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The Cruise--Details

I didn't include more details in the prior "The Cruise" post for two reasons. 1)  I didn't think anyone would be interested; and 2)  This trip didn't include much of the normal topics:  good beer, good coffee or John-style travel. But there are details, which may be useful to some people contemplating how such a trip is put together. On the first day of the trip, we drove three hours to pick up my mother in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.  At 85, she isn't comfortable driving for long distances and hadn't flown for many years. We then drove 3 1/2 more hours to Chicago, where we checked into the Wyndham, where you can get a room that includes the cost of parking for up to 12 days.   We were up early on the hotel shuttle to O'Hare, where we then boarded the a non-stop American Airlines flight to New Orleans. Here, we checked into a Hampton Inn near the port.  My mother was pretty tired, so Julia and I went out for a Cajun dinner and live music.   Rememberi...
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Valentine's Day 2023

Julia and I walked down to the big mercado today and bought a half kilo of carne adobada (marinated meat) and some green bean.s  Then we bought brownies (that tasted more like cake) from a bakery.  With some fresh bread that we picked up from the grocery store near us, we had the makings of our Valentine's Dinner.


The dinner was made complete when our landlady dropped off flowers and a bottle of wine to make up for the repairs to the swimming pool/hot tub this week, putting it temporarily out of commission.   Totally unnecessary but very sweet.  Customer service is a thing in Mexico--even in the absence of complaints.  She asked me in Spanish if I was happy with our place.    I said, "Claro que si!"     (Of course)

I also bought some Chiapas coffee beans from the local roaster.  I was running out of my home roast.  

It was cooler today--temperatures in the high 70's but breezy.  Tonight it's supposed to drop to 46.  

We met our neighbors who are here from Oregon for a wedding.  They were very interested in our road trip and would like to visit the interior of Mexico and bring their dog. 

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MFH said…
I'm awestruck! You're showing the media lies for what they are. We, your readers, sit here in safety with our armed-to-the-teeth neighbors while you blithely enjoy the delights of travel in a country supppsedly TEEMING with gang wars, kidnappings and daily shootings of tourists as the country continues its pell-mell tumble through cultural collapse.

And there you sit...with wine, fresh food -- possibly better than any available in this country except at an organic market -- and with impromptu expression kindness from your landlady.

Amazing!
February 15, 2023 at 6:58 PM
John said…
I don't want to give the impression that there is no crime or violence here. There is, but I don't perceive the risk any higher here than in the U.S. And as you point out, there are a lot fewer guns here.

Last night we went out for dinner and music at a place that's a 45 minute walk from the Airbnb. It well past dark, and we had a couple of drinks during dinner. We experienced no problems walking home. In fact, there were many families with small children playing and enjoying the evening along the Malecon. It was the same in Puerto Vallarta.

Now if someone is looking for trouble, shooting one's mouth off about the cartel or "merica or trying to buy drugs, it's probably easy to find trouble.

As for Mexican culture, this is a very kind and family oriented-place. Politeness is ingrained in the language itself. The U.S. is at much higher risk of cultural collapse.
February 16, 2023 at 9:17 AM
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