One estimate is that about 11% of the world's population was killed either during or immediately after the Mongol invasions, around 37.75–60 million people in Eurasia.[7] These events are regarded as some of the most deadly acts of mass killing in human history.

Patrick says

Merely a lack of technology on the part of the Indians. If they could have utterly exterminated enemy tribes, they would have.

I read a book called "Cannibals and Kings" which went over the horrific torture American Indians would inflict on each other, like skinning enemy warriors alive.



And don't forget the Mongols. Their genocides make WWII look rather tame by comparison:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Destruction_under_the_Mongol_Empire

The Mongol army conquered hundreds of cities and villages and killed millions of people. One estimate is that about 11% of the world's population was killed either during or immediately after the Mongol invasions, around 37.75–60 million people in Eurasia.[7] These events are regarded a...

Mongols were battling AGW long before it became fashionable.

Patrick says

Merely a lack of technology on the part of the Indians. If they could have utterly exterminated enemy tribes, they would have.

The Apache where an outlier. Most tribes got along, otherwise we would not have lasted 5 minutes off the boat.

Patrick says

Merely a lack of technology on the part of the Indians. If they could have utterly exterminated enemy tribes, they would have.

Could and did. Powhattan exterminated an entire tribe that had angered him.

Patrick says

I'm still a bit creeped out by learning more about the human sacrifice. They would cut you open, and then the priest would literally reach in and rip your heart out.

I imagine a Catholic priest talking to an Aztec something like this in 1520 or so:

priest: God sacrificed his only son to save you.
Aztec: Sure, Gods do that and this is why we have to sacrifice people, to return the favor. Was his heart ripped out?
priest: No, they nailed him to a cross.
Aztec: Creative! So you nail people to crosses?
priest: No, it was just a one-time thing.
Aztec: Boring!

@Patrick - if you're a fan of Orson Scott Card, you should check out "Pastwatch: The Redemption of Chrisopher Columbus." It's a great alternate/alternate/alternate history novel (this will make more sense if you read it). OSC wrote Ender's Game as well as a lot of well-received SF novels. The Ender's Game movie sucked - don't judge the book by the movie.

Christopher Columbus was a badass and great hero. I'm glad he got to the new world before, say, the Muslims. Someone would have got here from the old world no matter what.

San Francisco should put his statue back up on Telegraph Hill, a gift from their own Italian-American community. (He was from Genoa.) Until his statue is back in its rightful place, fuck San Francisco.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/crime/mexico-kidnapping-victims-cartel-video-b2298156.html

A Mexican drug cartel has blamed five rogue members of its gang for the deadly kidnapping of four Americans in Matamoros.

The Gulf cartel’s Scorpions faction made the claims in a letter obtained by the Associated Press. Photos purportedly showed the suspects with their hands tied, face down on a sidewalk after being turned in by the cartel along with the letter.

The criminal group apologised for the kidnapping and said five of its members “acted under their own decision-making and lack of discipline”.

“The Gulf cartel asks the community to be calm as we’re committed to ensuring that these types of mistakes are not made ever again and plan to make those who are guilty pay,” the letter states.

The development followed reports that Mexican investigators conducted deep background checks on the four victims – LaTavia “Tay” McGee, Eric James Williams, Shaeed Woodard and Zindell Brown – as they probe the possibility of cartel links.

A report obtained by Reutersflagged the criminal records of Williams and Woodard, finding past drug convictions.

When authorities finally located the missing tourists four days after their abduction one week ago, McGee and Williams were rescued while Woodward and Brown were found dead.

The Gulf drug cartel’s ‘apology’
An unnamed Tamaulipas state law enforcement official provided a letter believed to be authored by the Gulf drug cartel to the Associated Press. In it, the criminal organisation promised to turn over five men who kidnapped LaTavia “Tay” McGee, Eric James Williams, Shaeed Woodard and Zindell Brown on 3 March.

“We have decided to turn over those who were directly involved and responsible in the events, who at all times acted under their own decision-making and lack of discipline,” the letter reads, according to the AP.

An extended version of the letter shared by local media also read: “The Gulf drug cartel Scorpion section decries the attack on 3 March, in which a working [Mexican] mother was killed and four American citizens were kidnapped. Two of them were also killed.

“ [The five members] went against the Gulf drug carter’s rules of respecting the life and integrity of innocent people. We apologise to residents of Matamoros ... and the American families affected.”

“The Gulf cartel asks the community to be calm because we’re committed to ensuring that these types of mistakes are not made ever again and making those who are guilty pay.”

WTF? Drug cartel says it respects human life?

More: https://apnews.com/article/mexico-missing-americans-cartel-e35e8c6fcda926e5c2fb8f896aa91f4e