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We were on our way downtown to do some errands. Nothing risky about that normally. I do however suffer a quiver or two when walk by the parking garage where a dentist and his receptionist, on two different occasions, were jumped and robbed at about 130pm one fine safe and sound Guanajuato day.
This time we decided to ride the bus. We got on and headed toward the back where the chances of getting a breeze in the steaming hot afternoon were greater.
The bus we boarded was a new one with an elevated backseat area. You have to climb three small steps to mount the much higher back seats. Why they have these I couldn't begin to guess. But, we sat in the seat that was right up against the steps leading to the upper seats.
So, off we go stopping along the way to allow the crushing multitudes to board the bus.
This really fat lady got on the bus. It was her intent to sit in the elevated back seat area. I think I am accurate to say that this is the only area into which she could fit.
Step one, she mounts. Step two, she vanquishes, when she go on the third step the bus lurched forward and the woman let go of her grip and landed direct on top of me!
Essentially, I broke her fall finding myself squashed under the might of her huge butt. Her butt was sitting on my upper back and head. The left side of my face was mashed into the middle part of the man's back who was sitting directly in front of me.
I whimpered.
My wife flew into action trying to get this two-ton lizzy's buttocks off of me. I was immobilized as was my gordita who was laughing hysterically making it impossible for her to help in saving my life. I found it hard to breathe.
Finally, and how I have no idea, she was hoisted off of me.
Then the bus driver changed gears, creating another forward lunge, and the woman once again came off the step and on top of me.
Then, the adrenaline made its move.
I was able with a mighty Bruce Lee roar to shove this woman off of me. I grabbed her two Jello butt cheeks and pushed her up the steps and onto a seat.
She just laughed.
I had to take pain meds.
I had to go to bed.
I had to cuss a word or two each time I thought of the circumstance.
I had to swear off taking buses.
Showing posts with label Mexican resorts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mexican resorts. Show all posts
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Guanajuato, Mex -- Differences
When the gnats invaded our home and we had to flee, we went to our neighbor's place. She is a lovely chemical engineer from Guatemala. We know several Guatemaltecos who live here in Guanajuato for work or other endeavors. They are different folks.
Those whom we know have all zeroed in on a common thread when we've talked about living in this to-a-fault provincial Mexico. Living in Guanajuato is like living in a closed society. I have mentioned this before. In fact, I have mentioned it several times. The heartland of Mexico is very much like living in the Ozarks in the United States.
It is provincial.
A lot of Gringolandians will tell you I am out of my mind to say that this is the provincial mecca of Mexico. But, keep in mind that those who do, do not live in this culture but live in a Gringo Bubble (Gringolandia).
Anyway, our conversation with our Guatemala neighbor focused on how hard it was for her to break into any sort of relationshop with Mexicans for almost 2 years. She agreed (as has all our Latino friends who were not born in this city) that this sample of Mexican culture is very "closed" compared to the rest of Latin countries. Spain might be an exception and could be considered as closed as is Guanajuato.
Also, she agreed that the Spanish here is sheer madness sometimes. She could not understand anyone, when she came to work here, unless they stopped their modismos laced language.
I most heartily concur with her. The Spanish is here is almost all modismos or consists of so much idiomatic expressions which makes it almost impossible to understand them. On the street, the Spanish is so full of idioms that you just have to scratch your head trying to comprehend what it is they are trying to say.
In more "educated" conversations with those who have more formal education you have a better chance understanding Spanish.
Now, having said all this I do not mean to imply that Guanajuato is so dreadful that you should not come for a visit and spend a few thousand dollars in the local economy. Rather, here is what I mean:
Americans and a lot of Canadians come here expecting Guanajuato to be like cities that cater to Gringo tourists. Guanajuato DO NOT cater to Gringo tourists. The Gringo wants English to be spoken from their hotel staff to any and all eateries they frequent. They want the vendors to speak English. They want E-V-E-R-Y-O-N-E to speak English and in this part of Mexico all I can say is: don't hold your breath!
Guanajuato is NOT San Miguel de Allende or any other resort town that panders to Americans and Canadians. I fear this will change, but for now find a Spanish phrase book and leave your Gringo expectations at the border.
###
Crimes and misdemeanors: Staying safe in San Miguel
Is SMA still safe, or falling prey to drug dealers and thugs?
By Anne Nicolai
August 11, 2009
Knowledge is power: Spanish-speaking residents are safer
Across the board, every official interviewed for this article agreed that one of the best ways for foreigners to provide for our personal safety is to learn the language of the country that we’re living in. They point out that Spanish speakers have an easier time getting to know their neighbors and the local police. Knowing the language also helps when calling for help or reporting a crime.
In fact, the author’s calls to the various emergency telephone numbers prove this point: on two different days, at two different times of day,...there were no English-speaking operators.
Click On This Link Reach The
ROCKET SPANISH Website!
Those whom we know have all zeroed in on a common thread when we've talked about living in this to-a-fault provincial Mexico. Living in Guanajuato is like living in a closed society. I have mentioned this before. In fact, I have mentioned it several times. The heartland of Mexico is very much like living in the Ozarks in the United States.
It is provincial.
...having or showing the manners, viewpoints, etc., considered characteristic of unsophisticated inhabitants of a province; rustic; narrow or illiberal; parochial: a provincial point of view.
A lot of Gringolandians will tell you I am out of my mind to say that this is the provincial mecca of Mexico. But, keep in mind that those who do, do not live in this culture but live in a Gringo Bubble (Gringolandia).
Anyway, our conversation with our Guatemala neighbor focused on how hard it was for her to break into any sort of relationshop with Mexicans for almost 2 years. She agreed (as has all our Latino friends who were not born in this city) that this sample of Mexican culture is very "closed" compared to the rest of Latin countries. Spain might be an exception and could be considered as closed as is Guanajuato.
Also, she agreed that the Spanish here is sheer madness sometimes. She could not understand anyone, when she came to work here, unless they stopped their modismos laced language.
I most heartily concur with her. The Spanish is here is almost all modismos or consists of so much idiomatic expressions which makes it almost impossible to understand them. On the street, the Spanish is so full of idioms that you just have to scratch your head trying to comprehend what it is they are trying to say.
In more "educated" conversations with those who have more formal education you have a better chance understanding Spanish.
Now, having said all this I do not mean to imply that Guanajuato is so dreadful that you should not come for a visit and spend a few thousand dollars in the local economy. Rather, here is what I mean:
Americans and a lot of Canadians come here expecting Guanajuato to be like cities that cater to Gringo tourists. Guanajuato DO NOT cater to Gringo tourists. The Gringo wants English to be spoken from their hotel staff to any and all eateries they frequent. They want the vendors to speak English. They want E-V-E-R-Y-O-N-E to speak English and in this part of Mexico all I can say is: don't hold your breath!
Guanajuato is NOT San Miguel de Allende or any other resort town that panders to Americans and Canadians. I fear this will change, but for now find a Spanish phrase book and leave your Gringo expectations at the border.
###
Crimes and misdemeanors: Staying safe in San Miguel
Is SMA still safe, or falling prey to drug dealers and thugs?
By Anne Nicolai
August 11, 2009
Knowledge is power: Spanish-speaking residents are safer
Across the board, every official interviewed for this article agreed that one of the best ways for foreigners to provide for our personal safety is to learn the language of the country that we’re living in. They point out that Spanish speakers have an easier time getting to know their neighbors and the local police. Knowing the language also helps when calling for help or reporting a crime.
In fact, the author’s calls to the various emergency telephone numbers prove this point: on two different days, at two different times of day,...there were no English-speaking operators.
Click On This Link Reach The
ROCKET SPANISH Website!Learn Spanish Like A ROCKET With Rocket Spanish!...
###
Friday, April 16, 2010
Guanajuato, Mex. - Excuse Me?
My wife is an "official" travel advisor for an online outfit that is quite popular. They have a host of these advisors for just about anywhere. One cool thing they have is this secret online forum just for the advisors where they can chat among themselves and share the insanity with which they must deal in the questions they must answer.
Don't misunderstand. They do a fine job in answering the same questions over and over again. I suppose they need some sort of catharsis in this sharing with one another.
One that struck me the other day was this woman who is an advisor for some Mexican resort town. She said that the thing which gets her the most is how frequent she has to answer this question: "Why are Mexicans so stupid that they cannot learn to speak English?"
This does not surprise me. This is the true nature of the Culture Imperialist American who comes to a foreign country (Mexico especially) and really in their heart of hearts believes that anyone with whom they come into any sort of contact must speak English.
Have you ever wondered why they must think this?
I have and am found lacking when trying to offer a plausible answer.
How can anyone offer an excuse for this bizarre mindset or be so stupid as to have this mindset?
Spanish is the spoken language in this country and no matter where these Gringos go they expect to be catered to in English.
I suppose I could ask these gabachos this:
Well, excuse me if I sound a little testy but it just is beyond the pale to hear this sort of thing so often.
###
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Don't misunderstand. They do a fine job in answering the same questions over and over again. I suppose they need some sort of catharsis in this sharing with one another.
One that struck me the other day was this woman who is an advisor for some Mexican resort town. She said that the thing which gets her the most is how frequent she has to answer this question: "Why are Mexicans so stupid that they cannot learn to speak English?"
This does not surprise me. This is the true nature of the Culture Imperialist American who comes to a foreign country (Mexico especially) and really in their heart of hearts believes that anyone with whom they come into any sort of contact must speak English.
Have you ever wondered why they must think this?
I have and am found lacking when trying to offer a plausible answer.
How can anyone offer an excuse for this bizarre mindset or be so stupid as to have this mindset?
Spanish is the spoken language in this country and no matter where these Gringos go they expect to be catered to in English.
I suppose I could ask these gabachos this:
- "Why are you so stupid that you cannot realize that the entire planet is NOT fluent in English?
- And why are you so stupid to expect Mexico will have an English speaker at your elbow at every turn?
- Why are you so stupid to NOT learn Spanish when you come to a country in which Spanish is the major language?
- In addition, why are you so stupid for being so stupid?"
Well, excuse me if I sound a little testy but it just is beyond the pale to hear this sort of thing so often.
###
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Saturday, March 20, 2010
Guanajuato, Mexico - The Gringo Propaganda
One of the most salient examples of just how propagandized the vast majority of websites and blogs are when it comes to presenting the truth about living in Mexico, is retireinluxury.com. Whether it is a book, a house to sell, or a travel business to promote, the bias is as thick as maple syrup .
The people of Mexico routinely treat strangers with warmth and curiosity. The people here seem to have the ability to enjoy life, be more hospitable, more respectful of their fellow man....And it's not our money that makes everyone so friendly: the people are deeply steeped in a tradition of courtesy, culture, and kindness that goes back centuries...The people are almost always willing to stop whatever they are doing to be of assistance to a friend, a neighbor or a stranger. It seems they welcome any opportunity to be helpful. Isn't that the way life should be? -- www.retireinluxury.com
1) "The people of Mexico routinely treat strangers with warmth and curiosity." -- Go the website, My Mexico Story and read a few of the stories of how these folks were treated when they were strangers in Mexico.
2) "The people here seem to have the ability to enjoy life, be more hospitable, more respectful of their fellow man" -- You should on your next visit to San Miguel de Allende as the owner of the butcher shop, Carnemax, what he thought of this when he was robbed at gun point on Feb. 19, 2010 by his fellow Mexicans.
3) "And it's not our money that makes everyone so friendly: the people are deeply steeped in a tradition of courtesy, culture, and kindness that goes back centuries." -- Either the author of this website, who is trying to sell a book on how sinless it is to live in Mexico, is absolutely mono-cultural, or she is not telling the whole story (Maybe she doesn't know it).
One more than one occasion , Mexicans have told us that from a very early age they are taught that Gringos are to be "taken" whenever possible. They are taught how to do it all along with the rationalizations why this isn't a bad or unethical thing to do. Another told me that Mexicans are your best friends as long as they are getting money out of you. When you stop the cash flow you then become the enemy.
4) "the people are deeply steeped in a tradition of courtesy, culture, and kindness that goes back centuries...The people are almost always willing to stop whatever they are doing to be of assistance to a friend, a neighbor or a stranger." -- What this quote in its whole is trying to prove and failing to do so, is that Mexicans have some intrinsic goodness that sets them apart from the rest of humanity. In many face to face meetings I've had with potential Gringo expats, these wannabes will not believe that any crime occurs in Guanajuato or it is so insignificant as to not be worthy of a single thought.
The Gringo perceived politeness in Mexican culture is probably due more to the cultural need to save face than it is to some ill-perceived Gringo notion that Mexicans know how to treat their fellow man better (Is that even a testable hypothesis?). See the study done on this very point: Click Here
The point is NOT whether there are polite Mexicans in Guanajuato, or in the country at large. The point is whether Gringos who have ulterior motives are telling you the whole picture? Are their perceptions tainted with biases and/or nefarious motives?
To write about something critically never implies any degree of hate. To NOT like something and to say so is NOT wrong.
What is wrong is becoming singularly obsessed to the point of wanting to destroy someone who holds a different point of view than your own.
What is totally insane, and implies the need for professional help, is to believe an author who disagrees with the position that Mexico is something other than just a place with flawed people is out to ruin your real estate business, your money making source. That bias, obsession with filthy lucre, can drive one to paranoia.
That's all I'm saying.
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###
Friday, March 19, 2010
Guanajuato, Mexico - CHAIR WARS
I've heard of Star Wars, World Wars, Ancient Wars, Modern Wars, Civil Wars, but I have not heard of CHAIR WARS until this morning when my wife emailed me the saga of what is,
The Infamous Chair Wars!
In the Gringolandian resorts in Mexico, Cancun, or whatever, there is a silent yet vicious war going on even as you are reading this words. And, it is a war that has been heretofore unknown to me.
“ Surviving the "chair wars"? Please Help!! ”
Feb 07, 2010, 7:55 AM
These Gringos who head to Mexico, by the way NOT to visit Mexico, to engage in what they themselves really call "Chair Wars" at American-catering resorts.
Rather than trying to enjoy the sights, absorb a little local culture, visit a museum or two, they get up before the crack of dawn to stake out prime beach spots. It is the objective, their goal, their purpose for being at the budget destroying resort. It isn't to see Mexico but to have the prime spot before their competitors (enemies), the other Gringos, can snatch the beach spot where they apparently sit until it is time to go to bed.
I can barely grasp this, I just have to admit. This person actually makes a little (or perhaps a big one) laminated sign to fend off trespassers from his beach spot. This begs the question, at least in my mind, is this why Gringos go to resorts, to see who can win The Chair Wars?
It has to be. Not only do they get up in the early hours to snag the best beach spot, but they have all sorts of strategies or battle plans to win this conflict. The best planned strategy does not alway work, however.
This war can, if you don't know the rules of engagement, escalate into something so ugly that security has to be consulted.
16. Re: Chair hog-will you confess
Mar 31, 2008, 1:53 PM
This only confirms in my mind what I have been writing all these years about Gringolandians -- THEY ARE NUTS!
It just has to be. To get up so early to snag the right chair in the right spot they have to go to bed early to do this, I would assume. So, does this mean they are spending their vacation time and money on going to bed extra early so they can get up before everyone else to win The Chair Wars?
Do not these people need professional help?
###
ROCKET SPANISH
In the Gringolandian resorts in Mexico, Cancun, or whatever, there is a silent yet vicious war going on even as you are reading this words. And, it is a war that has been heretofore unknown to me.
“ Surviving the "chair wars"? Please Help!! ”
Feb 07, 2010, 7:55 AM
We are going with a group of friends in April for the first time. The reviews are amazing except the consistent comments about the "Chair Wars"!
These Gringos who head to Mexico, by the way NOT to visit Mexico, to engage in what they themselves really call "Chair Wars" at American-catering resorts.
Rather than trying to enjoy the sights, absorb a little local culture, visit a museum or two, they get up before the crack of dawn to stake out prime beach spots. It is the objective, their goal, their purpose for being at the budget destroying resort. It isn't to see Mexico but to have the prime spot before their competitors (enemies), the other Gringos, can snatch the beach spot where they apparently sit until it is time to go to bed.
4. Re: Surviving the "chair wars"? Please Help!!
Feb 07, 2010, 8:52 AM
You may have to get up as early at 5:30am, if your hotel is like many others. Dont be surprised, though, if someone moves your things. I think the secret is to have one of your group with the chairs at all times. Dont just leave a towel (the hotel provided beach towel) on the chair. Leave something personal like a paperback book, magazine etc.
One or two years (at other hotels) I went so far as to make a laminated sign with my picture (me and a bengal tiger) saying "this is my chair, I'll be right back")
I can barely grasp this, I just have to admit. This person actually makes a little (or perhaps a big one) laminated sign to fend off trespassers from his beach spot. This begs the question, at least in my mind, is this why Gringos go to resorts, to see who can win The Chair Wars?
It has to be. Not only do they get up in the early hours to snag the best beach spot, but they have all sorts of strategies or battle plans to win this conflict. The best planned strategy does not alway work, however.
5. Re: Surviving the "chair wars"? Please Help!!
Feb 07, 2010, 8:54 AM
Well, you can try playing the chair game but it won't necessarily do you any good. I set my alarm one time only at CRT and got up early so that I could select the palapa of my choice and was successful at 'reserving' it by placing towels on two loungers and a book on top for added measure. I then went back to the room and got cleaned up and then headed to breakfast. By the time we arrived at the beach around 9:30 am a group of 6 women (who were travelling with a wedding party) decided to take their lounge chairs and intentionally butt them up in a row as close as possible directly in front of our palapa. So not only did we have a rotten view we were FORCED to remain in the shade and couldn't pull our chairs out to enjoy any sun if we wanted to.
This war can, if you don't know the rules of engagement, escalate into something so ugly that security has to be consulted.
16. Re: Chair hog-will you confess
Mar 31, 2008, 1:53 PM
Stayed in Akumal Beach resort where they implemented a rule you
could not reserve a seat until 8:00am unless you had your bum in the
seat. If there were towels on seats before that staff would remove them
unless you were in it.
I know the towel game and am an early riser. Headed down at my usual
6:30 with coffee and book in hand. Watched the sunrise had my coffee
and read for a bit. Wife came down around 8:00 and we grabbed breakfast
and headed back to the beach.
11:30 came along and thats when the trouble started. Woman came
along saying we had stole her seats and where were her towels. Told her
I had been there since 6:30 and no towels were on the chairs. She flew
into a rage and got the staff....staff explained the towel deal to her,
but she would have no part of it and was demanding her seats. Staff
asked me to move in order to mitigate the situation......guess
what.....I aint gonna move 1 inch.
Long story short.....she left and we stayed. Saw her many times and
she would just burn holes through me with her glare.
This only confirms in my mind what I have been writing all these years about Gringolandians -- THEY ARE NUTS!
It just has to be. To get up so early to snag the right chair in the right spot they have to go to bed early to do this, I would assume. So, does this mean they are spending their vacation time and money on going to bed extra early so they can get up before everyone else to win The Chair Wars?
Do not these people need professional help?
###
ROCKET SPANISH
Click On This to Reach The ROCKET SPANISH Website!
Learn Spanish Like A ROCKET With Rocket Spanish!...
Who Else Wants to Learn to Speak Spanish Confidently and Naturally In Less Than 8 Weeks??...AND take all the frustration, difficulty and headache out of YOUR practice time with this EXPLOSIVE interactive 'learn Spanish' package!
###
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