Four Days To GO

So the next night I lied awake and began thinking of all the excitement that is a new blog. I sometimes have trouble falling asleep, but just thinking about this blog had me nodding off straight away.

We guarantee this blog will be nothing better than a crushing bore. Anything else is a bonus, wisp-fully rising out of lowered expectations.

I, er I mean "we".. "we" mean "we"... whatever... we have the pre-vacation pile of “things to take” started. Books for Steve, DVD’s for Steve, Things to Put me over the Weight Limit for Steve, the good stuff. I have chosen the two books I will take “The Race Beat” about the press corps in the South in the 60’s, and “The Frontman” by Richard Barone – he fronted The Bongos, is my age, and was a real Tampa scenester when I was a pretend Tampa scenester.

Steve has sent detailed instructions on how to get from the Leon Airport to San Miguel de Allende. As you have dialed up this blog to read interesting cultural riffing and/or obvious filler – and because I really should begin packing instead of serving you, the blogosphere citizen – I will hand things over to Steve. Unbeknownst to him.

Riff/fill away Steve:

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When you arrive, you'll be herded into the first line, which is the line to
hand over your passport and the form you filled out on the airplane
(it will ask you where you are staying): San Miguel de Allende, GTO

And it will ask if you have any agricultural items. Say no.


This line may breeze through in five minutes or it
make take 20 minutes. There should be 2 guys stamping things,
so it moves along. Be nice, and they will be nice back.
'Buenos Dias, etc.."

Then you go to baggage, it's right there, and wait for the bags.
Then you get in the line you will see where people are waiting with their bags, to go through an enormous 'traffic light' where you push the button and it either blinks red or green. It is random. If it's green, I believe you throw your bags on the giant X ray belt which goes through the machine. They are looking for firearms mostly. Merchandise is a close second. (that's many of the same thing, new, to sell)

If you get a red light, you have to go to the tables where they send
you, and two or three girls who are talking and drying their fingernails
will unzip your bag, stick a hand into it briefly, and pull it out,
and send you on your way. I guess they are looking for live squid or something. I'd pack the cd rom up as a gift with a bow. Just sayin'.


At the main door, inside, there are some guys hanging around and sometimes they have cards with names on them. Yours may be on one.
If you don't see your name on any cards, you can ask the guy..
"San Miguel?".. this is how we last got the shuttle. We were on his list,
but not on his sign. Whatever. There's usually only 2 shuttle guys,
and only 1 company in town here. Main thing is not to get on just
any shuttle, and end up in Queretaro. (it's lovely there, but..)

They are called "Viajes San Miguel" (pronounced.. oh hell.. vee-AH-hay)
and their shuttle van will say so, along with "BERLIN" restaurant.
They may sit in the parking lot for 10 minutes, waiting for late stragglers, or for others who were detained because they didn't get something stamped. We've been detained, over the dog, so it was nice to see everyone waiting patiently for us, instead of just leaving.



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THANKS STEVE sounds like a breeze and a challenge at the same time. If I was a small market TV reporter, or maybe on “Dateline NBC” I’d say confidently that it all remains to be seen.