Holy Week and Sex Motels

Everything about this trip has been great. There are periods of loneliness, and some sore muscles on occasion, but I can't complain. BUT, if I were to complain, it would be about spending so much on hotels. I am sure this is primarily my fault because I haven't yet honed my travel "skills", but to date, the cheapest hotel I have stayed has been in Oregon! 

I did a little research while in Alamos, and talked to some of the local ex-pats about my predicament. The same thing came up time-and-time again - sex motels, "no-tell motel", "hot sheets", etc. Okay, I guess I have seen them, and have vaguely heard about them, but didn't realize they were so popular with the "general population". 

Works like this:  you enter into the walled compound and drive into one of the open garage doors. Close garage door. There is a Lazy Susan type of cylinder embedded into the wall. Soon after arriving your bill rotates from the outside to inside of the room (based on a six hour period), you pay, and leave in six-hours, 12-hours if its been negotiated ahead of time. Room Service works the same way (I had an okay club sandwich and a couple $1 beers). 

I must admit, the rooms were very clean and the secure parking was perfect. I couldn't get the lights to brighten more than their fixed "mood" setting, and the television programming would be the envy of any fraternity house. I opted for reruns of Entourage on the laptop and crashed early. 

The kicker was that this was Wednesday night, right smack in the middle of holy week. Thursday and Friday were part of the national holiday, and kids had been out of school all week. Semana Santa is the second most celebrated holiday in Mexico, after Christmas. Traditionally, families often head to the coastal towns for a spring vacation. Therefore, the rates were doubled, and I had no bargaining power. My $18 room was now going to cost me $36. Duped again!