Thanksgiving

The kids flew down to spend Thanksgiving with us. It was their first time in Mexico and their first time seeing and sailing Roam.

My friend Patrick says that not taking your kids to Mexico is tantamount to child neglect.

Both kids have launched into their new careers and are working very hard. This trip was a nice break for them. They slept in most mornings. We had a pleasant time sailing and sightseeing together.

One day, we rented a car to drive out and visit Sayulita. I managed to get pulled over for speeding. Whether I was actually speeding is debatable and not really the point. What transpired next is this uneasy negotiation where the tourist policeman wants you to pay the “fine” directly to him. Alternatively, he can take your license, and you can go and pick it up at the police station the next day and pay the fine there. You get a 50% discount if you do that (seriously).

This issue is somewhat controversial among the gringos in the PV area. Some chalk it up to life in Mexico. Their view is that the fine is better off going to the policeman and his family than it is going to the Mexican government bureaucracy. Others insist we shouldn’t succumb to this and should pay the fine at the police station in an effort to reduce the amount of corruption that goes on in the country.

Pam had a similar experience last year on her second day in Mexico. She took our rental car and headed for Costco and was detained for an illegal left turn. While “negotiating” her fine, she watched hundreds of cars make the exact same left turn (that’s her story anyway). Turns out, she is a much better negotiator than me.

I don’t know the right answer. I did the best I could in negotiating the “fine.” We had a busy schedule, and I didn’t want to spend half a day getting my license back. It doesn’t bother me. I find it interesting how these things play out in different cultures.

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