<p>I have not been to Mexico since 1972 so use however much salt you need to with this post. The summer of 1972 I was a student on an archaeology site in Tula de Allende (NW of Mexico City). We spent every weekend on buses (second and third class buses) to see various sites around Mexico and visit other cities. We stayed in hotels that only had cold water and where you flushed with a bucket–and never got sick, simply by using reasonable precautions (if it’s not cooked and you didn’t peel it yourself, don’t eat it). Get as many vaccinations as you can–hep A and B, thyphoid, typhus–and don’t worry about it after that. Antibiotics are available everywhere, although a good drugstore is needed to assure you’re not getting counterfeits.</p>
<p>All that said, Oaxaca and Monte Alban were my favorite region–we were there for a week. Hire a guide at Monte Alban and you will learn MUCH more and see many things you wouldn’t otherwise. They’ll tell you where to stand, for example, to see how things line up astronomically. And you’ll be supporting the local population as well.</p>
<p>Regarding the shots (hypodermic, not Tequila!)…S’s friend did get sick. S said they walked into a Dr’s. office and the Dr. mixed a few things together put it in a syringe and gave friend the shot. Friend went back to house they were staying in, went to sleep and woke up 15 hours later feeling good as new. This was the 18 year old boy version, never heard from the friend’s Mom who was with them if it happened just that way!</p>
<p>Our family loves Puerto Vallarta. Authentic colonial town with cobblestone streets and historical sites, great shopping/flea markets, art galleries, restaurants, nightlife, recreation, and beautiful beach resorts on Banderas Bay. We also enjoyed the Los Cabos area (Cabo San Lucas/San Jose del Cabo), but much pricier than P.V. Great golf in Cabo if that’s your thing.</p>
<p>Thanks, all. I am going to Barnes and Noble to pick up a guidebook later this afternoon. We visited the Yucatan peninsula last March. Three days in Merida, two in Chichen Itza and three in quiet Akumal, south of Playa Carmen on the way to Tulum. Big Cancun-like developments are not our taste. Now we are trying to re-create our March trip, but in a different part of Mexico. Oaxaca sounds good, if they can solve the strike problem. Because both of our kids will be along, we (they) will want to drive to a beach for a couple of days. Perhaps Puerto Escondido (?). The colonial cities in central Mexico are of great interest to my husband and I, but we’re not sure how/where to get to a beach from them. Hope I can find out more today. We love Mexico – wonderful people and great cuisine that varies by region.</p>
Actually, it’s not self-explanatory at all. As I have no idea of what a “massive” penicillin shot is. Nor what it would mean to order an “immediate” shot upon learning of plans to visit Mexico: is the shot given immediately upon learning of the plans? What would the penicillin shot be for?</p>
<p>If you’re looking for a trip with a few different destinations like your last Mexico trip (and assuming the area becomes safe for travel–definitely keep an eye on that), I would suggest looking into Mexico City, Puebla, and Cuernavaca to add to Oaxaca. You can drive from one to the other, and they’re all unique. Puebla is a beautiful city, and it is home to one of the best and most well known universities in Mexico. Cuernavaca has a lot of different sites, including ruins. Lastly, of course, Mexico City would deserve a visit.</p>