SENOR, IT IS ALMOST FREE

Today, I went to Progresso, Mexico.  Mr. W and I had not been to a border town since we were first married and that was almost 40 years ago.  Back then, we went to Matamoras, Mexico.  Now the drug cartels are very dangerous there and it is not safe for tourists.  Progresso has managed to keep their streets relatively safe for American tourists and their town is well visited.  Almost everyone you talk to that is a "Winter Texan" goes to Progresso for a lot of different things.  Our friends that are here have gone each time they have been down here and were kind of our guides today.

Because your car insurance company probably won't cover you in Mexico, it is best to park on the American side and walk across the International Bridge.  Not to mention the crazy drivers in Mexico!  Our friends told me that it is best to get there early and leave before it gets late.  We left at 7:30 am to drive to the bridge.  They needed to stop at the bank and traffic was busy so it took about 35 minutes to get to the bridge.  It costs $2.00 to park all day.  We headed across the bridge.  It costs 50 cents to walk across the bridge from the US to Mexico.  It costs 30 cents to walk across the bridge from Mexico to the US.  I have no idea why there is a difference in price, but you have to have correct change.  There is an ATM and a change machine on the US side of the bridge.  There is a booth occupied by a worker that will give you change on the Mexico side.

Getting ready to walk across the bridge



The Rio Grande river - it is the border between the 2 countries

As you enter Mexico from the bridge

The main entry street is lined for many blocks with shops and offices.  Outside of the shops on the sidewalk are vendor after vendor with maybe a table for their wares or maybe not a table.  There are also vendors walking up and down the street holding their wares trying to sell you something. Having been to Mexico several times, I was use to their sales pitch as I walked along.  One that I had not heard before was when Mr. W was looking at something and the guy asked him if he was interested in buying whatever it was.  Mr. W told him no that he was just looking.  The guy said, "But senor, it is almost free!"  Yeah, they always are.

We had a list in mind of things we wanted to shop for.  One of the things that most people go there to buy is medicine or to have dental work.  Along the main street where you first walk in is mainly shop after shop of either pharmacies or dentists.  It still blows my mind that countless Americans go there for dental work.  But, one of our friends has had a root canal, a crown, and a dental implant tooth put in where he had a tooth pulled.  The cost was a fraction of the cost in the US.  I am scared of having dental work as it is.  You would probably have to put me to sleep to have it done there.  As I walked down the street and looked into the dentists' offices, there were many people sitting there waiting to see the dentist.  American people. More power to them I guess.

Pharmacies are everywhere and medicines can range in price from pharmacy to pharmacy.  Of course that's how everything is in Mexico.  You go in a few of the pharmacies and ask prices.  You can haggle with them a little bit but not much.  I ended up getting some Z-packs and a 2-pack inhaler for one of my granddaughters.  I will go back and get a few more things.  Some of the prices are good and some aren't.  You have to be sure it's the right dosage too.

A sample of signs advertising medications

Coming out of one of the pharmacies where I made a purchase

Another thing I have been wanting to buy is a good pair of boots.  I have looked and looked and looked.  I wanted something a little different, fashionable, made of leather, fairly comfortable, and at the right price.  I have found several boots that I have liked but I did not want to pay the price.  I thought maybe I could get a good deal in Mexico.  Sure enough, I found a boot store.  I tried on several pairs of boots and found a pair I liked.  I thought the price was good to start with but I managed to get them for $20 less than what they were asking.  Just in time for the rodeo!

My new boots

Mr. W got a new hat and I bought some candy that tastes like the Werther's Originals.  But, after all of us had bought everything we planned to buy this trip, we walked back across the bridge.  We had to wait in line to go through customs.

The line to go through customs

It had really warmed up today.  It was 80 degrees and plenty of sunshine.  There wasn't a cloud in the sky.  When we got back to the 5W, Mr. W and I decided a trip to the swimming pool at the RV park was in order.  The pool is heated but just enough to be perfect temperature.  If you got out of the pool and the wind blew, you were a little chilly.  If you were in the water, it was great.  If you were out of the water in the sun with no wind blowing, it was great. It was a nice relaxing way to end the day. We figured we better take advantage of this weather.  It is suppose to get rainy and cold again on Thursday.

Mr. W in the hot tub at the pool