Thursday, 14 October 2004 | Mexican water

We were unsure of what we could eat. We'd been told to regard the water with fear and respect, and that the slightest bit could make us sick: Don't even eat vegetables washed in water, and close your mouth in the shower, they said. Brush your teeth with bottled water. No ice, no juice, no food from vendors, etc.

At first we were cautious, pushing pile after pile of wasted lettuce and tomatoes to the edge of the plate with a fork. I wanted to eat it, just like I wanted to eat the fruit and the pico de gallo. What is Mexican food without tomatoes? We did drink the coffee at the beginning of each day, in an act of blind hope—asking each other if it was okay, shrugging, and taking caffeinated sips.

Only one establishment addressed the water issue with a sign (which surprised me a little), something about how purified water was used for everything in that particular restaurant. Of course, at other establishments, one could always ask if that was the case, but I was afraid it might be rude, and anyway, what's to stop them from lying? If I was to get sick, it wouldn't happen until after I was long gone.

Days into our stay, the girl from Holland told us that even the locals don't drink the water, that they aren't immune to the offending bacteria. It made us braver, and perhaps over-confident. (The pico de gallo was excellent.) Miraculously, I was okay.

I wasn't ready to return to New York, but I must say that on the first night I was back, I did feel a tinge of excitement when I loaded my toothbrush with paste and turned on the spigot.