Thurs, Nov 27 .... Thanksgiving in Mexico!

Trapper decided to start driving after his 10 hour break, so I think it was around 3:00 a.m. we were back on the road. For me, I was fast asleep! We stopped again about 50 miles from Laredo due to the fog and the driver was getting tired. Good decision to stop!

We arrived at the terminal, checked in, got the trailer inspected, and found out we are number 90 on the board. Looks like we'll be in Laredo for a couple of days... oh well... shorts and flip flops! Yes! It's 85 degrees.

As anyone reading this knows... every time we're in Lardeo, I pester Trapper, half to death, to take me to Mexico... he said we would go today! Cool!

Quick showers ... we were on the way to the border.

There's a nice huge paved parking lot for "tourist" to park and then you have to take the International Bridge #1 to walk over. We paid the $1.75 toll for pedestrians and Mexico was just a short walk across the Rio Grande!

Being a natural born shutter bug (and getting it honestly from my dad and grandfather), I'm snapping pictures left and right. Trapper picks on me about it... especially when I forget I'm in the middle of the street with traffic coming! I am a random picture taking fanatic!

The walk across the bridge was nice, there were a lot of pedestrians carrying groceries across. Are groceries cheaper in the US? We simply walked through the border crossing and we were officially in Mexico!! I couldn't believe it.

As you walk through the border crossing you can't help but notice the big deterrent they have.... crowd control measure or extreme measure? You judge for yourself.... check out the man sporting the machine gun!

The questions, from the locals, start really quick.... well, immediately. Prescription drugs are obviously a big business!

Bypassing all the offers, we found a quite looking place and spotted a young American man and struck a conversation with him.

This young fella filled us in on the do's and dont's of being in Mexico. He also filled us in on his life story.... prescription habit.... and the reason he was there.... we politely excused ourselves to venture along in the streets of the market place.

We covered the little 3 block section, going from store to store, and I was able to pick up a few small items for the family back home. As it got later in the afternoon, we decided it was time to head back for the states.

We arrived at the crossing and paid the $3.00 in peso's which was equivalent to .30 cents American money and started our walk back across the bridge. Naturally, I'm snapping pictures the entire time we are walking.

There were two lines of pedestrian traffic, once we reached the border crossing on the USA side. One of the guards was questioning the man in the line next to us and the next thing we know this man was in handcuffs and a second guard was encouraging him to cooperate with the officer (that was doing the handcuffing.) Being stunned and in amazement... I stood there watching ... until Trapper sternly pulled me over to his right side, positioning himself between me and the action that could have erupted! Thank goodness the man went away with them quietly.

With my passport in hand, I'm the next one to go through the ID check and before I can hand my passport to the guard he says, "Were you taking pictures?" Naturally, I reply in a weak, "Yes" and a nod of the head. I handed him my passport and he lays it down and says with all seriousness, "I need to see the pictures." I couldn't get the camera out of my pocket fast enough!

I went through the pictures as he dictated which ones needed to be deleted. Just for good measure, I even suggested I delete a couple! I was cooperative and he explained that it was a matter of "bridge security". Finally, he was pleased, and told me to proceed. Whew!

As I started walking away (quickly), the guard, using his shoulder mike, attached to his walkie talkie, announces to his superiors.... "The pictures have been deleted.", in his very authoritative voice! This is when I realized I must have become a suspicious character.... I can hear the alert now.... "Person of interest #1, on bridge, black ball cap, approaching border, seize camera!"

Remembering Trapper was behind me.... I turned around to find him and noticed this strange look on his face... he must have been thinking, "That's right... take the white woman." All I really wanted was through this border check and back in the states!!

The second check point went without incident. The guard asked what I was bringing back with me. I put the bags on the table and just said, "Here, you can look." He glanced inside the bags and gave me permission to go on... That was all I needed to hear!

The rest of our Thanksgiving Day we spent walking the streets of Laredo, TX USA, in the shopping district. You can find about any "knock off" brand your heart desires and really great prices.

We messed around so long in Mexico and Laredo... our Thanksgiving dinner was at Pizza Hut. The other restaurant chains had closed early. You can always count on Pizza Hut being open! We ate and talked about our Mexican Thanksgiving Day journey.

In the past 9 months, Trapper and I have been to the Bahamas, Canada, and Mexico... the one thing, we both agree on, is that it is always good to be home!

This Thanksgiving is one I will never forget, and yes, I am thankful to be home!