That's the way advertisers used to promote a visit to South Padre Island, since Mexico is so close. Then, things on the other side of the border got a little scary - as in: dangerous. Of course, there are people who will poo-poo the risk. The last time we went to Progreso (Mexico), there was a machine gun nest, behind sandbags on the Mexico side of the bridge... that didn't inspire much confidence in the "pleasure" of visiting Mexico. We used to get there a couple times a month - sometimes to get a good price on pharmaceuticals, sometimes just for lunch or tequila.
Progreso is a much friendlier place to cross, compared to Matamoros (across from Brownsville). It takes just over an hour to get there, so we took it off our "let's go visit" list. It isn't fun when you are feeling like you need to be constantly looking over your shoulder. We haven't been back for a couple years.
Friends Mike and MJ were planning to go there for Mike to get some dental work done (there are scads of dentists in Progreso). Time to give it another go. Our passport renewals came back sooner than expected, so we should be able to get back in the country. ;-)
We met Mike and MJ on the US side of the border. Paid our toll for the bridge and headed over. The Rio Grande River...
Nothing much had changed since our last time here - still scads of people hawking trinkets, drinks, drugs (the pharmaceutical type), dentists, jewelry, hats, pop-up window shades. There wasn't much of a crowd there (the winter visitors haven't shown up in big numbers, yet), we had the pleasure of saying, "No, gracias," a lot more than I recall.
We did some shopping...
Well, more looking than buying. We shopped several pharmacies - yes, the prices vary quite a bit, then met Mike and MJ's friends (and now ours, too) Gary and Shirley for lunch. Nice restaurant; waiters in jackets, white table cloths, and excellent service. The prices weren't much of a savings from our side of the border, but Joan and MJ seemed to quite enjoy the margaritas.
If you notice a Diet Coke bottle on the table, Mike and I are the designated drivers - we let the ladies enjoy the adult beverages.
In fact, after lunch I walked Mike to his dentist's office, then met the ladies and Gary at a liquor store. Before heading in, Joan stopped for a shoe shine...
MJ asked about sampling several different tequilas...
I'm guessing that one was strong! ;-)
With purchases in hand, we said our good-byes - we headed for the border, MJ went back to the dentist's office.
Apparently, the new passports passed inspection, and we were allowed back into the good ol' USA. The fastest route back to our part of the Tropical Tip takes us right along the border, the "fence" and a look at the non-freeway life. There are nice homes and shacks; old border towns and new businesses. This place is a Transmigrante...
No, they don't sell cats. That is just the name. Transmigrantes buy and ship stuff to Latin America. We pass several border crossings on this road, none as welcoming for visitors as Progreso. Good places to bring truck loads (or train loads) of goods into and out of Mexico, though.
Back home, safe and sound.
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