OUR FIRST TIME IN LOS ALGODONES MEXICO

It was under a heavy cloud cover and dark skys I packed up the TV satellite dish and stowed it away early this morning.  Had hooked the Jeep up late Sunday afternoon so the only thing left to do before we headed out was to square away the interior and bring the slides in.  That done we headed off for a large parking lot area on the American side of the Mexican border between Yuma and Los Algodones.

OUR CURRENT DIGS UNTIL EARLY TUESDAY AFTERNOON SOMETIME

WALKING TO LOS ALGODONES MEXICO ABOUT 8 A.M. THIS MORNING
As I previously stated we decided to take the Motorhome with the Jeep hooked up right to the big parking lot at the border.  For the huge amount of money we are saving on dentures as opposed to having it done in Canada we figured we’d pay the $22 to stay the night right here in the fenced in and security patrolled well lit parking lot.  With my 3 denture appointments today plus another in the morning it was a logical thing for us to do. 

NO PROBLEM FINDING THE PURPLE PHARMACY, IT’S RIGHT THERE SOON AS YOU WALK INTO MEXICO!!

KELLY PICKS UP A FEW MINOR MEDS

IN THE RUBIO CAR HEADING THROUGH THE ALGODONES STREETS TO THE CLINIC


HERE WE ARE AT THE RUBIO DENTAL CLINIC
Parked the rig, locked it up with Pheebs inside as security and we headed off the short distance to walk across the border.  As expected there were lots of vendor people right on us right off the bat and of course that never stops.  If I heard ‘Hey Lady’ a thousand times I heard it 10,000 times.
OK, OK, SO I HAD THE WRONG PICTURE……THIS IS THE REAL RUBIO CLINIC:))

NICE MODERN WAITING ROOM
First stop of course was the Purple Pharmacy to pick up a few things and also check in to have the Rubio Dental Clinic send a car to pick us up as suggested.  This Algodones kind of experience is not new to us having crossed the Mexican border in Palomas south of Columbia New Mexico a fair few times back in late 06 and early 07.  Only difference is Algodones is bigger than Palomas.
WE STARTED OUR WALK OFF WITH A REFLECTED SELFIE

LOVE ALL THE BRIGHT COLORS


The Rubio driver slowly made his way around about half a dozen blocks to a rear entrance at the Rubio Clinic.  The mile long bumper to bumper traffic line-up goes right past the front of the clinic so there is no stopping there.  We paid close attention to the route from the Purple Pharmacy to the Rubio Clinic so we would be able to walk it later, which we did.

VENDORS-VENDORS-VENDORS ABSOLUTELY EVERYWHERE



DUSTY OLD TIME WORN COLORFUL STREETS

It is said that within a four block radius there are more pharmacies, doctors, dentists and opticians than a similar four block area anywhere else in the world.    Algodones Info

We were at the dental clinic half an hour early and they took me in 20 minutes early.  Inside was no different than any dental clinic one would find in Canada.  Clean, well lit, and all the modern equipment.  They laid me back in a purple upholstered dental chair,  stuck some metal plates in my mouth to determine size then mixed up a batch of goop, made the impressions, and that was it for my first appointment and I was back out before my allotted time in.




REMINDS ME OF THE PINK STORE IN PALOMAS MEXICO


Next appointment was at 11 o’clock so Kelly and I headed off walking around Algodones to put in some time.  Didn’t take me long to tire of the constant badgering by vendors to buy stuff.  They were all friendly and I know they have to make a living but enough is enough is enough already.  I learned a long time ago not to make eye contact with vendors or else you could end up with a friend for life who will follow you forever.  I’m always polite to people but I do not engage in any kind of conversation.  Not being a big people person as it is I find it way too much for me to be constantly approached by people to buy something, go somewhere, or get something done.


Stopped at the Tecate Cafe where Kelly had a fish taco and I had a coffee.  I like the colorful setting here but not so much the loud booming Mexican music.  Walked around some more before finally heading back up to the clinic.  We were early and I was taken in early again.  This time more fittings with just the molded part as the denturist fitted, then trimmed then fitted some more with each time requiring more trimming here and shaving off there.  Appointment number 2 was soon over with my next appointment this afternoon at 2.
THE LARGE OPEN AIR TECATE CAFE


ISN’T THIS JUST THE CUTEST LITTLE WAITRESS YOU EVER SAW
The plan had originally been for me to stay in Algodones waiting for my third appointment while Kelly went back to the rig to be with Pheebs but we noticed there was hardly a line-up to get back into the States so I decided I might as well go back to the rig as well so that is what we did with only half a dozen people ahead of us in the line-up.  We were across the border in about 5 minutes.

THIS LINE OF CARS WAITING TO CROSS INTO THE U.S. STRETCHES BACK FOR EASILY A MILE

VENDORS PUSH CARTS AND WALK ALONG BESIDE THE CARS SELLING THINGS


THIS FELLOW WAS SELLING CANDY APPLES AND COLORED COTTON CANDY

I THINK SOMEBODY SHOULD HAVE BEEN SELLING THIS GUY A CAR WASH

THIS LONG COVERED WIDE WALKWAY AREA IS FOR THE LONG LINES OF PEOPLE WAITING TO CROSS BACK INTO THE U.S.A.

MANY BENCHES FOR PEOPLE TO SIT WHILE WAITING FOR MAYBE HOURS SOMETIMES TO CROSS THE BORDER AT PEAK TIMES

THIS WATERWAY ABUTS THE WALKWAY WITH AMERICA ON THE LEFT AND MEXICO ON THE RIGHT…..LOTS OF DUCKS AND EGRETS OUT THERE….VERY HARD TO SEE BUT OUR MOTORHOME IS PARTIALLY VISIBLE TOP LEFT UNDER A BIG RECTANGULAR SIGN

MEXICAN MILITARY CHECK VEHICLES ON THEIR WAY TO THE BORDER

ONLY A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE AHEAD OF US AT THE BORDER GOING BACK
At 1:15 me my very self headed off back into Mexico.  Kelly made me wear a security bracelet on my ankle in case I got lost but knowing the layout of the land now it was no problem finding the Rubio Group building again.  Up the hill, round the tight corner taking special care to not get run down by any of the many Speedy Gonzales types and I was again early for my appointment but my ‘early’ had run out and they took me at 2:05.  I was in the chair less than 5 minutes for another fitting and that was it until appointment #4 at 11 a.m. Tuesday morning.  Bit of a line-up at the border this time but took only 20 minutes and I was back in the States again walking to the rig.  Two minutes later a happy little speeding doggy came racing across the big parking lot to greet me.

WHEN I RETURNED TO THE RUBIO CLINIC MYSELF I PASSED THIS FAMILY WITH DAD PLAYING A HORN, JUNIOR ON THE DRUMS, DAUGHTER SITTING ON THE CURB AND MOM OUT ON THE ROAD TAKING DONATIONS FROM VEHICLES WAITING TO CROSS THE BORDER

WALKING BACK FROM THE CLINIC HALF AN HOUR LATER THE ONLY CHANGE IS JUNIOR NOW SITTING ON THE CURB AND DAUGHTER BANGING THE DRUMS

HERE I AM AT THE END OF THE LINE-UP….THAT LADY IN THE BROWN COAT HAD DRANK TOO MANY MARGUARITTAS AND WAS BLASTED

MILITARY CHECKNG THE BACK OF A PICK-UP TRUCK
 
SOLDIERS ARE SAYING “HEY THERE’S THAT SAME GUY DOING ANOTHER REFLECTED SELFIE AGAIN”

THE LINE SOON FILLED IN BEHIND ME
Okay, so what were our impressions of Los Algodones Mexico today??  Well, it’s a border town and one has to understand and accept that.  I always like the bright bold colors in the Mexican culture and my impression of Mexican people is that overall they are happy lot.  Saw lots of people hugging lots of people.  Loud oompa-oompa music and many Mexican people often seem to be in some kind of a party mood.  Streets of seemingly unending vendors with just about everything imaginable for sale.  Some good stuff and some glitzy stuff.  If there is 1 dental clinic in Algodones there must be about 53,000 dental clinics in Algodones.  Same goes for eye glass places and how many drug stores does one town need anyway. 

NOW THERE’S ONE MIGHTY HAPPY LITTLE CAMPER IF I EVER SAW ONE (and Kelly did not buy anything)
Both Kelly and I were in agreement Algodones is not a place we would voluntarily return to unless for a medical appointment or something.  Just not our cup of tea.  Palomas Mexico south of Columbus New Mexico is much more to our liking simply because it is much smaller than Algodones and is the home to the famous Pink Store which Kelly and I both loved.  It was in Palomas where I had my last set of dentures made back in December of 07.

HEADING INTO THE TECATE CAFE’'
And it is with sadness today we read about the passing of fellow RV Blogger Rod Ivers.  Retired Rod

RETIRED ROD ON DECEMBER 24TH 2013 WEST OF ALBUQUERQUE

Rod was one of the early Bloggers we came across in our first few years of traveling and we often commented on each other’s posts through the years.  Heading west on October 24th 2013 we knew Retired Rod and his little dog Biscuit were parked in an RV Park just west of Albuquerque New Mexico so we surprised him by dropping in to say Hello.  It was our first meeting.  It was the following month when Rod and Biscuit returned the surprise by driving up from Tucson to see us at our Congress house.

ROD AND BISCUIT AT OUR CONGRESS HOUSE
It was slightly less than a year ago that we saw for the last time at Bloggerfest 2015.  We will always remember you Rod and I’m sure most everybody will remember your classic post, Roomba.

RETIRED ROD AT BLOGGERFEST JANUARY 25TH 2015

ROD ON JANUARY 23RD INTRODUCING HIMSELF AT BLOGGERFEST 2016

ALL THE BEST TO YOU ROD WHEREVER YOUR FINAL JOURNEY MAY LEAD YOU
GROANER’S CORNER:(( Once upon a time Nasa decided to send three astronauts to space for 2 years.  NASA allowed each of them to take 200 pounds of baggage each.  The first astronaut decided to take along his wife, the second decided to take along books to learn how to speak German, while the third astronaut decided to take along cigarettes.  Two years later, when the space shuttle landed, there was a big crowd waiting to welcome them home.  First came the first astronaut and his wife and each of them had a baby in their arms.  Next, out came the second astronaut speaking fluent German.  They both gave their speeches and got a rousing applause.  Suddenly out came the third astronaut with a cigarette in his mouth.  Bedraggled with a wild eyed look and shaking like a leaf he walked up to the podium and snarled to the crowd and asked, 'Has anyone got a friggin' match?'
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What sort of television programs do ducks like? Duckumentaries
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A man and woman were having marriage problems, and decided to end their union after a very short time together. After a most brief attempt to reconcile, the couple went to court to finalize their break-up.  The judge asked the husband, “What has brought you to this point, where you are not able to keep this marriage together?” The husband said, “In the six weeks we've been together, we haven't been able to agree on one thing.” The wife said, “Seven weeks.”