Canadian-Traveler

South of the border...

And that was Patsy Cline singing that hit. I have been told that Mexico was a nice place to travel to - in the old days. People who have lived there for years have left the country because they are afraid of violence and corruption. An older lady up in Denver showed me pictures of her while traveling in Mexico way back in the fifties. She wouldn't go there again today. 

But then there are also people who would defend Mexico vigorously as a  safe country. 

Anyway, the news from Mexico aren't all that good these days. I am well aware of that there are the places which are worse and those being a lot better. But for me, Mexico will remain a country I will never see. 

Well, that is except that little border town of Algodones, where no Mexican can afford to commit a crime on tourists as it will result in an immediate dry-up of tourism and with that kill the life nerve of business.

As a result of the increased crime in Mexico the country lost a lot of business, some places like Tijuana lost 90% of their tourism-based business. But that doesn't seem to bother neither Mexican authorities nor the drug lords.

The U.S. border patrol is working daily along the border busting tons and tons of drugs before they hit the streets of America --- and Canada. Yet, the stuff keeps coming across from south of the border. They also apprehend illigal immigrants on a daily basis.

It is an entirely sad story that a country sees a border fence as the only possible way to protect itself from the worst crime, especially a country which is so beautiful as Mexico.

Corruption will almost in every case destroy a country from the inside. Having said this, I am also aware that corruption is present in the U.S.A. as it is in Canada. Difference is it hasn't reached the level of what is present in countries like Mexico and Central- and South America. Let's hope it stays that way.

And yes, today I was across the border again to see my dentist, which worked dilligently for 4 (four) hours on 2 of my teeth. I was a bit startled when one of the nice assistant girls was touching my beard asking what that was. At first I didn't understand her question. So then she pointed to the upper part - the mustache, saying the correct word for it. So I had to enlighten her that the lower part was called BEARD. I was rewarded with her nicest smile.