The media exploits negative incidents that occur in Mexico so much it causes readers to become Mexiphobic at the worst and cautious at the least. There’s nothing wrong with caution but there is something wrong with generalizations that become as irrational and prejudicial as the feelings at a KKK meeting. Mexico is NOT all bad and should be considered a respected country with cultural beauty unique unto itself. I’d like to share positive current incidents that occurred in Baja California, Mexico where I reside. This is a true story.

The following incident is so preposterous it could probably never be repeated:

Rose and Maurice, Canadian pilots with their own private airplane, whimsically decided to fly from Ensenada where they live to San Quintín, a three-hour car ride south, in order to eat lunch at the Old Mill Restaurant. When they flew over the Old Mill airstrip they found it was marked with a big red X, indicating it was probably one of the small commercial airstrips closed by the Mexican government in order to control the drug trade. Disappointed, they consulted their book to find five nearby airstrips located in the San Quintín area. They naturally flew to the closest one. Surprisingly, it turned out to be professionally paved, allowing for a very smooth landing with no problem. No problem, that is, until they stopped at the end of the landing strip. Looking out the window, they nervously observed twenty gun muzzles aimed directly at them. Army soldiers dressed in full military gear surrounded their plane. One asked, in perfect Spanish with an expression of incredulous disbelief, "Why did you land your plane in the Army airstrip?" With heart thumping, Maurice answered honestly, "We want to have lunch at the Old Mill Restaurant." Suspicious and puzzled, the soldier led them to an official building where a man, who was obviously his superior, greeted them coldly with more questions. His temperament warmed up as Rose complimented him on a big ruby ring he wore. After a cordial conversation, Maurice finally felt comfortable enough to ask, "Could you take us to a cab so we can go to lunch at the Old Mill Restaurant?" Smiling warmly, the officer answered, "Of course, my friend. Come with me." Rose and Maurice rode with him to the gate where all the guards immediately stood at attention and saluted. With the air of someone important, he saluted back. At that moment they realized they were with an important man, the Commander of the entire base! After asking a younger soldier to take the visiting pilots to a cab, he waved farewell, turned toward the base and departed. Rose and Maurice sighed with relief as they entered the cab that took them to the Old Mill Restaurant for lunch. The succulent food proved worthy of the effort made to obtain it. It was a delicious meal! After lunch the taxi returned the couple to the base without incident. Recognizing them as friends of the Commander, the guards allowed them to enter the gate. It was obvious a thorough searched had taken place inside the airplane while they were gone, probably for guns and drugs or maybe for a bomb, but they had nothing to hide so they didn’t mind. The Army had cordially hosted the errant pilots even though they had illegally intruded upon the base. Mexican hospitality, expressed by polite manners, effectively diffused a potentially dangerous situation.