Trip to the Mainland

Flew to see Bianca in Guadalajara, but her family was trying to get some paperwork done in Mexico City which took longer than anticipated so I was sitting at the airport for 2 and a half hours.  No big deal.  I read the book Jerry wants a report on, "The New Cold War" and listened to Music.  I got to meet her mom who was very nice and didn't speak a word of English so that was a bit intimidating but we made the best of it.  We did a crash course through Guadalajara, we went to see the old part of town with the Guadalajara Cathedral and square, original government buildings, some old monasteries, and a few other local churches.  The buildings were all neo-classical and just beautiful.  They were places I never really thought of existing in Mexico.  I always thought of large, sprawling cities of shanty towns and brink walls.  But walking through these streets, full of life and action, street performers and citizens going about their business under the orange glow of the street lights.  I felt more like a busy Italian square than a society on the same political security standing as Pakistan, according to the US State Department.  I never once felt afraid or concerned for my well being.  I was just overwhelmed as the sharp contrast between what I feared and what I found.