San Antonio - Dallas - Fayetteville - Kansas City

living.boondockingmexico@yahoo.com

A lot to cover for a week.  I know I should be posting daily but it has been so busy visiting friends and relatives.  

The trip from Monterrey was easy and pretty fast.  We made good time getting to Reynosa and the Anzalduas Bridge is truly a gem.  Again, no need to enter a city, turn right off of Hwy 85 north taking Hwy 2 west and 5 kms later you enter the bridge zone.  The pass is about 8 km long and the wait time was 27 minutes.  Juan went in to get his permit for 180 days, no car inspection and off we went.

Then things went south.  We drove most of the way to San Antonio in torrential downpours.  Not fun at all considering people would zoom by at over 85 mph in a 75 mph speed zone.  We slowed down in the rain but other continued to speed on causing a total of three very bad accidents, one including a semi.

Our Airbnb goes to the top of our list.  A small backyard one-bedroom casita with complete kitchen, bath, dining, and laundry.  It is only 3 miles from our rental property we sold a few years back.  The only creepy thing is that the owners live in the house in front but have no contact.  It's all done via Whatsapp and they have cameras everywhere.  They make sure you know you are being watched 24/7.  Once you're past that part, you really enjoy yourselves.  You want for nothing and I mean that, including soft drinks, coffee, and snacks of all kinds.  The place smells like heaven and all the furnishings are top quality.  Expensive but yet less expensive than a good hotel.  

We had dinner with Giovanna, our friend Sam's cousin.  Sam passed away in February and we inherited $32.68 which we used for drinks toward our dinner that night.  We also picked up some artwork that was left behind for the taking.  Giovanna is 70 and has the skin of a 30 year old.  She is a wonderful woman and we love her to pieces.  We had a great time and celebrated Sam's life. 

We found a Buc ee's on the road to Dallas.  Wow, what a place!  It's a food and souvenir palace.  But unbelievable prices on food!  It was a buying frenzy.   I've never seen so many people buy so much crap in one place and pay so much money.  I guess Americans are really rich!  It was an interesting walk through but we got back on the road.  Before leaving, we discovered why it is so pricey.  They have a sign outside looking for workers.  Cleaning people start at $18 an hour and wages go up to $35.  An assistant director starts at $125,000.  And people bitch about CEO's and their pay.  Time to rethink all of that.  BTW, no one has ever answered my question.  How much is too much?

Next day we were off to visit Juan's niece and her family in Dallas.  Alma lost her daughter almost three years ago in an accident.  She is still trying to overcome her loss and our visit helped her considerably telling the story, getting it out in the open and we all shed some tears.  We stayed two nights and did a lot of reminiscing.  They have a lovely home and they insisted we go out for dinner.  Alma's husband Angel is from Hidalgo state and has lived in the U.S. since 1997.  He has a construction business and is doing quite well.  We stayed at their house and it was very comfortable and quiet.

Friday we were off again.  We drove to Fayetteville, Ar.  What a beautiful drive we had.  The scenery and the hills coming into the city.  It was truly something.  We had an Airbnb and it was okay.  Not great but not bad.  We're very picky.  As you know, working on the road and doing hotels turns you off and many of you have rvs for that reason.  

We visited our friends Leyah and Kirk.  Leyah hired Juan for a Fullbright many moons ago and we have been friends since.  Kirk turns 83 this week so we celebrated with a delicious meal at their home.  They prepared baked salmon, wild rice, asparagas, salad and a sourdough bread made fresh that day with goat's butter.  A couple glasses of wine made for a great evening.  Next morning we agreed to a light breakfast of toast and coffee.  Well, Leyah has her way most of the time so did do toast.  French toast, fresh fruit, coffee, goat yogurt and cheese.  Enough to last us all day for the next stop.

Early out and on the road the weather had turned for the better.  Clear blue skies and lots of farmland.  We took backroads mostly through Oklahoma on and off the interstate and into Missouri.  A couple stops for pictures and a coffee break.

Into Kansas City we headed for my nephew's house.  My sister Dorothy, now 82 was as excited as were to see each other.  A lot of hugs and kisses and some stories along with coffee.  We headed to our hotel for a nice nap.  This hotel is on Main Street and a new trolly car line is going in.  They have discounted the hotel by 48% and it was such a good deal compared to Airbnb that we couldn't say no.  Nice room, great amenities such as a gym and breakfast.  We are minutes away from my nephew's house and five blocks walking to the Country Club Plaza.  We took my sister out for an evening snack, coctails at our hotel in-room and good conversation.

I'm saving the rest of Kansas City as we still have two more days here.  A lot of walking to make up for car sitting and restaurant meals.  

The blog has morphed more into my journal than a true blog with travel information.  As always, you are welcome to come along with us on our adventures, trips and daily gripes!

A Trip And A Birthday Party

living.boondockingmexico@yahoo.com

I wrote this a week ago and never posted it. Sorry, no pictures! We just arrived in San Antonio to begin our month long road trip via car and Airbnb.  I will post tomorrow.  Too pooped but it was a great day!

It was the usual trip.  We drove to San Miguel de Allende.  I was still feeling pretty puny from COVID.  Some days I wake up fine and others I feel like I've been hit in the head.  Since then though, it seems to be fading and most days are good.  The drive down was plagued with constant construction and long lines.  In addition, the road from Dolores Hidalgo to SMA is under fast track construction so it was an hour long adventure.

The house was fine and it stays extremely clean and dust free.  I guess we have taken the necessary steps to keep it pretty much air tight.  Funny, we store things in the studio that we want to take south with us.  When we left the house we forgot it all including the tool box.  I don't traveling without it.

We spent most of the week taking morning walks going to markets, visiting friends and taking nice naps.  Nothing was done to the house but that will be next time when we go in October.

My birthday included a pedicure and a foot massage VIP.  It was the best ever.  We go to a business at the mall up on the hill, Luciernega where the Liverpool is located.  Before though, we ate at a great restaurant at the mall with outdoor seating.  Very reasonable as was the pedicure.  Some gringos go to these places where they spend tremendous amounts of money thinking they will get something better than everyone else.  

I needed a haircut that week and our local neighborhood stylist had moved.  As we were walking down the main drag, I saw barberia.  A very small place and I opened the door and it's a two-chair business.  I asked the guy what the price was for a haircut and he told me 400 pesos.  What?  Barbarias are the new thing here in Mexico and they cater, obviously, to men.  Beard cuts and waxing, facials, etc.  They also seem to be targets for cartel attacks!  I passed on the offer and decided to seek out our old stylist.  I found her downtown.  She works in a shop now with her niece.  She charges 120 pesos and does a fantastic job.

The week was filled with the best weather ever.  25C daytime and 13C nightime.  After 38C for weeks it was a real treat and sleeping was the best.

Coming home we ran into a semi breakdown right on the highway.  It was a two-hour wait.  There is no sense of rerouting the traffic to one lane on the other side of the highway even though there are crossovers available.  No police, no Guardia Nacional, no military.  Lately, when traffic is paralyzed, bandits come and rob drivers and passengers.  But, we made it home safe and sound.  Never a dull moment and lots of good conversation and fun.

Now onto Mexico!

We will now have a senate and house that is 75% one party.  Can you imagine how that will go?  Also, our judicial branch consisting of 5900 judges and magistrates, will now be elected via popular vote, including Supreme Court justices.  Unreal.  In an area that is majority MORENA, people will vote for judges that are all one party.  It won't even matter if they know the person or not.  They will be handed 21 ballot sheets with a list of 81 names on one, and the positions on the other.  Eeny, meeny, miny, moe!   

The president has decided to sanction the U.S. and Canadian Embassies for speaking out about the reform of the judicial system.  Imagine, what is at risk?  Mostly the free tade agreement T-MEC.  Interestingly enough, I don't think the president wants the agreement anymore.  Mexico is being flooded with Chinese manufactured vehicles flooding the market.  Will we have a trade agreement with China, Cuba, Venezuela, and Bolivia?  I never thought I would spend my golden years in a dictatorship.  I guess I could always write a book about the experience.