Thursday, February 17, 2011

Crime in the USA - Keeping it in Context

USA News and World Report had an article on Yahoo today that staggered me. I always knew and know that it is safer in Mexico but the statistics today are eye-opening.

Mexico's homicide rate is 11 per 100,000, according to the Attorney General of Mexico. Even with all the drug related murders since 2006, which hover around 30,000. That is a disturbing number.

But, wait, the FBI statistics related in this article show US crime is 429 per 100,000 in 2009. The article is praising the fact that crime is down in the USA since its high of 1991! Hmmm.

There's more. There were 1.3 million violent crimes in 2009 in the USA which includes not only homicides but rapes. Property crimes in 2009 were 3036 per 100,000! Good grief.

The articles includes the 11 most dangerous cities in America. St.Louis being #1 - a very surprising statistic to me. New Orleans and Richmond Va however have the highest murder rates. Richmond Va?

So, all of those that LOVE to ask me "Why I live in Mexico?" and, "Aren't I afraid?", should look in their own back yard.........and lock their doors!

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

In Honour of Bryan

As a curmudgeon, he excelled. He seldom smiled. But when he laughed, you felt honored. He was one of the "benchanistas" who inhabited el jardin daily from about 10AM until 11:45, precisely. He would head home at 11:45 for lunch with Baby trailing behind him. What a sight!

We met when I first came to San Miguel ten years ago. "Met" is a loose term for sitting down next to him on the bench and conversing. Not about anything important, but about the weather, his dog Baby that was his constant companion until about six months ago when she died, and how good looking the women were along with how cute the kids were. That was the gist of our conversations for a year or so. He was a private man.

Little by little, I was able to peel the layers back and find out about his contributions to society in his business and personal world. He had managed hotels in the Carolinas and also been a successful stockbroker. He had a grown daughter and a daughter who had passed on almost forty years ago. He was married to a lovely lady in San Miguel.

When my daughter died in 2004, and all I could do at that point was sit on the bench for a little while and then go home again, he shared with me the story of the loss of his daughter. After forty years, he still cried. So, he was really not a curmudgeon but a softy. He was very kind to me during that time. I'll never forget.

We were absolutely at the opposite end of the spectrum politically so we NEVER brought that subject up. I always looked forward to our chats upon my return from some trip or another. He always seemed, in his low key way, to be glad to see me.

Well, last week I looked for Bryan - no Bryan - and on Friday when I asked someone, I was informed he had died. Zap! I was really, really sorry about losing that wonderful 84 year old man who I had shared so many conversations with.

I don't think I'll ever head to the jardin again, or sit on the bench, that I don't think of my dear friend Bryan. He was a cool dude.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Whales Ahoy!

 

 

 

 


To begin this post, I've put in the photo of the church in Cijuatlan that didn't publish in the last post. Not sure of the spelling of the town and too lazy to go to the car to look at the map.

But the next photo is the zowee one. That white wave is actually a whale blow! Oh my gosh, I was so excited the first time we could see them out in the bay. After the blow you would see their backs arched in the ocean. Way cool. They come every day about 4PM and stay til about 5:30. I can remember so many years in Galveston knowing that the dolphins came at about that same time and making sure I was down on the beach to watch them. I was doing the same thing at Melaque, but it was WHALES!

In consulting with my wildlife biologist son, I was told it is a minke whale and that they calve in this area this time of the year. Amazing.

Add to that the following experience. We were over at La Manzanilla beach several days. La Manzanilla ia about 20 minutes north of Melaque on the Bay of Tenacatita. One day all kinds of birds, frigates, pelicans, egrets and other kinds starting gathering in one spot not far off shore. At first I thought it was just a school of fish, but then as I sat up and watched, it was a whale.........and then another........and then another.

It was so close that with a kayak one could have quickly gotten out closer. It was awesome. They frolicked and stayed in the area for at least an hour.

See how much you can accomplish in life when you're not doing anything but being aware of your surroundings?

When we weren't watchiing the whales, we were watching the sunsets. I tried, but didn't succeed, in seeing each and every one. Gosh they were so beautiful.

Here are just two of zillions of photos I took of the sunsets! Don't want to bore you.
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Thursday, February 10, 2011

Driving to the BEACH

 

 

 

 


We headed out driving to the beach, Melaque, early on the morning of January 2nd. It was a Sunday - a GOOD move. Not much traffic.

I LOVE driving on the highways in unpopulated areas. Like from here to Leon and then from Leon to Guadalajara. Guadalajara, NOT AT ALL. In fact I REALLY HATE attempting to follow the signage to head in the right direction to the beach through that city. It is always a kamakaze exercise.

But, once through Guadalajara, I begin to look forward to seeing the dry lake bed and then the volcanoes. This trip the cloud formations were magnificent. I like horizons and this drive affords one those large horizons like driving in West Texas.

The telltale sign that we were almost to our destination is when we come to the bridge in Ciyutlan and that picturesque white church is there like a beacon. Some day I''m going to take the time to stop and see the inside. I'm always so darn anxious to get to the "water and sand" that I can't imagine, at the time, stopping to see a church.

Blessed, blessed sun, sand and pina coladas - all for a month - it was WONDERFUL. More about that manana.
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San Miguel de Allende is Abuzz with Tourists

 

 

 

 



The town is jumpin'! They're everywhere. The restaurants are full. The streets are busy. I'm sure the merchants are happy that they're back............it has been very quiet here for quite a while. At A Cuban music performance a couple of weeks ago it was standing room only. Nice to see.

One of the many activities that those new or old (pardon the pun) in town can see, is the light show on the Parroquia. It was created by a Frenchman for the Bicentennial. It is accompanied by music. Now that might sound hokey but it is extremely enchanting and beautiful. At 9:15 PM on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights all the lights in the jardin are turned off, the music begins which is classical/chamber type music and the light show which enhances the Parroquia's architecture begins. There is a hush among everyone in the area as they watch this salute to Mexico.

In fact, toward the end it says Viva Mexico on the building with the muted lights. It is very effective.

Even though this was for 2010, I'm glad that someone made the decision to continue this lovely fifteen minutes of creativity for all to see.
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Tuesday, February 08, 2011

The "Gypsy Kids" and a Few Others

 

 

 

 



Since I had to fly through Houston to get to Alexandria and then the same on return, it seemed obvious that I would stop there and spend time with the Gypsy Kids and the Hogan Six Pack (my daughter Julie, her husband Rich and the four kids).
Then the plan was to fly on back to San Miguel the first part of November.

Now do you understand why I didn't have time to blog?

But the time with the Gypsy Kids, who were now, I thought, firmly ensconced in Houston, was great. The last I had seen Sebastian was when he was two months old in Colorado and Matilda continues to be her effervescent self. How cute!

I hoped to have EVERYONE together at least one day. And, it worked, with the exception of the oldest granddaughter who is off at Texas A&M. But heck, not to be daunted by that, a quick day trip to see and hug her was great fun.

"Mr. Paul" as Matilda had named him in Colorado flew in from West Va. So we were all together. How great. On the day that my grandson who lives in Houston, Christopher, was able to drive up with my brother and his wife, we planned a big casual lunch..........and just the rest of the time to "hang out". Christopher even got to spend the night which was awesome. Few time restraints.

There is something that happens as you get older. You realize when something is "once in a lifetime" and special. I was determined to get a photo of all of us together even though Jessica wasn't there. So we did, very impromptu. The only way it was going to happen. I have that photo enlarged here in my bedroom and I love to look over and see the "whole gang", all my kiddos and my brother and sister-in-law in one picture. Heaven knows when THAT will happen again.

It was a great "family time".
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Monday, February 07, 2011

The Reunion of 2010

 

 

 



Suffice to say that Alexandria, Louisiana and Bolton High will never see the likes of our group again. We were fun, interested in an education, sometimes, and VERY self motivated. We had public officials, doctors, lawyers, teachers and many other professions that led all of us to have a productive working career.

We did and do know how to party. Yup, even almost 70 year olds. It was so darn much fun. Even the impromtu Karaoke night when the military guys from Virginia and the Carolinas came in and upon leaving said, "Whew, you seniors rock". I laughed about that for days.

The photos are of some of my favorite people who it was great to see and who I have stayed in touch with for the fifty years. Isn't it strange how you might not see someone for ten or twenty years, then you curl up in a good chair, kick off your shoes and those years are set aside? Next thing you know you're laughing about your antics fifty years ago.

I feel privileged to have had those relationships and those great times.

I had traveled so much last year, the thought of getting on another plane to fly to Alex for the reunion was not appealing, but, oh how glad I am that I did. What great memories. What great conversations. In a way it was closing a chapter of my life!
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