It was 0444hrs when I checked the iPhone. It's dark outside and all I can hear is the murmur of the traffic below me and a gentle hum that I assume is the hotel building. Outside, lights, like fallen stars, are dotted around, but that's about it. Most people are still asleep, not me. I'm awake. I probably woke up around 0300hrs and I soon realised there was no point in trying to get back to sleep, it simply wasn't going to happen. This happened yesterday too. There's been a full moon for the past couple of days and now the moon in question - there's only one moon - is high above me, higher than it was yesterday, but that might be to do with the time. Perhaps as the morning progresses and the mountains surrounding Monterrey become visible, the moon will come down off its high horse and greet me properly.
This city clearly isn't safe. It's fine here in the San Pedro district of town, but once outside of it, across the river, I get the feeling that I'm entering the badlands of drug cartels and Donald Trump's 'bad hombres'. Believe me, they exist. A colleague of mine paid a visit to the downtown and said he felt distinctly uncomfortable and stared at; he decided to hail a cab and get back to safety. Last night, the coach I was travelling in had a police escort - at least four motorcycle outriders and a cop car, but the police aren't safe either. Being here in the San Pedro district there's a mild feeling of being under siege and that out there, not that far away, are some dangerous people. Perhaps I'm over-egging things slightly, but I'm not sure.
Earlier this year, gangsters torched a restaurant that probably owed money to a cartel. Staff was jostled out and the place was set ablaze. "The arson was the act of would-be extortionists seeking to send a message," said one news report. The incident happened earlier in the year but the fear is that violence might return to this North Eastern Mexican city.
According to the same news report, Monterrey - home to 4.5 million people - has experienced a recent increase in violence 'reminiscent of the darkest days of 2010, 2011 and 2012, when murders were occurring at a pace of 2,000 per year.
It's not just people that have to worry: dogs and cats can find themselves on the streets too, according to a story in the Mexican News Daily. I've not yet found myself on the banks of the Santa Catarina river, but apparently if I take a stroll down there I'd find an infestation of stray dogs abandoned by people who simply don't want them anymore. Some 500 stray dogs are living along a 30km stretch of the river. In the San Nicolas de la Garza municipality of of the city there are an estimated 1.5 million stray cats and 500,000 dogs, according to Daniel Carillo, human development secretary of the area.
But let's get back to people and the question: is Monterrey safe? It's not even a case of the jury's out. I'd say it's not safe, but it seems safe enough in the San Pedro area of the city where I'm staying. Online advice says it's a fun city, but don't wear expensive jewellery, keep to public and crowded areas, never be alone and go everywhere by car. Uber drivers cannot be trusted according to one on-line report from Trip Advisor. Lastly, don't trust anybody. Seems like fair advice.
Breakfast in the hotel is something to savour. There's plenty of choice and today I didn't have my usual scrambled eggs with diced potatoes. The reason for this was simple: there wasn't any. So I opted instead for what amounted to a Sunday roast: potatoes, beef and vegetables plus a vanilla tea, cereal and, of course, a yoghurt. When I'd polished off the lot I noticed that the scrambled egg had been replenished. If only I'd waited. But they always say eat a massive breakfast and have progressively less during the day so that's what I did.
For lunch I found myself back at the hotel and sat by the pool eating arabbiatta accompanied by a small glass of mineral water. The heat is stifling today and in the end I decided to have a swim in the pool. I was the only person in the water and I stayed there for around 20 minutes, swimming back and forth and savouring the heat. It took me back to pool holidays and long summers and was made even more evocative by the music, seventies hits, sixties hits, all with a summery, youthful overtone that made me feel really good inside. After drying I sat in a chair reading the most amazing book, Laurie Lee's As I Walked One Midsummer Morning. It has a sleepy, summery feel to it and blended well with the Mexican heat, the pool and the music. I was reminded of being on the Greek island of Spetses reading Graham Green novels like Our Man in Havana and The Comedians. Sometimes I have to pinch myself, and swimming around in a pool surrounded by Monterrey's mountains and skyscrapers was one of those occasions.
It's 1645hrs and the sun is still scorching hot, but I'm back in my room with the air-con blasting away. Work is finished for the day, almost. I have a meeting tonight, but I've had a fairly chilled few hours and they were much needed.
The swim was about the only exercise I've had while in Mexico and when I get back home I need to start walking again as things had slowed down on that front. In fact, I was spending an inordinate amount of time in the Pop Inn Cafe, my favourite eating establishment, stuffing my face with chicken breast baguettes and apple pie and custard. I need to get back to my diet-conscious self again as I've been overloading on all sorts of rubbish including Bounty bars, biscuits, more bread than I need and it's got to stop. It tends to be things that begin with the letter B: bread, biscuits, buns and I suppose Bounty bars. Today I've been fairly good. I didn't have any pastries for breakfast as I figured having a roast dinner at 0700hrs put pastries out of bounds and, well, what else can I say? I want to get back on my bike and start cycling round the block again, except, of course, I'll have to accept that the weather won't be as hot as it is here in Mexico when I get back on Saturday morning.
This city clearly isn't safe. It's fine here in the San Pedro district of town, but once outside of it, across the river, I get the feeling that I'm entering the badlands of drug cartels and Donald Trump's 'bad hombres'. Believe me, they exist. A colleague of mine paid a visit to the downtown and said he felt distinctly uncomfortable and stared at; he decided to hail a cab and get back to safety. Last night, the coach I was travelling in had a police escort - at least four motorcycle outriders and a cop car, but the police aren't safe either. Being here in the San Pedro district there's a mild feeling of being under siege and that out there, not that far away, are some dangerous people. Perhaps I'm over-egging things slightly, but I'm not sure.
Earlier this year, gangsters torched a restaurant that probably owed money to a cartel. Staff was jostled out and the place was set ablaze. "The arson was the act of would-be extortionists seeking to send a message," said one news report. The incident happened earlier in the year but the fear is that violence might return to this North Eastern Mexican city.
According to the same news report, Monterrey - home to 4.5 million people - has experienced a recent increase in violence 'reminiscent of the darkest days of 2010, 2011 and 2012, when murders were occurring at a pace of 2,000 per year.
It's not just people that have to worry: dogs and cats can find themselves on the streets too, according to a story in the Mexican News Daily. I've not yet found myself on the banks of the Santa Catarina river, but apparently if I take a stroll down there I'd find an infestation of stray dogs abandoned by people who simply don't want them anymore. Some 500 stray dogs are living along a 30km stretch of the river. In the San Nicolas de la Garza municipality of of the city there are an estimated 1.5 million stray cats and 500,000 dogs, according to Daniel Carillo, human development secretary of the area.
But let's get back to people and the question: is Monterrey safe? It's not even a case of the jury's out. I'd say it's not safe, but it seems safe enough in the San Pedro area of the city where I'm staying. Online advice says it's a fun city, but don't wear expensive jewellery, keep to public and crowded areas, never be alone and go everywhere by car. Uber drivers cannot be trusted according to one on-line report from Trip Advisor. Lastly, don't trust anybody. Seems like fair advice.
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| The hotel restaurant where breakfast is served... |
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| Earlier, a mint tea in Starbucks |
The swim was about the only exercise I've had while in Mexico and when I get back home I need to start walking again as things had slowed down on that front. In fact, I was spending an inordinate amount of time in the Pop Inn Cafe, my favourite eating establishment, stuffing my face with chicken breast baguettes and apple pie and custard. I need to get back to my diet-conscious self again as I've been overloading on all sorts of rubbish including Bounty bars, biscuits, more bread than I need and it's got to stop. It tends to be things that begin with the letter B: bread, biscuits, buns and I suppose Bounty bars. Today I've been fairly good. I didn't have any pastries for breakfast as I figured having a roast dinner at 0700hrs put pastries out of bounds and, well, what else can I say? I want to get back on my bike and start cycling round the block again, except, of course, I'll have to accept that the weather won't be as hot as it is here in Mexico when I get back on Saturday morning.
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