My Blog

Visiting San Miguel de Allende

Fear is always a factor in traveling, but going to Mexico should not be.

All too often people let fear keep them from going places. Mexico, because of the drug wars, has gotten a bad rap. Spring Breakers going down to Padre Island who cross the border in search of drugs may have some reason to fear. But for the rest of us, not so much.

Two years ago I was at a conference in Laredo. Since I am working on my Mexican ancestry, I decided to cross the border to go over to Reynosa to see if I could find anything in the archives. No one

I did not dress appropriately. Rather than wearing somber black or dark blue so I wouldn’t call attention to my Gringa self, I was wearing a bright yellow jacket over a cheerful print blouse and brown slacks. I didn’t blend in. It occurred to me later that I might as well have been wearing a sign, “Gringa here! Come pick-a-pocket!”

Would have been better

As I hiked across the bridge and took a cab into town, the every-day life of the people ebbed and flowed around me. No guns. No evil looking characters. No bodies dangling from overhead bridges. No evidence of crime. Even the streets were clean, or cleaner anyway.

I wandered all over town and never had a single problem. I did get a few “looks” that tourists always get, but nothing untoward happened. Of course, I did not find any archives or any information that was of any use. Moises, I need help!

Last year, my cousin and I took the night bus (sounds kind of Harry Potterish) down to San Miguel for the Literary conference. Other than an inspection by some kind of police officers that woke us in the middle of the night, we had no problems whatsoever. Nor did we in San Miguel.

At the market in San Miguel de Allende

All that said, Norma Beth Williamson, a friend and colleague from Sam Houston State, is planning a trip to Mexico from July 2 to July 19^th. Her trip will be to that same San Miguel Allende, a lovely mining town high in the mountains northwest of Mexico City.

So I am going along to learn from a master. I will provide the “hub” day tours out to other areas like Guanajuato, San Luis Potosi, Atotonilco, et all. I can’t stay as long as she will, but I can help ferry people back and forth from the airport.

So, if you have Mexico on your bucket list and would like to jojn us, give Beth a call at 936 661-7114 for details or me at 936 581-3334. You are guaranteed protection!