Mexico--The Rest

We had lunch at Cookies, Stephanie met her true love, hung out at a pool hall, and had another stream of visitors hoping to see Ana and Lola before they left.

Carmen gave me a beautiful salt and pepper shaker set to remind me of her and my time there. She told me that I was always welcome in her very humble home, and made me cry. Shouldn't I be giving her the gift? I was treated with nothing but kindness and hospitality by everyone I met. They were all so great to me. I mentioned to Ana that I didn't know most of the extended families names, but had been hugged and kissed by more than half of them. Total acceptance...you can't argue with that.

We left early Sunday afternoon, after yet another go-round of family visitors. Ana's brother works in Juarez, but his family lives in Chihuahua were they take care of his mother-in-law who has terminal cancer. Albert comes home on the bus every Friday night and takes the 6 hour bus ride back at midnight on Sunday. This means, he gets off the bus and heads right to work. Ana suggested that he ride back with us, and he took her up on the offer. We stopped at a little (but very busy) cafe for lunch and finally got to the Visa checkpoint. There were some technical difficulties with the computer system that made the people in line behind us none to happy. We sat through a mini-revolution, where the checkpoint agent ended an argument with the growing crowd by slamming and locking the booth window, and after 45 minutes we finally got out of there.

We made it to Juarez around 7:00, made it over the bridge and back on American soil around 8:00 and rolled into Albuquerque around midnight. We collapsed at the hotel where we were rudely awakened by someone, and I am not kidding, jumping off the bed and repeatedly running around their room above us at 5:30 a.m. It didn't make any of us very happy, but it did get us up and going. Then there is the rest of the very, very long drive home. You know, the part where if you don't get out of the car RIGHT. NOW. you will kill all your traveling companions even if you do really like them.

All in all, I had a wonderful, spectacular, fabulous time in Mexico. It was a lovely experience. There are a lot of things that are different about their lifestyle, but I truly believe there are a lot of things that are superior to our way of life. I hope I get the chance to go back again.