A Visit to Don Otavio

The tale begins at Grand Central Station with an impetuous decision, continues with a nightmarish train journey, and then reveals the landscapes and people of Mexico with such a light touch that even the dullest patch of history becomes fascinating Although Bedford is frank about the horrors of travel, the highlight is the author's idyllic stay with Don Otavio, a bankrupt squire still inhabiting his lakeside house with 17 servants to wait on him.