Sunday, June 01, 2008

Letters to the Editor

This week in Atencion, the English language newspaper here in SMA, there is a Letter to the Editor from HRB. He is writing because he booked guests who wanted peace and quiet but instead were disturbed by the early morning fireworks, the trucks on the Caracol, an ultra light plane over the city after 9:00 AM, and barking dogs. He thinks that we need to solicit a little action from City Hall about these issues. I don't know why he would think the city considers any of these things a problem that needs action.

First of all if he is going to have guests he should prepare them for what the city has to offer....make them a little culturally aware of the customs. If he did that they would know that the fireworks have been used for as long as fireworks have been around in conjunction with religious celebrations. They are set off to get God's attention and scare away bad spirits. This week the religious celebration in Valle del Maiz is full of fireworks...after all, they are needed to remind the heavens to send rain. Just to satisfy a few gringos (not most of us), why would the city take action against using fireworks during the religious celebrations and anger the Church and the Mexican citizens, who are the majority in this town and can vote in the next election.

When we first bought our house six years ago we sat on the terrace and watched and listened to the trucks coming down the hill from the Caracol. We live across town from that road and we still heard them gearing down. So I can't imagine how you could buy property and build a house near the highway and not know that the trucks make a lot of noise as they gear down. It is kind of like someone buying a house by the airport and then complaining about take-offs and landings. I think the city is pretty happy that they are able to widen that road and that there is truck traffic coming into the town bringing materials and goods because that means jobs for the population.

Dogs barking.....give the guests some ear plugs. Ultra light plane after 9:00 AM....give them ear plugs.

What really disturbs me is that some of the people who are moving into San Miguel are so self-centered and culturally unaware that they want to change the very fabric of this MEXICAN town. I'm asking the same question I asked in this blog entry, Why are they here?

7 comments:

Deb Hall ~ Zocalo de Mexican Folk Art said...

Muffle, sanitize, and gentrify Mexico? What is HRB, and all who agree, thinking? I am outraged at the very thought. I also ask more and more these days, "Why are they HERE?".

Cynthia said...

Wow! If only I had known his guests wanted peace and quiet, they could have stayed at my place. The traffic noise usually dies down around midnight and the fireworks are never too loud. The next door neighbor's young rooster does crow day and night, but that's about it.

Anonymous said...

The loudest noise going on in my neighborhood in Morelia right now is coming out of the speakers in my home office. And there's only so loud you can crank up Kinky Friedman or Townes Van Zandt. Or even Jerry Jeff Walker.

Wait. That's the only noise.

Try as hard as I can (and believe me, I often do treat my neighbors to a little Grateful Dead), I just can't crank up the music to reach all the way to their houses.

Maybe it's time for folks to move to Santa Maria de Guido, the southern suburb of Morelia.

Anonymous said...

why are they there, indeed? if they want peace and quiet, maybe they should go somewhere out in the countryside. of course then they'd probably complain about the roosters. well, they should definitely invest in some earplugs.

do you read cyntia and miguel's blog. they are facing some complications and are asking for help. perhaps you can give them some advice.

have a great week!

teresa

Islagringo said...

You could substitute Isla Mujeres in your last paragraph and you have at least 96% of the way Gringos are here. Sad.

Babs said...

There are those that have a "sense of entitlement" that have moved in that sene me "right over the edge" which as you know, isn't far! Ha.

Unknown said...

I just love your common sense and love reading your blog. Mil gracias por ello.

Reciba un cordial saludo desde Seattle.

Alfredo.