el crispito

We figured that if we were going to be calling around about apartments, we would have to have a reliable number where people could reach us, and that it would not be so good to make them call our hotel, ask for our room and, if we were not in, call back and leave a message at the desk. That's just much too messy.

While it will be best to get a contract deal for this eventually, we bought a prepaid package. To get a contract deal, we have to have documentation that we don't have yet, specifically, an electric bill. Apparently, an electric bill is the passport to a wide range of services, like cable. I was erroneously under the impression that we would have to have visas to get utilities, cable, Internet access and so forth, but apparently all we will need to get our electricity turned on is a passport, and then after that, we can get this bill to get other services. Of course, it may be a bureaucratic nightmare to go through this process, but at least, according to some fellow gringos that live down here, it is not necessary to have an resident alien visa to get these other things.

The interesting thing about cell phones in Mexico is how one goes about calling them. If you are using a cell phone to call another cell phone, you just dial eight numbers. If you dial a cell phone from a land line, you have to dial 044 first, then the city code, which for Guadalajara is 33, then the eight numbers. Therefore, if someone gives you his or her number, you must know whether or not it is a cell phone number or a regular one.

I made sure to get a phone that takes photos and has Bluetooth (a Motorola V330 GSM) so that I can quickly take snapshots while I'm out and about to place on the blog. In our quest for apartments, I can take a photo, enter the number listed on the se renta sign, then associate the two.

Check out the picture I took of Shawn with the phone at our favorite Thai restaurant, and another in our hotel room.