Happy New Year with a bang

Actually more like a bang bang bang since they never seem to run out of firecrackers. They must spend a tidy fortune on those, we priced them out and they're not that cheap. We have it on great authority from a vendor that the Chinese ones are far superior to the homegrown variety, more expensive yes, but more BANG for your bucks.
New Year's Eve didn't feature a lavish party. We had a meal which I prepared, half a kilo of shrimps, wild and not flash frozen in Thailand like so many of the ones we get in Canada are. We drank a bottle of chilled white wine, Chilean, not bad a little fruity and not as dry as I would have liked but there isn't a whole lot of choice wine wise and the price at 72 pesos was more than reasonable.
We walked into town and spent time in the jardin which is that main square. There are still a lot of Mexican tourists but most of them have come by car, no more endless streams of buses.
While in the jardin we had some fun cataloging all the various ways in which Canadian laws are routinely broken in Mexico. I will provide a list and I'm sure I've missed some. Of course this is offered in fun, we love Mexico after all and that spirit of anarchy is what makes it so endearing and frustrating sometimes.

There are many infractions attached to driving.
1. Driving without a license (less common but it happens), insurance (quite frequent).
2. Wearing a seatbelt is law in Mexico but it is routinely disregarded and considered more optional than necessary particularly here in Melaque where we've noticed a lot of people don't even bother.
3. Drinking and driving,(common) drinking while driving (less frequent but it happens.)
4. Riding a motorcycle without a helmet, apparently it's also a law but again it's strictly up to you unless you get stop and ticketed. Some do wear a helmet but they're few and far between.
5. Driving with people in the back of your pickup is extremely common.
6. Three on a small scooter with the kid in front, quite common.
7. Making a full stop at a stop sign,it could happen but then it might not.
8. Not passing when there's a double line on the road, you still pass but you just floor it.
9. Wearing a helmet when riding a bicycle, please let's not even tackle this one, not even a remote possibility unless you watch a lot of American t.V. and want to emulate the lifestyle and have the means to do so.

Firecrackers:
Firecrackers have been completely forbidden in B.C. probably the same in the rest of Canada.
You just can't buy them anywhere even if you want to break the law. Here they're a dime a dozen. Mexicans are probably one of the biggest consumers of Chinese firecrackers in the world and they know their stuff.
They are everywhere and can go off at any time. Even when you're somewhat used to them those incredibly loud bangs can give your heart a run for its money. In fact while sitting in the jardin kids were lighting them up left and right. One took off, sailed over a wall and right into a house. Nobody irate came out so assume it was okay, that's the one good thing about building with bricks, houses don't burn down easily.
In another instance we were at the beach, that same night, watching a bunch of kids of all ages, lighting them up fearlessly when one sailed right over the crowd that was watching them. Nobody got hurt but it was still burning when it hit the crowd. Sometimes they don't detonate right away and kids poke and prod them till they do. Strangely there doesn't seem to be that many accidents involving firecrackers and if there are nobody reports them, unless they're really serious. Mostly they ignore the burns, it's all part of the fun, and just carry on.

Other random ways in which our laws are routinely broken. Buying a six pack of beer at a 7eleven type store, opening one beer and drinking it while waiting in line to pay. Come on that one's a definite winner. Setting up an improvised kitchen on the sidewalk right outside your house because you simply must cash in on those new arrivals who are thirsty and hungry. It doesn't matter how, when, where, why anybody pretty much can open a little stand and sell food and believe me they do. Chihuahuas are truly a beloved dog here and they are extremely portable which is an added bonus meaning you can take them everywhere even in restaurants (not fancy ones of course) in little pouches and that's totally fine. Of course dogs are allowed on the beach without restrictions and you never have to pick up their shit. We've only seen that done a couple of times on the malecon in Mazatlan other than that it's everybody for themselves and watch where you put your feet, much worse than in Paris any day of the week.
Drinking on the beach is not only allowed but encouraged. If you can't get to the booze the booze will come to you.

I've probably missed a lot of other infractions if I happen to note some more I'll add to this list again this is all in the spirit of fun. We're much too restricted in Canada where a state of hyper vigilance and control reigns supreme.

On another note we had heard that two passenger buses got hijacked on the quota (paying) highway out of Guadalajara. This was of interest to us since we will be driving in that direction. I made a few more inquiries and it turned out to be unsubstantiated rumors which is great news.
Bus jacking does happen but it's a pretty infrequent occurrence. Of course we're driving but it's good to know there aren't a bunch of banditos roaming the quotas.

Happy New Year, Feliz Ano Nuevo a todo.


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