Thailand, Mexico Or Where Should I Go ?

[paz]

That beach has a dangerous undertow--gotta be careful.

Same same Kata beach!

[thailiketoo]

What is the difference between Mexico and Miami or San Antonio?

Same as the difference between Thailand and Moscow.

That is really silly and ignorant. Mexico and Miami and San Antonio share a common language and food and climate and history among other things.

You don't have to speak English in Mexico, Miami and San Antonio. The food is the same. The women are the same. They have Spanish language newspapers and schools. Spanish people settled in Miami and San Antonio and Mexico 400 years ago and at one time both Texas and Florida belonged to Spain as did Mexico.

Thailand is nothing like Russia.

Edited December 27, 2013 by thailiketoo

[impulse]

What is the difference between Mexico and Miami or San Antonio?

Same as the difference between Thailand and Moscow.

That is really silly and ignorant. Mexico and Miami and San Antonio share a common language and food and climate and history among other things.

You don't have to speak English in Mexico, Miami and San Antonio. The food is the same. The women are the same. They have Spanish language newspapers and schools. Spanish people settled in Miami and San Antonio and Mexico 400 years ago and at one time both Texas and Florida belonged to Spain as did Mexico.

Thailand is nothing like Russia.

I admit- I followed one silly and ignorant statement with a silly and ignorant reply.

Look at income disparities and you'll find Russia has a lot more in common with Thailand than Mexico has with those cities in the USA.

It's colder, for sure. But you don't have to speak Thai in Thailand, you can find Russian food, along with Russian women (interesting, BTW that you focus on the women being the same- says a lot really)

[craigt3365]

What is the difference between Mexico and Miami or San Antonio?

Same as the difference between Thailand and Moscow.

That is really silly and ignorant. Mexico and Miami and San Antonio share a common language and food and climate and history among other things.

You don't have to speak English in Mexico, Miami and San Antonio. The food is the same. The women are the same. They have Spanish language newspapers and schools. Spanish people settled in Miami and San Antonio and Mexico 400 years ago and at one time both Texas and Florida belonged to Spain as did Mexico.

Thailand is nothing like Russia.

No comparing Mexico and Miami or San Antonio. First, Mexico is a country. The other 2 are specific cities.

You've obviously not been to Mexico. Speaking a bit of Spanish is a must. If you get a bit off the beaten track (and only a bit), it's a really big deal. And Spanish is not the dominant language in the US. A vast majority don't speak Spanish.

You just can't do this comparison.

[spidermike007]

Mexico has a very rich culture, and personally I prefer Spanish to Thai. I speak some Spanish, and find that Spanish speaking people really go out of their way to make an attempt to understand what you are trying to say. I have rarely ever experienced this effort in Thailand, where people seem to have a mental block against foreigners trying to speak their language. Also, the Thai people do not seem to have an ear for foreign language like the Latin speaking people. If I get three words right in a Spanish sentence, people can figure out what I can trying to say. If I get one word wrong in Thai, or mis-pronounce one word, they have no idea what i am trying to say, and have no interest in trying to figure it out. It can get pretty annoying. The lack of colonization is, I believe one of the great contribution factors in Thailand's extreme level of insularity.

One the other hand, Mexico is way more expensive than Thailand these days. And the security situation is such that you have to always be looking over your shoulder. Far more violent crime in Latin America than the LOS. And the food is not the same. There is good food to be had in Mexico, but by and large Mexicans have no idea whatsoever what a healthy diet even looks like. The food is far better in Thailand. The women are friendlier, and the place is a lot more exotic. So, pros and cons to both places. I suppose if I had enough cash, I would spend two months per year in Colombia, one month per year in the US, maybe one month in Mexico, and the rest in Thailand.

[JDGRUEN]

Hey ... it's a snap ... only 40K plus people killed in Mexico in the past five years my Drug Lords... many innocent bystanders ... Have fun .... Or maybe you might want to consider Belize or Panama or even Costa Rica ...

[craigt3365]

Mexico has a very rich culture, and personally I prefer Spanish to Thai. I speak some Spanish, and find that Spanish speaking people really go out of their way to make an attempt to understand what you are trying to say. I have rarely ever experienced this effort in Thailand, where people seem to have a mental block against foreigners trying to speak their language. Also, the Thai people do not seem to have an ear for foreign language like the Latin speaking people. If I get three words right in a Spanish sentence, people can figure out what I can trying to say. If I get one word wrong in Thai, or mis-pronounce one word, they have no idea what i am trying to say, and have no interest in trying to figure it out. It can get pretty annoying. The lack of colonization is, I believe one of the great contribution factors in Thailand's extreme level of insularity. One the other hand, Mexico is way more expensive than Thailand these days. And the security situation is such that you have to always be looking over your shoulder. Far more violent crime in Latin America than the LOS. And the food is not the same. There is good food to be had in Mexico, but by and large Mexicans have no idea whatsoever what a healthy diet even looks like. The food is far better in Thailand. The women are friendlier, and the place is a lot more exotic. So, pros and cons to both places. I suppose if I had enough cash, I would spend two months per year in Colombia, one month per year in the US, maybe one month in Mexico, and the rest in Thailand.

I like Mexico a lot. Maybe that's from living in the US Southwest for most of my life. And having spent a lot of time in Mexico, CA and SA. Several years all combined. I love the music, the culture, the food, the beaches!, and yes, the people are very friendly. We considered living there, but it is quite a bit more expensive and security is a concern. I hate living with bars on the windows of my house.

I'd love to visit Colombia. Especially Cartagena!

[impulse]

My recommendation for Latin America is simply one of logistics. The OP is in Canada- a 3-5 hour easy plane ride from many destinations in Latin America, in pretty much the same time zone.

He's 24 hours of grueling plane time from Thailand, and 12 hour time difference to add jet lag to the equation.

Just like I'd recommend a tourist from China or Japan try Thailand before trekking to Latin America, I'd suggest the OP give the nod to directly south, just a few hours by air.

Always amazed at the people crossing in the air, each racing to get to the other side of the world. I'm just as guilty, living in Houston for decades, and never once visiting the Johnson Space Center...while some of my old friends crossed the country just to see it.

It also amazes me that I'm making a living in Bangkok, where I see hundreds of tourists every day that just spent their vacation time (and a lot of money) to see what I take for granted, and I can't wait for the weekend to get away from the hubbub. Had the same feeling when I lived in S. California and caught up with many long lost friends when they hauled their family 2000 miles to Disneyland.

Ramblings of an old fart, I guess.