(no subject)

[nibot]

My theory is that Mexico is like Egypt, only a lot closer.

They're at about the same latitude. Both are developing nations with sprawling capitals. Both have pyramids. And I feel unsafe in both of them.

In Egypt I felt I could trust the police but not the people. My impression about Mexico -- from people's stories, not my own experience -- is that I can trust the people but not the police. Everyone I know who has been to Mexico has some nasty story about having to bribe the police to avoid being sent to jail. I suspect that most of these stories are grossly exaggerated.

Nonetheless I am fearful of Mexico. On the other hand, I figure it must be comparable to Egypt (certainly not more dangerous?), and I survived (and enjoyed) Egypt, therefore it stands to reason that Mexico is a positive adventure waiting to happen. Ergo, a trip to Mexico becomes mandatory.

I just discovered Copper Canyon. Whoah! Why did I not know about this before? How to get there: drive to El Paso (790 miles) and then turn right. Now drive South for about 300 miles. Hm, doesn't sound like it will fit into 4 days.

I think it's kind of `funny' that people are so blind to the geography on the other side of political borders. On most of the maps I saw in Israel the terrain on the other side of the Jordan River was simply blank, while on the Israeli side it's unbelievably dense with roads and settlements and splotches of green indicating national parks. It's not so egregious with us and Mexico -- my AAA map of the US shows the roads and parks in Mexico -- but, still, my mental map goes totally blank when considering that country.

Comments

[tjernobyl.livejournal.com]

I knew a guy who drove to Guatemala to pick up his sister, who had hitchhiked there. As they travelled through the US, everyone they met thought they were crazy for travelling in Central America, and warned that they would disappear and never again be seen. As they travelled through Central America, everyone they talked to thought that it was a miracle they made it through the US alive, and warned them that they'd most likely get shot when next they passed through it. :P

[nibot.livejournal.com]

I think it's the dual action of desensitization ("familiarity breeds contempt") and fear of the strange. When I went to Israel over the summer, my American friends/family thought I was crazy to do so, and asked how many times I had to dodge bullets, how many exploding busses I had avoided, etc. The Israelis, conversely, asked how many drive-by shootings I'd witnessed, how many high-speed chases I'd been involved in, how many earthquakes I'd experienced.

(answers: 1, ~5, 0, 0, ~5).