A new Academy

Last Thursday I got a mailer saying that Academy was having the grand opening of their Eagle Pass store on Friday October 17th.  At first, I was a little green with envy as I am a firm believer that Del Rio with the Amistad National Recreational Area and all the hunters that converge here would make an excellent location for the store.

Then I got happy because Academy is one of my favorite stores especially during Chili Cook-off time and driving to Eagle Pass beats driving three hours to San Antonio.  Besides they included a $10.00 coupon and I considered that gas money.  Speaking of gasoline prices they were a lot higher in Eagle Pass than in Del Rio.

There were a lot of people there.  Usually that highway does not have much traffic but there were a bunch of cars many with State of Coahuila ( I presume from Ciudad Acuna) license plates all headed there.  Was funny when we all turned in to the same parking lot :D

Had been a while since I had been to Eagle Pass and it has certainly grown by leaps and bounds.  It is obvious the oil activity in the area has contributed to said growth.  They are even getting a new Walgreens :(

For you city folks an Academy or a Walgreens is no big deal but to us in these parts of the state it is a big event.

Eagle Pass has a Popeye's something we don't have in Del Rio as well as a Lowe's.  Was going to go back and eat there but spotted a Luby's and decided to have lunch there instead.

I am a little behind on my postings both here and in Walter's blog but the WIFI is kind of slow this afternoon and it has taken me quite a while just to post this.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

Eagle Pass / Piedras Negras / Podiatrist

Mother woke me up at 8:20 a.m. knew I needed to get up but prolonged it until 8:30 a.m. 

The City of Del Rio meter repair guys came at 8:50 a.m. I was pleasantly surprised at how polite and professional this young man and his partner were.  They assured me that since the leak was on their side of the street, mother’s water bill would not incur additional charges and they answered all my questions.  I was very pleased with the manner in which they conducted themselves and as soon as I get an opportunity I am going to write a letter to the City to let them know.

We had a nice leisurely drive to Eagle Pass and got there early enough so we could cross into Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico using Bridge #2.  It took me a while to find it but by golly I did!  The office of mother’s Podiatrist is much closer if I cross into Mexico at this point.

 

In the waiting room I was reading the local newspaper when I saw an ad for Gutierrez (a chain grocery store) and they had absolutely GREAT prices and you know how I like bargains.  I had never been to this grocery store in Piedras Negras before and I believe I have only been to the one in Ciudad Acuna perhaps on two occasions.  I think that may have to change, as we were both pleased with what we saw.

Today’s exchange rate was:

To Sell US Dollars      13.45

To Buy US Dollars      13.60 

       

So you can get the feel for some of the bargains we purchased and their price in Mexican Pesos:

Lettuce                2.90 a head

Bananas              2.90 a kilo

Watermelon        2.90 a kilo

White onion        3.90 a kilo

Jalapenos           3.90 a kilo

Cabbage            3.90 a kilo

Cilantro              1.90 a bunch

When I came to the beverage aisle I saw Mexican Coke and could not help but think of Dizzy Dick as I once read on his blog how his wife and him enjoy purchasing one from time to time.

Since we ventured out to this store at a part of the city I was unfamiliar with I was not able to find my way back to Bridge #2.  Not a problem as there are lots of signs pointing you to the downtown area I do know, to cross back to the USA at Bridge #1.

 

Gas was high at the name brand gasoline stations in Eagle Pass. We found it at a more reasonable price at Stripes.

All in all we had a very good day and we certainly accomplished a lot.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.

Trip to Eagle Pass, Texas

Eagle Pass is about an hours drive from Del Rio. Though they have approximately the same population, Eagle Pass has two international bridges less than a mile apart and very busy.  The old bridge known as Bridge #1 is opened from 7:00 a.m. to 10:45 p.m.  The toll is $2.50 USD or $40.00 Mexican Pesos. The weekend toll rate which applies from Friday at 7:00 p.m. to Sunday at 7:00 a.m. is $3.00 USD or $48.00 Mexican Pesos.

 


During the Mexican War a company of Texas Mounted volunteers under the command of Capt. John A. Veatch established an observation post on the Rio Grande opposite the mouth of the Mexican Rio Escondido and beside an old smuggler’s trail that crossed the river at this point.  The crossing, known as El Paso del Aguila, was so named because of frequent flights of Mexican eagles from the wooded grove along the Escondido. Even though it was abandoned by the military at the conclusion of hostilities, it still remained a crossing point for trappers, frontiersmen, and traders.

Eagle Pass vibrant downtown area

The village, named after the crossing on the Rio Grande, changed from El Paso del Aguila to Eagle Pass as the Anglo presence grew.  Eagle Pass was the first United States settlement on the Rio Grande. Eagle Pass is one of very few cities that I have visited  that still has a vibrant downtown area.  I believe this is do to the fact that Bridge #1 is right next to downtown and people from Piedras Negras can easily walk there.  We saw a lot of people shopping on this day.

This is the view of Bridge #1 towards Mexico. Note the long lines to cross to the United States side.

There are two ways to cross to Mexico; one is entering the old part of the city with its stately old mansions on Ceylon Street that bring you to the downtown area. This is usually the route we choose to take. Took a lot of pictures of these majestic homes but unfortunately many of them were littered with political propaganda. I respect my readers and I do not want my blog to take on any kind of political connotations. 

Managed to crop a political sign on this majestic mansion so you could view its splendor

The other is to go down FM 375 also known as Bibb Street where most of the newer homes and businesses like the mall are located.  This route will take you to International Bridge #2.  We have never crossed into Mexico on this bridge but do take it to return to the US side as it has more lanes and personnel than Bridge #1.  This bridge is open 24 hours.




This old mansion had a Texas historical marker





Tried as I did my little cheap camera could not zoom in close enough to make out the marker




This weathered mansion has been vacant and for sale for as long as I can remember.  Bet the owners do not even know it is covered with political banners.

  


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DISCLAIMER:  I do not endorse or support any of the candidates that may appear in pictures on today’s post.

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$3.57 for regular was the going rate at a gas station in Eagle Pass on 2-23-12



The Blame Game

We got back late last night from Eagle Pass, Texas and its border city Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico.  Took a lot of pictures but as you know my Cricket broadband connection that is really like “dial-up in disguise” takes hours to upload pictures to Photobucket.  Hope to do a post on it soon.

Today we had an appointment with the Betty Boop hating ophthalmologist and I cannot say that I am happy about it.  Seems the medication that he gave mother had a substance that caused an allergic reaction and instead of taking responsibility for it, he now blames HEB pharmacy for not letting him know that it had said substance.  Hello??? Aren’t you the doctor?  Shouldn’t he have told the pharmacist to make sure said substance was not in the substitute medication?

It has been a very exhausting week both physically and emotionally.  We have had to attend a wake, a funeral, two doctor’s appointments and a trip out of town.  Hopefully things will slow down some but it does not look very promising, as I still have to somehow fit in a trip to Houston.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.