Ask Ken... About how to get in touch.
I was born in Manchester, England, in 1956, the only child of the late Charles and Rose Bell. Like millions of other men my father served in the British Army during the Second World War, whilst my mother, a dressmaker by training, was conscripted to work in the Avro factory that made the famous Lancaster Bomber.
I left school in 1971 at the age of 15 and worked for many years as a cinema projectionist. I had long had an interest in education and would attend classes run by the Workers' Education Association (W.E.A.) in my free time. Then, in 1982, I applied to Ruskin College, Oxford, to study as a full-time student. Competition for places was fierce in those days, but I was lucky enough to be accepted and went up in 1983 to read for a diploma in Social Studies. In 1985 I entered the University of Manchester, and graduated from there in 1988 with a degree in American History & Society. Finally, in 1990, I took a Certificate in Further Education from Thames Polytechnic in London.
Whilst waiting to start my course at Thames I visited some friends in the United States and, quite by chance, we decided to visit Mexico. It was on that trip, in 1989, that I met Guadalupe, the woman who would become my wife the following year. I have now lived in Mexico City since 1992, and we have two sons, both of whom were born here. Charlie arrived in 1993, and Ian first saw the light of day in 2001.
I worked for many years as a university don, but the system is geared to provide only contract work for people who do not have the right family, social or political connections. To be candid this became depressing after a while, especially as I began to get older, so I started to look for other sources of income.
In setting up this site I wanted to do more than just produce an electronic tourist guide. So, although the site is about Mexico City, it is my very personal view of this mega city. However, the main point of the site is to allow you to gain access to me, directly. Inside the members' section you will find all my contact details. You can ask a real person all the questions you want in real time.
The chances are that I will have the answer to your questions to hand, and can give them to you over the telephone. If I don't then I can easily get them and pass them along to you. It is what you are paying me for and what the site is really about.
If you decide that you want a car and driver, then I can also arrange that for you. I can also act as your guide if that is what you want. Obviously we would have to discuss a fee for those services, but you will find that my rates are very competitive.
If you are coming to Mexico City, all you have to do is Ask Ken!
