Good-Bye Snow...Hello, Mexico

So, the 20 inch snowfall on the day before we planned to go did not help preparation plans. We still did leave last Sat, and arrived yesterday, the following Sat.   It seems amazing that we even did it, with pretty late plans formulating for this whole endeavor.  We had thought of driving a year ago; then, also in the fall; also, even this winter, but never truly thinking we would do it; So, when we did decide, we just went with it, and somehow pulled it off.  Guess it was meant to happen.

We 'escaped' from WI  (I think 'Escape TO WI' was a slogan once...) around noon, with Grandma and Frida (the dog) in tow. Bruce, the other dog, is having some vacation time at the neighbors. hope it's ok. Since he's scarier looking, it would probably have been a plus to have him along, but dealing with one dog was enough.

But anyway...from WI with a stay w/friends in MO, and then Steve's sister Sall in Fort Worth, Tex, where we left Gram for a stay.  Here is the day before Xmas eve photo of Gram with her kids!
(her photo request  :-)



 and, Sall with her 2 dogs, Buffy and Sweetie....very sweet I'm sure, esp without extra company in the house. But, they had to give up some of their precious space for us--intruders into their lifestyle.  And then, even more limiting, there was a snowfall right after we left which meant they couldn't even be out in the yard much.  They gave up a lot of freedom, to accomodate guests!


 Here we are parked outside Sall's place in Fort Worth, Texas.
She lives around TCU in a nice neighborhood.

And then, again in Laredo, where we finally felt warmth.   And wow! palm trees....

 
  So, we got to Laredo in 3 days and stayed there to cross the border early in am of 25th, figuring it would be a slow day.   I think I was too freaked out around Immigration to even get any photos.  Plus, it would probably not have been allowed, and we didn't want to push it.



After crossing the border, we had to do a hairpin turn and swing into the Immigration station to process paperwork, show documents, etc.

 

Bienvenido a Mexico.....Welcome to Mexico!

Really, not as bad as we thought.  But, once underway and out on highway, we did have a heart stopping pullover, where they questioned the documents, with somehow did not show we had a small trailer.  After reassuring we had no 'armas' (guns) and no motorcycles stuffed in there...and offering a bribe, and debating the price, even raising it from 500 -800 pesos...think we just exhausted the policia guy's timeframe, and our (my) frantic state must have convinced him to let us go on. 
 

 The drive to the next city of Monterrey was, to me, rather bleak. Between dry parched areas, some mountains, maybe some surface mining of ? something that's probably used in road contruction...it was just an area to get through. And then there was a lot of ugly industrial production stuff--probably Wal-Mart plants, etc... and large lots of minimal looking housing to put the workers needed....just overall, not pleasant to look at, and actually more to feel bad about, as how factories are taking advantage of minimal employment of a desperate job force...who are willing to live in such conditions to have work. Sorry I didn't get photos of the housing...I was probably just too appalled.

 The mountains were not bad, but after awhile, it just added to the bleakness of the whole scene.

Mountains we saw later in the trip were much nicer.

So, after maybe 200 miles, we got to Saltillo, which turned out to be a nice place, and we found an old hacienda which had been recommended by other... El Murillo.  The weather, esp the evening, was more chilly, and guess Saltillo is called the 'Denver of Mexico' being quite high. It is the high plains area, or 'altiplano' of Mexico, which we continued in for quite some time even after Saltillo.

There were just such pretty plantings all over...nicely maintained--it made everything feel so natural and fresh after the bleak landscape we had just driven through.

And the most memorable part was Maria Elena, who was born and raised in the area. She was our total hostess--checked us in; took the 700 pesos (reasonable, for an hacienda!), and made us an evening meal, as well as breakfast...and made the fire for both!
A total new age woman, I'd say... so gracious.

More later....but, we made it.  A total of 8 days....too many miles, a few shakedown, a few bribes, but no breakdowns.  I was lucky to be in the hands of a great driver, and grateful to have made it to our destination.  Not sure it's a trip I would do again... But, as is our motto---'now for something completely different,'  (a Monty Python quote), it lived up to the billing.  A bit adventurous, a bit 'pushing the envelope' and the best part is....it's behind us!   whew!