Iowa family missing in Mexico

[gocy444]

This is a really scary story. Spread the word and hopefully they come home safely.

http://www.kcci.com/article/relatives-say-iowa-family-of-four-missing-on-mexican-vacation/19573820

 

[Freebird]

God I hope they are okay and this is some big misunderstanding of some sort.

 

[Cyclonepride]

Say whatever you want, but I have absolutely no desire to travel to Mexico, no matter how cheap they make the vacations. Their grasp on security seems tenuous at best.

 

[The_Architect]

How awful.

Protip: Go to San Miguel. No beaches but the locals are incredible and the food and tequila 10/10.

 

[Dandy]

Say whatever you want, but I have absolutely no desire to travel to Mexico, no matter how cheap they make the vacations. Their grasp on security seems tenuous at best.

You can go to the resorts but I wouldn't leave the resort and make sure your travel to and from the airport is a legit service isn't sketchy.

 

[cycloner29]

Have a friend that travels to Puerto Vallarta for work as he is in the ag research business. They were traveling down this well traveled road and saw three human heads on fence posts! That alone would tell me never to go down there.

 

[Clonefan32]

Wow that's both tragic and scary. You just hope it's some kind of mixup, but in this day-and-age it's really hard to go totally out of communication without something bad having happened. Ugh-- hoping for the best.

 

[BoxsterCy]

Say whatever you want, but I have absolutely no desire to travel to Mexico, no matter how cheap they make the vacations. Their grasp on security seems tenuous at best.

Some regions, yes, some regions no. The Yucatan peninsula and the Quintana Roo state are generally safe, the bad/bootleg booze scare of last year notwithstanding. I felt safer walking or riding the bus on the hotel boulevard in Cancun last month than I would walking the streets of dwtn Mpls at night or riding a bus in the Twin Cities. Walking to my car after dark in St. Paul or walking empty skyways there made me feel a lot unsafer than Cancun. Something over 6 million people will go to the Riviera Maya this year

 

[laminak]

Have a friend that travels to Puerto Vallarta for work as he is in the ag research business. They were traveling down this well traveled road and saw three human heads on fence posts! That alone would tell me never to go down there.

Puerto Vallarta, I believe, is the current rough area of Mexico, along with the usual border towns. What makes this family disappearance shocking is that they were in Tulum, which is a safer touristy area of Mexico.

 

[Sigmapolis]

My wife and I and her family actually spent a week down there last spring break. I was watching the Big 12 tournament victory from a Mexican bar.

That exact area, too -- Tulum, Playa del Carmen, in to Valladolid, etc.

We had no problems whatsoever on that trip, but my wife speaks Spanish and actually does a significant percentage of her work in it, which helps.

 

[dmclone]

I'm kind of torn on this. We've rented a house on Isla Mujeres for the last 4 years and not once did I feel unsafe. We take Canada Transfers from the Cancun airport to the port. Last time we talked to a few couples from the midwest that have retired on the island.

However, this week the cartel tried to gun down the president/mayor of Isla Mujeres in the parking lot of a store that we've visited every time in Isla(only major store).

Last month we started to plan a trip to southern France/Amsterdam for the fall. Now this morning there was a terrorist attack in southern France. This isn't going to stop us from going but it does make you think twice.

In both of these cases, your chances of dying in this type of incident are a lot lower than you driving to work everyday but it makes you think. The Vegas shooting also makes you think about going to concerts, sporting events, etc.

 

[ISUCyclones2015]

Say whatever you want, but I have absolutely no desire to travel to Mexico, no matter how cheap they make the vacations. Their grasp on security seems tenuous at best.

I have only been to Mexico City and I thought Mexico was great. Lot's of friendly people and felt perfectly safe even walking around at night. Food was ******* amazing too.

 

[VTXCyRyD]

The US had just issued a warning a couple weeks ago for the Cancun/Playa del Carmen area.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/trav...er-state-department-travel-warning/410378002/

I wouldn't be going there right now. Tulum is just south of the warning area

 

[LivntheCyLife]

This is scary. I've been to the Riviera Maya and to Tulum and had a wonderful time.

With the State Department warning, I don't plan to go in the near future. I'm only interested in going if I can travel around and experience the people and culture. I have no desire to stay at an all-inclusive resort.

I feel so bad for the locals, it's clear many of their livelihoods depend on tourism and most try hard to keep things safe and are super welcoming. I hope the family is found and they are ok. And I hope the issues can be resolved and I can go back to Mexico in the future.

 

[The_Architect]

Last month we started to plan a trip to southern France/Amsterdam for the fall.
.

Amsterdam is overrated unless you are going with a bigger group to party. My wife and I went and we had a good time but it's such a party town it'd be much better with friends.

If you do go, make sure you rent bikes and ride them around for a day. It's a life changing experience. We rented them and rode north out of town zig-zagging through the suburbs to Zaanse Schans to see all the old windmills. The ride is so easy since there's literally no hills there. All the locals ride one speed bikes with no gears. It's quite the sight to see a 100lb woman riding her bike with another 100lb woman drapped across the back. Dogs too!

Also, if you go to Amsterdam be sure to go to http://wynand-fockink.nl/ . It's an old liquer distillary that's served the Dutch Royal Family for hundreds of years. They have an incredible selection of fruit brandy. The tradition is to bend over and take your first sip out of the class without using your hands so you don't spill when you pick it up.

 

[The_Architect]

I have only been to Mexico City and I thought Mexico was great. Lot's of friendly people and felt perfectly safe even walking around at night. Food was ******* amazing too.

Mexico City is incredible.

 

[CyzzleB]

Tough story about the family and I hope good news emerges soon. Kidnapping whole American families has not been the MO of cartels, but then again the ferry bombings in Playa Del Carmen don’t make much sense either. I visited the area last year, rented a car and drove plenty, including to visit cenotes and ruins off the beaten path.

I’m watching the Mexican news closely lately as our family is headed to Mexico City tomorrow for spring break. I have to visit for work a few times a year and it is an amazing city to explore. Taking my boys along does make me consider security a bit more, as it would in any megacity.

 

[CarolinaCy]

I have known Kevin since high school as we played football together, and my brother worked for him for a couple years. I have heard some things, but do not want to post rumors or conjecture at this point. Will try to update once I get something concrete.

 

[BoxsterCy]

I'm kind of torn on this. We've rented a house on Isla Mujeres for the last 4 years and not once did I feel unsafe. We take Canada Transfers from the Cancun airport to the port. Last time we talked to a few couples from the midwest that have retired on the island.

However, this week the cartel tried to gun down the president/mayor of Isla Mujeres in the parking lot of a store that we've visited every time in Isla(only major store).

Last month we started to plan a trip to southern France/Amsterdam for the fall. Now this morning there was a terrorist attack in southern France. This isn't going to stop us from going but it does make you think twice.

In both of these cases, your chances of dying in this type of incident are a lot lower than you driving to work everyday but it makes you think. The Vegas shooting also makes you think about going to concerts, sporting events, etc.

Just to add some perspective, Qunatana Roo (Cancun/Playa/Tulum) , Belgium, France and Germany all have the same Level 2 warning, "Exercise increased caution."

I do worry some that the Mexican authorities need to stay on top of this tourist region least it decline in the future like Acapulco. The lawlessness there is not really drug cartels and drugs as much as it is traditional mob extortion and protectionist rackets. That state carries a do not travel warning and it used to be the vacation destination of choice years ago.

 

[jcyclonee]

Amsterdam is overrated unless you are going with a bigger group to party. My wife and I went and we had a good time but it's such a party town it'd be much better with friends.

If you do go, make sure you rent bikes and ride them around for a day. It's a life changing experience. We rented them and rode north out of town zig-zagging through the suburbs to Zaanse Schans to see all the old windmills. The ride is so easy since there's literally no hills there. All the locals ride one speed bikes with no gears. It's quite the sight to see a 100lb woman riding her bike with another 100lb woman drapped across the back. Dogs too!

Also, if you go to Amsterdam be sure to go to http://wynand-fockink.nl/ . It's an old liquer distillary that's served the Dutch Royal Family for hundreds of years. They have an incredible selection of fruit brandy. The tradition is to bend over and take your first sip out of the class without using your hands so you don't spill when you pick it up.

Also, be sure to waive to all the people speed-skating to work on the canals.