Mexico - Part I - Monterrey
The next stop for Star Wars was Mexico. I was the most excited and scared for this portion of the trip. I love visiting foreign countries and going further into Mexico than Tijuana appealed to me greatly…however…that country is under extreme duress right now as the government is in a public battle with the drug cartels for control over the cities and the country as a whole. Our tour was taking us to two locations, Monterrey and Mexico City. When I first signed up for the tour I was more afraid to visit Mexico City as a fellow musician I play with in Chicago was shot in broad day there and it is very public that they have a high crime rate but as the date drew nearer for us to go it became apparent that Monterrey was just as dangerous. Apparently a month or so before we got there drug cartel entered a local hotel, demanded a guest list and kidnapped several hotel patrons…some of whom have not been heard from since. Monterrey for years was a mountain resort town, an expensive privileged