What to buy in Mexico???

[nicrang]

We are from Australia doing Mexican Riviera cruise in March.Love shopping and just wondering if different ports offered different things?Where is best place to buy what???Thanks for your advice.Don't want to miss out!We intend to do Randi's Horse riding and Zip lining.

[CowPrincess]

We got pure vanilla extract :) which is infinitely superior to the artificial stuff normally sold in grocery stores. Very reasonably priced, too.

 

And we (okay, I) bought enough silver jewelry in all the ports to set off the metal detector at the airport on our way home :D

 

If your cruise goes to Topolobampo and you do the Copper Canyon tour, there are some wonderful hand-woven shawls and soft goods for sale at the Canyon -- one of our shipmates went wild on them, and when I saw them I almost wished we'd done the tour!

[babies12]

We are from Australia doing Mexican Riviera cruise in March.Love shopping and just wondering if different ports offered different things?Where is best place to buy what???Thanks for your advice.Don't want to miss out!We intend to do Randi's Horse riding and Zip lining.

 

A must is TEQUILA!

[Rosefloater]

We got pure vanilla extract :) which is infinitely superior to the artificial stuff normally sold in grocery stores. Very reasonably priced, too.

 

If you buy Vanilla, make sure it is Coumarin Free. According to wikipedia it "is moderately toxic to the liver and kidneys". If it is Coumarin free, it will say so somewhere on the label.

[yogi2929]

Tile or pottery.

Talavera Pottery is Mexican Pottery. Make sure it is labeled on the bottom Talavera. Examples below:

 

 

I picked up a small bowl for about 100pesos.

I also have picked small 2in x 2in tiles to use in my countertops. I think I paid 75cents American for each of them. These are not Talavera, but a good imitation.

[Molly Doble]

Hi

I am just about to book a cruise to Mexico and we are very excited. I love shopping especially for jewellery..lol

Tania

[twinklen01]

would love to know what kids usually ask their parent for? What souvinors are popular for kids. What are kids must haves/?

dd is 10 and ready to shop

[edselone]

Just a word to the wise, make sure the items you bought are what you receive. Many people are taken by the bait and switch. Watch them put the things you purchased in the bag, or if not, check the bags before you leave the area (especially in a flea market). Unless it is a store that is recommended to you, do not allow them to ship your purchases home. You might or might not get your items, or only some of what you purchased or not what you thought you purchased at all. We have a had a few friends that have been taken in by both these situations.

 

The last time we were there we brought back 3 bottles of tequila. This time we will probably not bother. Don't get me wrong, a lot of the tequila there is excellent and much cheaper than you can get most of it here. But it is really worth the hassel (and weight in your bag) to bring it home? We decided it really wasn't.

[quincytoo]

Just a word to the wise, make sure the items you bought are what you receive. Many people are taken by the bait and switch. Watch them put the things you purchased in the bag, or if not, check the bags before you leave the area (especially in a flea market). Unless it is a store that is recommended to you, do not allow them to ship your purchases home. You might or might not get your items, or only some of what you purchased or not what you thought you purchased at all. We have a had a few friends that have been taken in by both these situations.

 

The last time we were there we brought back 3 bottles of tequila. This time we will probably not bother. Don't get me wrong, a lot of the tequila there is excellent and much cheaper than you can get most of it here. But it is really worth the hassel (and weight in your bag) to bring it home? We decided it really wasn't.

 

Wow :mad: I hope I am reading this wrong, it sounds like you are saying that many Mexicans are untrustworthy, con-artists and scammers, especially those who work in flea markets. In all of my travels to Puerto Vallarta nothing you posted has ever happened. Never heard of a bait and switch.

 

In all of my travels to Mexico one time I got short-changed was a stop over at Disneyland, the teller in Frontierland shop tried to short change me $5.00 ....:rolleyes:

 

The vanilla I always get is called Orlando Natural Vanilla, I get a 500 bottle for about 100 pesos. It is wonderful vanilla

http://orlandomx.com/products.html

[KeywestK]

Vanilla and Tequila.....;)

[MDavis23]

Our cruise had a stop in Ensenada where we purchased a sign "Mi Casa, Su Casa" (my house is your house). The gentleman took the sign to the back and wrapped it. When we got home, we gave the sign (still wrapped) to a family member. Well, it was not the same sign! The sign read, "Mi Casa, Mi Casa" (my house is my house). The family member has the sign hung in there house and makes a joke out it. And, the moral of the store, watch what you purchase and make sure you get what you are buying. ;)

[quincytoo]

Our cruise had a stop in Ensenada where we purchased a sign "Mi Casa, Su Casa" (my house is your house). The gentleman took the sign to the back and wrapped it. When we got home, we gave the sign (still wrapped) to a family member. Well, it was not the same sign! The sign read, "Mi Casa, Mi Casa" (my house is my house). The family member has the sign hung in there house and makes a joke out it. And, the moral of the store, watch what you purchase and make sure you get what you are buying. ;)

 

In Ensenada, you mean....like I said closest I came close to being scammed in Puerto Vallarta was a stop over at Disneyland where a Disneyland cast member tried to rip me off.:cool:

[nicrang]

Thanks everyone great replies!Keep them coming.Regarding silver Jewellery how can you tell it's real/made in mexico?What sort of prices?Love the pottery must get some of that.Can we bring the vanilla back through cutoms to Australia?Sorry don't drink Tequlia but do drink Kahlua is this also cheap?:rolleyes:

[Rosefloater]

You need to check with Australian customs about the vanilla, but I wouldn't see a problem with it.

[quincytoo]

Thanks everyone great replies!Keep them coming.Regarding silver Jewellery how can you tell it's real/made in mexico?What sort of prices?Love the pottery must get some of that.Can we bring the vanilla back through cutoms to Australia?Sorry don't drink Tequlia but do drink Kahlua is this also cheap?:rolleyes:

Kahlua is about $9 for a litre so it is even cheaper then Tequila. My husband loves coffee liquors and has discovered that Mexico has several coffee liquors that are even better then Kahlua and cheaper :)

 

Also if you like cream liquers, there is a cream Tequila liquer made by the compnay 1921, it is in a very pretty heavy brown bottle, and it has a slight spicy tatse to it and we are addicted to it. We always bring a bottle from with us and pull it out at dinner parties, everyone instantly falls in love with it

 

I have never had a problem bringning Vanilla across to Canada

[CowPrincess]

Regarding silver Jewellery how can you tell it's real/made in mexico?

 

Each of us bought a piece in a small family-owned store in Puerto Vallarta -- our big "splurge" money-wise. Then we purchased from some street vendors in other ports -- for so little money it didn't matter if it was truly silver/made in Mexico :) When we got home, I left everything in a heap with a tarnished silver spoon, and sure 'nuff everything tarnished, so I'm presuming it is all real silver. Sterling silver is supposed to be marked ".925" or "sterling" but I don't put any faith in that.

 

I'm sure someone will be along with a much better way of determining real vs. fake silver jewelry.... and I'll be taking notes :)

[edselone]

Wow :mad: I hope I am reading this wrong, it sounds like you are saying that many Mexicans are untrustworthy, con-artists and scammers, especially those who work in flea markets. In all of my travels to Puerto Vallarta nothing you posted has ever happened. Never heard of a bait and switch.

 

In all of my travels to Mexico one time I got short-changed was a stop over at Disneyland, the teller in Frontierland shop tried to short change me $5.00 ....:rolleyes:

 

The vanilla I always get is called Orlando Natural Vanilla, I get a 500 bottle for about 100 pesos. It is wonderful vanilla

http://orlandomx.com/products.html

 

No, I did not mean to imply that Mexicans were any of those things. I was giving some advise I had been given when I traveled there. Which I felt was good advise when you were traveling to any other country where you were not familiar with your surroundings. I did not experience this myself, but it had happened to two friends of ours who were on two separate trips. No offense was intended. :confused:

[nicrang]

Thanks again.In regards to alcohol we fly to Hawaii when we get back to L.A.I presume you can't take liquid on the flight unless packed in luggage.Anyone done this?:confused:

[SDPadreFan]

That's correct. Any flight originating from a U.S. airport will only allow liquids in that quantity in checked luggage - not carry-on.

[redrob1234]

you are not supposed to bring any food, drink, seed, plant, wood,animal product etc. back into Australia. You will need to fill in a customs form and declare if you do have any these products. The customs officer will check what you have and may let you keep it or may confiscate it. If you do not declare it and it is found (sniffer dogs) you could be fined.

[MEOWSMURPHY]

Tile or pottery.

Talavera Pottery is Mexican Pottery. Make sure it is labeled on the bottom Talavera. Examples below:

 

 

I picked up a small bowl for about 100pesos.

I also have picked small 2in x 2in tiles to use in my countertops. I think I paid 75cents American for each of them. These are not Talavera, but a good imitation.

 

I would love to pick up some of these tiles for my kitchen..They are so pretty and colorful. Is Talavera a special manufacturer? At which port did you purchase these? Do you remember the name of the place?

 

Thanks,

 

Emmy

[CPPADILLA]

I bought a purse made out of candy wrappers. I don't use the purse that often but every time I do I get so many comments on it and everyone wants to know where I bought the purse at. I can't remember exactly what I paid for the purse, but it was less than $10.00. Next time I am in Cabo again I plan on getting a couple more of those purses, will make nice presents to give out.

[lilly4350]

you are not supposed to bring any food, drink, seed, plant, wood,animal product etc. back into Australia. You will need to fill in a customs form and declare if you do have any these products. The customs officer will check what you have and may let you keep it or may confiscate it. If you do not declare it and it is found (sniffer dogs) you could be fined.

 

 

We have never had any problems bringing food stuff,etc. back into Australia. The secret is declare, declare, declare. We recently returned from Singapore with chocolate, peanuts and cashews. All properly manufactured and sealed. No problems. We also declared some wooden beads that were on tote bags we bought. There was a non-English speaking German girl near me who got picked up by the sniffer dog - she had 2 apples in her carry-on bag and they were not on her declaration form. Don't know the outcome - maybe we will see it on "Border Patrol" one of these days.

[portcbob]

Hi Guys..... Bob calling from the Gold Coast, Queensland. What cruise are you doing. We are leaving on the Mariner on the 28th March, 2010.:)

[nicrang]

Hi Bob have replied to you on another thread we are in Highland park.Getting lots of great information to help with my shopping!