Rotary Mexico Journal #1

As President of Walla Walla Noon Rotary this year, I set as my focus and main emphasis, Service. The signature event would be a trip to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Our club has partnered with one of the San Miguel Rotary clubs in a number of projects. The first was giving a direct grant of $4,000.00 for what has now become possibly the best hospice institution in Mexico. Our latest effort is working with them on a number of water projects. This large project involves not only our club but clubs in Florida, Texas, Idaho, and the Sunrise club in Walla Walla. We wanted to come and be an active participant in the project. Three Rotarians (Larry Frank, Steve Stevens, and Jim Johnson) and their wives joined me for the trip. The latter 2 couples are spending a month here in a lovely condo.

Larry, Nancy and I left Walla Walla Thursday afternoon and arrived here at 11:00am – via Seattle, Los Angeles, Mexico City, and a 4-hour first class bus ride to San Miguel. I was quite fortunate to be upgraded to First Class on the flight from LA to MC (even though I was flying free – using frequent flyer miles). The first thing I did as we arrived was, as usual, get a phone. My number is: 415-149-6936. The three of us are staying at a lovely hotel, which they have arranged for us to pay only $10.00 per person per night! As you can see from the photos, the rooms are cute and there is a beautiful courtyard. There is free wifi outside.

We chose San Miguel because Gordon Logan, a long time resident of Walla Walla, has settled here and started this club 18 years ago, and has been spearheading humanitarian projects in the region. I met him for the first time today. He took us on a tour of the city, as well as to one of the Rotary’s (and his organization -- “Casita Linda”) building projects. They have built 37 houses for the very poor in a very, very, poor section of the city.) And then we took him and his wife out to dinner/lunch. San Miguel is an old and beautiful city. In 1776, the 3 largest cities in the West were Philadelphia, Mexico City, and in this Mexican State! The weather is great. The city is 6400 feet above sea-level; so the breeze is cool, yet the sun is hot. Perfect! It feels like how Mandeville, Jamaica used to feel in the old days. Of course the air is a little thinner; so I went a little slower as I worked on my over 21,000 pedometer steps today. And what a better way to end the day than with supper at a restaurant by the central square, and being serenaded by local musicians, and then a most delicious mango in my room! Heavenly!

Here is the link for the photos (remember they are in reverse order; each day as I add, the latest will be first): http://www.wallawalla.edu/campus-life/spiritual-life/gallery/san_miguel_de_allende_mexico_trip_2011