February 02, 2007
Observations from San Luis Potosi, Mexico
I just returned from a 3-day business trip to San Luis Potosi, Mexico. San Luis Potosi (SLP) is located in north-central Mexico. Although SLP is fairly significant within the overall context of Mexican cities (it has a population of 1.5 million), I find that many Americans haven’t heard of it; and only Trivial Pursuit junkies can actually pinpoint SLP on a map.
If you haven’t spent a lot of time in Mexico, then your impressions of the country are likely defined by what you see in the news: drug gangs battling for turf along the U.S.-Mexico border, and squabbling politicians in Mexico City. Bad news is by definition more newsworthy; and Mexico certainly has its share of bad news. Therefore, when the average American thinks of Mexico, his mind conjures up a cross between a cheesy Western film and one of the Godfather movies--- with a mariachi soundtrack playing in the background.
The "other side" of Mexico
But there is another side of Mexico as well, which doesn’t receive as much media attention. You can find this other side of Mexico in small- to medium-sized cites within the interior----far from Mexico City or the chaotic border zone. SLP is one of those “bright spots” within Mexico.
SLP is reasonably prosperous, and cleaner than most American cities. Highways near my native Cincinnati often resemble trails plowed through garbage dumps. SLP’s citizens seem to be a lot more conscientious about keeping their trash to themselves. I did not see so much as one discarded cigarette butt or McDonald’s wrapper during my stay.
Everyone I encountered in SLP was courteous---except when driving. Drivers in Mexico tend to regard road lane lines as suggestions rather than hard-and-fast perimeters. All of the traffic that is moving in a single direction weaves constantly between the lanes. This generates a lot of beeping and brake-tapping----but remarkably few accidents, as far as I could see.
One night I walked a few blocks from my downtown hotel to a supermarket. (Just try that in Detroit or Chicago at night without a flak vest and an Uzi.) I hadn’t had time to convert any money into pesos, and I was worried that the supermarket wouldn’t accept my gringo greenbacks. I was prepared to be called an imperialist swine for my blatant disregard of Mexico’s national currency. But the cashier went out of her way to allow me to purchase my Diet Pepsi caffeine fix with my foreign dollars. She even gave me a favorable exchange rate.
A great weather, too...
The weather in SLP was picture-postcard perfect. Temperatures climbed to around 70 degrees Fahrenheit during the afternoon, with sunshine and clear skies. Needless to say, I got a rude awakening when I returned to the snow and ice of Cincinnati.