May 2013 trip to Mexico

Mom had been hinting that she wanted to go to the beauty shop for some time...but we have had so many things going on that it was put in the back burner until today.  Friday's is not the best day to go to Mexico or to the beauty shop but what the heck.

Did not know whether to take the Toyota or dad's old car.  Both have issues...the Toyota was the recipient of half of the stuff I had in my Kodiak Canvas tent that I took down a few weeks ago.  If I were to empty it...where would I put it?  Dad's old car needed to have the new license plates installed...something I have been putting off since October (my face blushing).  Guess which one I went with?

Before going to Mexico had to make a quick trip to the post office to mail off some payments and then to get some gas.  Prices remain the same.

The lines going to Mexico were not long but they were searching everyone.  Got a polite young officer who asked me to pop my hood and also searched the trunk and my ice chests.  Asked me where I was going and I said Aurrera (grocery store owned by Wal-Mart) and he sent me on my way.

As was to be expected for a Friday, our hairdresser had a lot people.  We were there close to three hours...which I put to good use by taking cat naps.

Afterwards we went to Aurrera for our monthly shopping expedition.  It was getting late, it was hot and we were hungry so I did not go to Gutierrez (a grocery store) where they sell my medication as well as those yummy chocolate cakes.

The exchange rates down Exchange Alley (name I made up) were as follows:

Since today I was in the market to sell pesos I went with an exchange rate of $12.05 pesos to one US dollar.  This is the third time I have gone to this furniture store/exchange house and the gentlemen that runs it is a very nice man and always rounds my exchanges to the next dollar.  That is a gesture I very much appreciate :-)

On our way back home the lines to cross into Mexico were backed up to the toll booths but if you have been reading this blog you already knew that.  I have no idea why the media says that no one goes to Mexico anymore.

With budget cutbacks or without them I have never seen all the inspection lines open.  Today there were four open...three manned and one where you wave your Passcard but can only use if you have nothing to declare.

Overheard them say that the computer system kept on going down...so mother and I being the dangerous criminals that we are..were not detected by the inoperative computers :-)   However for the second time in one day I was asked to pop open my hood and my trunk.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

Last 2012 Trip to Ciudad Acuna, Coahuila, Mexico

You would not know it from looking at my skinny cousin, but he can and does eat like a horse :-)  In a week he ate us out of groceries that last mother and I for a month. Had been wanting to go back to Mexico to re-stock for a couple of days now but I had been feeling a little under the weather until today. Been fighting a cough and sniffles with aspirin and NyQuil and hopefully I wont come down with a cold.

I get an e-mail at least once a week asking me if Ciudad Acuna is safe to visit.  I guess it all depends on what your perception of safe is.  My parents, friends and relatives were horrified when I announced 30 plus years ago that I was moving to Houston, Texas.  They considered it to be a very dangerous city and thought I had lost my mind.  Many people still wonder why I continue to live there.  Is Houston safe?  It is all a matter of perception...the same applies to Ciudad Acuna.

All I can tell you is that it is the safest border in Texas and that is not just me saying it, but many other sources, do a google search.  One thing for certain if it was not safe I would never take my mother with me or put myself in harms way.

I figured with Christmas over and done with, there would not be that many shopper out and about...but I was wrong.  There were tons of people and happy to say many American tourists in the bunch :)  Even ran into the guy that runs the computer system at the Val Verde County Library in Del Rio.  He was surprised to see me in Aurrera and asked if I shopped there often, told him I did and he said his family and him did as well.

Aurrera is located inside of Plaza Bella mall

With so many people shopping at Aurrera they were out of a lot of fruits and vegetables which are my mother's favorites so we also paid a visit to Merco.

Both Aurrera and Merco are located along Libramiento Emilio Mendoza Cisneros which is a fast growing section in Ciudad Acuna close to the Maquiladoras and to the new housing sub-divisions called Colonias for the maquiladora employees.  Even El Palacio Municipal (the equivalent of our City Hall) built state of the art installations and moved out of the central downtown area to this new location.

El Palacio Municipal de Ciudad Acuna, Coahuila, Mexico.
They have free internet within their perimeters.

Guess I am so busy driving I had never noticed El Palacio Municipal had so many palm trees

If anyone is looking for a pinata for their New Year's party there are plenty to be had here.

The exchange rates have fallen some from last week.  The going rate today was 12.40 pesos to buy dollars, 12.95 pesos to sell them.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.