Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Oaxaca, Mexico

I'm in Oaxaca this week, for the  Celebration of Indigenous Food and Tamale Fair...and also to do some mezcal-hounding and purchasing of mole paste (which has become pretty much the essential staple of my kitchen). I'll report back if I can get a reliable Internet connection.

Strangely, I somehow managed to miss passing through Immigration in the airport, and am the first tourist in the history of the country to have done so. My passport isn't stamped, I'm officially non-present here, and no one can tell me how to resolve this. The choice seems to be to jail or deport me, or simply wave me away in exasperation, and since I don't seem very menacing, they're choosing the latter.

4 comments:

adam said...

I had the same thing happen to me a month or two ago when I flew into Mexico City from Buenos Aires. There's no record of me ever being in Mexico, I don't think, except for my credit card bill showing my tickets.

Apparently Mexico isn't too strict on this issue...

adam said...

oh, and buy lots of extra mole paste. I'll be happy to steal some from you.

Unknown said...

Jim - I checked with Georgie who, as you know, travels a great deal, and he says that you need not worry about returning to the U.S. w/o the Mexican passport stamp.

Jim Leff said...

I went to the passport office downtown, and they were very kind to me. I find that Mexican officials, even when you get a bad one, can be extremely kind so long as you talk to them kindly and with humor. Talking to officials elsewhere, the slightest bit of kindness and humor sets them completely on edge...they sense that you're up to something. But in Mexico, it works.

Melissa, thanks, but I don't expect the least problem with the US. Mexico, OTOH, will be unhappy (they expect their stamped entry card returned to them, in addition to checking my passport stamp). And I like Mexico, and want them to keep liking me!

Adam, I'm bringing like a whole suitcase full of mole, and you're welcome to some of it, regardless of which Adam among many you might be.

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