Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Guaymas city, Mex.

Today was the big day for crossing the Mexican Border. Jay and I got up early and were on the road by around 7:30 or so. We drove an hour to Nogales and crossed the border into Mex. It was very undefined and not clear. There is a “free zone” that Americans can visit without having to go through the formalities of border crossings. This promotes commerce and tourism. We had to drive about 45 minutes south before we came to the actual border. We spent apx an hour and a half getting a tourist card and a vehicle permit. Though it took a little time, this border crossing was very civil and corgial.

After this, we were IN. We rode down to Guaymas which is on the coast directly south of Nogales and Tucson, AZ. The lonely planet guide to Mexico directed us to a hotel in the heart of the city. It took us a while to find it, but it had a court yard to put our bikes in and was clean.
After getting set up, we walked a long ways and found a meat and taco restaurant. We had fun communicating with the waitresses. We even taught them the word for lettuce. I, however, do not remember the word for lettuce that they told me. I’ll have to look it up in my dictionary.

So, the transition from the US to Latin culture was quick. One side of the border was what we knew. The other side of the border was filled to the brim with stimulus: lights, signs, fast moving vehicles, exhaust from trucks, and people everywhere. It’s like a Finding Waldo poster.

The thing that has been so wonderful has been the warmth and generosity of the people we've encountered. Most everybody was helpful, enjoyed the challenge of communicating and were kind. It may be time to rest and let the sleep help us to adjust.

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