After I left Mexico, I headed off to a wonderful vacation spot – home. Great week in the neighborhood with various events topped off with the Fourth of July celebrations.
For this last week, I was re-routed to Germany for a couple of days before coming back to Mexico. So – I was there for the German-Brazil game but in a very remote area. Because of a conference, the one hotel in the small village was full and I had to stay at a bed and breakfast type hotel in a park 10 miles from anywhere else. So – after I ate a late dinner and figured out this place didn’t even have a public TV, I contacted my co-workers who were in town and “encouraged” them to pick me up and head to the one pub back in the village. The pub had about 20 people and it was quite exciting as Germany ran the score up. So afterward, I took a cab back to my remote hotel, was focused on figuring out what to pay and got out of the car and the taxi sped off. The hotel was completely dark and locked up at 1am local time, it was raining and I could barely see me hand in front of my face – and 3% on my phone with 1 bar. I could not believe I did this to myself…my co-workers didn’t answer the phone, I couldn’t google a cab, banging on the door got nothing. So I called a contact from the company that I was visiting (business card in wallet) – who was having the best celebration of his life but offered to come get me and I could stay at his house but first he suggested to go around the back and usually there is a separate night entrance and these types of places. And as luck with have it – it did have one and my room key opened the main door. So – made it to my room just in time for a conference call back to Korea…
The picture on the left is the small pub while the picture on the right was the side of the Adias store 24 hours later….below is the famous Hof Brau House – with no TVs
I did get back to Munich and civilization about 8pm the night before my flight back to Mexico – Munich has improved since Sharon and I were last there 15 years ago. Walked around the old town while waiting for the Holland-Argentina game to start. After a late night watching penalties, off to airport early and was happy to have a 12 hour flight ahead of me to sleep.
Views around Munich
Two interesting interactions regarding U.S. politics – both were relatively long conversations.
Illegal Immigration – the company driver in Mexico asked me why Americans hated Mexicans. I said that they didn’t hate Mexicans but there was frustration with the illegals and issues like benefits and not speaking English (pretty hypocritical of me given I was there working and know no Spanish). He said “if they could speak English, they would not have to go to America…they could easily get better paying jobs in Mexico “. Quite a different view.
Guns – Our German hosts at lunch asked how many guns I owned and had I shot anyone. When I explained where I grew up most people have guns (but don’t shoot people) but where I live now very few have guns they were even more confused.
Quick stopover in Mexico City on way back to Queretaro
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