Mexico's President Goes Caving

[Cheryl Jones]

MEXICO CITY (AP) — President Felipe Calderon is figuratively going out on a limb — and literally down a sinkhole, up a river (with a paddle) and over the top of a few pyramids — in an attempt to boost Mexico's flagging tourism industry.

The balding, 49-year-old leader is personally trying to change his country's violent reputation by appearing as a sort of adventure tour guide in a series of TV programs to be broadcast starting in September on Public Broadcasting Service stations in the United States.

The president dons an Indiana Jones-style hat and a harness and descends a rope into the 1,000-foot-deep (375-meter) Sotano de las Golondrinas cavern, accompanied by Peter Greenberg, host of the "The Royal Tour" TV series.

Read on:
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/articl ... 132889.php

Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDZvSQc6hPo

[batrotter]

El Presidente also has an Army guarding his behind. His country still has a violent reputation and it is unsafe for the normal person.

[LukeM]

Batrotter, that's quite an over generalization. Unsafe for the normal person? Tell that to the millions of vacationers that enjoy all the coastal destinations every year.

[nathanroser]

Besides, we cavers are not normal people.

[LukeM]

Good point. I guess what he was trying to say was that us cavers should get down there pronto!

[DeanWiseman]

That's fantastic! A few years ago, the Prime Minister of New Zealand was doing something similar. I think it's great that leaders like that will step up. Without taking a political stance, I wish our leaders would do likewise. Props to W for at least pulling a trap landing on an aircraft carrier--politics aside, that was badass.

Back to Mexico. I was down in the Yucatán in June, and I can tell you first-hand that we had a fantastic time, and never felt unsafe, ever.


-Dean

[LukeM]

Props to W for at least pulling a trap landing on an aircraft carrier--politics aside, that was badass.

To be fair, I think most all of the props should go to the pilot. The part W was responsible for - announcing mission accomplished - was pretty lame.

[Cheryl Jones]

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