#8 Nuevo Progreso

Today we drove about 25 miles to a town called Progreso, just north of the Mexican border. You can park right near the border for $2 and then for $.25 you can walk across the Rio Grande to a another town called Nuevo Progreso, Mexico.

As soon as you get there, you are assaulted with the smells, colors, sounds, and people who are selling everything from dental work to medicine to all kinds of food.

Both sides of the street have numerous stores and businesses, and on the street-side of the sidewalk there are stands with various vendors. Most of the time there is only a space of a few feet to walk, and the vendors kept pushing things at you and asking if you want to buy. If you didn't buy, however, they were polite about it with no problem.

Quite a few of the items were very reasonable, especially, it seemed, some of the clothing and pottery. Well tooled belts and boots were less of a bargain, but still quite nice. Many folks were buying liquor, which was pretty inexpensive. We heard one fellow say that he bought two bottles of tequila (not sure how big the bottles were) for $4. Some folks on the street were hawking dental work, eye glasses with exams, and medicines. There were perhaps 6 dentists and 10 or more pharmacies. We priced one name brand medicine, but if I remember the prices correctly, the price was not that much better than back home.

Lunch was at Arturo's where we had tacos with beans and rice. The place was packed with Winter Texans. Food quality and prices were similar to what you might expect in the states, and service was a cut above. We did not have the water, but many people did, so I expect no problems.

Coming back across the border required a passport, and entailed a short line, but otherwise no problems. We came back across the border with some bargains and tired feet. It was an interesting visit to our southern neighbors in Nuevo Progreso.