Small town Mexico, kinda like small town USA

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Today we were traveling the spectacular highways and byways of Southern Mexico when the approaching darkness forced us to take refuge in a tiny cluster of homes situated just off of the main road. We decided to petition the caretaker of the local Catholic Church if we could park/camp in the dirt patch that constituted the “parking lot”. While he agreed, the local government official overruled his decision. The official, who could not conceal his deep suspicion (of us outsiders) behind a mask of hospitable civility, questioned Sandra and I for some time about our intentions and why we were in his town. After at least partially quelling his mistrust, he not only offered us a place to park our van but provided us all night access to bathrooms and showers.
Not totally unlike the American small towns I have known. That curious mix of startling displays of hospitality mixed with suspicion of outsiders and the unknown. A totally foreign place with the slightest hint of familiarity.

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