Countdown: One Week to Go

A webcam view of the Zócalo, Mexico City´s main plaza

One week from today, I will fly once again to Mexico City.  As was the case in April, when I finally returned after a thirteen month absence, this trip will be more about being with my "Mexican family" than about sightseeing.  The situation with the Delta variant is not good in Mexico.  For a mere couple of weeks this summer, the "traffic light" pandemic indicator was at green in Mexico City.  Then it returned to orange alert and last Monday it went up to red alert.  The official count of new cases (and you must remember that the official statistics are a gross undercount) is up to the levels seen last winter, and the death count is also going up.  However, nothing is being closed and the President insists that all schools will reopen in a few weeks for the beginning of the new school year.  A friend of Alejandro's sister who is a pediatrician says that the public hospitals are full of infected children... something never mentioned by government officials.  I have a good supply of N-95 facemasks for myself and to give to Alejandro and his family.  I intend to wear a mask at all times when I am outside of Alejandro's house or the apartment that I rent.

Meanwhile, I intend to more or less quarantine myself for the last week before the trip... not so much out of concern for myself as out of concern for Alejandro's family, especially Alejandro's unvaccinated nephew.  On my travel day the mask will remain on my face at the airport and on the flights at ALL times (well, except for when I briefly have to reveal my face at security).  I will not eat that day until I am ensconced with Alejandro's family.  Since my flight will arrive in Mexico City at around 1:00 P.M., I will not have to fast for too long.

During these last seven days, I have a list of things to do before my departure.  I hope that the weather cooperates so that I can finish giving the garden a final sprucing up.  As mentioned before, my packing is nearly done.  

It will not be the typical, carefree trip of the pre-pandemic era, but I am looking forward to my return to Mexico.