And this one is a little unsettling.
I've mentioned here before that our favorite beach is Barra de Potosi -- a stretch of beach at the southernmost end of a 9K beach just south of Zihua. The airport is at the north end and you can see Barra from the air when you land. The water is cleaner and bluer than in Zihua, there are less people, you can actually see the fish in the water (and watch the birds fishing for them), and there's a lagoon around the bend that you can explore by canoe.
We go there maybe once a month and always tell people to make sure and include a daytrip there in their plans. Every friend and family member who's visited here has been there -- that's where we saw three whales last year with my mom, dad, and sister.
Well, last week someone (or multiple someones) shot as passing vehicles. It didn't make the same headlines as the shooting in Ixtapa, but once again, tourists were targeted. I don't know many details or I'd include the links here.
A narrow two-lane road winds through the fields from the main highway to the beach, and once you're on it there aren't many options for getting off, aside from stopping at someone's house. Yet there are lots of places for people to hide. We never go there at night because the restaurants all close around 6pm so I can't say what it's like there after dark.
Ibis brought some tourists there on Friday and stopped off at the new ecological park on the way. He met a local ex-pat on the tour and when he returned to the parking lot, discovered the man's van had been broken into. Inside the parking lot. The logical assumption is this is all the work of the same people (the shooting near Barra, not the Ixtapa shooting -- they are almost an hour apart) but my bigger concern is: what if they aren't? I always tell people that the economy here sucks and people are getting desperate, but I never imagined people being shot at in broad daylight.
It's really too bad. I'd have loved to gone there once more before I leave.
Showing posts with label police. Show all posts
Showing posts with label police. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Friday, January 22, 2010
Two Canadian Tourists Shot in Ixtapa
Here we go again.
On Wednesday, January 20th, two Canadian tourists were shot during an attempted robbery on the bicycle path on the far end of Ixtapa. The path runs from the north end of Zihuatanejo, through Ixtapa, and winds through a wooded area until it ends at Playa Linda. The attack happened two miles from the end of the path.
Image from Despertar de la Costa
Chislain Lazure, 55, from Quebec, was shot in the abdomen and his partner, a 40-year old woman, was grazed in the ear. They reportedly refused medical attention at the time but were later hospitalized. Wednesday afternoon they went to the Prosecutor's office to report the crime.
This article from a Canadian website gives slightly varying details, and as I'm not entirely sure what has happened since the shooting, I figured I should include that as well.
One thing I haven't found online but did hear through word of mouth is that the gunmen robbed up to nineteen people on that path and had them lie on the ground and hide in the woods when other people approached. Rumors spread faster than actual news around here, so I don't know if this is true, but I've been on that path and I can see how that would happen.
So, what does this mean?
When the violence erupted here last spring I received dozens of emails from nervous Americans and Canadians -- many of whom had been here before -- wanting to know if they should cancel their trips. Based on my stats, a lot of people find my blog while googling "violence in Mexico" and "is it safe to go to Zihuatanejo?" so I want to address that. (Especially for my former roommate who JUST booked a trip here two days ago.)
Mexico is a foreign country. Mexico is struggling economically. Tourists who come here and keep that in mind shouldn't have any problems. My standard response when people ask if it's still safe to walk around downtown Zihua is "if you stumble around drunk in the middle of the night, especially alone, something bad will happen. If you use common sense and stick to well-lit areas where other tourists frequent, you shouldn't have any problems."
I do not mean to imply that the tourists who were shot weren't careful. They probably never imagined someone would shoot at them in the middle of the day. That's the part that surprised me the most when I heard about the attack. Ibis and I walked that path once over the summer -- all five miles through the woods -- and we were more than a little nervous that someone might try to rob us. We weren't carrying anything besides our water bottles and car keys, but a desperate thief doesn't know that. (In fact, Ibis was probably carrying 100 pesos just so we'd have something to give and not make the person angry.) Once you set out on that path you're stuck until you get to the end. Something that all the locals know only too well.
Ibis and I agreed that we wouldn't walk on that path again, but at the time we figured rollerblading or biking would be safer. Now I'm glad I've walked through there once because I won't again.
Now, when I say "use common sense", here's what I mean:
- don't flash a lot of cash
- don't wear expensive or expensive-looking jewelry (I've stopped wearing my diamond ring)
- always always always be aware of your surroundings
- stay with a group
- don't go down dark alleys or streets
And a more recent addition for Zihua:
- don't walk on the path along the ocean between downtown and Playa Madera at night
The ironic thing about this list? These are the exact same precautions I took while living in Chicago. In the US. In the Midwest. Now that I'm living in Mexico I've stepped it up a notch:
- I don't go out by myself after dark -- EVER
- I always make sure my husband knows where I am and when I will be home
I know there are some ex-pats who live here and think that we're paranoid, but I'd rather be paranoid than get mugged, shot, or worse.
Before I've scared everyone into never wanting to visit our little fishing village, please know that the government and the police take tourism very seriously. As long as you stick to the beaten paths there's no reason you can't have an uneventful stay here.
I'll be sure to let you all know if there are further developments, and in the meantime, stay safe.
On Wednesday, January 20th, two Canadian tourists were shot during an attempted robbery on the bicycle path on the far end of Ixtapa. The path runs from the north end of Zihuatanejo, through Ixtapa, and winds through a wooded area until it ends at Playa Linda. The attack happened two miles from the end of the path.
Image from Despertar de la Costa
Chislain Lazure, 55, from Quebec, was shot in the abdomen and his partner, a 40-year old woman, was grazed in the ear. They reportedly refused medical attention at the time but were later hospitalized. Wednesday afternoon they went to the Prosecutor's office to report the crime.
This article from a Canadian website gives slightly varying details, and as I'm not entirely sure what has happened since the shooting, I figured I should include that as well.
One thing I haven't found online but did hear through word of mouth is that the gunmen robbed up to nineteen people on that path and had them lie on the ground and hide in the woods when other people approached. Rumors spread faster than actual news around here, so I don't know if this is true, but I've been on that path and I can see how that would happen.
So, what does this mean?
When the violence erupted here last spring I received dozens of emails from nervous Americans and Canadians -- many of whom had been here before -- wanting to know if they should cancel their trips. Based on my stats, a lot of people find my blog while googling "violence in Mexico" and "is it safe to go to Zihuatanejo?" so I want to address that. (Especially for my former roommate who JUST booked a trip here two days ago.)
Mexico is a foreign country. Mexico is struggling economically. Tourists who come here and keep that in mind shouldn't have any problems. My standard response when people ask if it's still safe to walk around downtown Zihua is "if you stumble around drunk in the middle of the night, especially alone, something bad will happen. If you use common sense and stick to well-lit areas where other tourists frequent, you shouldn't have any problems."
I do not mean to imply that the tourists who were shot weren't careful. They probably never imagined someone would shoot at them in the middle of the day. That's the part that surprised me the most when I heard about the attack. Ibis and I walked that path once over the summer -- all five miles through the woods -- and we were more than a little nervous that someone might try to rob us. We weren't carrying anything besides our water bottles and car keys, but a desperate thief doesn't know that. (In fact, Ibis was probably carrying 100 pesos just so we'd have something to give and not make the person angry.) Once you set out on that path you're stuck until you get to the end. Something that all the locals know only too well.
Ibis and I agreed that we wouldn't walk on that path again, but at the time we figured rollerblading or biking would be safer. Now I'm glad I've walked through there once because I won't again.
Now, when I say "use common sense", here's what I mean:
- don't flash a lot of cash
- don't wear expensive or expensive-looking jewelry (I've stopped wearing my diamond ring)
- always always always be aware of your surroundings
- stay with a group
- don't go down dark alleys or streets
And a more recent addition for Zihua:
- don't walk on the path along the ocean between downtown and Playa Madera at night
The ironic thing about this list? These are the exact same precautions I took while living in Chicago. In the US. In the Midwest. Now that I'm living in Mexico I've stepped it up a notch:
- I don't go out by myself after dark -- EVER
- I always make sure my husband knows where I am and when I will be home
I know there are some ex-pats who live here and think that we're paranoid, but I'd rather be paranoid than get mugged, shot, or worse.
Before I've scared everyone into never wanting to visit our little fishing village, please know that the government and the police take tourism very seriously. As long as you stick to the beaten paths there's no reason you can't have an uneventful stay here.
I'll be sure to let you all know if there are further developments, and in the meantime, stay safe.
Friday, November 6, 2009
US Airman Killed in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico
I saw this headline Thursday morning and my first thought was Good. Not good that anyone was killed, but if an American is going to get caught in the drug violence, better it be a member of the US armed service because it'll be harder for it to be swept under the rug.
From the AP:
I'm very curious to see how both the US and Mexican presidents respond to this attack. Aside from a couple articles online, it seems to be quiet. I'll be very disappointed if nothing is done, even if it was just a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
From the AP:
A gang of gunmen killed an off-duty U.S. airman and five other people early Wednesday at a bar in the Mexican border city of Ciudad Juarez, authorities said.
There was no immediate information on a motive for the attack that killed the U.S. airman at the Amadeus bar in Ciudad Juarez, which also left a seventh person wounded, said Arturo Sandoval, a spokesman for prosecutors in northern Chihuahua state. But the methods bore the hallmarks of attacks by drug cartels.
Staff Sgt. David Booher, assigned to the medical unit of the 49th Fighter Wing at Holloman Air Force outside Alamogordo, New Mexico, about 90 miles (145 kilometers) north of Ciudad Juarez, was among those killed in the bar, the U.S. Air Force said.
Earlier this year, the 12th Air Force barred airmen from traveling in Mexico's Chihuahua state. Soldiers from Fort Bliss, just outside El Paso, Texas, across the border from Juarez, also are barred from going to Chihuahua.
I'm very curious to see how both the US and Mexican presidents respond to this attack. Aside from a couple articles online, it seems to be quiet. I'll be very disappointed if nothing is done, even if it was just a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Friday, September 25, 2009
What Happened to the Green Zone?
Rat-a-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat!
Shots echoed off the concrete walls surrounding the gas station. People scrambled for cover—scrawny teenagers pulling older men alongside them—their heads ducked low, their eyes frantic.
Were they fireworks, or gunshots?
Either would be bad in a gas station, but only one caused people to run like that.
Several cars peeled out of the parking lot, desperate to get away. People cowered behind anything solid they could find—parked cars, electrical transformers, gas pumps. The gas pumps didn't seem like such a good idea.
And the shots continued.
Pop-pop-pop-pop-pop!
Barely a heartbeat passed before three police trucks flew around the corner, lights flashing, guns drawn. The policemen had already pulled down their masks—no one would be able to identify them unless they were left behind.
And still the people ran.
*****
We weren't exactly keeping count, but Ibis and I guessed there were at least 50 shots before the police arrived. We didn't make the light, and in the minute it took for the lights to cycle, the shots continued. The women stationed in the intersection seemed torn between washing another windshield for a couple pesos and diving for cover.
We just sunk as low as we could in our seats.
A couple miles away, after the checkpoint at the river that marks the border between the two states -— leaving Michoacan and entering Guerrero -- two more police trucks roared towards us.
The attack had already made the news by the time we got home an hour later. Apparently there was a shooting an hour earlier when the police tried to arrest people at a safehouse and were shot at from men inside the house.
An hour later, "the federal police men were ambushed by about 10 subjects, who opened fire with out warning against a the federal police convoy composed by three official trucks." The same three trucks we saw. Three people died in the first shooting, but fortunately no one was killed in the second.
I keep joking that the violence is following me, but this is no joke.
Shots echoed off the concrete walls surrounding the gas station. People scrambled for cover—scrawny teenagers pulling older men alongside them—their heads ducked low, their eyes frantic.
Were they fireworks, or gunshots?
Either would be bad in a gas station, but only one caused people to run like that.
Several cars peeled out of the parking lot, desperate to get away. People cowered behind anything solid they could find—parked cars, electrical transformers, gas pumps. The gas pumps didn't seem like such a good idea.
And the shots continued.
Pop-pop-pop-pop-pop!
Barely a heartbeat passed before three police trucks flew around the corner, lights flashing, guns drawn. The policemen had already pulled down their masks—no one would be able to identify them unless they were left behind.
And still the people ran.
*****
We weren't exactly keeping count, but Ibis and I guessed there were at least 50 shots before the police arrived. We didn't make the light, and in the minute it took for the lights to cycle, the shots continued. The women stationed in the intersection seemed torn between washing another windshield for a couple pesos and diving for cover.
We just sunk as low as we could in our seats.
A couple miles away, after the checkpoint at the river that marks the border between the two states -— leaving Michoacan and entering Guerrero -- two more police trucks roared towards us.
The attack had already made the news by the time we got home an hour later. Apparently there was a shooting an hour earlier when the police tried to arrest people at a safehouse and were shot at from men inside the house.
An hour later, "the federal police men were ambushed by about 10 subjects, who opened fire with out warning against a the federal police convoy composed by three official trucks." The same three trucks we saw. Three people died in the first shooting, but fortunately no one was killed in the second.
I keep joking that the violence is following me, but this is no joke.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Just Another Saturday Evening
This past Saturday I was taking our clothes off the line on the balcony when a military truck rolled by on the street below. It's not uncommon to see armed officers patrolling our neighborhood -- especially on a Saturday night -- but a troop transport truck with 20 men stands out. I called Ibis to the window and we watched as they circled the block, then stopped on the next street over -- the one beneath our window. We're on a hill so while the entrance to our development is on one level, the next street over is considerably lower AND we're on the fourth floor.
A truck stopped at one corner, an armed Jeep/tank thing stopped at the opposite corner, and the troop truck stopped beneath us. Quite a few military personnel poured out of the trucks, including several that ran around to the back of the building and hid in the trees. Yes, just like in the movies. I'm assuming the rest of the trucks were further down the street, blocking traffic.
So what did we do? Took pictures, of course.
Ibis was getting irritated with me because I kept commenting that I wasn't sure if it was a good idea to be near the windows (there are two on one wall so we each had our own -- he was filming it), but I didn't move. I did stay to the side so my body was behind the concrete -- I'm not completely stupid -- but it quickly became apparent that whoever they were looking for wasn't there.
They searched the building, gave the owner some papers, and eventually left. We counted roughly 50 soldiers and while they spent a lot of time running around and searching the building, nothing much seemed to happen. Just the way I like it.
A truck stopped at one corner, an armed Jeep/tank thing stopped at the opposite corner, and the troop truck stopped beneath us. Quite a few military personnel poured out of the trucks, including several that ran around to the back of the building and hid in the trees. Yes, just like in the movies. I'm assuming the rest of the trucks were further down the street, blocking traffic.
So what did we do? Took pictures, of course.
Ibis was getting irritated with me because I kept commenting that I wasn't sure if it was a good idea to be near the windows (there are two on one wall so we each had our own -- he was filming it), but I didn't move. I did stay to the side so my body was behind the concrete -- I'm not completely stupid -- but it quickly became apparent that whoever they were looking for wasn't there.
They searched the building, gave the owner some papers, and eventually left. We counted roughly 50 soldiers and while they spent a lot of time running around and searching the building, nothing much seemed to happen. Just the way I like it.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Mexico and Writing, My Two Most Frequent Topics
I try to keep my posts balanced between writing and Mexico, and my tags show that to be true. Sometimes I label things Zihuatanejo and so that may skew things in Mexico's favor, but for the most part, they're fairly even. (I feel bad for the AlphSmart, which I thought would we a frequent topic, but I couldn't get the thing to synch with my computer.) Anyway, on to my post!
I've received at least a dozen emails from people who found my blog during a search about the violence in Zihuatanejo (and I'm sure typing that will give me another spike in those emails). One person has already come and gone since the initial violence a few weeks ago, and yesterday she sent me a picture that she took during her stay.
I've described the way the police stand in the back of the trucks, but she captured it much better than I was able to. She did comment that they asked permission beforehand, but I'm hesitant to even talk to them - she's a brave lady. She also mentioned that she visited a town called La Union, not knowing the local police chief had just been gunned down. They even saw the bullet holes from the attack!
Now onto the writing... I started working on my fourth draft of The Other Side earlier this month, and while I've made progress, I haven't been consistent. In adding a subplot, I figure I'll need five new chapters. Ideas for the initial and last chapters were easy enough, but I was having trouble figuring out how to fill out the middle two. I wrote the first chapter last week, then, with all the craziness of playing catchup from things I didn't do while my dad was here, I didn't write again.
Yesterday I forced myself to get back to it and managed to write 1500 words and, more importantly, I figured out what to put in those new chapters. My outlining style mainly consists of bullet points in the body of the document that I place at the beginning of each chapter - nothing fancy - but I'm very relieved to finally have something for each chapter. I passed 67,000 words which, if you've been keeping track, is 20,000 more than I had at the end of my second draft. If you're on facebook you may have seen my status that I passed the 66,666 mark while writing about a dead child - that was creepy!
I know I still have at least another 10,000 in me, and I'm so relieved to see the light at the end of the quest for 80,000 words.
Finally, some exciting news: my aunt sold a second book!
How was your weekend? How is your writing coming along?
I've received at least a dozen emails from people who found my blog during a search about the violence in Zihuatanejo (and I'm sure typing that will give me another spike in those emails). One person has already come and gone since the initial violence a few weeks ago, and yesterday she sent me a picture that she took during her stay.
I've described the way the police stand in the back of the trucks, but she captured it much better than I was able to. She did comment that they asked permission beforehand, but I'm hesitant to even talk to them - she's a brave lady. She also mentioned that she visited a town called La Union, not knowing the local police chief had just been gunned down. They even saw the bullet holes from the attack!
Now onto the writing... I started working on my fourth draft of The Other Side earlier this month, and while I've made progress, I haven't been consistent. In adding a subplot, I figure I'll need five new chapters. Ideas for the initial and last chapters were easy enough, but I was having trouble figuring out how to fill out the middle two. I wrote the first chapter last week, then, with all the craziness of playing catchup from things I didn't do while my dad was here, I didn't write again.
Yesterday I forced myself to get back to it and managed to write 1500 words and, more importantly, I figured out what to put in those new chapters. My outlining style mainly consists of bullet points in the body of the document that I place at the beginning of each chapter - nothing fancy - but I'm very relieved to finally have something for each chapter. I passed 67,000 words which, if you've been keeping track, is 20,000 more than I had at the end of my second draft. If you're on facebook you may have seen my status that I passed the 66,666 mark while writing about a dead child - that was creepy!
I know I still have at least another 10,000 in me, and I'm so relieved to see the light at the end of the quest for 80,000 words.
Finally, some exciting news: my aunt sold a second book!
How was your weekend? How is your writing coming along?
Friday, March 6, 2009
Bad Boys, Bad Boys, Whatcha Gonna Do?
It's kind of hard to tell, but there's a truck with policemen riding in back. This is the first one I've seen in a week with the men sitting down. Before the violence increased this is what they always looked like; since then they ride standing up with their machine guns drawn. There was another truck in front of that one but we didn't exactly want to get any closer.
A troop transport truck. I think this is the military.
Orange cones! I'm guessing they'll do something to make this more permanent. By making it one way, anyone who drives by and attacks the police station will have to head into town, as opposed to jumping on the highway. The field to the right is where Ibis was when the grenades were thrown two weeks ago.
The police station. The sandbags are a recent addition. Notice there are still people walking by as if nothing is going on. We've driven by there but I don't have enough nerve to go for a stroll on that sidewalk.
In case you're wondering what I was doing so close to the scene of the crime - the BEST tacos in Zihua are next door to the police station and we had to take my friend before she leaves tomorrow. Some of you may think rezicon and molé are not worth the risk, but ohhh, you're so wrong. :) Plus we drove behind the block.
A troop transport truck. I think this is the military.
Orange cones! I'm guessing they'll do something to make this more permanent. By making it one way, anyone who drives by and attacks the police station will have to head into town, as opposed to jumping on the highway. The field to the right is where Ibis was when the grenades were thrown two weeks ago.
The police station. The sandbags are a recent addition. Notice there are still people walking by as if nothing is going on. We've driven by there but I don't have enough nerve to go for a stroll on that sidewalk.
In case you're wondering what I was doing so close to the scene of the crime - the BEST tacos in Zihua are next door to the police station and we had to take my friend before she leaves tomorrow. Some of you may think rezicon and molé are not worth the risk, but ohhh, you're so wrong. :) Plus we drove behind the block.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Everyone is Safe AND We Get Another Gourmet Meal
The trip to Barra de Potosi yesterday was uneventful. We were a little unsure what the main road would be like once we got outside of Zihua, but everything looked the same as it always does. We had a relaxing day at the beach, enjoyed some fresh fish and coconuts, then headed back as evening approached.
On the return drive we noticed more police trucks on the road, the men in back armed and ready to take out anyone who looked at them the wrong way. That in itself wasn't too scary (you get used to having machine guns pointing your way - well maybe not used to, but it seems less surprising the more times you see it), but the masks they wore were a little freaky. You see that a lot more in places like Ciudad Juarez, where the police hide their faces so the drug cartels can't identify them. They fear being murdered and so wear a heavy mask over their entire head (a hat with eyes & a mouth cut out) in the 90 degree heat.
We made sure we didn't drive directly behind any of the trucks and especially avoided coming to a stop next to them at the traffic lights. Before everyone freaks out though, this is a normal precaution. Sure, it's not something you have to think about in the US, but I don't want to give the impression that we were shaking in fear. It's more like, "Oh there's another police truck," Ibis would slow down, and a car would get in front of us. Or if a car didn't pass us (since no one else wants to drive near them either) you just leave a space between vehicles. Easy enough.
We had to drive by the police station to drop off my friend and they've turned the parking lot into a bunker. A wall of sand bags stands taller than me, and they even have the roof covered. They've repaired the topes (speed bumps) to slow down traffic, and have removed some trees that were blocking their view up the street. My friend said they've occasionally blocked traffic from one direction - making it one way - I guess to better control who passes by the station. Today there's a picture in the paper. Their solution: orange cones. That'll stop a truck full of cartel members!
Now about that meal. My brother has promised to cook again this evening! He said it won't be quite as involved as Tuesday's dinner, but I'm still looking forward to it.
On the return drive we noticed more police trucks on the road, the men in back armed and ready to take out anyone who looked at them the wrong way. That in itself wasn't too scary (you get used to having machine guns pointing your way - well maybe not used to, but it seems less surprising the more times you see it), but the masks they wore were a little freaky. You see that a lot more in places like Ciudad Juarez, where the police hide their faces so the drug cartels can't identify them. They fear being murdered and so wear a heavy mask over their entire head (a hat with eyes & a mouth cut out) in the 90 degree heat.
We made sure we didn't drive directly behind any of the trucks and especially avoided coming to a stop next to them at the traffic lights. Before everyone freaks out though, this is a normal precaution. Sure, it's not something you have to think about in the US, but I don't want to give the impression that we were shaking in fear. It's more like, "Oh there's another police truck," Ibis would slow down, and a car would get in front of us. Or if a car didn't pass us (since no one else wants to drive near them either) you just leave a space between vehicles. Easy enough.
We had to drive by the police station to drop off my friend and they've turned the parking lot into a bunker. A wall of sand bags stands taller than me, and they even have the roof covered. They've repaired the topes (speed bumps) to slow down traffic, and have removed some trees that were blocking their view up the street. My friend said they've occasionally blocked traffic from one direction - making it one way - I guess to better control who passes by the station. Today there's a picture in the paper. Their solution: orange cones. That'll stop a truck full of cartel members!
Now about that meal. My brother has promised to cook again this evening! He said it won't be quite as involved as Tuesday's dinner, but I'm still looking forward to it.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
You Like Me, You Really Like Me!
Thank you everyone who decided to follow me. :) My total number of followers has increased by 50%, plus I've received a lot of emails from people who've been reading. Even more amazing to me is the fact that my daily hits have been more than 100 per day, although I'm assuming that's only because of the recent violence here. When you google Zihuatanejo and violence, I come up on the first page.
A LOT of my friends have really stepped up in the past day or so to help our cause getting back to the US. I'm so grateful for all your help... I can't even say. I don't know how much good it will do but I'm glad we're trying.
Unfortunately there has been more violence in the past day. Yesterday morning around 7am a police officer was killed outside his home when he was leaving for work. I don't have a lot of details about it because Ibis hasn't come home with the paper yet, but last night around 11am the newspaper megaphoned cars were driving through the neighborhood announcing the latest. I believe it was outside of Zihuatanejo in one of the smaller neighborhoods - I'll post more when I know.
A LOT of my friends have really stepped up in the past day or so to help our cause getting back to the US. I'm so grateful for all your help... I can't even say. I don't know how much good it will do but I'm glad we're trying.
Unfortunately there has been more violence in the past day. Yesterday morning around 7am a police officer was killed outside his home when he was leaving for work. I don't have a lot of details about it because Ibis hasn't come home with the paper yet, but last night around 11am the newspaper megaphoned cars were driving through the neighborhood announcing the latest. I believe it was outside of Zihuatanejo in one of the smaller neighborhoods - I'll post more when I know.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
I Found a Link in English
From the AP:
For those of you who've been to Zihua, I believe "the police station near the airport" is the one when you just leave town on your way to the airport.
On Wednesday, gunmen wielding AK-47 rifles opened fire and hurled grenades at a patrol car in Pacific resort town of Zihuatanejo, killing four officers.
The car caught fire, and the bodies of the officers were found burned inside, the Guerrero state Public Safety office said in a statement.
An hour later, gunmen shot at a police station near the Zihuatanejo airport, but nobody was hurt. It was unclear if the same assailants were behind both attacks.
For those of you who've been to Zihua, I believe "the police station near the airport" is the one when you just leave town on your way to the airport.
Calm Before the Storm
Well. The quiet day yesterday? It was short-lived.
Around 5pm state police were ambushed on the main highway, about 15 minutes south of Zihuatanejo. Four police officers were killed when the men fired a bazooka into their truck and it burst into flames.
The police didn't even have a chance to fire their weapons. The assailants fled and while the national highway was closed for two hours, as far as I know, they haven't been found. The newspaper is reporting that the checkpoint between the airport and Zihua was also hit with bullets during the attack.
There was a different shooting not long after this and most of the smaller neighborhoods near the main road have been blocked off ever since. I saw my friend this morning and she said her street has been blocked since last night.
I'll post a link in English if I find one, but for now you can go here to see photos and read the story in Spanish.
Around 5pm state police were ambushed on the main highway, about 15 minutes south of Zihuatanejo. Four police officers were killed when the men fired a bazooka into their truck and it burst into flames.
The police didn't even have a chance to fire their weapons. The assailants fled and while the national highway was closed for two hours, as far as I know, they haven't been found. The newspaper is reporting that the checkpoint between the airport and Zihua was also hit with bullets during the attack.
There was a different shooting not long after this and most of the smaller neighborhoods near the main road have been blocked off ever since. I saw my friend this morning and she said her street has been blocked since last night.
I'll post a link in English if I find one, but for now you can go here to see photos and read the story in Spanish.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
"Mexican Police Force on Strike After Grenade Attack"
We could have predicted this:
This was the story around town yesterday, but since it happened in the morning it wasn't in the daily paper. We'll pick that up later this morning.
There's a rumor going around that there was another grenade/explosion Monday afternoon around 2:30pm, somewhere near downtown. I haven't been able to find anything online about this so I'm hoping it's just over-excited tourists that are now hyper-sensitive to sounds they've never noticed before. But I talked with several people who all heard something around the same time (once again, I didn't hear anything), so we'll see. News doesn't travel very quickly down here so we may not know anything until later today.
In the meantime, there has been a marked increase in robberies, particularly from tourists. Over the weekend police raided the beach near where Ibis works and arrested people on two different nights. There have been over 50 laptops stolen from hotel rooms, and one victim I talked to yesterday said his friends were robbed at knifepoint - in their hotel room. A lot of the older hotels have open-air rooms and there's no way to keep a determined thief out.
I've made a point to only carry a little cash and leave my debit card at home, but other than hiding indoors, there's not much else I can do. Ibis and I are going snorkeling with guests from the hotel this afternoon, so that will be a nice break from the chaos. Hopefully everything will still be in one piece when we return.
UPDATE: There was nothing in today's paper about another attack, just lots of photos of the officers striking (ie, sitting around).
MEXICO CITY, Feb 23 (Reuters) - The entire local police force in a Mexican beach resort town walked off the job on Monday demanding better pay and benefits to compensate for the rising dangers they face from drug violence.
More than 300 municipal police officers in Zihuatanejo, a town on the Pacific coast north of Acapulco popular with foreign tourists, went on strike after grenades were lobbed at their offices over the weekend.
Some 6,000 people were killed last year in clashes between rival drug cartels and security forces that have escalated since President Felipe Calderon deployed some 45,000 soldiers and federal police around Mexico to clamp down on cartels.
More than 500 of those killed in last year's drug violence were police.
On Saturday, gunmen threw two grenades at the main police station in Zihuatanejo. While no one was killed, police say they are not adequately covered if a future attack is fatal.
"We are seeing a lot things here that we have never seen before. It is our job to serve the citizens, but we need assurances that our families will be protected if one of us is killed," a member of Zihuatanejo's municipal police told Reuters.
The police want to have direct talks with Calderon to request improved benefits and an increase in their roughly $350 (5,200 pesos) per month salaries before they go back to work. (Reporting by Mica Rosenberg; editing by Todd Eastham)
This was the story around town yesterday, but since it happened in the morning it wasn't in the daily paper. We'll pick that up later this morning.
There's a rumor going around that there was another grenade/explosion Monday afternoon around 2:30pm, somewhere near downtown. I haven't been able to find anything online about this so I'm hoping it's just over-excited tourists that are now hyper-sensitive to sounds they've never noticed before. But I talked with several people who all heard something around the same time (once again, I didn't hear anything), so we'll see. News doesn't travel very quickly down here so we may not know anything until later today.
In the meantime, there has been a marked increase in robberies, particularly from tourists. Over the weekend police raided the beach near where Ibis works and arrested people on two different nights. There have been over 50 laptops stolen from hotel rooms, and one victim I talked to yesterday said his friends were robbed at knifepoint - in their hotel room. A lot of the older hotels have open-air rooms and there's no way to keep a determined thief out.
I've made a point to only carry a little cash and leave my debit card at home, but other than hiding indoors, there's not much else I can do. Ibis and I are going snorkeling with guests from the hotel this afternoon, so that will be a nice break from the chaos. Hopefully everything will still be in one piece when we return.
UPDATE: There was nothing in today's paper about another attack, just lots of photos of the officers striking (ie, sitting around).
Monday, February 23, 2009
"Attack wounds 5 in Zihuatanejo"
From The News:
Now for a few details this story doesn't tell:
- You know the track I mentioned last week? The one where we've been going running? It's across the street from the police station and Ibis was there when the grenades exploded. He figures he was about 150 meters away and said he's never heard anything so loud.
We didn't find out until Saturday afternoon that it was a grenade attack; until that point a lot of people in town assumed it was a gas tank that exploded (something that's frighteningly common here).
- Among the nine people arrested on Friday was the son of the former mayor of Petatlan. I've mentioned Petatlan here before - it's the town that has had the ongoing violence between two drug families and the place we've stopped visiting because it's so dangerous.
Well some media outlets were reporting that the former mayor was among those arrested, so Saturday afternoon he held a press conference in Zihua to tell everyone that he's not involved with drugs. He went on to say that the business next door to his house is the one who's dealing drugs, and he questioned why the police didn't search that building.
Four hours later he was gunned down in the street. "Riddled with bullets" is how the newspaper described it.
Last night I found out that the former mayor was also Ibis' boss's godfather.
- Finally, the "western Michoacan" town that's mentioned in the article is Lazaro Cardenas, where my in-laws live and where we lived our first several months in Mexico.
This is all a little too close for comfort.
Assailants in an SUV hurled two grenades at a police station in the Pacific resort town of Zihuatanejo on Saturday, wounding one officer and four civilians.
Police and soldiers stepped up patrols and set up extra checkpoints after the attack in the popular beach town, according to the Guerrero Public Security Secretariat.
Three taxi drivers, a woman and a policeman were hurt.
The attack came a day after soldiers in Zihuatanejo arrested nine people in an organized crime sting - including the son of the former mayor of nearby Petatlán.
Officials in Zihuatanejo told the Spanish news agency Efe that they were investigating the possibility that Saturday's attack was an act of retribution for the arrests.
Grenade attacks have become a fixture in the nation's brutal cartel-related violence. Last week, five civilians and an officer were wounded in a grenade assault on a police patrol in western Michoacán.
On Wednesday, police reported finding the bound and bullet-ridden bodies of two men in a car in Zihuatanejo.
Zihuatanejo has suffered mounting violence in recent years as the area has become a key smuggling corridor for South American cocaine.
Now for a few details this story doesn't tell:
- You know the track I mentioned last week? The one where we've been going running? It's across the street from the police station and Ibis was there when the grenades exploded. He figures he was about 150 meters away and said he's never heard anything so loud.
We didn't find out until Saturday afternoon that it was a grenade attack; until that point a lot of people in town assumed it was a gas tank that exploded (something that's frighteningly common here).
- Among the nine people arrested on Friday was the son of the former mayor of Petatlan. I've mentioned Petatlan here before - it's the town that has had the ongoing violence between two drug families and the place we've stopped visiting because it's so dangerous.
Well some media outlets were reporting that the former mayor was among those arrested, so Saturday afternoon he held a press conference in Zihua to tell everyone that he's not involved with drugs. He went on to say that the business next door to his house is the one who's dealing drugs, and he questioned why the police didn't search that building.
Four hours later he was gunned down in the street. "Riddled with bullets" is how the newspaper described it.
Last night I found out that the former mayor was also Ibis' boss's godfather.
- Finally, the "western Michoacan" town that's mentioned in the article is Lazaro Cardenas, where my in-laws live and where we lived our first several months in Mexico.
This is all a little too close for comfort.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Crabs & Squatters
Ibis had yesterday off and we spent the afternoon driving around town and just hanging out. He works so many hours that it's been almost a year since we had an afternoon to just be with each other. After one little errand (our toilet paper holder fell apart a couple days ago) we drove to Ixtapa to get ice cream. Then we walked out to the beach.
Zihuatanejo has a bay, but Ixtapa is a straight beach and gets pounded by bigger waves. I'd say they were between 8-10 feet high, so we stuck to the shore. While standing there we noticed little crabs popping out of their holes and scurrying around in the sand. They disappear amazingly fast, but before I could stop him, Ibis tore after a particularly large one. I looked around, wondering where my grown husband went. All I saw was a ten-year old boy chasing crabs.
He managed to catch one - it didn't pinch him, even when he started playing with its eyes - and we got an up close look at yet another local creature. After a few minutes he put the crab back in the sand, then chased it all over again. I crouched down to watch the sand because every few minutes at least ten crabs would spring to the surface, scramble around, then vanish back into their holes. Very cool.
Next we drove to the opposite end of town, towards the airport, for dinner. Along the way we passed almost 100 cars parked along the highway. They were on both sides of the road, and there were also several police trucks. My first thought was they were searching for a missing person, but then we noticed a lot of them had shovels and long pieces of wood.
"They're squatters," Ibis declared.
My knowledge of squatters is they move into abandoned buildings and claim them for their own. Parking along the side of the highway didn't fit into that equation. But he went on to explain that occasionally people get together, and as a group, pick out a piece of government land to claim for their own. They offer a small amount of money (we're talking a couple hundred dollars), then set up their homes.
It all seemed very organized - the police were mainly keeping people on the shoulder of the road since they were on the HIGHWAY. I'm curious to see what the papers report and if they actually got to take the land.
Zihuatanejo has a bay, but Ixtapa is a straight beach and gets pounded by bigger waves. I'd say they were between 8-10 feet high, so we stuck to the shore. While standing there we noticed little crabs popping out of their holes and scurrying around in the sand. They disappear amazingly fast, but before I could stop him, Ibis tore after a particularly large one. I looked around, wondering where my grown husband went. All I saw was a ten-year old boy chasing crabs.
He managed to catch one - it didn't pinch him, even when he started playing with its eyes - and we got an up close look at yet another local creature. After a few minutes he put the crab back in the sand, then chased it all over again. I crouched down to watch the sand because every few minutes at least ten crabs would spring to the surface, scramble around, then vanish back into their holes. Very cool.
Next we drove to the opposite end of town, towards the airport, for dinner. Along the way we passed almost 100 cars parked along the highway. They were on both sides of the road, and there were also several police trucks. My first thought was they were searching for a missing person, but then we noticed a lot of them had shovels and long pieces of wood.
"They're squatters," Ibis declared.
My knowledge of squatters is they move into abandoned buildings and claim them for their own. Parking along the side of the highway didn't fit into that equation. But he went on to explain that occasionally people get together, and as a group, pick out a piece of government land to claim for their own. They offer a small amount of money (we're talking a couple hundred dollars), then set up their homes.
It all seemed very organized - the police were mainly keeping people on the shoulder of the road since they were on the HIGHWAY. I'm curious to see what the papers report and if they actually got to take the land.
Monday, September 1, 2008
Scary Update
Back in May I posted about a raid in a town half an hour south of here, Petatlan, that ended with many people killed and one young woman kidnapped. Things have been pretty quiet since then, but we have avoided going to that town.
Yesterday at work Ibis discovered that the man whose daughter was taken (Man #1) finally took out his revenge. He sent men to kill the other man's (Man #2) wife and daughters. The wife's sister was also in the house so she was killed, too.
This morning as we walked into town the "radio cars" as I call them (vehicles with loudspeakers attached to the roof, blaring the latest news) were excited as always, but a couple words stuck out: cabeza (head), casa (house), and Petatlan. Ibis raised his hand to stop the questions about to burst out of me and listened as the car approached. He flagged the driver and held out five pesos for a newspaper.
Apparently the best friend of Man #1 disappeared yesterday and no one could find him. This morning his HEAD was found on the front step of Man #1's house.
The circle of violence continues. Stupid me looked at the paper and saw the head, close up.
Ibis was also told that Saturday afternoon a group of men attacked a truckload of federalies, killing several of them. This happened on the SAME road we were driving on, only a couple hours earlier. I guess the gunfight lasted for almost half an hour - or maybe just the spectacle - but there were helicopters and everything.
We passed a couple places where people were collecting money to pay the ransom for a kidnapped loved one, but no signs of a gun battle.
I think it's a good thing I'm going home for a couple weeks.
Yesterday at work Ibis discovered that the man whose daughter was taken (Man #1) finally took out his revenge. He sent men to kill the other man's (Man #2) wife and daughters. The wife's sister was also in the house so she was killed, too.
This morning as we walked into town the "radio cars" as I call them (vehicles with loudspeakers attached to the roof, blaring the latest news) were excited as always, but a couple words stuck out: cabeza (head), casa (house), and Petatlan. Ibis raised his hand to stop the questions about to burst out of me and listened as the car approached. He flagged the driver and held out five pesos for a newspaper.
Apparently the best friend of Man #1 disappeared yesterday and no one could find him. This morning his HEAD was found on the front step of Man #1's house.
The circle of violence continues. Stupid me looked at the paper and saw the head, close up.
Ibis was also told that Saturday afternoon a group of men attacked a truckload of federalies, killing several of them. This happened on the SAME road we were driving on, only a couple hours earlier. I guess the gunfight lasted for almost half an hour - or maybe just the spectacle - but there were helicopters and everything.
We passed a couple places where people were collecting money to pay the ransom for a kidnapped loved one, but no signs of a gun battle.
I think it's a good thing I'm going home for a couple weeks.
Friday, August 8, 2008
Ay Carumba
Our car has been side swiped several times since we've moved here, but never when we're nearby. There was one time (no, not at band camp) that we valeted at an expensive hotel and the valet drove it into a post, leaving an orange streak across the bumper. We saw him stopped in the middle of the lot but didn't think anything of it until we got home and saw the damage. By then it was too late to do anything.
Yesterday Ibis called to ask if I could bring him the car. He needed it "right away" so I rushed out the door, hair still wet from my shower. When I arrived at the hotel there were several cars trying to navigate the narrow street so I parked at one end, out of the way.
Or so I thought.
I'd just locked the door when I saw a delivery truck backing up towards me. I waited next to my car so he could pass, but instead he hit the rear bumper. Not badly, but enough that the car lurched forward. He stopped - too late - and his window lined up with where I was standing.
"You're hitting my car!" I screamed, in English.
He tried pulling forward but the over-sized tire was wedged against the bumper. Not sure if he planned to take off as soon as he disentangled himself, I ran to the hotel and yelled for Ibis.
And yelled. And yelled.
I finally ran down the stairs, where one of the cleaning women was standing. She pointed to the bathroom so I screamed, "Someone's hitting our car and I'm afraid he's going to take off!"
He flew out of the bathroom (pants fastened, btw) and raced up the stairs. Now, I hadn't actually seen the back of the car so I had no idea what kind of damage there was. For a moment I actually hoped it was fairly significant so I could justify freaking out the hotel guests with my hollering.
The truck driver was still there and he explained to Ibis what happened. He seemed like an honest guy, but Ibis yelled for the cleaning woman to call the police anyways. Less than five minutes later a police car came racing around the corner and up the hill, straight at us. Several cops jumped out, machine guns drawn.
"No, no." Ibis said. "Transito."
The transit police. They have separate divisions here and we needed the others. The policeman radioed to the transit police, and we waited some more. I went down to the office to cover for Ibis, and while I was gone the man offered to call his employer and have them pay for the damage. They didn't offer money upfront, but said if we had it fixed, they'd reimburse us.
We'll get this in writing or make sure there's some way to guarantee payment. I'm excited to get the bumper repainted, but it's too bad he didn't hit the same corner as the valet.
Yesterday Ibis called to ask if I could bring him the car. He needed it "right away" so I rushed out the door, hair still wet from my shower. When I arrived at the hotel there were several cars trying to navigate the narrow street so I parked at one end, out of the way.
Or so I thought.
I'd just locked the door when I saw a delivery truck backing up towards me. I waited next to my car so he could pass, but instead he hit the rear bumper. Not badly, but enough that the car lurched forward. He stopped - too late - and his window lined up with where I was standing.
"You're hitting my car!" I screamed, in English.
He tried pulling forward but the over-sized tire was wedged against the bumper. Not sure if he planned to take off as soon as he disentangled himself, I ran to the hotel and yelled for Ibis.
And yelled. And yelled.
I finally ran down the stairs, where one of the cleaning women was standing. She pointed to the bathroom so I screamed, "Someone's hitting our car and I'm afraid he's going to take off!"
He flew out of the bathroom (pants fastened, btw) and raced up the stairs. Now, I hadn't actually seen the back of the car so I had no idea what kind of damage there was. For a moment I actually hoped it was fairly significant so I could justify freaking out the hotel guests with my hollering.
The truck driver was still there and he explained to Ibis what happened. He seemed like an honest guy, but Ibis yelled for the cleaning woman to call the police anyways. Less than five minutes later a police car came racing around the corner and up the hill, straight at us. Several cops jumped out, machine guns drawn.
"No, no." Ibis said. "Transito."
The transit police. They have separate divisions here and we needed the others. The policeman radioed to the transit police, and we waited some more. I went down to the office to cover for Ibis, and while I was gone the man offered to call his employer and have them pay for the damage. They didn't offer money upfront, but said if we had it fixed, they'd reimburse us.
We'll get this in writing or make sure there's some way to guarantee payment. I'm excited to get the bumper repainted, but it's too bad he didn't hit the same corner as the valet.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Who Are the People in Your Neighborhood?
"Hola, güera!"
I hear this a lot. It's not offensive but it gets annoying. Let's look at the definitions:
Hola - hello, hi
güera - 1) blond, fair-haired; yellow; 2) blond or fair-haired man or woman
Why am I bringing this up? Because someone down the street yelled this at Ibis when he was driving home from work. Apparently they recognized the car and since he's not usually around in the middle of the afternoon, they assumed it was me.
I tell him whenever the neighbors yell things at me, but he doesn't seem to care when "hola, güera" is what they say. But NOW he cares. I believe "that's so annoying!" were his words. It won't change things but it makes me feel a little better that he understands.
[Interlude]
This morning we returned from our run to find a huge military truck parked in our lot. We had to park on the street and as we approached we saw several men in camouflage and at least a couple weapons (or maybe that was my imagination). Everything in the loaded truck was wrapped with cardboard, and at least six military men were running these packages up the stairs of the building opposite ours.
"Looks like someone's moving in."
I joked with Ibis that he should join the military so the next time we move, we can have our minions do all the heavy lifting.
After Ibis left for work, the truck drove away, empty. Within ten minutes another truck arrived, just as full as the first, and more men ran the things upstairs. The condos aren't very big so I'm a little curious how they're fitting everything inside, but more importantly, my overly active imagination has come up with all kinds of things that could happen once the new neighbors move in.
Because paranoia is more fun when it's shared, here's a couple of the scenarios I've come up with:
(Oh, before I continue I should point out that we have drug dealers living on the first floor of our building. I mention them here and there and lest anyone think I'm kidding, they really are dealers. They don't look scary or anything and we sometimes say hello when we see them, but still, drug dealers. Ok, carry on.)
1) At some point in the near future there will be a shoot out between the newly arrived military neighbors and the dealers. When I shared this idea with Ibis, I said it's a good thing our building is concrete.
His response: "Bazookas can shoot through concrete."
Mine: "Then it's a good thing we live on the fourth floor."
Which leads to scenario number...
2) The dealers will put out a hit on the new neighbors in the top floor condo facing downtown, but will neglect to mention which building. Yes, that would be us.
Or...
3) The newly arrived military people will scare away the drug dealers and there will be peace on earth.
I know which one I should focus on, but really, I'm a writer with a crazy imagination. What else am I supposed to think?
I hear this a lot. It's not offensive but it gets annoying. Let's look at the definitions:
Hola - hello, hi
güera - 1) blond, fair-haired; yellow; 2) blond or fair-haired man or woman
Why am I bringing this up? Because someone down the street yelled this at Ibis when he was driving home from work. Apparently they recognized the car and since he's not usually around in the middle of the afternoon, they assumed it was me.
I tell him whenever the neighbors yell things at me, but he doesn't seem to care when "hola, güera" is what they say. But NOW he cares. I believe "that's so annoying!" were his words. It won't change things but it makes me feel a little better that he understands.
[Interlude]
This morning we returned from our run to find a huge military truck parked in our lot. We had to park on the street and as we approached we saw several men in camouflage and at least a couple weapons (or maybe that was my imagination). Everything in the loaded truck was wrapped with cardboard, and at least six military men were running these packages up the stairs of the building opposite ours.
"Looks like someone's moving in."
I joked with Ibis that he should join the military so the next time we move, we can have our minions do all the heavy lifting.
After Ibis left for work, the truck drove away, empty. Within ten minutes another truck arrived, just as full as the first, and more men ran the things upstairs. The condos aren't very big so I'm a little curious how they're fitting everything inside, but more importantly, my overly active imagination has come up with all kinds of things that could happen once the new neighbors move in.
Because paranoia is more fun when it's shared, here's a couple of the scenarios I've come up with:
(Oh, before I continue I should point out that we have drug dealers living on the first floor of our building. I mention them here and there and lest anyone think I'm kidding, they really are dealers. They don't look scary or anything and we sometimes say hello when we see them, but still, drug dealers. Ok, carry on.)
1) At some point in the near future there will be a shoot out between the newly arrived military neighbors and the dealers. When I shared this idea with Ibis, I said it's a good thing our building is concrete.
His response: "Bazookas can shoot through concrete."
Mine: "Then it's a good thing we live on the fourth floor."
Which leads to scenario number...
2) The dealers will put out a hit on the new neighbors in the top floor condo facing downtown, but will neglect to mention which building. Yes, that would be us.
Or...
3) The newly arrived military people will scare away the drug dealers and there will be peace on earth.
I know which one I should focus on, but really, I'm a writer with a crazy imagination. What else am I supposed to think?
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Do I Need a Lawyer?
This morning Ibis and I were lamenting the fact that tourist season has arrived and downtown Zihua is once again overrun with people who are easily confused by our one way streets and traffic circles. Yesterday he was stuck in traffic and decided to sneak through a red light because, as he put it, "there was room and no one could get through anyways."
I was in the shower as he told this story and realization dawned on me as I rinsed my hair. I whipped open the curtain. "Did you get a ticket?"
He looked down."Well...I didn't see the cop standing there."
[Interlude: there are police officers spaced every block or so throughout downtown. He knows this because that's when he remembers to put on his seatbelt.]
I pulled the curtain closed and continued my shower. "So what happened?"
"The officer whistled for me to stop, but I moved ahead with traffic. Then I saw him pull out his radio to call the next officer and figured I may as well stop."
"Mmm-hmmm."
"He came over and introduced himself." Ibis motions them shaking hands through the window. Weird, but whatever. "Then he asked why I ran the red light. I told him I know I ran the light but the reason I did is because I was trying to give plenty of room to the motorcycle in front of me. I looked at him and asked 'If you were on a motorcycle, would you want someone right next to you?' "
The officer agreed that no, he wouldn't want that.
Ibis continued. "I told him that since I waited for the motorcycle to turn, I went through the light even though it was turning red. I saw that I wouldn't put anyone at risk of being hit and that's why I went."
And do you know what the officer said?
The officer leaned closer to the window and said, "You're a lawyer, aren't you?"
Excuse me while I pick myself up off the floor. That part gets me every time.
Ibis replied, "Actually, I'm still in law school." He was wearing dress slacks and a button down shirt - his work attire - so he could pass for a lawyer, but OH MY GOD.
They chatted for a few more minutes because, as Ibis commented, the police like to stay tight with the lawyers in town. The entire ordeal took longer than if he'd never run the light to begin with, but he was let go without a warning.
I'm so proud of my almost-lawyer husband. It feels like just yesterday he was graduating from high school. :)
I was in the shower as he told this story and realization dawned on me as I rinsed my hair. I whipped open the curtain. "Did you get a ticket?"
He looked down."Well...I didn't see the cop standing there."
[Interlude: there are police officers spaced every block or so throughout downtown. He knows this because that's when he remembers to put on his seatbelt.]
I pulled the curtain closed and continued my shower. "So what happened?"
"The officer whistled for me to stop, but I moved ahead with traffic. Then I saw him pull out his radio to call the next officer and figured I may as well stop."
"Mmm-hmmm."
"He came over and introduced himself." Ibis motions them shaking hands through the window. Weird, but whatever. "Then he asked why I ran the red light. I told him I know I ran the light but the reason I did is because I was trying to give plenty of room to the motorcycle in front of me. I looked at him and asked 'If you were on a motorcycle, would you want someone right next to you?' "
The officer agreed that no, he wouldn't want that.
Ibis continued. "I told him that since I waited for the motorcycle to turn, I went through the light even though it was turning red. I saw that I wouldn't put anyone at risk of being hit and that's why I went."
And do you know what the officer said?
The officer leaned closer to the window and said, "You're a lawyer, aren't you?"
Excuse me while I pick myself up off the floor. That part gets me every time.
Ibis replied, "Actually, I'm still in law school." He was wearing dress slacks and a button down shirt - his work attire - so he could pass for a lawyer, but OH MY GOD.
They chatted for a few more minutes because, as Ibis commented, the police like to stay tight with the lawyers in town. The entire ordeal took longer than if he'd never run the light to begin with, but he was let go without a warning.
I'm so proud of my almost-lawyer husband. It feels like just yesterday he was graduating from high school. :)
Sunday, June 22, 2008
An Observation
I've mentioned before that the police in Mexico carry automatic weapons - machine guns - and while it was shocking at first, now it's just one more thing in the background as I go about my day. They drive by piled in the back of pickup trucks, they patrol the sidewalks on foot, sometimes they're even at the beach. But what worries me are the ones that travel by car.
They have police cars but they aren't the luxury cruisers like you see in the US. Here they look just like the cabs, usually an old Toyota Corolla type model except there's the flashing light on top. My point is they don't have a lot of legroom and there's almost always four or five cops crammed inside. Who knows what they'd do if they had too arrest someone. I guess they'd have to call for a pickup truck. Ha! Because they pick up people. Right, right, right.
Now imagine you're driving alongside one of these police cars, or better yet, you're walking past one stopped at a light. You take a peek because it's the police and who doesn't take a peek? Bodies are jammed shoulder to shoulder, the window down to provide some relief from the stifling air inside, and you notice a small metal cylinder poking out through the window.
Hmm. I wonder what that is?
You take a closer, yet still discreet, look and realize it's the tip of a machine gun. Sticking out the window. At YOU!
Most police officers point their weapon barrels up in the air, but there are quite a few who rest their weapons on their laps and let the tips rest on the window ledge. RIGHT OUT THE WINDOW AND AT THE INNOCENT PEOPLE OUTSIDE.
I was reminded of this last night on our way to Ixtapa. We were behind one of these police cars and I watched horrified as the passengers bounced along, their weapons waving every which way out the window. I'm amazed no one's been killed.
Can someone please explain the logic of this to me? I get that if the gun goes off they'd rather not shoot themselves, but aren't they supposed to be protecting us?
(I also noted that someone was tailgating the police, then passed on the right, on a curvy mountain road. Only in Mexico...)
They have police cars but they aren't the luxury cruisers like you see in the US. Here they look just like the cabs, usually an old Toyota Corolla type model except there's the flashing light on top. My point is they don't have a lot of legroom and there's almost always four or five cops crammed inside. Who knows what they'd do if they had too arrest someone. I guess they'd have to call for a pickup truck. Ha! Because they pick up people. Right, right, right.
Now imagine you're driving alongside one of these police cars, or better yet, you're walking past one stopped at a light. You take a peek because it's the police and who doesn't take a peek? Bodies are jammed shoulder to shoulder, the window down to provide some relief from the stifling air inside, and you notice a small metal cylinder poking out through the window.
Hmm. I wonder what that is?
You take a closer, yet still discreet, look and realize it's the tip of a machine gun. Sticking out the window. At YOU!
Most police officers point their weapon barrels up in the air, but there are quite a few who rest their weapons on their laps and let the tips rest on the window ledge. RIGHT OUT THE WINDOW AND AT THE INNOCENT PEOPLE OUTSIDE.
I was reminded of this last night on our way to Ixtapa. We were behind one of these police cars and I watched horrified as the passengers bounced along, their weapons waving every which way out the window. I'm amazed no one's been killed.
Can someone please explain the logic of this to me? I get that if the gun goes off they'd rather not shoot themselves, but aren't they supposed to be protecting us?
(I also noted that someone was tailgating the police, then passed on the right, on a curvy mountain road. Only in Mexico...)
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
A Commanding Presence
When we first moved here we lived with Ibis' family, which included our two-year old (now three) nephew. I re-learned my Spanish vocabulary alongside him, and also picked up quite a few commands. Eat that, don't eat that, don't hit me, leave it alone, stop shouting... the list goes on and on.
Since moving to Zihua I haven't had many opportunities to use those commands but this morning I used the following in the space of one hour:
¡Callate! - Shut up!
¡Dejame en paz, por favor! - Leave me alone, please!
¡Nunca toca mi carro!* - Never touch my car!
(* I don't think that's grammatically correct, but they understood well enough.)
The first two were directed at a man who kept calling me guera, not an offensive term but really annoying when said repeatedly. This isn't the first time I've seen him while on my morning run so I was ready to yell at him. After I told him to shut up I hurried across the canal to where there were more people. He followed. I walked quickly - I refused to give him the satisfaction of making me run - until I was near other people, but he stayed right behind me.
There are several restaurants there along the water and I always say good morning to the workers, but this morning they were all closed. I could still see him out of the corner of my eye so I headed towards the tourist police, located next to the plaza. Just as I was about to turn the corner, he ran to catch up to me and said it again, "Guera."
I told him to please leave me alone, he said something about hermosa (beautiful, whatever), and I walked straight to the police. He took off as soon as he realized where I was going so I leaned against the wall, five feet from an armed officer.
Ibis was still at the beach so I planned to wait for him there and as I rested, a Jehova's Witness approached. There are a lot of Witnesses (Testigos) here but they rarely attempt a conversation. I assume they know I live here since we see each other every morning, but I suppose they only talk to people who aren't hustling through the plaza. The woman came over and asked if I wanted to talk, I told her I'd talk to her, just not about her religion. My aunt is a Witness and so is Ibis' immediate family so this woman can't tell me anything I don't already know. We spoke for about ten minutes, me constantly looking to see if the man or Ibis appeared, then she went on her way. (Weird thing: she said I have a Brazilian accent.)
An hour later I pulled into the grocery store and before I could turn off the car, a small hand tugged on the driver side door. I slammed it shut, yelled no, and shook my finger at the little boy on the other side of the glass. He scurried away but not so far I couldn't see him. Several boys hang out near the entrance, hoping to help tourists with their bags, a cart, whatever, in return for a tip. Recently they added opening the car door to their repertoire and scared the bejeezus out of me the last time they tried to "help."
They stood huddled near the door and one approached with an empty cart. I looked at them and yelled never touch my car. They turned their heads and I went into the store. When I left twenty minutes later, one boy politely asked if I needed a cab but the others stopped their approach when they saw me. I hate being mean to children but they have no respect for personal space.
It's just noon now so I'm hoping I have no further need to yell at anyone. Ibis better watch out! ;)
Since moving to Zihua I haven't had many opportunities to use those commands but this morning I used the following in the space of one hour:
¡Callate! - Shut up!
¡Dejame en paz, por favor! - Leave me alone, please!
¡Nunca toca mi carro!* - Never touch my car!
(* I don't think that's grammatically correct, but they understood well enough.)
The first two were directed at a man who kept calling me guera, not an offensive term but really annoying when said repeatedly. This isn't the first time I've seen him while on my morning run so I was ready to yell at him. After I told him to shut up I hurried across the canal to where there were more people. He followed. I walked quickly - I refused to give him the satisfaction of making me run - until I was near other people, but he stayed right behind me.
There are several restaurants there along the water and I always say good morning to the workers, but this morning they were all closed. I could still see him out of the corner of my eye so I headed towards the tourist police, located next to the plaza. Just as I was about to turn the corner, he ran to catch up to me and said it again, "Guera."
I told him to please leave me alone, he said something about hermosa (beautiful, whatever), and I walked straight to the police. He took off as soon as he realized where I was going so I leaned against the wall, five feet from an armed officer.
Ibis was still at the beach so I planned to wait for him there and as I rested, a Jehova's Witness approached. There are a lot of Witnesses (Testigos) here but they rarely attempt a conversation. I assume they know I live here since we see each other every morning, but I suppose they only talk to people who aren't hustling through the plaza. The woman came over and asked if I wanted to talk, I told her I'd talk to her, just not about her religion. My aunt is a Witness and so is Ibis' immediate family so this woman can't tell me anything I don't already know. We spoke for about ten minutes, me constantly looking to see if the man or Ibis appeared, then she went on her way. (Weird thing: she said I have a Brazilian accent.)
An hour later I pulled into the grocery store and before I could turn off the car, a small hand tugged on the driver side door. I slammed it shut, yelled no, and shook my finger at the little boy on the other side of the glass. He scurried away but not so far I couldn't see him. Several boys hang out near the entrance, hoping to help tourists with their bags, a cart, whatever, in return for a tip. Recently they added opening the car door to their repertoire and scared the bejeezus out of me the last time they tried to "help."
They stood huddled near the door and one approached with an empty cart. I looked at them and yelled never touch my car. They turned their heads and I went into the store. When I left twenty minutes later, one boy politely asked if I needed a cab but the others stopped their approach when they saw me. I hate being mean to children but they have no respect for personal space.
It's just noon now so I'm hoping I have no further need to yell at anyone. Ibis better watch out! ;)
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