In Merida, Mexico now. Got in last night. Been busy eating phenomenal food, seeing majestic natural and incredible historic sights, and being shaken down by local police, one of whom actually took my credit card and charged if 4800 pesos ($256 USD) after telling me that he'd keep my license and tow our car if I didn't pay. I already called my bank to stop that charge. And when he saw my friend Beth Anne filming him, he ran around to her side and demanded her phone, but she was finally able to convince him that she hadn't filmed him while still retaining her phone. Of course it meant deleting the video...sigh. And then the very next toll booth, another one ran across multiple lanes of traffic to get to us and hit us up again, but he settled for $20 US. It was pretty clear that someone had called him and told him to watch for us so I went off the toll roads for a bit to try to break that cycle. There will be an official complaint filed of course but I'm sure that it will go nowhere.
Here’s pyramids at Teotihuacan, built about 400 years BC. It’s a massive complex covering over two miles beautiful work, but hordes of vendors in there trying to see you everything imaginable and they block your path, follow you or approach as soon as you stop to look at something. Still, beautiful and awesome to contemplate the man-hours required to do all this just to please Quetzalcoatl, some serpent sun god.
Spent that night in Veracruz and had terrific steak tacos and beer while enjoying live music in the Zocalo, or city square. Our hotel looked down on that square so we got to enjoy the music all night but it was good
They are taking COVID seriously here social distancing and masking are required and most every place you go into they check your temperature and make you sanitize your hands and shoes. Masks are mandatory even outside. They’re trying.
I do love this country I just wish they’d get their corruption problem and the cartel gangs under control this country has the GDP to become truly first world and take care of their people and infrastructure but So much of it all gets siphoned off by the crooks in and outside of government.
Bribes are the local form of unofficial taxation, same with the police shake-downs. I don't know that the country can be fixed. I'm with you that it's a neat place, and I go there for work. But I don't know that I'd go there for fun anymore. Too many other options without the problems.
ReplyDeleteBe safe, Murph!
ReplyDelete"So much of it all gets siphoned off by the crooks in and outside of government."
ReplyDeleteand that has been Mexico's issue forever.
So who are you with?
My friend Beth Anne, NOPD officer and shooting/drinking buddy. She's been pictured here before. And in a few days, she flies home and I begin to drive back with Margaret, my bartender pal who owns the house here.
DeleteStay safe, and hope the CCs are on fraud alert! Because they WILL try to take more than expected.
ReplyDelete