Some lucid thoughts, a BBC documentary about the Everly Brothers, and some serious reality disconnect...
Like a lot of people on boats I've been paying a lot of attention to what's been going on in Mexico.
My take is things of a cruising nature always get a bit problematic when the taxman and associated bureaucracy gets involved. It's just part of life afloat and it will sort itself out sooner rather than later... No reason to call in the Marines and Gunboat diplomacy.
The real problem I see is just how many folks cruising or planning to cruise have such a low opinion of the places, people, and laws of the countries we tend to go to on sailboats... Over the last couple of weeks I have lost count of the number of times I've heard the phrase "Turd World" and other negative stuff when speaking about the current situation... It's not funny and speaks volumes about people using the phrase, none of it good.
Over the years I've stood in too many lines while clearing in or out hearing other boaters in line with me complain in voices more than loud enough for all to hear, how awful this or that country was, how inept or crooked the staff in the office, and how they'd never have this sort of lousy treatment "back home". So, hardly surprising when they belly up to the customs/immigration official and were greeted without a smile and given a justly deserved hard time.
Of course, in most cases, everyone else in the line has a bad time as well...
Sadly, at least in my experience, there seems to be a lot more of that sort of jerk/jerkette sailing/cruising these days and most of them are flying the same flag I am. This does not make me a happy camper, it really depresses me, and it makes life cruising a lot more difficult than it needs to be.
Maybe, some folks should just cruise home waters...
Listening to Tropical Popsicle
So it goes...
Bruce+
8 hours ago
