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Summary: Hysterically funny and true to life.
Review: I bought this book when I first moved to Mazatlan. My only mistake was loaning it out. Of course, it never came back! Its too good! Some of the memorable lines concern the elephant head in the desert, the man who spots a blond woman and thinks: Oh boy, I've won the lottery, how do I collect?, and the story of the water being dumped out the windows once each year in a tiny village....or how about the one with the headon headlights in the bus and he lets out a bloody murder scream? Imagery and fun you'll never find in another country or another book about a country. The writers are brilliant! Linda Schiller-Hanna
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Summary: One of the BEST bedside books! I've gone thru several!
Review: I don't know why I love this books so much, but I've gone through several editions. It tells everything about living in Mexico, it is at once down-to-earth yet exotic, about simple living and joy (also planning, packing, camping, cooking, how to buy a hammock...) a host of fascinating details and anecdotes. As a bibliophile, this is one book I would take to a desert island. I've read and re-read it dozens of times over the years (in its different incarnations). You'll love it!
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Summary: Read it like a novel...
Review: I read this book when I was a teenager, and it was one of the most entertaining and informative books I have ever read. Even if you're not planning a trip to Mexico, I recommend this book for its Mexican travel stories and cultural insights. My brother also read this book as a kid, and even now (twenty years later!) we refer to it in our conversations. It's that good!
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Summary: Excellent Resources, Tips & Advice
Review: I take this every time I go to Mexico, as it always seems to have something more to offer. My copy is beat up & worn out but I love it.
Great tips, advice and information - highly recommended for anyone interested in getting beneath the skin of what Mexico has to offer.
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Summary: This is a must read for anyone planning to drive through Mex
Review: I was living in Mexico for 6 months and feeling absolutely miserable when someone finally gave me this book. It was utterly indispensible in explaining the people and culture and helping me to adjust. If you plan on spending any time in Mexico, get this book. What was really great was the Spanish slang in the back of the book that helped me understand some of the words I was hearing. Another good book by the same author was Mexico Disconocido, which was about backpacking in Mexico.
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Summary: If you are going to spend any time in Mexico, get this book
Review: I was living in Mexico for 6 months and feeling absolutely miserable when someone finally gave me this book. It was utterly indispensible in explaining the people and culture and helping me to adjust. If you plan on spending any time in Mexico, get this book. What was really great was the Spanish slang in the back of the book that helped me understand some of the words I was hearing. Another good book by the same author was Mexico Disconocido, which was about backpacking in Mexico.
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Summary: the journey is the destination
Review: I'm planning a trip to Central America and a friend lent me a 1986 version of the book which I found to be funny and informative. I think the criticism from Cued (an earlier reviewer) is a little harsh. The stories bring the information to life in a way that dry, factual guidebooks can't even begin to approximate. The knowledge Franz imparts throughout the book is very useful for travelling in ANY and EVERY country. I enjoyed Franz's lively writing style and his "Adventures" reminded me of similar experiences I'd had backpacking in the Middle East, Europe and Asia. On several occasions it had me laughing out loud and reciting passages to my girlfriend (and travel-companion) as we remembered going thru exactly the same ordeals in other countries.I agree with Cued when he says that the book should be used with a guide (like Lonely Planet or Rough Guide) that can give you location-specific advice for more organised travel itinaries. All-in-all I was so impressed with the book that I bought the latest edition to keep handy while in Central America. The low-budget travel tips alone make it indispensible. It is a must for first-time peregrines or people who are new to "keepin'-it-real" travel...
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Summary: the journey is the destination
Review: I'm planning a trip to Central America and a friend lent me a 1986 version of the book. I found it to be funny and informative...The stories bring the information to life in a way that dry, factual guidebooks can't even begin to approximate. The knowledge Franz imparts throughout the book is very useful for travelling in ANY and EVERY country. I enjoyed Franz's lively writing style and his "Adventures" reminded me of similar experiences I'd had backpacking in the Middle East, Europe and Asia. On several occasions it had me laughing out loud and reciting passages to my girlfriend (and travel-companion) as we remembered going thru exactly the same ordeals in other countries...the book should be used with a guide (like Lonely Planet or Rough Guide) that can give you location-specific advice for more organised travel itinaries. All-in-all I was so impressed with the book that I bought the latest edition. The low-budget travel tips alone make it indispensible. It is a must for first-time peregrines or people who are new to "keepin'-it-real" travel...
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Summary: Hilarious Stories and Great Information
Review: If someone is planning a trip to the real Mexico, not just the hotel zone of Cancun or Puerto Vallarta, this is the book to read. The travel tips and information are very useful and the stories of their experiences are not only hilarious and entertaining but very helpful in understanding the differences in Mexican culture and traditions. I loved the story about the the fiesta for John the Baptist they accidently encountered, where everyone in town runs around throwing buckets of water on each other. This is a fun book to read even if you are not planning a trip to Mexico!
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Summary: A Classic Classic
Review: If you're going to Mexico, especially if you have even the slightest interest in Mexicans as human beings and not just a backdrop to your vacation - a rare virtue in some North American circles - and you're planning on getting out of the usual gringo mainline, you simply must read this book. There is no better book on Mexico available. It's funny, it's informative, and best of all, it's simpatico. It won't tell you about specific places in Mexico to visit, but it will tell you what you will need to know in order to function on the ground anywhere in Mexico - eating, drinking, camping, hotelling, what to look for when you buy things, dealing with the police, insuring your car - in general, how to be a minimally offensive gringo. You'll thank yourself for reading it, and you'll thank Mr. Franz for writing it, after you get there.
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