Welcome Back to the USA

We crossed the border this morning back into the USA. The crossing was uneventful. The guard inspected our Passports and asked if we had fruit or vegetables. He took an apple off us but let us keep the limes which are legal now but were taken off us last year. He then asked if we had any liquor and I told him several bottles partly full but no sealed bottles and he was happy with that. He waved us through without an inspection. We must look honest.

We arrived in El Paso, Texas (our first time in Texas!), checked into the Mission RV Park and went for breakfast at the local IHOP. The meal was fine but two things really struck us. First, a child started screaming soon after we sat down. This startled both of us as in five months in Mexico we had never heard a child scream anywhere except in play. I guess Mexicans take care of their children. The second thing was when the waitress dropped off our bill before we had finished eating. This also never happens in Mexico where it is considered extremely rude to give a customer a bill before he asks for it. The rule in Mexico is; when you sit at a table, that table is yours until you ask for, "La cuenta, por favor".

While we in the restaurant we talked to three people and mentioned that we had just returned from five months in Mexico. Two of the three commented that it was very dangerous in Mexico and asked if we had any trouble there. I answered that I had felt more threatened in the past two hours in the USA than I had in five months in Mexico and that is not an exaggeration. All three of these people were obviously of Mexican heritage. Welcome back to the "Bush Politics of Fear", Croft and Norma.