Exotic Locale

I recently found myself in an exciting, exotic locale. Let me describe it for you. It’s not far from the equator, but very high in elevation, so the climate is wonderful. Sunny and warm, except for in the rainy season. The people in this place have darker skin than mine, and there are a lot of them! They are always moving – walking, riding bicycles, and piling into trucks, vans, taxis, and buses to get from point A to point B. There is a small minority who drive around conspicuously in their Mercedes or big SUVs, but these folks really stand out. Many people – not just these rich folks – live in the houses hidden behind walls with sharp metal or broken glass on the top and large iron gates, sometimes with live guards, separating them from the outside world. Unfortunately, this kind of security is somewhat of a necessity. The huge gap between rich and poor is a real problem here, and it doesn’t take a long search to run across someone suffering under the weight of serious poverty. Another major problem is the deep-seated political corruption, and the fact that it’s difficult to really trust the police. One is not sure if they are there to serve and protect, or if they will instead rob and harass. In this place, there is a mix of many tribal, national, and cultural heritages, and therefore it’s easy to find some very good food! The beautiful climate means that it’s always easy to find some yummy fresh fruit – passion fruit, mango, and pineapple abound - and there are all kinds of beautiful, brightly colored flowers all around. Bougainvillea is one that particularly flourishes here. The traffic is crazy, and it’s an amazing thing to ride with a taxi driver who confidently bobs and weaves with a terrifying yet beautiful mix of grace and aggression…

Oh, and by the way, I also recently left Puebla, Mexico and visited Nairobi, Kenya, which was also a great place – but I’ll have to write about that later…