We set out at about 1:30pm today to take care of some things. We had to hit the ATM for the rent, buy some groceries, and medications.

We bused to Comercial Mexicana which was the first Supermarket in Guanajuato in the old bus station. We withdrew the rent money then went into the store to get something to eat for tonight.

A TMO, Typical Mexican Operation, was immediately apparent.

Somewhere near the pharmacy was a stereo playing opera. As we walked to the meat section of the store, there was a stereo playing some sort of Mexican Rock Crap. On the overhead speakers, the store's intercom system, there was yet another cacophonous roar that had pitch and rhythm but I could not make out the song.

All sources of the music was competing with one another, so I surmised. What else could it be? It was all playing at such deafening decibels for no apparent reason at all.

Literally, I had to scream at the top of my lungs to tell my wife that I could not find the chips I wanted. My wife, who is not a screamer, moved her lips in reply and I heard nothing. NOT A THING!

I watched the Mexicans in the store who moved about laughing with such Hispanic merriment and mirth as though this riotous bedlam wasn't giving them a terminal brain tumor like it was me.

We checked out with our food then headed to the pharmacy. We grabbed a cab and the driver had no idea where our street was (TMO). He thought he did. He made me think I was going to have to hijack the cab to get home.

Home was finally found by the "I-have-no-idea-where-your-street-is" cab driver.

I collapsed in bed for the afternoon.

Labels: Guanajuato, Mexico, San Miguel, San Miguel de Allende, SMA

Labels: Mexican, San Miguel, San Miguel de Allende, SMA

A 58 year old Gringo found murdered in San Miguel de Allende... READ MORE HERE

Labels: Guanajuato, Latin America, Mexican, Mexico, murder, San Miguel, San Miguel de Allende, SMA

I decided to began a new blog with a new blog title. If interested, you can go here to my old blog and read what I have been writing over the years.

I will be posting in this new blog links to stories in the news with some commentary.

Here is a small sample from the old blog:

***

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Guanajuato, Mex -- A Crime Wave or Not?

I can already tell you that the critical remarks I will get from this post will be from Gringolandians. Though what I have been reporting I have done so from the local Guanajuato newspapers, they will still attack me.

(I have been thinking of starting a new TV series called "When Gringos Attack" after the program in the States called, "When Animals Attack." It's the same psychopathology!)

Anyway...

I would call it a Crime Wave when I read stats in the newspaper like:

1.) "...in 2008, in Guanajuato were 14 illegal deprivation of liberty, in 2009, the figure rose by 500 percent, committed 70 kidnappings in the state." (Source)

2.) "...Before the wave of robberies, the Department of Public Safety of the capital, by Alejandro Garcia Arenas, reported that it investigated the possible complicity of two operators of the surveillance cameras installed in that area, because although they got the time of the assault, not pass the report to the Municipal Preventive Police." (Source)

3.) Increase in RobberiesGUANAJUATOCrimes such as household burglary and vehicle in the capital have doubled over the past year, this surge began from the second half of 2009. Unlike the first six months of that year, the crime rate was increased by 27 percent. (Source)

Now, if "Crime Wave" is too harsh for you try "a dramatic increase in crime" for Guanajuato. The Mexican Resort "Chair Wars" keep Gringolandians crying their eyes out so think "a dramatic increase in crime" instead of "Crime Wave" if that will keep you from having to increase your Prozac dosage.

When we moved here seven years ago we never heard of this stuff. Not even in Leon. One cop told me there was rumors of the "Mafia" (his words) in Irapuato and Celya, but not in Leon or Guanajuato city.

Speaking of Leon: At 3:40 PM in the afternoon of Friday the 26th of Feb., 2010, a businessman who needed a large amount of cash for his business (two million pesos), was robbed when leaving the Banco del Baijo. Guns were used in the robbery. (Source)

I mention this case to make a point. Gringolandians, both tourist and especially Fakepats, will rationalize the crime away like this:

"All the crime in Guanajuato is either petty theft or drug related. If I am not involved in the drug trade, then I have nothing to worry about."

Can you begin to imagine how in this robbery in Leon what would have happened if a tourist had inconveniently been in the robber's way?" Do you think they would have said,

"Ah...a Gringolandian! Please excuse me as I am trying to rob my fellow Mexican. Could you kindly duck while I shoot?"

I mean, give me a break!

Gringolandians are going to eventually get caught in the crossfire of what is NOT a petty theft--Robbery at gun point.

That's all I'm saying.

Labels: Guanajuato, Latin America

For someone unschooled in Mexico, finding reliable information about safety in places like San Miguel de Allende is not easy. From President Felipe Calderon on down, people tell fibs about safety of tourists and retirees.

Some of the worst offenders, I find, are foreigners with heavy economic stakes, either through real estate or business interests, who say the mass media constantly inflate the dangers facing foreigners in Mexico. But first let me return to Calderon, who recently spoke to the AARP (the U.S. retirees association) about whether Americans should be concerned in Mexico: (READ ENTIRE STORY)

Labels: Guanajuato, Latin America, Mexican, Mexico, murder, San Miguel de Allende, SMA

Mexican Murder Mystery: Three Americans Dead in Last Three Weeks

Read More

Labels: Guanajuato, Mexican, murder, mystery, San Miguel de Allende, SMA

U.S. press reports murder of American woman in San Miguel Allende, Guanajuato - identified as "Joyous Heart"

 Read More

Labels: Guanajuato, Murder, San Miguel

San Miguel de Allende Mexico: two expatriate women from U.S. accuse police of abuse...

 

Labels: Expatriate Arrested, Expatriate attacked, Expatriate Robbed, Guanajuato, Latin America, Mexico, San Miguel de Allende

CLICK HERE for the article/Op Ed

Labels: Guanajuato, Mexico

yanajon Junior Member

Posts: 16 Joined: Feb 2010

Burglarized yet again For those of you with your head still buried in the sand regarding safety in Guanajuato ---
My wife and I drove off for 1 1/2 hours yesterday afternoon, and once again came home to the aftermath of another burglary in the house. This time they used a hydraulic device to bend the bars on the windows apart enough to allow entry.
All of my wife's jewelry, my expensive camera, and my fire-proof box containing various important papers, memorabilia from my deceased mother and my kids, etc is gone (I'm sure that in time we'll discover other things as well).
This time we DID call the police who informed us that no officer would be coming to investigate until Cristina and I came to their office and filled out the necessary "paperwork". We weren't excited about leaving the house with broken/bent bars , but armed both teenaged kids with baseball bats and went to their office. The forms only took about 20 minutes and a couple of hours later (6 hours after the burglary) an officer did arrive only to tell us that nothing could be done.
This marks 5 robberies in 4 years (3 radios from my pick-up parked on busy streets and twice in the house).
One wouldn't think by looking at the house that it would be an easy task to break in, as ALL windows and doors have bars, but with this hydraulic device (small and very available at larger ferreterias), nothing is secure.
I suppose I could wrap the house in razor wire or electric cables (400 volt), but I really don't want to live like 'that'.
 Tomorrow (Monday) morning from 10:00 until 12:00 is a weekly meeting open to the public at the Casa De Cultura, usually attended by the chief of police, the Secretario de securidad and often the mayor.
I will be in attendance and intend to inform them that all of Guanajuato's publicity of being a safe and secure city for tourists is a lie. I personally know 3 people who have been assaulted in the street in the past 3 months. One has been in a coma since early November. I know few people who haven't been robbed. I intend to inform them that I will do everything in my powers to inform potential tourists thinking of visiting GTO, to think again.
My neighbor (Mexican) who usually attends these meetings feels that with a large turn-out from the Gringo community supporting me, something positive might result from my little 'speech'. As you know, tourism is everything to GTO and my spreading the word certainly won't help tourism.

We can no longer leave our house together. One of us will always be home and 'on guard'. No more drives into Leon shopping together and no more get-aways to the beach.

Fool me once, shame on you, but fool me 5 times -- who's the fool?
My house will soon hold a "for sale" sign. We're leaving.
My dreams of retiring and living in peace in beautiful Guanajuato are a bust. 

(Posted on the GTO List forum...)