May
20
2006

Here Comes Another Post About Mexico

Travelling To Puerto Peñasco, MX

PhotosSaturday, May 20, 2006 - 11:21:34 am (Friday, May 19, 2006 - 06:21:34 pm MST)
(Posted Under: Travel)
"I just can't help myself, got my lures and my bobbers and now I'm gonna go..."

Another post about Mexico, but the all important one. We headed off for Mexico this morning. It was a nice drive south of Phoenix, the desert a lot more brown than it was last year. I also thought the scenary was suitably different to the Tucson / Nogales trip to the border last year. Sun beating down, Dead Hot Workshop playing on the stereo, really nice!

We made a pitstop in Ajo for gas, drinks and photos before continuing on down to the dusty Mexican border line. We made another bathroom stop literally outside of the border. This was cool when I realised we were in Gringos Pass, which there is a Whalen song about.

Photobox ImageWe continued a few meters down to the border crossing. Seriously a lot more low key than the one in Nogales. There was no passport check or anything, we just continued on. A little way into Sonoyta (the border town on the Mexico side), we stopped to give collectors some loose change. At this point we had Americano! playing, and Americano! (the track) was on. A policia was directing traffic as Roger sung "La policia's asking questions, say you don't know nothin' and you ain't seen a thing." Too freaking cool!

We continued on the Sonoyta, which did loolk suitably more like Mexico, which was cool. Obviously the landscape looked the same as Arizona most of the way to Puerto Peñasco (accents to be added at a later stage), and the highway seemed quite good. For the most part the only indication of being in Mexico was the road signs which we're in kilometers per hour, and of course...es spanole. [smile]

As we got closer to Puerto Peñasco, the desert became much more sandy. All in all it was about an hour from the border to Puerto. Hitting the town, to me, it didn't seem a that much different to smaller towns in southern Arizona. It reminded me a lot of Tucson actually. It was cool, just not the huge culture shock I was looking for! We drove through town, and then turned off the main drag onto the road that leads to Sunset Cantina and Pincate condos. "This is what I'm talking about!" This was the Mexico I was looking for - dirty dusty roads, people everywhere, and eratic driving! [smile] It was only a short way to our destination. Turning onto the short road that where Pincate was situated, it was packed with gringos there to see Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers.

Photobox ImageWe parked and checked in, and then headed over to the condos (right opposite of the resort checkin, next to Sunset Cantina). One of the first culture differences thing I noticed was that the boomgate for the parking lot of Pincate was not electric, there was a guy whose job is to pull it up everytime a car needs to go in.

We parked, got our stuff together, and headed up to the condo. It took a bit to find ours, and walking through the complex I looked out down one of the stair wells, where there was a window looking over the ocean. The view of the ocean and the dropping sun beaming of it was spectacular. I knew that once we got situated I was going to have to goo back and take a photo.

After working the full length of the third floor, we found room #315. Now, if anyone is going to Puerto Peñasco, I highly recommend the Pimncate Condominiums! $119 a nigiht for a 2 bedroom, kitchen, laundry, living room, TV, CD player fully furnished condo in my opinnion was awesome! The only complaint I had was the size of the balcony compared to some others, and that complaint did not last long. [smile] Also I expected more of an ocean view, though I got over that really quickly also! [smile]

Photobox ImageCatherine took off for a walk, and Katie and I got ourselves situated. Once Catherine got back, we grabbed the camera and took a walk down to the beach, and of course, snapping that photo I wanted on the way down the stair well. Walking out on the beach, someone who we didn't know said "finally, you made it!", which was weird. [smile] A lot of fans who'd gotten there earlier in the day were already travelling well!

We walked past the Pen Del Sol (actual name to be corrected later) which is next door to Pincate. There had been talk of renovation there on the Peacemakers board earlier this year, and it was interesting to see that the rooms were pretty much gutted. Renovations indeed! In anycase, we walked down along the shore to the beach front, past the vendors on the beach. A few small girls came up to Katie, selling shells or wanting to braid her hair. Funnily enough hearing Katie say "No gracis" was strange. "Si gracious" isn't, but "no gracious" sounds like half english and half spanish, although it's entirely full proper spanish. I certain was able to embrace this later on, but the first few times, it sounded strange to me.

We headed down to the water, and Katie dipped her feet in. We were asked if we wanted a ride on the banana boat, which we declined, and Katie promptly told me about her previous traumatic bananana boat experience.

After milling around at the waters edge for a bit, we made our way back to the condo. A little while later I made the same trip more or less with Catherine. On the way back we also walked down to la famacia to get - to get what I don't exactly remember. Well, I wanted some deodorant I think. I'd really found being in Mexico not a big deal. Turning onto the street that leads to Pincate was the first, and one of the very few times when I felt even slightly uneasy. Walking past Cocodrillo's (on the corner) there was a black van parked with it's doors opened, and that was one of the few times even images of the dangers of Mexico flashed through my head. Obviously though, it was not a big deal at all.

We walked down a bit further to la famacia. The place was filled with obvious Peacemaker fans, stocking up for the weekend. It was weird looking at the items, and seeing for example, a small can of deodorant for $45! Even though you know it can't be dollars, it's weird to see, and hesitance to even walk up to the counter with it. Though I guess this was a first time thing, it didn't take much to become acoustomed to it. As it turns out, a peso is 10 American dollars, which made it a lot more reasonable. [wink] Well, still $4.50 for a small can of deodorant was still pricy in heighensight. [smile] Given the dry head and consntant sweat, I didn't need to be frugal though. [smile]

Anyways, after our la famacia experience, we headed back to the condo, to get ready to go out to Manny's, the typical Friday night pre show hangout.

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