A Stroll
After a late start, I decided to make a quick jaunt just 6 miles away to the Rio Grande. With my rental car due back by 2:30, I headed out with Karma to the Mexican and American border. I parked approximately 300 yards from the border crossing and Karma and I began strolling along the border crossing road and I met Juanita who was walking to Mexico. Needless to say, she adored my fuzzy partner.
She and I walked approximately a quarter mile across the bridge leading to Ciudad Acuna. Along the way she told me a bit about herself. She was originally from Austin, TX, met her now husband who was deported back to Mexico and she followed him to Mexico to live.
As we approached the turnstile (toll) to exit the U.S., I stopped with Juanita and Karma for a quick photograph. The pedestrian toll is 75 cents heading south.
As we crossed the long bridge, Juanita and I spoke about a number of topics from wildlife, culture, immigration laws, and environmental pollution. As we walked and conversed, I noticed a large number of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in plastic bags, water bottles and orange peels strewn on the bridge. I stated that I found it odd that there were so many sandwiches. She advised that they were sandwiches from deportees, sent back to Mexico from the U.S. and they are sent back with food and water, because the border patrol is never certain when the deportees had their last meal or when their next meal will be. Juanita hinted that Ciudad Acuna is a bit of an unforgiving town and expressed a positive vibe about the U.S. Border Patrol.
It was right here where Karma and I said goodbye to Juanita. I gave Juanita a big hug and thanked her for her hospitality and for being our Acuna tour guide. The return cost to get through the turnstile was 25 cents.
On our way back to the U.S., Karma and I stopped for a few photos. Because she is so well trained, I don't need to have her on a leash, but as we neared the checkpoint, a guard yelled out to me from the toll booth style checkpoint, "PUT THAT DOG ON A LEASH!" I understood and called back, "OK," and reached into my pocket for the leash. Once again within approximately 10 seconds as I was still digging the leash out that was jammed in my pocket, the same guard yelled, "I SAID, PUT THAT DOG ON A LEASH!" to which I responded, "AND I SAID,'OK'!" as I began clipping the leash to Karma's collar. The only thing I could figure was that this woman was still very upset she did not get that full scholarship to the Division I college field hockey program upon which she had her sights set.
We wandered back to our car, well after 2:30. I was now responsible for another day of car rental fees. But it was worth the expense. I met a new friend and a pleasant experience ensued, except for the cranky U.S. Border Patrol meanie.
To everyone, I miss you and love you. To my children, I will forever love you.
After a late start, I decided to make a quick jaunt just 6 miles away to the Rio Grande. With my rental car due back by 2:30, I headed out with Karma to the Mexican and American border. I parked approximately 300 yards from the border crossing and Karma and I began strolling along the border crossing road and I met Juanita who was walking to Mexico. Needless to say, she adored my fuzzy partner.
She and I walked approximately a quarter mile across the bridge leading to Ciudad Acuna. Along the way she told me a bit about herself. She was originally from Austin, TX, met her now husband who was deported back to Mexico and she followed him to Mexico to live.
As we approached the turnstile (toll) to exit the U.S., I stopped with Juanita and Karma for a quick photograph. The pedestrian toll is 75 cents heading south.
As we passed the above checkpoint, I was very excited to get my passport stamped. We walked through and had a greeting much like a Wal-Mart greeter and not even so much as a mark on my hand like I've paid a cover charge at bar on a Friday night.
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| Very cool statue. |
Immediately after this photo was taken, we were told by the Mexican border guard that we were not permitted to take any photos here. I assumed that the guard was coming to check the vaccination records for Karma. She didn't care that Karma existed. It now make me wonder if I'm current on my rabies vaccination!
Juanita and I strolled down the Main Street into Acuna in search of a nice bar that served tequila. I figured, when in Rome... We walked just a few blocks looking for a bar. Juanita asked a man who was walking on the far side of the street where to go for tequila. He pointed us several blocks away. We continued walking straight and a gentleman poked his head out of what appeared to be a bar, and encouraged us inside. Juanita looked inside and insisted we not go into that place. It was a barbershop. The barber must have thought I looked like I needed to get cleaned up.
Just half a block away, the proprietor of a corner bar, The Corona Club, invited us inside. Juanita made sure that he had tequila before we entered. In both English and Spanish he assured us he did! Inside we found that there were at least 5 different brands of tequila. I offered to buy Juanita a drink and she gratefully accepted. Together, we shared time on our respective shots of Hornitos tequila. Now I must admit, I don't generally like tequila (but like I said, when in Rome...), but that was very easy going tequila - some really good stuff! The proprietor captured the American posse in the photo below and told us that the bar was used as a set for some movies...but I can't remember the name! Oy.
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| View down the Main Street. |
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| Juanita and Karma outside the Corona Club |
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| View back to the border |
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| Trinkety junk for sale immediately before the border |
On our way back to the U.S., Karma and I stopped for a few photos. Because she is so well trained, I don't need to have her on a leash, but as we neared the checkpoint, a guard yelled out to me from the toll booth style checkpoint, "PUT THAT DOG ON A LEASH!" I understood and called back, "OK," and reached into my pocket for the leash. Once again within approximately 10 seconds as I was still digging the leash out that was jammed in my pocket, the same guard yelled, "I SAID, PUT THAT DOG ON A LEASH!" to which I responded, "AND I SAID,'OK'!" as I began clipping the leash to Karma's collar. The only thing I could figure was that this woman was still very upset she did not get that full scholarship to the Division I college field hockey program upon which she had her sights set.
We wandered back to our car, well after 2:30. I was now responsible for another day of car rental fees. But it was worth the expense. I met a new friend and a pleasant experience ensued, except for the cranky U.S. Border Patrol meanie.
To everyone, I miss you and love you. To my children, I will forever love you.
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