Part 4 – Zacatecas to Ojinaga and US Border
December 15, 2022 – PARRAS de la Fuente
Slept at another Pemex station near Saltillo last night and it was too cold this morning to have breakfast outside so we drove on and stopped mid-morning. We also wanted to speak to our Clearing Agent in the States but he proves elusive and we get the feeling that he is avoiding us !! Our chances to be able to ship the car to Colombia are crumbling away…
Parras de la Fuente
Parras is known for its wine! The oldest winery in the Americas was founded by Lorenzo García on August 19, 1597. Casa Madero is home to the oldest winery and has won multiple awards for its wines and fine Cognac.
The revolutionary and President of Mexico, Francisco I. Madero was born In Parras in 1873. The town also has some fine buildings.
As we were walking around town, we saw a Posada ( hotel) with a big car park and we asked if we could park there for the night. the boss was not in until 7pm so we spent a couple of hours relaxing. When we returned, the boss said it was OK but it would be Mex$500. We tried to negotiate the price down but with no success so we declined.
By then it was getting late but just as we were leaving the historic centre we came across a Christmas parade. We quickly parked the car and stood by the side of the road with the locals. There were lots of floats with people dressed up in Christmas costumes throwing sweets and balloons to the kids in the crowds
It was now getting dark so we stopped…. at a Pemex Petrol station on the way out of town!
December 16, 2022 – Camargo
We are on the last stretch to the US border! We drive to Camargo. We are now in the Chihuahuan desert which covers a large part of Northern Mexico and extends into the US too! it is bordered by mountain ranges and consists mainly of gravely and sandy grounds where small bushes such as creosote and yucca plants grow or desert grasslands.
There is no suitable Pemex in town but we see a restaurant with an enclosed garden ( small pecan plantation) and parking area. We ask if we can stay the night and they agree so we park the car and go and explore the town. It is Friday and quite busy. We come across a Christmas funfair. We make our way back to the restaurant where we end up having a light meal and the use of the internet !
December 17, 2022 – OJINAGA and PRESIDIO – US border.
Too cold for breakfast outside so we start on our way to Ojinaga. We decide to take the most direct way( CHI 67) rather that the main road that goes through Chihuahua and we are glad we did as the road is good, there is little traffic and no trucks ! The only cars we see are coming from the border in the opposite direction. Most are heavily loaded and we assume they are Mexicans living in the US, coming home for the Christmas holiday to be with their families.
We pass a lot of huge complexes where cattle is raised in large covered open sheds. ( same concept of intensive farming used in chicken farms but for cattle!) We also see some cotton fields. The scenery is pretty desolate with very few houses.
We get to the border around 12pm. There is a long queue of people at Immigration and only two windows open so it takes a while. We get talking to the guy behind us and learn that we missed the Customs office at the entrance of the border control zone where they stamp your TIP( temporary Import permit) for the car. Paul goes back there while I stand in the queue. After about an hour, we get our passports stamped and joined the next queue to get our US 300 deposit back. (paid for the car as guarantee that we will not try and sell it in Mexico!)
Next is another queue, this time to cross the bridge over the Rio Grande which marks the physical border. Traffic goes on alternatively and there are more cars coming from the US! Eventually we get to the US post. We get pulled over for further inspection. Two guys check the car quite thoroughly, ask questions and we are on our way at last!
TEXAS
We are back in Texas and take the direction of Van Horn. We pass through Marfa, small desert town known as an arts hub. The Chinati Foundation, founded by artist Donald Judd, displays huge indoor and outdoor installations on an old army base. The other claim to fame are“Marfa Lights” a mysterious phenomenon (orbs of light appearing in the sky) which can be seen outside town occasionally.
We drive on and also pass what is known as “Marfa Prada”. The installation, in the form of a freestanding building—specifically a Prada storefront—was inaugurated on October 1, 2005. The artists (Elmgreen & Dragset) described the work as a “pop architectural land art project”. The permanent structure sits by the side of the road in the middle of the desert !
We stop on a lay-by for the night across from train tracks. Luckily only three trains go by at night and without blowing their whistle!
