Drug wars? Insecurity issues? As I sit on the patio of our ranch in the mountains of Jalisco, Mexico, waving to one of the villagers as he rides slowly by on his donkey, enjoying the view of our sheep grazing peacefully on our pastures, I ponder what I have just read on internet. I certainly couldn't deny that these things exist in Mexico, but what surprises me is that it has suddenly become such big news.
I have lived and worked at Moonbeam Rancho, 2 hours from one of the major drug capitals of the world, Guadalajara for almost 20 years now,. I have also lived in the city of Guadalajara for 3 years and the two locations are worlds apart. Nonetheless, they are both places I chose to raise my children and where I felt secure living. I didn't have keys to the house at the ranch since I never locked my doors, until I began renting it as a rural tourism adventure stay. The house was robbed about 10 years ago, but it was an inside job by a disgruntled worker, done while I was away and only the obvious was taken, the TV, etc. while leaving my mysterious computer and FM radio alone. I called the local police, they hauled him in for an overnight stay at the jail, he paid to get out and thus learned his lesson. No one has ever harmed me or my two daughters; quite the opposite, the sense of community is very strong around us, and I feel I can rely on people to help me the many times I have needed it and I have gladly reciprocated. Running a 300 acre livestock ranch on a shoestring often left me running out of gas or my nearly bald tires having repeated flats. I have never waited long for someone to stop and help me out and to my shame, have never changed my own tire!
The city of Guadalajara has over 6 million people, yet taxis are plentiful (the taxi drivers to watch out for are in Mexico City NOT Guadalajara) and the worst they might do is try to double your fare if you are a "gringo", but the abundance of this cheap transportation makes travelling around the city easy and economical. It is a place fueled by drug money, but "don't hang out your dirty laundry" is the modus operandi here and here is where the rich send their kids to the best schools, have their golf courses and every other convenience easily and safely available, including world class restaurants. Mind your own business, as I did while my daughter was attending private school, shoulder to shoulder with kids of these "drug lords' and take everyone's story at face value. After all, when I first came to Moonbeam Rancho and began investing our once ample, and later meager, savings, local people certainly speculated on where my money was coming from...as it turns out it came from my husband's salary as a public defender in Wisconsin and my own inheritance.
I was quite integrated into our local community about ten years ago which meant gossiping on a street corner with everyone else, when I heard in passing about the 3 "muertos", dead persons. I said, "what!" how could someone have died and I didn't know before this?!" Usually a death in our community involves holding all night vigil for the dead, a lengthy funeral and burial service which all attend. It turned out that it was people from "outside" , not part of the community that had been quietly executed in the house in which they were hiding out. Enough said, no more comments. Did I feel threatened or endangered by this? Not being in the habit of hiding out these types of people in my home, or not having the bad luck to be in that home at the wrong time, I have to say it passed me by. These incidents have been happening in Mexico for years, as I imagine they do in many places in the world.
Drug wars? Maybe at the border, but not where these people have their families. 13,000 dead in three years in a country of 110 million people and 1,972,550 square kilometers, what are your chances of being in the wrong place at the wrong time: more than I can calculate, but you get my drift. Corrupt cops? For sure, and in what country are there not, especially in undeveloped countries where wages are too low to compete with bribes. These economic facts often translate to low cost, great value vacations where the tourist dollar is far too important to have the police hassle the tourists.
Kidnappings? Don't be too shocked, but I know a number of people who have been kidnapped. They have always been either people involved in some way with drugs (in one case, just being the fiance of a drug lord's daughter who inadvertently heard too much) or surprisingly not such rich folks, but the small town moneychangers (changing dollars is a big business in Mexico with all the US money orders and Social Security checks that are sent down) or gas station owners that have a lot of cash on hand for quick transactions. No foreigners are involved, we use our ATM cards too much and that's just too much work to plan out when you have your local factory owner easily available and know his habits and when he makes payroll. I don't mean to make light of a disturbing and serious crime, but the idea that it would be danger to travel in Mexico because of the possibility of being kidnapped is quite remote.
Our ranch is the most peaceful and wonderful place I have ever been in my travels of over 55 countries of the world. Think about Mexico, the wonderful climate, amazing food, warm and friendly people, rich culture, and weigh this against some remote threat fueled by the latest press reports. Mi casa es tu casa (my home is yours) as we say here, I can't guarantee your security, but I can guarantee a wonderful vacation.
Moonbeam Rancho offers a unique ranch house rental with horseback riding and lots of peaceful cultural interaction with the local villages. More information can be seen at http://moonbeamrancho.com