Mexico City, Mexico

Just got back from another trip. This time my brother and I went to Mexico City, Mexico for a show he was doing for this travel company. In attendance were some of the CEOs (and wives) of some of the biggest companies in Mexico including Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Bayer, and many others. Also, the Mexican Ambassador and his wife were there. The picture you see is of a Mercedes SL500 Gullwing. I believe it's about a 1955. It's the most beautiful car I've ever seen up close! This car looked like it had never been driven! The lifted it up the side of the hotel to the 4th floor (where Les's show was) and set up the display just outside the entrance to the room. The theme of the night was "Back to the Classics".

I love traveling, especially outside of the United States. It really gives me some perspective, you know? I love seeing how different other people live outside of the U.S. Especially in third world countries like Mexico and some of the islands I've visited, you notice how poor many people in this world are. It makes you really appreciate how blessed you are to have been born here. If my parents would have stayed in Holland or even Indonesia (when they were young), my life would have been much different.

Probably the thing that sticks out the most about my trip is how many people there are in Mexico City. Our driver, Jonathan, told us that 22 million people live there. By contrast, I believe the entire metropolitan KC area is about 1.5 million. For that reason, unemployment is very high. Also, Les and I both had terrible headaches while we were there, and we feel like it must have been the pollution. The air in parts of the city was as brown as if there were a dust storm. I mean it was dark! Darker than even I've ever seen in Los Angeles or Denver.

This is a picture of what I witnessed the first day in Mexico City. There were hundreds of naked men with signs strapped around there waist and in there hands, protesting some senator or government official who they say has taken away all their land.

The Presidential Palace

Some kind of Center for the Arts

A beautiful, old church

Now, I'm off to my sister Christel's wedding in Minneapolis, Minnesota! I can't believe she's getting married! Paul is such a nice guy. They're both very lucky to have each other!

Peace.

Alex