Very different suddenly

Every alert fervent and loyal blog reader right away notices that today the words that are read are different.
Very different.

How to explain?
What the difference is exactly?

The words look as if they were baked this time in a different bakery.
As if it is a different masseuse today.
As if the words were spoken from a different mountaintop.

As usual, the alert fervent and loyal blog is absolutely right.
And we should be impressed by the alertness and sharpness demonstrated.
Because these words are written on American soil!
Yesterday, the Mexican-USA border was crossed.
That’s why today it looks so different.

The border crossing took place in the Mexican town of Tecate.
Well known for the beer they brew there.

Crossing the border in Tecate, for a traveller used to Tijuana, is a revealing experience.

In Tecate there are only two boots with an immigration-officer.
While in Tijuana there are more than fifty.
Where easily one has to be in line for over two hours.
Not so in Tecate.
There is a line of cars too and yesterday the turtling was one hour.
But guess what?
Next to the long single line of cars they have placed portable toilets.
What a service!
And it is relaxed.
No hassling going on.
Just one single lane of cars so nobody trying to snatch in front of another one.
Less polluted air as well.

The immigration officer was most friendly.
Working in much better conditions than his colleague in Tijuana.
As is the procedure, the Fuso Szulc had to go to the Secondary Inspection area.
Where another Immigration Officer researched carefully the vehicle.
Obviously he found nothing.

Next step was the paper work.
The I-94: a visa for foreigners to visit the USA.
Another Immigration Officer again who was even ready to chat.
He explained that this was the first person from the Netherlands this year.

He also told that these days in Tijuana foreigners needing an I-94 have to park their car somewhere in Tijuana.
And next somehow they have to find their way to the border and to a particular building where they can obtain an I-94.
To return somehow to their vehicle and then they can cross the border.

If a foreigner knows this procedure, he or she is lucky.
Because many will not be aware of this strange, time consuming and complicated arrangement.
An innocent Italian for example will wait in line with her car for two hours to be informed eventually when reaching the boot with the Immigration Officer that she has to go back and apply for an I-94 on foot.
She has to turn her car around and go back into Tijuana.
Has to find somewhere a parking place and then follow the whole hullabaloo procedure.
Crossing the border in Tijuana for a non-American can take two days.

Late in the afternoon, a place was found to spend the night in the National Park of Potrero.
Very close to the Tecate border crossing.

After 5 months in Mexico, an American National Park is a revelation.
It is clean.
It is super well organized.
It is beautiful.
And all this for $ 24.
Including water, electricity, garbage service and hot showers.



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