Libby_or_Bust

Rey, Rosalva and I finally made it to South Padre Island a few days before I left. We´d had quite a few false starts in going because it had been so windy, but two Fridays ago we drove the 26 miles and spent the afternoon on the island. That will probably be the first and last time I ever go there, which is not to say I had a bad time — quite the contrary — but that an afternoon in the low season is all you need. We parked at a public access and took a little walk down the beach. I love the ocean. It was Torch Lake cold though, so all I did was say hello with my toes. Rey and Rosalva set up a game on the sand in view of the car and after I was done looking at shells (that is, done for the moment. Looking at shells and other miscellaneous sea debris could pass a lifetime) I joined them. The game is tossing pennies (we had to switch to quarters after a while because the wind handicap was too strong) from one line in the sand to another line in the sand about 8 feet away. We played for at least two hours, and though you would think it might get boring, just tossing change around the beach, it was engrossing for the whole time. Little did I know what a great trash talker Rey is! It was hilarious. All in Spanish of course, but before a toss he´d say things like, “If you beat this throw, then you´re good at this game´´ and if he won he´d be like, “I beat you!´´ But it was all in good fun because if he lost he wouldn´t be mad or anything, just laugh and congratulate me or Rosalva or say he couldn´t believe we´d beaten him.

The sun began to set and the wind picked up, so I left the game to get a few souvenirs from the sea. It was getting dark and I´d worn my perscription sunglasses, so it was getting really dark for me, though I was still able to find some neat shells. One thing in particular caught my eye, a bumpy, odd-colored shell with a jagged edge. As I bent down to pick it up for a closer look, I realized it was a half-eaten pickle. Dill. Haha, just kidding, it tasted like saltwater. I mean, I _bet_ it tasted like saltwater…

We left the beach to the setting sun. After eating a big, American meal (hamburgers, of course) at Blackbeard´s and stopping at a cavernous souvenir shop on the way out (One tequila, two tequila, three tequila, do people seriously buy this sh*t?), we headed home.

The next day we were all sore from bending over to pick up our change in the beach game, but we all agreed it had been a great afternoon.

So my trip solo has finally begun. After three-and-a-half weeks with Rey and Rosalva, I was ready to go, though it was a sad departure. Rosalva really feels like an aunt to me, and she is the first friend I´ve ever had that´s of a different culture and language. I am very lucky to have her in my life and I was taken very good care of while in Brownsville. That being said, I will never, ever live in southern Texas. There seems to be an endemic species of plant called the Tattered Plastic Bag Tree and all the water you see is brown. Northern Michigan has it beat hands down. Environmentally speaking — not to mention friends and family — I can´t wait to come home.

On Friday morning I paid $237.50 pesos (just move the decimal to the left a space to get dollars) said a tearful goodbye to Rey and Rosalva and rode 5 hours west through aforementioned wasteland. Thankfully there were 3 (!) in-bus movies, all totally random and played at incredibly high volume. As we rolled into Monterrey that movie about luck with Lindsay Lohan came to an end. Before it were Eragon and Flight of Fury with Steven Segal, all movies I would never seek out; however, when presented with the option of trash-filled desert or bad acting dubbed into Spanish, I choose the latter.

Upon arrival, I took the advice of my trusted Lonely Planet guidebook and headed for Villas Parque Fundidora, a dormitory that seemed too good to be true at $7.50 a night including breakfast. After an incredibly sweaty hunt for VPF, I finally arrived, only to find out that it had closed. Two years ago. Right. Back to the metro to go back to the bus station to the cheap and seedy area of town where the inexpensive motels are. After more struggle and inability to locate other hotels from the LP, I decided on one that didn´t rent rooms by the hour (that I know of) and was the best deal I could find at $25 a night. There is a bathroom in the room, which is nice, but it is so small that I have to sit on the toilet sideways with my legs under the sink. Another interesting tidbit about the toilet is that it doesn´t have a seat. Where did it go? If you know, please call Hotel Nuevo Leon, Monterrey. I´m sure theý´re searching everywhere for it. I mean, it couldn´t have just gotten up and walked away! Or could it…? The area around this hotel also leaves much to be desired, though conveniently located right across the street are a few taco stands and a strip club. Thank goodness! And to think I was going to have to walk a few blocks to go to the strip club!

Monterrey itself, though incredibly expensive and with its share of contamination, has some neat things to offer. Down near the Zona Rosa is really pedestrian-friendly and has lots of museums and a shopping area that´s way too expensive for me but is good for people watching. I would recommend the Mexican history museum especially because it´s interactive, extensive, has nice bathrooms and is free on Tuesdays. Near this museum is the Paseo Santa Lucia, a man-made river with walkways on either side and lots of outdoor art and green space and seating. I´m not really describing it very well, but when I was here before with Rosalva´s family we took the boat ride and tour and it was worth the $40 pesos Rey paid for me to go on it. The government in Monterrey paid big bucks to transform it from an ironworks garbage dump into a nice city park, and they did a commendable job. Another place to go is the Cerveceria Cuauhtemoc, the first national brewery in Mexico and producer of Carta Blanca, Tecate and Dos Equis, among others (six months ago it began brewing Coors Light). The tour was free and though it was short, quite educational. Make sure if you want to do this that you wear long pants, closed-toed shoes and a shirt with sleeves. I was sent back to my hotel to change (darned assless chaps! Just when you think you´re dressed for the occasion…) in order to take the tour. The best part was the free beer of your choice — that is, what the company brews — at the end in the beer garden.  

So this will be a summary post, as I am writing from the computer of a cousin of Rosalva. Rey and Rosalva have been treating me great, but I have virtually no control over what I do or when I ... [Continue reading this entry]