Jump to content

How Often Do You Cross the Mexican Border?


RDCanecutter

Recommended Posts

My experience is a little backwards-- when I lived in Texas, it hardly occurred to me to go to Mexico. Maybe went once in 5 years. Now that I live far away, every time I visit Texas I try to work in at least one border hop.

Usually have to go by myself. The Texas Canecutters think Mexico is Mordor.

  • Like 1
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Growing up in SA we used to go all the time. 20 years ago, a bunch of friends and I took a bus to Tecoman from Laredo. We had a blast and never once felt as if we were in danger. I’m not sure I would do that now.

But to answer your question, I haven’t been to Mexico in 12 years now and I flew to Cabo.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In high school and college I would cross the border about 10 times a year. Made multiple road trips to Monterrey and Queretaro in college. The last time I drove into Mexico was 14 years ago when we drove into Matamoros. Shit was starting to go down on the border and that was my last time driving into Mexico.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lived in the Valley for a couple years in the early 90s.  We went across almost every Friday night.  Park at the lot next to the bridge and walk.  Only place I felt comfortable driving across was at Progreso.  But my friend's grandfather owned the bridge and we knew everyone who worked it.  

And in college, would drive down to Acuna a couple times a year to party.  

Have not been to a bordertown since 2000 though.  I vacation in Mexico at least once a year with wife and friends.

Edited by Johnny Sack
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, MAUFRAIS said:

Crossed to Nuevo Laredo last month. New bit is that bicycles get their own much shorter line, so dudes rent kids bikes for 5 bucks.

That's funny. csb: Once I was in Nuevo Laredo on a scooter mainly so, y'know, I could tell my friends I rode a scooter to Mexico. Coming back, like a big giant white-ass gringo, I waited my turn in the long line of cars. Mexican taxi drivers told me, "go ahead, you're on a scooter, just skip the whole line." So I did, revved it up and Came to America zipping up the wrong way on the old bridge, then another Mexican taxi driver waved me in front of him at the checkpoint.

Customs officer spoke to me in Spanish because she said she figured I understood it.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Had some friends swim across at the old bridge in NL.  Just becuase.

Mexican and American border guards just watched with the rest of us and laughed.  They asked me if I knew "those idiots" and I said I did.  Both sides said they'd probably get some bad infections becuase the water is so dirty.  

The Mexican guards said the river would run dry if Nuevo didn't flush their toilets for 30 minutes.

Glad I didn't join them on that escpade.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

about 5 years ago, me and the mexican gf walked across the bridge at Progreso just to do it. 50 cents into the turnstile will get you into Mexico. Leaving Mexico you put 35 cents into the turnstile, but the bridge turns into a line through a building where you have to give your passport to an agent. oops, didn't know we needed a passport. they just asked our information and looked us up on the computer and let us through saying "next time bring a passport".

had a very strange feeling as we stepped onto the street on the other side of the river. this protection and freedom i had felt was just totally gone. all the sudden i was at the mercy of whoever wanted to cause me problems at that particular time.

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Twice this year but might be another year or two before #3. My girfirend's 85 year old grandma takes the bus from Waco to Zacatecas (that has to be a beating) every other month to check on her house. She rides with family to Acuna for "Mexican Supplies" once a month or so and she's never had any trouble, but then she's an 85 year old Mexican woman who doesn't take shit from anyone.

Edited by SimonBolivar
Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 minutes ago, po elvis said:

 

had a very strange feeling as we stepped onto the street on the other side of the river. this protection and freedom i had felt was just totally gone. all the sudden i was at the mercy of whoever wanted to cause me problems at that particular time.

 

As a bolillo I know that feeling. It's almost being transported back to the Wild West. The air just has feeling of magic...and danger.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, SimonBolivar said:

As a bolillo I know that feeling. It's almost being transported back to the Wild West. The air just has feeling of magic...and danger.

I always feel like I stepped into a Bond movie.

Acuna is kind of like the Mayberry of border towns. I'm sure you could get into trouble there, but you'd probably have to start it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 minutes ago, RDCanecutter said:

I always feel like I stepped into a Bond movie.

Acuna is kind of like the Mayberry of border towns. I'm sure you could get into trouble there, but you'd probably have to start it.

Went a fuckton when I was growing up.  Now travel to the interior and D.F. 2,3x a year.

My Acuna experiences were far, far from Mayberry.  One close relative owned Crosby's.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

By Mayberry I mean "place on the border least likely to end up dismembered in a suitcase."

Sadly, by the time I discovered Acuna it was a shadow of itself. Air Force dudes were nowhere to be seen. Any given bar on the strip, it was me and 3 or 4 old local dudes.

Did meet one taxi driver who took me out to see the jail that Robert Rodriguez used for the first scenes in El Mariachi. We didn't go inside.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wife grew up in Del Rio. She spent most every Friday and Saturday night in Acuna at the bars.

When we'd go to Del Rio every month or so during college, we'd go over every night to have dinner and drinks.

After college, we'd visit her mom and grandparents every couple of months and go over every night to have dinner and drinks.

Family has all moved out of Del Rio, we've visited for reunions etc. and haven't been over once in the past 15 years. All the bars and restaurants in Acuna have pretty much wilted away - Ma Crosby's, gone.  Manuel's - moved to Del Rio. Chapa's Bakery - moved to Del Rio.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, relapse98 said:

Family has all moved out of Del Rio, we've visited for reunions etc. and haven't been over once in the past 15 years. All the bars and restaurants in Acuna have pretty much wilted away - Ma Crosby's, gone.  Manuel's - moved to Del Rio. Chapa's Bakery - moved to Del Rio.

That is sad.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, relapse98 said:

 Chapa's Bakery - moved to Del Rio.

Is that not just a new location, instead of a total move? movie freak tidbit-- Chapa's in Acuna is caddycorner to Salma Hayek's bookstore in Desperado.

995DPO_Salma_Hayek_002.jpg

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.3252607,-100.9346628,3a,18y,237.39h,88.41t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sf-JwueAA4RhOEQjZPee9OA!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo1.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3Df-JwueAA4RhOEQjZPee9OA%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dsearch.TACTILE.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D96%26h%3D64%26yaw%3D239.55243%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656

Edited by RDCanecutter
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow, deep dig. Maybe its just a new location. 

 

We used to go to Chapa's in Acuna and you'd get a tray and fill it up with baked goods and its be like $0.53 for the whole thing. Went to the one in Del Rio and it was much more American pricing

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 minutes ago, RDCanecutter said:

God damn, she was the perfect woman back then.  Still is for her age.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

46 minutes ago, relapse98 said:

Wow, deep dig.

A few years back I discovered "El Mariachi" was shot in Acuna, so I did an OCD dive into the town, taking photos of as many locations as I could. Even spent the night in the Hotel Coahuila, where he slid down the wire. Cost about 12 bucks. One of two hotels where I jammed a chair under the door knob.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I haven't driven it in at least 15 years.  I still have family in Mexico, but Mexico City so that'd be two days.

Others in my family still make an occassional trip to Piedras Negras.

I can't keep track of where is more or less safe anymore.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, Johnny Sack said:

Is La Fogata still there?  My favorite place to eat in Reynosa.  

I believe so, although I haven't been there in a few years.  Excellent cabrito.  La Mansion is another place worth visiting.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

about four times a year to Mexico City and or Monterey for business.

Glad I got to go to Acuna before it was ruined - Ma Crosby's for fishbowl beers and froglegs.  We walked down the street to the El Toro Bar (which was missing part of its roof).  Buddy put a $100bill on the bar and told the bar keep to pay for everyone's drinks, gave another $100 to the mariachi band and told them to keep playing.  The bartender next door closed his bar and came over and drank with us...he was also a town doctor.  I vaguely remember ending up at the The Hunter club or some such place. My bullshit was working great that night - every chick in that place was mine for the taking.....:D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I guess I've been to 4 crossings-- Matamoros, Progreso, Nuevo Laredo, and Acuna.

Not much to remember of Matamoros. There was a knock-off McDonalds, a little food stand using the golden arches.

Progreso was bizarre. I went with my GF and her great-aunt who was a nurse in WW2 and probably packing heat. My job was to drive her land-boat Cadillac slowly through the streets while Mad Max beggar kids scratched at the windows and Sinatra crooned from the stereo.

N. Laredo is my main way of actually going into Mexico. Bond film? scratch that. NL usually feels more like a Conan movie. There have been exceptions. I buy more newspapers there, and tip. Tip everybody.

Acuna is booming outside the old tourist area. US tourists have vanished, but folks say that more and more US factories are opening.

Never been to Piedras Negras. I was sitting in Eagle Pass once, could see the Mexican side, looked nice but I suddenly had a funny feeling. Didn't go.

Link to comment
Share on other sites



×
×
  • Create New...