PebHmong Discussion Forum
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: theking on August 31, 2021, 10:56:59 PM
-
Here's the link to DaCurse's thread:
http://www.pebhmong.com/forum/index.php/topic,407878.msg5003533.html#msg5003533 (http://www.pebhmong.com/forum/index.php/topic,407878.msg5003533.html#msg5003533)
I've crossed over to Mexico at various crossing points from California to Texas and yes, the landscape as well as the Mexican border guards can be very different from entry point to entry point in my experience.
I would say the San Diego to TJ is the simplest as it's just a turnstile and the weather during the Summer is much cooler due to the Pacific coast being so close:
(https://i.imgur.com/gfTFL60.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/KRkufy5.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/enjwEi5.jpg)
-
Now as you move towards Arizona, it gets hotter. Here are some photos I took when we crossed over to Mexicali. The Mexican guards seemed to be more alert and all had semi-automatic rifles:
(https://i.imgur.com/66UvrVz.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/vMIJVGX.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/98zjAyE.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/c9Tum8p.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/N9zLSxK.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/q1RJ5jf.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Ot62ZQZ.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/pYagJ1b.jpg)
-
I have also crossed over at the El Paso entry point but didn't take any photos of that crossing. I did took some photos when we paid some respects to the Walmart victims' memorial below. Most of the lights in the far distance is Mexico btw:
(https://i.imgur.com/TQZ48g6.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/23nW3OG.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/YJc6bBp.jpg)
As well as the mountain range:
(https://i.imgur.com/pZbm9Sy.jpg)
-
The official border crossing point in Texas' Big Bend National Park is closed due to COVID so couldn't cross it:
(https://i.imgur.com/webkCVA.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/jjWazYx.jpg)
-
However, we were able to easily cross over to the Mexico side and back because the Rio Grande is pretty dried up during the Summer months:
(https://i.imgur.com/LVuXrst.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/W0U0pVP.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/UiqXfJE.jpg)
-
We saw more Border Patrol Officers than Park Rangers at Big Bend probably because it's so easy to cross ???:
(https://i.imgur.com/6cpgW7y.jpg)
-
I've been watching too many news articles bout missing person and how it is to die out in them terrains like those.
The family of asian wife, american husband and kid and even the dog got killed out there in Yosemite park area is suspected of death by some algae or fungus growth. They locked out that area from tourist per the news I read today.
This is the reason why I am hesitant to go unarmed in areas like those. No man's land or how shall I put it, from dusk till dawn the movie. Bandits and pirates and man, you gotta protect your family too. If I'm by myself, I can run and find a way to save myself but with your family, that is the weight you gotta carry too. Like for example...
I followed these guys on youtube. They went to alaska for an rv adventure and they wanted to see bears. Well they saw bears and it was a crazy and scary encounter. First timer and see how helpless that things can turn ugly with the wrong move. This is my phobia when it comes to traveling outside of my domain area. Watch this and tell me you don't have anxiety. The poor guy was at the bottom while his gf was alone at the top and there is a bear up there with her. My gosh, i'll die knowing that my girl is defending herself and I'm so helpless in what little I can do.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhqS-hW1QAM (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhqS-hW1QAM)
-
The Mexican food was great but the Chinese food at this restaurant in Mexicali was just OK:
(https://i.imgur.com/AClZ7Rg.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/vzsRSU5.jpg)
-
And speaking of Walmart, the Mexican Walmart is just a few miles away from the American one in El Paso where they built the memorial for those 22 victims that were gunned down:
(https://i.imgur.com/pPJZpac.png)
-
What about the crossing over to our neighbors to the north you say?
I've crossed over at the Vancouver, B.C., Calgary, Alberta, AB, and Toronto, ONT entry points and they were all consistent, clean and drama free in my experience:
(https://i.imgur.com/xrtNYdn.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/GqbeMQn.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/maxy6Rc.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/IAzQLCP.jpg)
-
Couple photos of when we rode my bike into TJ:
(https://i.imgur.com/7BNuscW.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/IZ4QN1K.jpg)
-
Biggest difference between the North and South borders. Re-entry to the U.S. from the North border is as easy as crossing over. On the other hand, re-entry to the U.S. from the South border requires patience regardless of entry point (that's my experience anyways). I took this photo when we returned back to the U.S. through the Mexicali entry point:
(https://i.imgur.com/387q1vA.jpg)
-
Out of the southern border entry points, TJ is the busiest coming back to America in my experience. And it doesn't just get busy when you're at the crossing, it's starts about half a mile or so out with folks walking in the middle of the street/highway, hustling and trying to sell you stuff before you even get to the gate. Kind of like these folks that I captured with my camera:
(https://i.imgur.com/Js3bOMN.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/dDyQqV8.jpg)
-
And walking back is not better either as those same folks are on the sidewalk trying to get you to buy what they're selling. The line at check out is usually long like in this photo I took:
(https://i.imgur.com/Y8IpnmV.jpg)
-
Speaking of the northern border, this is really up north. Taking the train from Alaska and crossing south over to Canada was interesting:
(https://i.imgur.com/SIMeo36.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Qe50OMN.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/lmv6Dvq.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/VYoILDU.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/KFG87Su.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/50NM32X.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/O7warCl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/9OcQG9C.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/kIEUSmv.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/wZZcV7e.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/0wNlnwV.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Om6Nm1D.jpg)