Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Is Mexico City Safe?



I was recently stopped by someone in the street who recognized me from my blog. "I love what you've written about safety in Mexico and send it to all my worried friends and family back in the states," he told me.

I frankly couldn't recall what or when I had last posted on the subject. Many of us who live here have gotten even more bored with that topic than with Frida Khalo.

So I searched through my old posts and came up with a few things, which I will repost here.

The first is something I wrote back in 2009. I might add that the states of Guerrero and Michoacán have become a bit dicier in spots, but the basic premise remains true…including yet another peso devaluation.

Read here: http://www.thetruthaboutmexico.com/2009/03/is-mexico-safe/

The following post  from 2011 got more hits than anything else I've written.

MY MEXICO CITY:  Headline News

Recently, my friend Roberta was viewing the Mexico City marathon from her balcony in Polanco. She watched the runners, the cheering crowds, and a few folks dressed as clowns as they passed by. Wanting to share this simple pleasure of life outside her window, she sent an email with photos to several friends back in the States.


"A few wrote back really surprised," she told me. "Weren't you afraid something would happen, like a stray bullet hitting you or a bomb exploding?" one of them wrote. "They don't expect anything normal like a marathon to be going on in Mexico City."

Hearing this story reminded me, once again, of the skewed impression many people get of life here in Mexico City by reading and watching the news. News media feed on the sensational. A headline that shrieks about eight decapitated bodies found in a cantina makes more compelling copy than one that describes several thousand people running 26 miles with their heads attached.


But the truth for me and Roberta is that life in our big city is much more peaceful, pleasant, and just plain normal than what the media suggests. So I thought to myself, "Hey, I worked for a newspaper once. I'll just go out and find some headlines myself, normal headlines about my Mexico City."

The sun finally made an appearance today, so I set out with my camera (carefully hidden in a plain bag, along with my journalistic license) to see what I could find. I recorded all of what follows within a few blocks of my home in Colonia Condesa. If you see any more good headline news out there, let me know!


TWO WOMEN PUSH STROLLERS ACROSS STREET--ALL FIVE LIVE!

"It was quite an ordeal, but we're much better now," said Leticia Burbujas, 32, one of the survivors. "The kids are so young they probably won't remember it."
*****************************************************

PHONY BAGELS FOUND IN CONDESA GOURMET SHOP

"They're awful," says ex-New Yorker and long time Mexico City resident, accountant Moishe Pipkin, 53. "Soft and spongy--these people don't know from bagels."...

**************************************************

CLOCK IN PUBLIC PARK TELLS CORRECT TIME

For more than a year now this clock in Parque Mexico has been giving the right time, and neighbors are not happy about it. "How can I explain that I'm an hour late when I have that thing staring at me," complained dental assistant Marta Pantorrilla, 39...

***********************************************************

AMID SWIRLING TRAFFIC, SEXY STATUE IS IGNORED

"It's disgusting," complained Evelyn Wright, 61, formerly of Boston, whose living room window has a view of the statue. "There are naked statues all over Colonia Roma. This one has a penis! Not as big as that David statue in the Plaza Rio de Janiero, but it still isn't right! These Mexicans just don't care!"...

******************************************************

BLONDE FOREIGNERS DRINK FRESHLY SQUEEZED ORANGE JUICE

When asked their names the two fled, but Ciro Sanchez, 16, who was squeezing oranges at the time, had the story. "They were very concerned that I not put ice in their drinks," he noted. "But they seemed happy. One of them told me, 'This tastes just like orange juice--only better'"...



8 comments:

Cardie said...

I ate and enjoyed the kibbeh nayeh (steak tartare) at Al Andalus and lived!! (would not have eaten that in the USA).

The San Miguel News said...

I jaywalked and lived!

Anne said...

I road the Metro and lived!

Retired Teacher said...

I have hailed taxis on the street numerous times and arrived at my destination unscathed, was not overcharged, and had interesting conversations with the drivers.

Anonymous said...

I've wandered all over Mexico City, day and night. The worst? A completely drugged teenager who could barely stand up straight made some menacing moves toward me while I was squatting to take pictures with my camera on a tripod. When I stood up to meet his challenge, he quickly realized that I was about a foot taller than him, and made a hasty retreat when I said, No te metas; te vas a arrepentir.

Oh, the danger.

Saludos,

Kim G
Boston, MA
Which has a higher murder rate than Mexico City.

P.S. This blog would be a lot more fun if you actually replied to comments.

Anonymous said...

I lived in Mexico City for 20 months - the best 20 months of my life. I walked everywhere, day and night. I *was* mugged once, but after a week's worth of wariness following that incident, I began to relax again and was soon enjoying DF like never before.

I highly recommend Mexico City and Country to friends and cannot wait to return.

David Boxwell said...

Three Housewives of Polanco smirked at me, because I wasn't handsome, when I came out of Pujol. That was the only dehumanizing and unhappy experience I had in Mexico City last week.

Unknown said...

Using the term " devaluation of the peso" is completely irresponsible and naive. The peso is suffering against a super dollar, as are 95% of other currencies.
A devaluation is when the Government steps in and artificially changes the exchange rate.

Post a Comment