I highly value these words from deep travelers into Latin America. We have no plans to rv or fly there, however we have regularly daily visited border towns such as Los Algodonas, Nogales, Tijuana, Naco, Nuevo Laredo, San Luis Rio Colorado.
As in any city we were wary ( aware) of our surroundings, the actions of the people around.
I've seen worse hijinks in NOLA, Nassau, Montreal, Washinton DC than we ever had in a USA/ Mexican border town.
Tipping is key to get the best info from a local for good deals, restaurants, protection. Give a neighborhood boy a sawbuck to watch your car, A buck to the taxi driver before you get in in almost any city in the world will open a whole world of safety and local knowledge.
Its not grift, or extortion, to pay it forward to that which we in the northern countries of Europe and America are accustomed to doing after the fact.
Nuevo Laredo in US News has a bad rap for foreign visitors. Drugs, gangs, all that nonsense. For $5 and his lunch you can tip a streetsmart kid when you walk over to take you anywhere, and the crooks will respect him and you as you enjoy his help learning about his town. His or her escort ensures your safety.
Throw an extra buck or 2 her way, for gratitude whenever they steer you to a deal.
This is the normal in most of the world.
' Grease' is not required liberally, applied functionally goes a long ways.
