Traveling from Mexico to Acapulco Advice needed

Sicarios (narco enforcers) would take a look at my toad and me in my purposely ratty travel clothes and shout (In Spanish)...

"Let him through! For God's sake let him through! If you stop him, he will beg for gas money!"

If the road block by civilians was on the road to Creel from Chihuahua,then the protest was about the government promising a number of things they were supposed to do in exchange and payment for the land used for the airport in Creel, foreigners will be treated good, unless you run into narcos.

navegator

Thanks, I went through a few road demonstration at toll booths without problem. I also give some money and on top it is normally less than the toll anyway. I have seen an armed road block and I do not know what it was for, no police suit or car, not the army, just a bunch of people stopping traffic, this was on road 16 between Chihuahua and Copper Canyon, they just said, gringo, OK, everything was fine.
Looks like from your comments that it will be just about the same in Oaxaca and Chiappas as in the rest of Mexico, just take it cool, go with the flow, adjust to the country spec.

The toll booth he talks about between Patzcuaro and Lazaro Cardenas is amusing. It's an expensive one, and in June of this year was the very first time since the highway was completed that we actually paid the toll. We have always done as he suggested-smiled, nodded and made a donation. In March, when he was driving the US plated RV and I was following in our Guerrero plated vehicle, he pointed out that I was his wife and they wouldn't take my donation and cleared the way for me with loads of smiles.

Along Mexico 200 the coast you will encounter roadside stores selling only MESCAL and snacks.

Ask for MESCAL ANEJO (An-NYAY-ho) and the "good stuff" aged mescal will appear along with a shot glass to sample.

The best of the aged mescales are every bit as subtle and complex as any Tequila. Beware of imbibing too many samples. Excellent aged mescal is excellent and reasonably priced.

Road blocks. The feds robbed land to use for a toll road between Lazaro Cardenas and Patzcuaro. Periodically the violated land owners would kick the toll road employees out of the toll booth and collect donations from motorists.

The donations were absolutely voluntary but almost no one I have seen ahead of me had decided not to donate. Non donors were ignored as they passed through the booth. There were dozens of sympathizers holding signs and distributing refreshments to everyone.

I made a mistake

I held my left hand out the window with clenched fist

A sign of camaraderie. My friend, my neighbor Eduardo lost thirty acres of mango orchard and was never paid a cent.

Next thing I knew I was parked on the shoulder, beyond the toll booth swilling bootleg tequila and musing acidly about how Eduardo had lost his land (no access to maintain the trees). I knew better than to try and drive. So I spent three hours in a "nap" then drove the rest of the way home with an overexcited jack hammer at work inside my skull.

I would smile a concerned smile at student protesters. Accept printed literature and then while maintaining the smile say "NO COMPRENDO". In such a circumstance I do not admit I speak Spanish. You will be left alone.

The indigenous at the X villages between Manzanillo and home on the coast route sometimes protest and block traffic. Nowadays village elders are much more strict about alcohol and drunkeness, but many young people still brandish rifles (.22 and they are unloaded) They rant at Spanish speaking car occupants, but when they see my gringo face with a concerned smile, most of the time they clear a path and insist I leave.

No big deal. But just image what gossip fodder this makes when you get home! The authorities will reopen the highway in an hour or two.

The percentage chances of you encountering a protest are small indeed.

So far the Oaxaca area is quiet, you as a tourist will not have problems, it is only on the road between Cuernavaca and Acapulco that the students (want to be comunists) and the narcos are restless, yes Oaxaca the state and the city are amasing, in the city visit the "tiangis" open air marquet and purchase some chapulines to have with your mescal or beer instead of peanuts.

There are two main archeological sites that are must see, Monte Alban and Mitla,
Monte Alban is a mountain citadel with a ball court, on the side of the ball court half way down to the other corner there is a tunnel, small crawll only that goes to the structure in the center of the court yard, the shamas would use this tunnel to pop up as if by magic on the central structure during the ceremonies do not try to crawll in there it is narrow and can colapse.

On the opposite corner of the ball court on the outside wall there are some massive stones that form a wall, those stones were brought from a different place, about 60 miles, it is amazing how the ancients moved those huge stones, powerfull juju?

Mitla is more of a religious and trading center, there the interesting features are the tombs that have endured the earthquakes for centuries, if you go in they are built as a small cross, look at the way the walls and the placement of the roof slabs, they do not touch, this prevents the walls from colapsing with the roofs slab movement during teluric movements.

At the Zocalo in Oaxaca City engoy a mescal with your chapulines and have some mole Oaxaqueño, different than the mole Poblano beer goes vey well with the mole.

Take it easy enjoy the sites, enjoy the food and the company and above all else enjoy life.

navegator

Just annoying. Be a tourist,avoid it and enjoy the city. There is so much to see and do, both in town and the surrounding villages. Do your homework and see as much as you can.

We like them both. For great rainforests, 175. For views and a little bit faster, 131. There is great information on both on line, with pictures. Google is your friend.

All good info., thanks.

Now what about Oaxaca, many say it is an amazing town, but, I hear many saying there are a lot of road block either by student or teachers, burning car and stuff. Is this a problem or is it just anoying?

From Oaxaca, which road to go down the coast? 131 or 175?

Like navegator said, just enjoy it all.

When you have your trip a bit more planned out, do request more information on favorite things to see and do when you are headed. We all have different likes and dislikes.