I thought that this dramatic photo that I took while in Columbus at Christmas would be a fitting final picture as 2019 draws to a close.
Personally it was a good year for me. I continue to be able to enjoy my passion for travel. I calculate that I spent approximately one third of the year outside of the country. In addition to three trips to Mexico, I traveled to Europe and saw once again my cousins in Switzerland. I also added three new countries... Austria, Slovakia and Germany... to my list of places visited. During my trips to Mexico, I was able to play "tour guide" to friends and relatives on three different occasions. That is something that I always enjoy, and my guests all enjoyed Mexico too.
I already have travel plans for 2020. In a week I will head back to Mexico City for six weeks. Although Mexico City's high altitude climate is definitely not tropical, I will escape a large chunk of Ohio winter. (As I write this it is snowing outside.) I also have my flight reservations for my spring trip to Mexico. I will be down there Alejandro's birthday and for Easter. I found a first class airfare to Mexico City that was so good that I had to snag it immediately. There is just one fly in the ointment for my 2020 travels. The owners of the condo I rent in Mexico City informed me that they are going to sell their property later this year. So I guess that in the future I will have to go back to using Airbnb for my Mexico accommodations.
I only wish that things were going as well for our country and the world in general. The U.S. is headed by an incompetent, narcissistic, immoral, bullying, erratic gangster, and yet 40% of the electorate blindly follow him. Gun violence here is at an all time high. (I honestly feel safer in "dangerous" Mexico.) Hatred against Latinos, Jews, blacks, Muslims, and gays increases as bigots crawl out from their holes and spew their poison in word and deed. Countries from Hungary to Brazil are veering toward authoritarianism. Climate change is definitely upon us and threatens the survival of the human race, even though some in leadership roles would deny its existence.
Let us hope that 2020 will offer us better news!
I agree wholeheartedly with your comments about our leader, whom I have not-so-affectionately our "Cheeto-in-Chief." I continue to gasp at his Fuhrer-like cult of personality, and how the more outlandish shit he says and does, the more his followers approve of him. As much as I shudder to even think it, we should probably prepare for his re-election.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, 2019 sounds like it was a very good year for you indeed. Here's hoping that 2020 is even better - for both of us!
Feliz ano nuevo!
I refer to "he-who-shall-not-be-named" as the Orange Pendejo. I truly fear for this country if he is reelected.
Delete¡Feliz año nuevo, Scott!