From Mexico to India passing through Benidorm, the anecdotes of 7 taxi drivers reveal the best kept secrets and recommendations of their cities. because the taxi drivers They not only know the best of their city, but They are shortcuts to unknown places.
many become the best squire in an exotic country , others have stickers of colorful gods hanging above the steering wheel and some, because we need more female taxi drivers, will take you to the first light on the other side of a dark alley.
I still remember the taxi driver who accompanied me to the door of a hostel in Havana to check that everything was fine; to the driver who parks his taxi next to a food stand and invites you to a cheese and guava bread ; or who reveals the secret ingredient of chai tea.
In short, a taxi is the best magic carpet to places that we can get to know from new dimensions through an aroma, a sound or a merengue song. And these anecdotes confirm it.
The following taxi drivers they take us in their vehicle through different cities of the world to discover from the markets where you can peck at snails to the archaeological sites capable of outshining Chichen Itza itself.
We complete a dotted line that joins a driver from India who loves spicy food with the walks of Souad, the only female taxi driver in Rabat, through the bazaars of the Moroccan city, and the places of the Riviera Maya to which Leandro He takes his kids when he's not driving.
Cab!
LEANDRO ALBERTO GOMEZ
33 years. Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Leandro Alberto Gómez, taxi driver in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.
While we talk, tropical birds can be heard in the background and the echo of a mixture of rancheras, reggaeton and salsa.
Leandro was born in Bacalar, a town in the south of the Mexican state of Quintana Roo located 270 km from the Playa del Carmen area where he today operates with his taxi.
Leandro's story, his past, present and future, can be read through the places he recommends to his clients, but especially those he visits himself as a local.
“In Playa del Carmen everyone usually goes to Fifth Avenue, a very nice area with restaurants and colonial charm. I love to eat The Stove , a restaurant with Mexican food with its tacos al pastor and its delicious guacamole. I usually come here with my three children.”
Unfortunately, Leandro's wife passed away in 2021 due to the pandemic, which is why this taxi driver is even more involved with his "three babies", as he affectionately calls them, going for walks and making getaways in the area.
North Beach, Isla Mujeres, Mexico.
“When we go on excursions we usually go to Chichen Itza, the cenotes from Ik-Kil and Oxman, more hidden; the city of Valladolid, the archaeological zone of Cobá, Tulum and, especially, the archaeological zone that I like the most is Uxmal . It is a place that has a lot of history and It is much more beautiful than Chichen Itza for my taste, although it is not so well known”.
the beaches of Cozumel, Isla Mujeres and Holbox , where the Mexican Caribbean meets the Gulf of Mexico, are other of his recommendations and undisputed classics of the Riviera Maya.
“Another place I like to visit is Las Coloradas in Yucatan , a lake where the water is pink due to salt activity. There we can see crocodiles, flamingos, spoonbill birds and you can even take a Mayan bath to exfoliate the skin with mud and sulfur water. I always recommend my clients to go.”
Las Coloradas, Yucatan, Mexico.
When homesickness creeps into his taxi, Leandro continues along the coastal path and returns home, to places like the Lagoon of the Seven Colors , in the Bacalar area of him.
The quiet, contemplative life: “I don't go out to dance because I spend it with my children. I always go out with them and now, for example, we do a lot of underwater fishing. We keep working and moving forward, but that we do not miss the barbecue and cochinita tacos in some beach bar on the street".
“Being with my babies and having a good time and giving them the best I have here. That's definitely the best thing about this place."
PRAKASH
40 years. Delhi, India
Prakash, a taxi driver in Delhi, India.
"Spicy food!" is the first thing Prakash answers when you ask him about his favorite snacks in Delhi, the capital of India.
Prakash He is a driver for different travel agencies who work in the Indian subcontinent and, as a good driver, he is also a counselor and friend to those who come to visit his city.
“It is important to differentiate between vegetarian and non-vegetarian food. If you like meat, the best area is Old Delhi , the ancient city and the biggest foodie paradise in the city".
“One of the best places is Karim's, a historic restaurant near the Jama Masjid mosque where they serve spicy and very tasty food, both Mughal and Indian , but it is a place more for locals than for tourists. I don't always recommend it."
"Tourists prefer the mini restaurants of Hauz Khas Delhi , such as the Malcha Marg Mini restaurant, or the Tilak Nagar and Malcha Marg areas , where there are several more westernized places where the food is not so spicy. And if you come for business, outside of Delhi is the Gurugram area , a cyber hub full of restaurants”.
Dish at Karim's.
Prakash also states that he loves to travel beyond Delhi: recommends us to return to the desert of Rajasthan , with its vibrant colors and cultures through places like Jaipur, the Pink City of India, or reaching the tropical state of Kerala, in the south, although "there they do not like the spicy so much" remarks Prakash, with the red chilies as the main reference guide.
Back in Delhi, this driver recommends visiting some of its musts: "The Qutub Minar, the Jama Masjid mosque, the Red Fort, Humayun's Tomb or the Indian Parliament House are visits that I usually make with my car and, well, they are essential.”
Prakash is constantly moving around the city, among rickshaws and fortune tellers, cows and women in their colorful saris . A cosmological puzzle full of stimuli but also irresistible routines.
Prakash confesses that his definition of happiness is finishing his day and drop by Talli Station , a restaurant in Rajouri Garden specializing in Punjabi food, typical of North India, with its crispy pakoras and its chicken smeared with garam masala , Punjab's flagship spice mix.
ELIMELECH RODRIGUEZ
40 years old, Cartagena de Indias, Colombia
Elimelech Rodríguez, taxi driver in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia.
To speak with Elimelech from Cartagena de Indias is to do so with someone who feels a great passion for his city and what he represents.
“Welcome to “La Fantástica” or “La Heroica”, where everyone seeks to enjoy its culture, its beaches and its colonial streets”, proclaims Eli in reference to the famous Colombian Caribbean city.
“Here the sunset is like a dream and every visitor who comes to Cartagena cannot miss the old city with its colonial houses, its ornate balconies , folklore or a night ride in a horse-drawn carriage”, he continues.
“We also have the Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas, an impenetrable military monument. We continue with Los Zapatos Viejos, a bronze sculpture that pays homage to the poet Luis Carlos López; or the Monument to India Catalina".
The tower of the Cathedral of Santa Catalina de Alejandría, in Cartagena de Indias (Colombia).
"However, one of the most special places is Gethsemane neighborhood , part of the historic center but with a more popular context, where you can find more of a village gastronomy, of snacks and fried foods, between narrow streets and more traditional”.
The city that fell in love Gabriel Garcia Marquez , with its palm trees and bougainvillea swollen with yellow butterflies, opens like few others to the sea, with the Caribbean at one end and the bay at the other that invites you to take catamaran rides.
“From here you can visit the Rosario Islands , a spectacular place; Playa Barú, Playa Tranquila or Playa Blanca . In Cartagena, all the nuances of the Caribbean come together. Of that harmony is our city”.
However, when I scratch for Eli to mention those places where he goes as a local, he is clear: “I love the gastronomy of the Bazurto Market because you can get everything from simple coconut rice to spiced seafood rice and many other exotic foods."
"In this place is where many taxi drivers usually have lunch."
Fruit vendors in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia.
When he goes out with his family, Emi go to the beaches of Manzanillo or La Boquilla : “There we all go together to have lunch fried and very fresh fish with yucca. There are also different nightclubs and bars on Calle de la Media Luna or Calle El Arsenal, in whose southern section champeta or vallenato are danced, mixes between merengue and African".
"They are places of great recreation and very nice people." Emi also affirms that, as in all cities, there are places to eat more on "everyday" and others to go to on a special occasion.
“The House of Relief It is a restaurant that always has gourmet products at low cost, with dishes that delight the palate and the soul . We also find the Bonifacio restaurant, aka El Bony Kiosk , much visited for its snapper in coconut sauce; the mulatto; The House of Good Seafood or the barbecue , a restaurant with a very tender posta cartagenera (beef buttock tip).”
This Cartagena man works with his taxi between the airport and the city, and often stops at a certain place where the midwives wait with their pots and people eat under the palm trees the dishes that do not appear in the guides.
Because there is a typical dish from Cartagena that can rarely be found in restaurants , and it's yam cream cheese, Emi's favorite.
Traditional sweets from Cartagena de Indias.
MARIA EVA JUNCOS
48 years old, Rosario, Argentina
Maria Eva Juncos, taxi driver in Rosario, Argentina.
“I invite you to come up to my apartment” or “Single?” These are some of the questions that María Eva Juncos had to listen to since she started working as a woman taxi driver in the Argentine city of Rosario , more than ten years ago.
The story of María Eva is that of an empowered woman, since her long journeys through the city led him to found in 2016 she she taxi, an application that connects taxi drivers and users who are women.
A project that was born in Rosario to expand to other Argentine cities such as Buenos Aires or, currently, to countries such as Mexico.
While She Taxi advances, María Eva continues driving her taxi through a city that she enjoys with all five senses: “In my city there are very beautiful places, or to go for tapas , as they say in Spain".
"I love the Pichincha area and places like the Vrnda , on Calle Salta, where you have a world of delicious and healthy dishes”.
Vrinda plate.
Although María Eva is a vegetarian, she recognizes that Argentineans are very roasted, and one of the best places to enjoy it is Grill The Stay.
"It is a very welcoming place on Pellegrini Avenue, where many cultural events take place."
Maria Eva loves it too walk through Pichincha and her walk bordering the Paraná River through different sections.
“I also really like walking through the Independence Park , where we have many activities to do and sometimes there are food trucks or carts from here with very good quality. In addition, the presence of the river means that in Rosario there are many walks and in each place there is a context that invites a different activity”.
View of Rosario, Argentina.
Nevertheless, María Eva's favorite Rosario enclave is the Fisherton neighborhood , between golf courses and English-style houses: "in this place there are a lot of parks and groves".
"I always make a stop here when I'm on my way to the airport and have a coffee under the trees. It's my corner of peace," says María Eva before recalling the importance of a sector that requires greater inclusivity. And less uncomfortable questions.
JUAN CARLOS MARTINEZ
44 years old, Benidorm, Spain
Juan Carlos Martínez, taxi driver in Benidorm.
If you travel to Benidorm and you get in the taxi 16 , surely Juan Carlos is listening to a song by Lori Meyers.
It is the tune of this father of two children whose experience driving for tourists around Benidorm makes him the best ally to discover the B side of Levantine New York.
“Benidorm is a summer city, but as a local I love start the day having a chocolate with churros . There are many churrerías in Benidorm and at a very good price”.
Benidorm is a city of the sea and Juan Carlos recommends Poniente beach and areas such as Cala de Benidorm, ideal for going with the family and ending with a good rice dish.
"My favorite rice in Benidorm is the one from the restaurant Ravine , although there are many places to eat good rice in the city. Of my favorites I also include the Islanders , overlooking the Bali hotel.”
Sunset in Benidorm.
Another attraction for locals is to carry out hiking trails such as the Cruz de Benidorm (an imposition of Franco to the mayor of the city to watch women in bikinis during the boom of the 1960s) through the Parque de la Sierra Helada, with its views of El Albir.
“We also like to go hiking Sierra Cortina, more unknown , and from which unbeatable views of the Benidorm skyline are obtained".
"Another option for those who come as a family is, of course, to visit the Aqualandia water park. It's a lot of fun and you spend a very pleasant day."
In the afternoon, nothing better than taking a walk through the old town, the viewpoint of the two bays and the Church of San Jaime to drop by the Los Vascos area and go for tapas and pintxos.
Walking along the beach while the Poniente sunset merges with the lights of the Spanish city that never sleeps is another of her favorite moments. The pandemic has delayed nights out, but Juan Carlos hope to be able to go dancing soon.
Especially going to Low, the indie music festival that takes place at the end of July in Benidorm. Lori Meyers had an explanation.
SOUAD HDIDOU
34 years old, Rabat, Morocco
Souad Hdidou, taxi driver in Rabat, Morocco.
Morocco Souad Hdidou started out driving a refrigerated truck until he realized that taxis were his thing. For five years, Souad drives a blue petit taxi and today she is the only female taxi driver in the city of Rabat.
Although petit taxis cannot currently be shared due to the pandemic, Ella Souad continues to work despite adversity from 8 in the morning to 11 at night, with several special stops in the heart of quiet Rabat.
“I like to have breakfast at Cafe Haning , where they serve a plate of eggs with dried meat (Jle'a) and delicious barley bread. To eat I usually go to Poisson's Anass and order fried fish although sometimes I go to the old Medina of Rabat to drink a skewer of kefta or chop snails and pickles they sell at the stalls.
"I don't go to restaurants too much either because I usually cook at home for my kids." In addition, on Wednesdays Souad does not miss her appointment at the Marassa Hammam , and on Sundays she usually goes for a walk to the skhirat beach , on the outskirts of the city, although also she highlights the sunsets from the Rabat beach cafes Kamar Sabbagh.
Hassan Tower, Rabat.
Souad affirms that Rabat is a very calm and recommendable city for those who are looking for that authentic Morocco beyond big cities like Marrakech.
“I was born in Casablanca, which is a much more commercial capital, but I like Rabat because it is quiet and there is a lot to do: you can go to the beach, lose yourself in the streets and have a delicious tea in the Kasbah des Oudayas”.
Kasbah des Oudayas, the citadel of Rabat, is a labyrinth of streets that always end at the old wall, with the sound of the sea on the other side as the best spy.
On her days off, Souad also likes to visit the Chellah Necropolis , since it is a very relaxing place. It is one of the many places she recommends to the female tourists who get into her taxi.
Souad always tries to take a little time to visit her mosques, souks or the gardens of Rabat. Small oasis of peace where you can unwind before a new client calls you back. Because Souad is very much like a taxi driver, a guide, but above all an amulet for women who may feel unprotected.
"Once I picked up a lady from the United States and we ended up in Fez, I spent the whole day with her and, since I knew the city well, I showed her the most beautiful places."
Renzo Menacho
46 years old, Miami, USA
Renzo Menacho, taxi driver in Miami.
Renzo left his native Lima in November 1999 to seek a new future in the warm lands of Florida.
"I still remember the first time I visited Orlando Disney Park and the great impact it had on me."
They were years of opening up to the world, getting to know other cultures and giving oneself to the Space club parties in Miami , which today Renzo remembers with nostalgia.
This Peruvian taxi driver currently works in Fort Lauderdale, but whenever he can, he takes the opportunity to return to the city where he started his new life.
“Miami is a city where anything can happen and that it is very well connected. I now go on occasion to take a cruise, once I went to the Dominican Republic and another to Cozumel, in Mexico.”
Before being an Uber driver and walking the streets to the rhythm of his favorite Peruvian radio channel, Renzo was a chef in Take a Break , a cafe that had to close due to the impact of the pandemic.
And it is that gastronomy is another passion for Renzo, who affirms that Miami it's a gourmet paradise for all food lovers.
“My cool plan would be drop by the bars of South Beach to go to Cantina 51, of Mexican origin, and have a cocktail. Afterwards, nothing better than going in search of the best restaurant”. Renzo tells us that His two favorite cuisines are Peruvian and Italian.
"Miami's Bella Luna is an exquisite Italian restaurant. Regarding Peruvians, 20 years ago there were hardly any stores where you could buy typical products and today there is a huge range of all kinds of Peruvian restaurants. I highlight the ceviche cviche 105 Y dr lemon”.
Miami postcard.
And about beaches, Renzo is clear: “ Pompano Beach is my favorite in all of Florida It is a very quiet and ideal place if you want to enjoy a day away from home with the family”.
Renzo says that Miami and its area are sometimes confused, because Florida is like the center of America. "I always say that the whole world comes on vacation to the place where I live."
This report was published in the number 150 of the Condé Nast Traveler Magazine Spain. Subscribe to the printed edition (€18.00, annual subscription, by calling 902 53 55 57 or from our website). The April issue of Condé Nast Traveler is available in its digital version to enjoy on your preferred device.