The Best Home Security System of Latin America: Glass Walls

Back when I was working in a Guatemalan city called Xela, I remember having to visit some poorer neighborhood called Las Rosas.

Anyway, while I was living there, I noticed a few buildings along the way that seemed a bit off.

In which they had pieces of glass stuck on the top of the walls surrounding the homes.

It looked a bit ugly and I wondered why the locals decided to put glass on top of their walls?

Is this the latest aesthetic in Latin American architecture?

With these sharp pieces of glass all broken up and spread across the walls like that.

Initially, after a minute, I thought “well, maybe it’s for security? So nobody can climb the wall?”

Obviously, that makes the most sense even to people who haven’t seen that before.

Later on, I asked this Guatemalan dude who worked at the same NGO that I did about those same walls.

Just to clarify why they look the way they do.

And he said much the same that it’s mostly just to protect the homes from anyone trying to climb those walls.

To which, when I heard that, I wondered if a thief could easily fuck with that to get around the glass?

Like let’s say the wall isn’t too high and he has something long that he can use to knock the glass over onto the other side of the wall before climbing?

Of course, by doing that, he’d surely wake up anyone living in the building at the sound of falling glass.

So he’d have to wait for them to not be there.

Though, on top of that, the glass would also have to not be stuck to the wall too strongly.

I imagine they must use something to make sure it’s nicely set on top of the walls.

Not too easy to clear up maybe?

Anyway, it’s not much of a topic to discuss but simply to bring to light for those who have never been down here how, once in a blue moon, you might find homes like that in Latin America.

Though, to be fair, I think it heavily depends on where you are.

All of Latin Homes Like That?

Obviously not!

Having lived in Mexico City over the last 4 years and some months, I can’t recall ever seeing a home like this anywhere in Mexico City.

And I’ve lived off the tourist trail multiple times over and do right now!

Been to rougher neighborhoods.

Have yet to see glass wall security systems in Mexico City ever.

Or anywhere in Mexico for that matter.

Even when I lived in Pachcua and visited some rougher neighborhoods on the hills, I don’t remember seeing any glass wall homes.

Still, I’m sure some part of Mexico has them.

But I think the point is the same or at least this has been my observations: most homes don’t have this down here but the ones that do tend to be in rougher neighborhoods of cities lesser developed anyhow.

The Best Security on the Market?

And I guess, in a way, it’s a question – are they better than traditional security systems?

Maybe!

I could see the argument – if you are too poor to afford a more expensive security system with technology and all, then is there anything worth stealing in your home?

In a way, I imagine you are advertising to the potential thieves that you are too poor to afford real security is a way for them to think it’s not worth it.

Especially at the risk of greatly damaging your hand if you manage to grab onto one of those damn little things.

Though, on the flip side, I imagine having them to begin with also indicates that you might be living in a poorer area anyway where crime might be more common.

Or at least that’s my best guess.

Also, at the very least, you can at least reuse the broken glass of a window that got shattered by thieves who tried breaking into your home previously.

We’ll see if they can get inside now!

At any rate, there isn’t much more that comes to mind when it comes to this topic.

If the day comes where I ever see one, I’ll make sure to take a photo of some stranger’s house so I can post it on my blog on this article.

To which the owner of the home notices me and runs out with a gun asking “OYE!! POR QUE TOMAS FOTOS DE MI CASA, PENDEJO?!?!”

And I yell back while running “ES PARA MI BLOG! SOY UN BLOGERO!”

Blogero? Is that a word in Spanish?

I’ll leave that alone.

Anyway, given the lack of photos for now, all I can describe it as is a bunch of shattered looking glass placed on top of a brick wall surrounding a home.

Maybe someone gets what I mean?

That’s all I got for this small topic.

Got anything to add?

Drop a comment below in the comment section.

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Thanks for reading.

Best regards,

Matt