The Turner Residence, Menlo Park, California

Diary:

Gregg came by at 8:15am and gave us a ride to San Francisco International Airport. We departed on United flight 1011 at 11:35am and arrived in Mexico City in the early evening.

We hopped in a taxi and soon were in the heart of the city, the Zócalo. Our hotel, located in the Plaza de San Fernando, turned out to be the most curious thing Keiko and I had ever seen. It was a kind of Japanese enclave, a building fortified by electric gates containing a dozen or so dormitory-style rooms, and only accepting Japanese guests. Everyone inside was speaking Japanese, and it initially appeared that our arrival caused a little consternation - what with me being non-Japanese and all - it was Against The Rules! However, things were somehow worked out and we were shown to our room.

How odd! Here we were in Mexico City completely surrounded by a community of very non-typical Japanese guests! We had no idea what they were all doing there but they all appeared to be staying for the duration.

It was getting dark outside and we were getting hungry so we ventured out and walked a few blocks around the area - near Hidalgo station. Soon we found a crowded street stall cooking up delicious looking tortas and decided to call them dinner. They tasted as good as they looked and we walked home completely satisfied, for a total cost of about $3. After the heinous costs of Alaksa, this was more like it!

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