Semana Santa Is Here!

living.boondockingmexico@yahoo.com

You could tell it was starting, it was inevitable. Yesterday morning on the way to the gym there was little traffic at 6 a.m. compared to a normal work week. I wondered what was going on and then it hit me, Spring Break, everyone is on vacation. That's when I started to panic thinking about the crowds as they land in and around my house in carloads, bus loads and God knows what else.

It wasn't soon after that they announced on the local news that 250,000 people were expected to come to the lake where I live during the week. Yikes! I need to get the heck out of Dodge. Good thing is, I am always one step ahead of the game. Last week I made reservations at Bensten Palms RV Park in Mission, TX. We are renting a park model for five days and will enjoy pure relaxation.

Around here preparations are already in the works. I have to be thankful though, because during 90% of the year, my neighbors don't live here. They descend on the place at Christmas, New Year's and Semana Santa. So they are coming, the workers are preparing the quintas, cleaning, painting, sweeping, mowing the lawns and preparing the pools. Soon smoke will start to billow out of the chimneys of all the quintas and the aroma of steak, hot dogs, and all other grill top goodies will start to fill the air. Sounds great doesn't it? Now for the downside. Music, music, music, all day and all night louder than I have ever heard in my life. Windows will rattle and shake and neighbors will begin to compete with each other. Some will even have live bands set up on the roofs of their houses. Ask them to turn down the music? I have before, and you receive a resounding, "you're joking, aren't you?". And the gate gets closed again.

So, as much as I love my wonderful life, there are always the downsides and this happens to be one. Whatever happened to Easter anyway?

I was coming home today from the city and saw that our town here in Santiago and El Cercado have started setting up their "puestos de seguridad" and posting signs about drinking and driving. Crashed cars have been set up along the highway parkways and medians to remind drivers of what mixing the two together can result it. It started last Friday as schools got out and kids hit the streets. 8 people were killed in drunk driving accidents or run over by a drunk driver not to mention all the accidents.

Here is the puesto de seguridad down the street from my house.

One of the many banners warning drivers to watch their speed.