Parlor Spider...Step In, Little Fly

Insightful thoughts and/or rants from atop the soapbox from one who wishes to share the "right" opinion with everyone.

Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Book 'Em, Dano



"JUST SEND MY MAIL..."


More and more of us have read all or portions of the book "1,000 Places to Visit Before You Die." Of course, that has more urgency at my age than for some others, but the idea that travel is a broadening experience is one that has been around since people got too lazy to get a job for a couple of years after finishing school, be it junior high, high school or post-high school. It is accepted in places like Sweden that young people take a year and explore the surrounding world before deciding to settle down to opening a bike repair shop or yoga studio (and I know people who have done both of those things). Of course, for Americans it's a bit more difficult since once can drive for more than a day and not be halfway across the country, depending on where one begins the trek. Americans, though, have caught on to the travel thing, and while few stray from accepted places where English is required, more and more are getting adventurous and heading for uncharted waters, so to speak (NOT the ones off Somalia, I daresay). It is to you that this message is being sent. THERE ARE PLACES WHERE YOU SHOULD NOT VENTURE!
Of course, you know that already: no dark alleys; no wandering off with "teachers" in a foreign country where you know nobody else; no climbing aboard an elephant with no guide in the middle of a foreign jungle; no jumping in a tuk tuk with non-English speakers in hopes of scoring some cashews and Coke; no getting on a boat which will require an outrageous fare both when you get on and before you can land...you, know, stuff everyone knows (and, again, I know people who have done all of these things!). However, I'm talking about places where legal issues can be serious, Turkish prisons and bars in Aruba for high school students aside.
The Los Angeles Times today published an article in which it named the ten places where Americans were arrested most frequently last year...places to avoid like, well, like breaking the law (most of which one only finds out about after being apprehended). In what comes as no real surprise,six of the top thirteen are in Mexico, a country where life is abundantly cheap. But, enough palavering. Here's the list from fewest American arrests to most in the last year. Don't say I didn't warn you.
10. Nuevo Laredo, Mexico
9. Kingston, Jamaica, mon.
8. Dominican Republic (apparently the capital has the same name as the country..?)
7. Nogales, Mexico
6. Tokyo, Japan
5. Nassau, Bahamas
4. Hong Kong (107 Americans arrested last year)
3. Mexico City (142 arrests last year, down from 208 in the previous year)
2. London, England (what the hell? They speak English, for God's sake! Probably still holding a grudge from those couple of wars...NOT the couple win which we saved their butts, though)

And, the number one place you do NOT want to go even for a quick trip...featuring 687 arrests of Americans in the last year...Tijuana, Mexico.
No way, Jose.
Stay safe out there. Go to Iowa this year for your vacation. Or come to Green Bay and visit Lambeau Field...ANYWHERE but Tijuana.

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