A Big Drive Day

I wanted to go back over to the Ocean yesterday, just because it was going to be a nice and warm day and then lousy for the rest of the week. But we ended up in Brownsville , which is as far South as you can go in Texas. On the Mexico side it is Matamoros. We were right at the bridge but just didn't have the courage to kill ourselves two days in a row.

Brownsville is the oldest town here in the Rio Grande Valley. So they refer to the downtown as historic. Hell why can't they just admit it? Its older than dirt. This is a street scene away from the bridge to Mexic0. Close to the bridge is very much in need of urban renewal. All shops are for the folks from the other side as they come to the US to shop. Ropa usada, Used Clothes. Thats the popular store, and the money exchange to change Peso into dollars. There were dozens of those shops. 11.25 to buy and 10.80 to sell a dollar. How can ten of these places all make it on the same block?We had a quick McDonalds hamburger and headed off into the wildlife preserve where the Rio Grande river goes into the Sea. We drove and drove and saw nothing. Estuary is mostly just the desert intermingled with areas of salt water mixed with fresh water. Should have been some birds out there but we only saw sea gulls. The road turned away from the coast and the river and headed North. We turned around.

The estuary is mostly inland bay that is subject to the tide. The tide was out so we saw large areas of mud. Oh and the boarder patrol stopped us on the way out. Big imposing fellow in full green uniform. Gun and all. Stuck his head in the car window and looked all around. "You folks US citizens?" "Why yes we are!" "Then move along!" Didn't make any small talk , just did as I was told. We drove North up the bay to Port Isabel.
Do you remember my comment about it being a nice day? Well as soon as we crossed the bay out onto Padre Island it was instantly overcast and foggy. We stopped at a beach access right in the middle of the nice hotels and went out on the beach.

The sea was angry. Rolling in in big breakers, washing ashore making a 30 foot wet area as it came and receded. Folks were walking up and down on the dry area mostly staying out of the water. Loyce went out to feel the water with her feet and came right back saying that it was really cool. While it had been 80 degrees while we were in the estuary, the temperature on the truck dash now read 62.


This hotel wasn't all that far away but the fog nearly eclipses it. The buildings in the distance are merely shadows. Not to many folks out on the beach today. But it was sunny and 80 back on the main land.We went back to Port Isabel and drove around to look at facilities there. We did find one fairly nice RV resort and conned our way past the gate guard after having him give us a pass and a map of the park. Big place! Has a golf course too. Loyce would move closer to the ocean in a heart beat but cold and damp just doesn't sound like the thing to do for me.

We were back down to 55 overnight. That temperature only came just before dawn. This is supposed to be a rainy day an it is overcast as the dawn arrives. Des Moines has 8 and KC has 13 so 55 and rain will be fine.

Loyce goes to Mexico

Your right this is the sidewalk on the way to Mexico. Get your quarter out. The Government can't afford their half of the bridge without it. Ya right!On our side of the bridge it is wide open to see the river and enjoy.
When you get to the Mexican side the beggars are under the bridge crying for money so they put in steel blinders so you can't see them.
Mexican declarations. There are about 6 different languages that tell you that you can't have a gun in Mexico.
Declarations in the left lane and nothing to declare in the right.

Down the side streets this is a quite normal town.
Loyce likes the purses. She didn't buy one yet. But I'm sure we will go back.
A sidewalk is not just a sidewalk, but rather a total bombardment of of folks wanting to sell you something. Or just begging like the gal on the ground with the cup. Every other shop is a dentist or a pharmacy. They really cater to the winter Texan folks.
Loyce negotiates a price for a fabric bag.
The picture of the Red Snapper from the other day.
The bar from our table. The singer is behind the post.
Loyce likes the singer and told him so. She would have bought a CD if he had one, but he didn't. Said it just cost too much to get them made. Of course he earned a good tip.

I had garlic and butter sauce fried shrimp and Loyce had battered and fried shrimp. Her shrimp
was smashed flat again, like the ones we had at Pepe's by the river. I had a Tecate Light beir and the boss had her proverbial coke dieta. The restaurante was very busy for quite a while, but began to thin out as we finished up our meal. Our bill was $16.25 US. A bargain so the waiter did quite well. And of course you get to use the bano. The only way you will get to use one while in Mexico. Toilets are not public in Progresso Nuevo anyway.

So we made it back to the RV after going thru customs, with all our junk that we bought in Mexico. There were many folks coming back thru the check point, so they set up an impromptu line right on the sidewalk. Again they passed our passports thru the electronic reader. Asked a couple of quick questions about what we had purchased, and bang we were around the big pile up of folks inside the customs station. They sent me right thru, as I had only a bag with four bottles of vanilla, but Loyce had a shopping bag, with numerous little purchases. I tried to stay with her as she answered the mans questions, but I was told to move right along. She was on her own to get thru.

The weather was windy and warm as we came back with a high temperature of 77 degrees. Overnight we had 55 by about 3 AM. It hasn't begun to warm up yet this morning. It is daylight and the sun is out, so it will begin to warm up soon. We are supposed to have rain as it gets warmer. This will come from the ocean so they are just guessing about that.

Football

We went to Wal Mart and bought chips and queso. Got a big whataburger and came home in time for the first game.

As you all know, the New England Patriots remain undefeated. We camped just 10 miles South of the stadium last fall. Everyone was nuts out there back then, so I can only imagine how it was last night.

Nothing going on here outside of just living in the RV. Big breakfast, hot shower in the clean mens room. Bike ride around the camp. High temp of 65, but the sun disappeared about kickoff time. But then who cares you can't see it from in front of the TV anyway, right.

With such a big ending to a game that went into overtime it is a shame that anyone has to loose. But the Midwest is now out of the Super Bowl. New York against Boston. Does anyone in the rest of the country really care? So all the Easterners will be going on vacation to Arizona. Sounds like a good reason to stay here in Texas. With that over for another year we can get back to living life here in Texas.

We went down to 59 degrees at 9PM last night in fog and overcast. We have been slowly warming from that and have 61 this morning. We had a window in the bedroom open all night and didn't even know it as the shade was drawn. The heater never ran to my knowledge.

Its supposed to be warm and rainy for the next several days so no sun. But on the bright side we can hang up the winter coats for a while......

A Mixed Day

Hamfest , Texas Southernmost Amateur Radio Club. They met in the Elks club which has a restaurant that runs 5 days a week. But for this Saturday they were open the 6th day. After the breakfast, the folks moved into the larger meeting room and began to set stuff up.This is a smaller club but has several repeaters valley wide. There is more than one system of repeaters here in the Valley but the other system is a closed system. If you come up on it and you are not a a member, I am told they will shut down the controller on you. Maybe not on guests, but on locals that are not part of their closed club. They told me that all of California is this way. and the same attitude has transferred here for the closed club.

There were only 8 tables of equipment for sale but they were having a raffle for a dual band radio, and testing was also planned. I am told that Amateur Radio is not overly popular here in South Texas. It was my observation that those Hams that are active in this club were the best of friends.

We spent a typical winter Saturday as the wind blew and the sun went out and under during the afternoon. The temperature struggled to get to 50 as the wind chilled all of us. By late in the day the wind subsided and we went out for a drive to see more of the neighborhood. It made it to 55 by sundown.

For dinner we went to the Blue Onion. A kind of Tex-Mex restaurant that was more eclectic than hispanic.
The bar was mostly void of customers for a Saturday night. We wondered about that.
The dining room was full of private booths and a smaller row of tables. It was cozy and most of all it was warm.

This place is known for its flat bread appetizers and meals, so thats what we ordered. I had a Flat bread Shrimp Al Pastor. Loyce had a Flat bread Tomato and Feta cheese, Shrimp Meal. The flat bread is a plate sized flour Tortella that is thick like a Gordita. The filling is placed on half of the bread and it is folded over like a Taco. These are really different than anything you can get in the Midwest.

The Al Pastor had Cilantro and Guacamole and caramelized blue onions. This was served with a chipotle sauce that wasn't overly hot. A different kind of meal but good none the less.

When we got back home we settled in for a cool night. Well lets call it cold. 37 degrees by about 4AM. We used a bunch of propane, just to keep the inside in the 60's.

But the sun is out this morning and temperatures are supposed to rise. By the middle of the week we are to have 83 and rain. I am well aware that the midwest is frozen, and that last night was the coldest night so far for this winter Des Moines had -11 in the last 24 hours and KC was down to 7. So 37 while cool, is just a walk in the park.......