We’re definitely not in Oregon, anymore: Strange, surprising & unusual things we’ve seen in Mexico

It seems like every day we run across something new on our travels that gives us pause, makes us smile or just makes us scratch our heads.

Here’s a list of some of the most notable ones:

• Saw a guy walking his duck down the road the other day
• It’s not uncommon to see someone riding by on a bicycle, motorcycle, ATV or just walking on the beach with a large, orange pet iguana riding on his/her shoulder
• Male dogs with their balls intact (yes, they pee on everything but they seem happy)
• Kids who look like they are no more than 8 years old speeding down the road on ATVs and motorcycles.
• Roosters mounting hens in the middle of the road (it’s over quite fast)
• Whole families riding on one motorcycle…toddler on the handlebars, hubby driving, another child and wife on the back.
• Young women riding side-saddle on the back of boyfriend’s motorcycle
• Off road vehicles and experimental looking handmade vehicles used as regular transportation on city roads
• City buses with decorations and artwork of the driver’s choosing…playing loud Mexican music. (My favorite decoration is a stuffed spider monkey with long arms dangling over the front entrance area…it jumps and dances around as we lurch down the road…kind of how I feel when there’s no seats and I’m hanging on for my life, lol)
• Analog ways of mass communication still have a firm hold here…the produce truck, ice cream truck, potted plant folks, etc. all have a different recorded announcement and music playing from loudspeakers.
• Open burns even the side of the toll road one time.  Nobody worries and I’ve never seen any look out-of-control.
• Goats, pigs, chickens are not uncommon on the road, restaurants, yards, etc. in smaller villages like Isla de la Piedra
• Many outdoor kitchens (we like this!)
• Locally created art and music are EVERYWHERE and people are obviously supported and making livings at it.
• Topes here, topes there, topes topes everywhere:  Maaaannn, Mexicans love their speed bumps grande-style.  Even on the dirt roads here on the island they have crafted topes out of lengths of recycled mooring ropes from boats and ships.  Gotta have them topes no matter what!
• No laws about noise…and boy, the Mexican people LOVE their all night parties with live music AND fireworks.
• Police and military driving around in cities with automatic weapons (M16s). This was common in Mexico even when I was a kid.
• Going into a public restroom at a restaurant (mostly in older parts of town or villages) and finding no toilet seat, no toilet paper, no running water in the sink and other fun surprises. (Carry your own TP and do your squats, folks!)
• Having to pay 6 pesos for the restroom experience above.  At least they hand you 3 squares of TP.
• Big trucks on the hwy will use their left blinker to show you it’s safe to pass them.  They will use their right blinker to show you it’s not safe to pass.
• People in Mexico are so freaking polite!  It’s compelled us to learn more polite greetings and phrases to show our respect and fine tune our behavior.  In U.S. culture we do little of that…we’re actually quite rude by comparison so we definitely wanted to adapt!