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Work 4 Peace,Hold All Life Sacred,Eliminate Violence! I am on my mobile version of the door-to-door, going town-to-town holding readings/gatherings/discussions of my book "But What Can I Do?" This is my often neglected blog mostly about my travels since 9/11 as I engage in dialogue and actions. It is steaming with my opinions, insights, analyses toward that end of holding all life sacred, dismantling the empire and eliminating violence while creating the society we want ALL to thrive in

Tuesday, November 09, 2010

First nite in Mexico

My first nite in mexico and I’ve already broken a couple of rules: 1) no driving after dark; and 2) no random parking on side streets.

I have found a street off the main highway that I hope is free of vandals, federales, y banditos! Not to mention howling dogs and/or pesky scorpions. And it is way after the sun set, although she did take a long time setting tonite.

It was quite stark, the dark mountains and sky to the east, and the bright light silhouetting the hills to the west – as if someone had left on the bathroom light down the hall. Finally the white turned dusky rose and then a red so short-lived it could have been my expectation.

I lost track of the number of times I had to stop at roadblocks or inspection stations only to be waved merrily through. Whatever these men in dark blue were looking for, it wasn’t me, my political signs and all. So all those nasty folks who emailed me threatening me with imprisonment in Mexico should I dare speak my mind – as I do in the states & end up jailed – are wrong thus far.

The only comment I’ve received thus far has been from the male toll collector who read the “Monsanto = Muerte” side of my truck and said “viva mujeres” (I think), to which I said “arriba mujeres”! We smiled and laughed while he took my 98 pesos – yes it cost me about $20 (2 tolls and one huge damn road bump that dislodged my picture of Tessie & chosen family from the wall) to travel from the border to Hermosillo, the capital of this state of Sonora.

So I chose this side street because it is 2 blocks from the main road where several hotels line the boulevard and the homes are spaced apart with walls but not that many iron bars. I tried the other side of the road but the homes were very close together with almost wall to wall bars and lots of dogs barking.

I am arrived in Hermosillo. Tomorrow, I will try to find an immersion school, aceite vegetal , and an internet café, maybe not in that order.

Across the border!!~!

Crossing the border was a little daunting, especially from the U.S.A. side. Those homeland security-appearing guys with long high-powered automatic rifles hanging on their sides or off their backs, dressed completely in black with their black sunglasses that reflect your imagine, halt the truck.

They will not allow me to pass unless I agree that the truck be x-rayed. Or I could take everything out for them to look thru. I've done that crossing the Canadian border many years ago when I only had a pickup truck full of boxes of antiques, camping equipment and an African-American girlfriend - and they just knew we were drug queen pins.

I concede to the x-ray. She lets me go thru.

When I cross into Mexico, the next police wants to see my registration and jumps inside the back to half-halfheartedly inspect my clothes hanging across the back of the truck, and open a few boxes. He lets me go. I am embarrassed when he asks if these are all my "ropas".

Less than 10 miles down the road is a roadblock and inspection station. I pull into the empty lane as I don't want to line up behind tons of trucks. At first the young officer wants me to go back and stand in that line.

Then he tells me this one time he will let me go ahead. I have to pull over and get a visa to travel in Mexico and a permit for my truck. $35.42 plus $22.09 dollars later, I have the proper papers that will last 180 days.

Now I have reached the first major town Carboca(?) and have found the internet cafe. $1.00 american for 1 hour - or 10 pesos for an hour.

The roads are fabulous. The desert is huge with palo verdes, mesquites, organ pipes cacti, mountains and valleys. The weather is perfect.

On I go...