For USAians, much of Mexico, especially anywhere but the popular resorts, can be a different world....

1. Dollars are always fine, anywhere, anytime. US coins are not....

2. There are dozens of "employees" in Mexico whose duties are quite different than are normally ecountered in the US. Often they recieve so salaries, and live on tips.

The old man who "watches" cars in a restaurant's parking lot or even cars parked on the street deserves a tip. Both the hotel's chambermaid and the visible "night porter" (who may have let you in at 2AM the night before) should be tipped. The little urchin who races down the street to bring expresso while I'm laid up in the barber chair for my morning shave - still a treat in smaller Mexican cities and towns - deserves a good tip, as does the barber.

Local traffic wardens - not really police - should be tipped when obviously standing there, mute.

Do not tip the Policia in Nuevo Laredo. Their earnings from "Drogas" are adequate, and a small tip may only insult them and cause them to beat you severely with all manner of blunt instruments and bury you in an old old drum filkled with wet cement, awkward and inconvenient for your relatives.

Often, it's not the amount of the tip which is significant, it's remebering to do so which counts....(and small tips are quite acceptable, sort of a recognition of the presence and attentiveness of the individual being tipped).

TMO