In TEN TWO JACK, Agent Kim Otto has an exciting chase from Detroit to Chicago to Houston and deep into Mexico. Her adventures are filled with near misses and near death experiences, and in each spot peril looms.
Because of the nature of her work, Kim Otto misses out on the pleasures of visiting upscale Guadalajara, Mexico. Guadalajara is the second largest city in Mexico. It has become home to artists attracted to the mix of historic charm and modern architecture. Both locals and tourists enjoy the numerous art galleries and live music that fills the streets.
The city is known for a popular international film festival and the largest indoor market in Latin America. Not to mention Guadalajara’s book fair is one of the most significant of its kind in the world, attracting celebrities from across the globe.
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Guadalajara features fine dining pleasures as well. Specialties include birria: a spicy lamb dish served with tomato and corn tortillas, and tortas ahogada: a crispy pork-filled baguette soaked in salsa. Guadalajara is the birthplace of tequila — providing hours of entertainment for visitors who enjoy touring the historic tequila distilleries or indulging in local craft brews sold in neighborhood bars.
The pleasures of Guadalajara also provide opportunities for those seeking thrills. Like what? Well…
- Tour the reportedly haunted Belén Cemetery in the day or night (if you’re brave enough). This is such a large attraction that tickets must be purchased before touring the cemetery grounds.
- Visit the Selva Magica theme park for a ride on the Bullet which travels backward at 50mph.
- Get a permanent souvenir of your trip with a tattoo from one of the many local Guadalajara tattoo artists. Always make sure you do your research first!
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But alongside the pleasures, Guadalajara’s perils provide grist for the thriller writer’s imagination.
- Bag snatching and pickpocketing are common throughout Mexico. Thieves have concocted schemes to pickpocket tourists- one thief will “accidentally” spill a drink on a tourist and another thief will offer to help clean up the unsuspecting victim, while the first thief pickpockets them. Hard to believe we tourists still fall for things like this, isn’t it? But we do.
- Mexico’s current terrorism rating is high. Threats from international terror groups as well as domestic extremists are ever present in Mexico. Guadalajara is currently a high-risk location for U.S. government officials, although regular citizens may be likely targets.
- Guadalajara’s thriving underbelly of crime includes everything from drug trafficking to phone-scams are rampant. Visitors should also be wary of illegitimate businesses, whether it’s an auto-body shop or a dentist clinic. Those seeking medical treatment should use extreme caution and do extensive research first as Mexico is one of the most popular countries for both medical tourism and medical scams.
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