Monterrey, Nuevo Leone, Mexico

Not much time out and about today.

Monterrey, Nuevo Leone, Mexico

My work involves not just the students, matches and events here in Monterrey, but also working with my kids in Mexico City and Vancouver. That makes the days hard to schedule, so I’ll try and sneak in walks when there are breaks.

Monterrey, Nuevo Leone, Mexico

Monterrey, Nuevo Leone, Mexico

Monterrey, Nuevo Leone, Mexico

Monterrey, Nuevo Leone, Mexico

The students arrived early this afternoon, so we headed out shopping. We arranged for them to be in apartments with kitchens, that way they can prep some of their own meals to keep costs down.

The night-time view from my tenth floor window is interesting, a little bit of a “Rear Window”-Jazz Loft mashup.

Monterrey, Nuevo Leone, Mexico

Monterrey, Nuevo Leone, Mexico

Monterrey, Nuevo Leone, Mexico

With a day to go before the students arrived, I went for a longer wander to see where we’d be for the next few weeks. It’s a very walkable area, near the famous Barrio Antiguo which is loaded with restaurants, historic architecture and vibrant colors, all a draw for tourists, locals and a shockingly large number of photographers.

Monterrey, Nuevo Leone, Mexico

Monterrey, Nuevo Leone, Mexico

Monterrey, Nuevo Leone, Mexico

Monterrey, Nuevo Leone, Mexico

Monterrey, Nuevo Leone, Mexico

Monterrey, Nuevo Leone, Mexico

Monterrey, Nuevo Leone, Mexico

Monterrey, Nuevo Leone, Mexico

Monterrey, Nuevo Leone, Mexico

The view out my apartment window is … not bad.

The only team with a nearby training camp for my team is Tunisia, who are set up south of Monterrey. My students don’t arrive for a few days, but they listed an event so I headed on down. Most of it was a highway Uber ride, but the last two miles were up a winding, narrow lane that was lined with federal officers for security.

Once there, I found a collection of journalists, all waiting to get in. And most of us did not – it turned out to be an invitation-only event and we weren’t invited.

Santiago, Nuevo Leone, Mexico

Athens, Georgia

And so it begins – I’ll be in Mexico for the next 24 days, working with students who will be covering the World Cup for the Associated Press.

An early morning shuttle, a flight, a taxi ride and then a little walkabout in Monterrey.

Athens, Georgia

Monterrey, Nuevo Leone, Mexico

Monterrey, Nuevo Leone, Mexico

Athens, Georgia

Hidden ones, apparently.