mexico

[sumpfinfishe]

Hey KGB, well to asnwer as much of your ?'s. There are no coral reefs in Mexico City-that would be like asking is there Rockie Mtns in Saskatchewan. Mexico City is inland, so you have to travel to the coast in order to find reefs and salt water. The closest place to snorkel or dive in half decent conditions in my opinion would be Veracruz which is two hours East of Meixco City. I have been there a few times as I have friends in Peubla, a beautiful city not far from Veracruz.

I have been to Playa Del Carmen five times now, with my most recent trip was just last month. I find this area to be the most beautiful-it's on the Mayan Riviera. Stay away from Cancun though as it's full of tourist looking to drink, eat and shop everything under the sun. Along this entire stretch of land you will find some of the worlds best diving and snorkeling. Playa was an old fishing village until divers discovered the place in the 70's, now it's ranked in the top ten for diving-number one in my books! You can dive anywhere in such places as Cozumel, Akumel, or Tulum. Cozumel is a National marine park so the diving is alittle more costly there because you have to pay for the ferry there from Playa which is $10 U.S. dollars as well you have to pay an extra $10 U.S. for the use to explore the marine park. So diving in Cozumel is about $20 more to dive than other areas, however well worth every peso, it's simply a divers paradise! All the diving in Cozumel is by dryft as the currents are strong.

The snorkeling along this coast is also incredible. I have been to lot's of areas such as Paamul, Xpu Ha, Akumal Lagoona, Coco beach, and areas around Tulum. You would not be dissapointed, just take a taxi or bus to these areas and that's all you need except for your own gear and a few peso's for lunch. These areas are public beaches with no entrance fees, where as if you go to Xcaret or Xel Ha you will pay $20 dollars to swim with a few species of damels along with hundreds of other people-STAY AWAY from these tourist traps if you value your $ and vacation time except if you have kids, then these places will be fun for them. The snorkeling at Xpu Ha and Paamul are incredible, with nice beaches, a few restaurants, and two reefs that are only about a 5 minute paddle out(100m). Just on my trip last month I saw turtles, barracuda, and moray eels, not to mention gobbies, angels, puffers, damsels, parrots, and hundres of tangs all living in and around beautiful patch reefs.

As for bringing home souviners or live coral-NO WAY not even a chance after 9-11. Even if to say you found a nice piece of brain washed up on the beach and kept it alive at your hotel in a bucket, there is no way of U.S. or Canadian customs of knowing that you found it washed up instead of being broken off a reef. The penalties are btoh the same-seizure, fines, indepth searches, and even jail! You must have Cities permits for even a single snail or a chunk of rock. The only thing that I have brought back from Mexico is 10 lbs of dead beach sand, which I had to make sure there was no debree such as dead leafs or small bugs as customs will seize the sand if there is any living plant or animal matter within the sand. This was still a hassle and I almost didn't make my flight in L.A. because they searched the whole bucket by poking it with a coat hanger to make sure there was nothing being smuggled inside the sand. Customs also questions why a person would haul around 10lbs of sand rather than extra souviners or more tequilla. So be prepared for the worst and don't forget that there have been $1000 fines for bringing in such itiems as conch shells and dead coral branches.

As for fish stores in Mexico City, I went to one but it was really hard to find(gee that's a surprise with 20 ml other people). You could look on the internet for a location but chances are slim as when I was there last year I could not find the store that I visited a year earlier. If your near the airport then try some of the big hotels for help as some will have fish only tanks in there lobbys.

Goodluck and have fun in Mexico! Sumfinfishe