芥末酱骗局 The Mustard Scam

2023年12月3日，星期日，墨西哥城之旅第10天

December 3, 2023, Sunday, marks the tenth day of our trip to Mexico City.

今天，我们的墨西哥城之旅以一段意外的小插曲画上了句号。早上，我们将行李整理好并寄存于酒店，然后在阿姆斯特丹大道上漫步。这条大道因其椭圆形状和沿着20世纪初赛马场轮廓的设计而闻名，长约1.9公里，两旁的树木茂盛，为我们的散步提供了宜人的景致。

散步时，我们聊起了来墨西哥之前的种种担忧，现在看来似乎有些多余。虽然我们在地铁、公交和人多的地方都时时地保持着警惕，但整体来说，我们并没有感到不安全。

Today, our journey in Mexico City concluded with an unexpected twist. In the morning, after packing and storing our luggage at the hotel, we strolled along Amsterdam Avenue. This avenue is famous for its oval shape and design tracing the outline of an early 20th-century racetrack, stretching about 1.9 kilometers, with lush trees lining the path, offering a pleasant view for our walk.

During our walk, we reflected on the worries we had before coming to Mexico, which now seemed somewhat unnecessary. Although we remained alert in subways, buses, and crowded places, overall, we never felt unsafe.

吃完午饭，走回酒店取行李，走着忽然听到一个人在我俩后面叫了一句，回头一看，一个年轻的男人，指着天上，又指着我俩，嘴里嚷嚷着什么西班牙语，没理他，又继续往前走，他又接着叫我俩，再次回头，他又指着天上， 然后示意我看看PJG的背包，我一看，我的天啊，看起来像鸟屎的东西掉在了他背的背包上，他又指着天，似乎是说天上掉下的的东西，我马上告诉PJG背包上有东西，那个人马上递过来纸巾，我还在反应这具体是什么东西的时候，一个老一些的胖女人这是也出现了，手里拿着纸巾走过来要提供帮助，我马上联想到了PJG大哥大嫂10年遭遇的芥末酱骗局，PJG也意识到了不对劲， 我俩马上和他们保持距离，拒绝了他们的“帮助”，并告知，你们走吧， Bye Bye! 然后那胖女人马上转身离开了，这时我注意到那个年轻的男人和一个年龄大的男人那里说着什么，然后他们也离开了。还好，我俩里酒店也就5分多钟的距离，快速步行回酒店后，去楼顶的洗手间清洗一下，这时才发现，我的后背和裤子上，PJG的裤子，鞋和袜子上都被挤上了黄色的芥末酱！可恶的骗子们。

PJG大哥大嫂10年前来墨西哥城的时候，大嫂的包上也被挤上了芥末酱，然后那伙儿骗子就假装提供帮助，当你在一头雾水和不是很警觉的清理的时候，他们就趁机偷钱包，大嫂的钱包就是这样被偷走的。可惜今天这三个骗子找错了人，我和PJG是那么容易上当的吗？虽然我俩保住了自己的财物，还是花了30多分钟进行清理。

After lunch, we walked back to the hotel to retrieve our luggage. Suddenly, we heard someone calling out from behind us. Turning around, we saw a young man pointing up at the trees and then at us, babbling in Spanish. Ignoring him, we continued walking, but he called out to us again. This time, when we turned around, he pointed again and then gestured towards PJG’s backpack. On closer inspection, there was something resembling bird shit on his backpack. He pointed at the sky again, as if indicating that something had fallen from above. I immediately informed PJG about the substance on his backpack, and the young man quickly rushed over to offer tissues. Before we could fully grasp what was happening, an older, plumper woman appeared, also offering to help clean it up with tissues. Recalling PJG’s brother and sister-in-law’s experience with similar sauce scam in Mexico City 10 years ago, PJG and I were well guarded. We kept our distance from them, refused their “help,” and told them to leave. As the woman turned away, I noticed the young man speaking with an older man, and then they too left. Fortunately, we were just over five minutes from the hotel, so we quickly walked back and cleaned up using the rooftop restroom. It was then that we discovered that my back and trousers, as well as PJG’s trousers, shoes, and socks, were smeared with the yellow mustard sauce! Those cunning swindlers.

Ten years ago, when PJG’s brother and sister-in-law were in Mexico City, a group of scammers squeezed mustard or ketchup sauce on his sister-in-law’s bag and then pretended to offer help. While she was confused and distracted cleaning it, they stole her wallet. Unfortunately for these three scammers today, they picked the wrong targets. PJG and I weren’t so easily fooled. Although we kept our belongings safe, we still spent over 30 minutes cleaning up the “shit”.

清理完毕后，坐Uber到机场，没有过海关，安检也没有什么人，登机的时候，我竟然被抽查检查行李，不过一切顺利。在飞机上，幸运的是我们的中间座位空着，给了我们更多的舒适空间。四个多小时后，我们终于安全到家。

After cleaning up, we took an Uber to the airport. There was no customs check, and the security line had few people. Surprisingly, my luggage was selected for a random check during boarding, but everything went smoothly. Fortunately, on the plane, our middle seat was empty, giving us more space and comfort. After over four hours, we finally arrived home safely.

这次墨西哥城之旅还是很有些意外的惊喜的，我本来对墨西哥没有什么期待，但是在墨西哥城里做了几件以前没做过的事情，还是很满意的。最后的芥末酱骗局像更像是墨西哥之旅的一件必不可少的经历。现在回想起来，我还在好奇，他们是什么时候把那些酱挤到我的后背我却全然无感的呢？

This trip to Mexico City was quite a surprise. I didn’t have much expectations for Mexico, but I did a few things in Mexico City that I had never done before, and I was still very satisfied. The final mustard con is more of a must-have experience on any trip to Mexico (as long as you don’t get ripped off). Looking back now, I’m still curious, when did they squeeze those sauces onto our backs and didn’t feel it at all?

在旅行中，我们总是被那些闪耀的美好所吸引，探索一个城市最光鲜亮丽的一面。但在这些耀眼的光芒背后，常常隐藏着普通人生活的挣扎和不易，这些现实的一面，就像是无法忽视的阴影，始终在你的视野边缘徘徊。一个我喜欢的播客的播主说过一句让我印象很深刻的话，一个黑暗的地方， 写关于那里的人越多，那个地方就会越明亮。也许我俩以后的旅程，不仅是发现光明，也应该去为那一丝明亮做一些努力.

When traveling, we are always attracted by the shining beauty and explore the best sides of a city. But behind these dazzling lights, there are often hidden the struggles and difficulties of ordinary people’s lives. These realistic aspects are like shadows that cannot be ignored, always lingering at the edge of your vision. The host of one of my favorite podcasts said something that has stuck with me; the more people write about a dark place, the brighter it becomes. In our future journeys, we want to continue to not only discover the light, but also make efforts to see those glimmers of light.