Ciudad Victoria

Sunday January 25, 2009

The trip through the border crossing, Mexican customs and two Mexican Army inspection stations was an eye opener. While we complain about Mexican efforts to control the border I see as much Mexican enforcement activity than I saw on the US side.

As we left the border area in our mirrors the countryside changed character. Homes are in better shape. Yards have goats and chickens. Laughing and waving, two kids ride together on a burro. The burro seem to enjoy it as much as the kids.

Equines get the choicest patches of grass along the roadways. They are tethered out – usually within a few hundred meters of the house - where they lazily graze. Shepherds move herds of goats or sheep along the road's shoulder as well. The animals stroll along the roadway, feed on the greenery and browse on the brush.
A rancher, with his herd of cattle sits easily in his saddle and watches the parade of RVs. He seems to contemplate and admire our lifestyle much as we admire his.

People are walking, biking, working on roads, buildings and crops. Everyone waves.

Spanish-language signs are everywhere. Slowly words float to the surface out of the deep past of high-school Spanish class. Little things start to make sense.

A few signs advertise tours of the Mezcal plant and the Museo Mezcal. Soon we are passing a huge field of blue agave; the very essence of Mezcal.

Tonight we're in Ciudad Victoria Tamaulipas, a 250 year-old city of a third of a million people. The elevation is about a thousand feet and the city is bordered on the west by a beautiful blue mountain range. We found a great restaurant in town. We had a huge sampler plate for two of carnitas (pork chicken beef), guacamole, roasted onion, salsa, and queso fundido. We loaded little tortillas till we couldn't hold any more. Ooof! That was good!

Tampico and Costa Esmeralda are on the agenda for tomorrow. It's a short run, so there'll be time to smell the roses and take a few pictures.