Tropic of Cancer is an imaginary line that passes through India as well as Mexico but several of thousands of miles away. Strangely, that was the first thing that came to my mind which was common between these countries. This was just after I was told that I had to travel to Mexico….for a few months. A year ago in UK, my colleague always used to say two things about Mexico - Drugs and Guns. I was a bit scared before travelling especially when they dont speak any of the languages I understand. Usually compared to India, I was sceptical about its infrastructure but I was wrong.
Google Street View is yet another amazing tool from Google providing the look and feel as if you were in the street. I checked the places around Queretaro, Mexico (pronouced as Kere-taro) and it was not bad at all. The next thing I checked was the weather in Mexico and it seemed around maximum of 31 degree Celsius, which I assumed as if it was in Bangalore, India. However, when I arrived in Mexico, things were much different than I perceived.
The roads are good, people follow lane discipline(they don’t honk unnecessarily either!) and stop when it is red! :D Now, that was a good sign as I read about Mexico City to be one of the most populated city. That was just a road trip to reach the destination, but what next? You would have to interact with people for various reasons and the worst things is they don’t speak English! The Spanish took everything from Latin America but left the Spanish language(Damn! I wouldn’t have problems had the British been here!). 95.999% dont speak English! No manches! (English translation: Come on!). But hold on, the food can be as hot as an Indian Dish!
Tacos(a small folded Indian roti with an option of various items to put inside) is the most common thing you could find in Mexico. They taste great and there is a green coloured ‘salsa’ which tastes absolutely same as the Indian ‘Chutney’! The ‘Habanero Chili’ is one deadly chilly that can make your breath hot as a Chinese Dragon. That brings close to an South Indian Andhra meal, To top the hot dragon breath is the weather as hot as I thought? Well….. No!
Mexico City has dry but cool weather compared to Queretaro. Queretaro is sunny…hold on… DAMN SUNNY. But not very hot or humid, its cool inside your house but you cant walk for long without your sunglasses on and if you are ‘Sun allergic’ you are about to sneeze for every 10 feet you walk. The good thing - It ain’t as hot as Bangalore’s dry Summer weather and not as cold as Delhi either. It’s absolutely PERFECT. I could walk all the way back home at midnight without jackets on and its not so hot that I need fan throughout the night.
That was a brief introduction about a country not so famous for investments as compared with USA, UK or the European ones but a country with many similarities with a country on the other side of the planet. What’s common between India and Mexico? You’ll have to wait for that until I write.
