Crossing the Border 12.16.21 and Home 12.18.21

       Monday, after an overnight rest at Guadalupe RV, walks with Tucker in the old sheep pasture and looking up across the highway to a hotel and small structures on the mountain that rent for $700 a night. This is a place of contrasts, it is definitely Mexico with palo structures for the sheep pasture and corrals but across the street is a hotel with glass facing the the wine producing area which rivals many areas of the US. The wineries we visited have been hit very hard but a year and half of no tourists have left them hurting. Mexico, we hear did not act until COVID was making many sick. They are catching up but careful about masks and distance. We went to two wineries, LA Cetto and La Catrina Serna. The first had some excellent wines and is very large and international. It is a beautiful facility and would look in place dropped into the Napa Area. The second is down home Mexico. It started by a woman and has a comfortable feel. It not only has wine, just OK, but breads, jellies (excellent) craft beers and super place to hang out. A big lab with blue eyes greeted us along with a tiger cat that joined us. We sat and visited and got to know our fellow travelers from Canada. We had to been encouraged to leave and move to the bus by Darlene (one of our wagon masters). So glad we had a van since two wineries and generous pours did not make us drivers but very gregarious and happy. 

      At lunch we and Kristina and Paul had gone into the village of Valle de Guadalupe, explored the church and spoke to the priest. We were looking for the old Mission which he told us was 10 minutes away down by the river. The current Catholic Church is just beautiful and large for the village. The homes were mostly made of cement or adobe and the streets are a hard dirt. Dogs roam free and most are a bit skinny. We did see a posting for someone's lost pug. Our pups looked like fatties. Lunch was at a small restaurant on the Main Street next to a store that sold hats and serapes. Good food, I discovered that caldo is like a meaty soup, Jim had shrimp, and Kristina had a great mole. Paul settled for enchiladas though he really was hoping for tacos. We will have to wait for the beach for the fish tacos. 

Some of our crew waiting to leave from Potero yesterday. A friend of Bajas Amigos, a young man by the name of Ed was obtaining our Mexican Visas for us. We thought we would have them by 9:00 am but it was more like 12:30 when we left. The two leaning against the trailer with the quad are George and Mary from Tacoma and Liz and Bill from Seattle but are full timing in a Class A, the biggest RV with us. It was a long wait but necessary since we were a day before the official day of the border opening. 

This is the community church in Villa de Guadalupe, the priest was very helpful to us and told us the mission we were looking for was actually 10 minutes away by the river. We went inside the village church and found it very beautiful and, of course, dedicated to the Virgin de Guadalupe.

This is the shop by the restaurant, we ate on the table near by. They had wonderful hats as you can see. 

Here is Paul admiring the wines at the first winery. They had a most delightful Chenin Blanc, we bought. 

The second winery with all the jellies had this stone work which reminded me of Aztec art.