I have to admit that I was a little nervous about coming here – I don’t speak the language and the city has a reputation of being a little dangerous if you don’t know your way around. Well – it may or may not be true, but have to tell you that the first thing you see when you get here and come out of customs is a Starbucks (who buy the way – sells a turkey sandwich down here as a Christmas sandwich). Anyway – that lulls you into a sense of security. And the maid in my hotel here speaks more English than most I encounter back home. Kinda funny.

The other thing making me feel a little more comfortable was some help I got from the guy who works at my dry cleaners (Blossom Hill Cleaners – a “green” dry cleaner in Los Gatos) who hails from Mexico City. He told me where and where not to wander, how to find good mariachi and tequila, what the neighborhood I’m staying in is like, etc. He also warned me to only get in a “certified” cab where I can confirm that the driver actually looks like the guy in the photo on the cab license. Good advice – thanks. Next time I see him, I’ll have to ask his name.

OK…I’m going to get off of here and go see if there’s something worth writing about. I’ve let my blog get way, way out of date, miss some great trips and pics, so I’m making a resolution to fix that.