On the Road to San Antonio

We woke up to more rain and cold in Corpus Christi this morning, so we got the heck out of town by 10 a.m.  Interstate 37 north was flat and easy driving, if not scenic.  

Our airbnb in San Antonio is a strange one.  It's very inexpensive and located only six blocks from the River Walk.  

The neighborhood is more than a little sketchy, but the place has hundreds of good reviews--mainly for value because the hotels downtown a few blocks away are outrageous.  

Because we arrived a couple of hours before check in, we parked in a well-lit and well-traveled area of upscale stores and took Callie for a long walk.  When we returned, there was a dude parked directly behind me in a place that really didn't have room for another car.  His rear tires were pressed up against the curb, and the front of his vehicle was less than two inches my ball hitch.  I have no idea how he was able to park there without damaging his vehicle or mine.  

To make matters more interesting, he was sitting in his beater-mobile (with driver's side-mirror barely hanging on and dents all over) with the engine running.  The windshield and windows were too deeply tinted to get a good look at him. I checked over the rear of my vehicle for damage, and walked back to the driver's side.  At that point, he got out of his vehicle, and he was a well-groomed, young Hispanic man.  He didn't walk towards me but crossed the street instead--his car still running.  I drove away, puzzled, but glad if we interrupted anything potentially nefarious.

The Airbnb was a no-contact, self check-in.  It's an older home with three or four units.  We are in the back of the property.  It's nice enough, but the light fixtures in the living room and bedroom don't work.  Several people commented in the guestbook.  I'm not sure if anyone is paying attention.  Both smoke alarms lack batteries, and the battery compartments have been exposed to alert whoever is supposed to be replacing them, I suppose.  The owner has not been answering the messages which we sent him.

The most interesting and maybe disturbing thing to me is that there is a small pet door in the rear door leading into the kitchen.  The type allowing a small dog or cat to enter and leave via the fenced in back yard.  I've never had one of those doors, but I believe they are supposed to have some covering or swinging door closing off the outside.  This one doesn't.  Julia stuck a towel in the hole to the outdoors.  Temperatures are supposed to dip into the mid 30's tonight.

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Late this afternoon, we crated up Callie and took off on our own for the River Walk.  It was cold and drizzly, but eventually the rain stopped and skies cleared.  We went into Dirty Nellie's Irish Pub for beer and to warm up.  

They had some local beers and a piano bar with singer.  It was just what we needed to take the chill out of our bones.

Later, we went to an Asian fusion restaurant called Suck It Asian Kitchen.  Despite the name, the food was amazing.  We had Hanoi egg rolls, which are small fried egg rolls that are placed in a leaf of lettuce with carrot and then rolled up like a burrito.  A dipping sauce is also available.  

Then we had ramen with pork bone broth cooked for over 48 hours.  It has to be top three of the best ramen that I've ever had.  Not at all traditional but delicious! 

Don't Stay at Darlene's Place

 From February 2022

Darlene is an older woman who rents out her deceased mother's home as an Airbnb outside of Bisbee AZ.  Darlene lives in one of the structures on the grounds.  There's also a converted Airstream and a tiny house with renters.  Several large dogs roam on part of the property.

Pay no attention to the next several photos.

Living Room

Callie in the family room

Water is an issue in that part of the world, so "navy showers" and limited flushing of the toilet is necessary.  Also, the electricity sometimes goes out.  One night, we were forced to light candles and sip wine for several hours until the power came back on.  Drinking water from the tap is not potable.  We were forced to use water jugs of filtered water for cooking and drinking.  Darlene made sure we had ample drinking water each day. There was a full gourmet kitchen.

The worst part of the Airbnb was the outdoor space, where sometimes it was a bit chilly.  The grounds and views were simply stunning.  One day, it even snowed.

 

So if you're looking for a place to stay in the Bisbee area, keep looking.  

I would buy this place in a heartbeat if it was for sale and I could afford it.  Otherwise, I plan on coming back here as often as possible.  It's mine, all mine!

On the Road: Las Cruces to Bisbee

 From February 2022

Our time was up in the Las Cruces area, and it was time hit the road west.

 We stopped for a late lunch break in Douglas, Arizona. There was a delightful taco truck parked at 10th Street Park.

Bisbee was a big mining town and still has the scars to prove it.

Our airbnb just outside of Bisbee was the best we have ever stayed in and deserves its own post.  This is the view from the front door at sunset after check-in.

Much more to come...

New Mexico: Las Cruces Airbnb

From February 2022

My satisfaction level with an airbnb is highly dependent upon the rental rate.  The place in Lac Cruces was about the same price as a budget motel room but had several advantages over your typical Red Roof Inn or Motel 6.

The living space was very basic:  nice bed, small kitchen, and full bath.

Callie claiming her spot

It was quiet and secure in a working class neighborhood.  Downtown was within walking distance.  

What I remember liking best is the outdoor space.  Las Cruces weather was quite spring-like compared to Albuquerque.  Nights were cool, but we frequently spent time in our private walled courtyard, having lunch, drinks, or just reading a book.

 

New Mexico: The Family Casita

From February 2022

When we woke the next morning after our long drive to New Mexico, the snow was already beginning to melt.  In the daylight, the grounds of our Airbnb were much more interesting than I expected. The casitas were originally built for a llama farm, which is no longer in operation.  Our host spent time as a little girl in the family casita. 

 

There was a loop trail around the property.

Inside the family casita, the living room was toasty from the fire and very comfortable.

Notice the big step into the kitchen behind Julia. 

Belize: The Mayans (Days One and Two)

Day One:
Our plans for the second half of the trip were open-ended and without any schedules.  While we had flown from Belize City to San Pedro (approx $100), Julia and I decided to take the ferry back to Belize City ($15).  We had no idea of what the ferry would be like, but I guess that I assumed it would have a cabin and be bigger.  Fortunately, it didn’t rain, and the seas were smooth.  I was worried because the departure time was delayed while they cleaned up some puke on the floor and helped the sick woman disembark.  I don’t know for sure, but I believe that alcohol or drugs may have been a factor.  Anyway, we made sure not to sit on that side of the boat.

After 90 minutes of boat motoring, we arrived in Belize City.  We were originally going to take the bus from Belize City to San Ignacio, but Julia was worried that bus travel might be difficult with our large suitcases and reports of crowded buses.  On the previous night, I emailed a couple of shuttle services and arranged for a $35 van shuttle to San Ignacio with one stop at the airport to pick up another couple.  The pickup turned out to be an adventure.  Our van driver wasn’t there at our arrival, and some street people were trying to help out.  One guy wanted me to put money on his cracked phone so that he could make calls to our van service.  I might have been born in Iowa but not yesterday.  Just when we were ready to walk to the bus station, the van driver arrived.  We enjoyed a comfortable, air-conditioned, two-hour ride to San Ignacio near Belize’s western border with Guatemala.  The driver dropped us off at our $50/night Airbnb, and we were soon taking it easy.

Our hosts were Landy and Erva.  Landy is an elections administrator, senior justice of the peace, and commissioner to the Belize Supreme Court.  His wife owned and operated Erva’s restaurant in San Ignacio before turning it over to their son.  They were incredible hosts:  offering us drinks, cooking dinner one night, giving us rides around the area, providing recommendations, and more than willing to discuss politics and issues of the day.

Belize was once British Honduras before gaining its independence. English is the official language, although Spanish is widely spoken also.  Back in the 1880’s, Belize’s borders were established via treaty with England and Guatemala.  Unfortunately, Guatemala contends that the treaty was with England and not modern Belize.  Guatemala is interested in Belize’s natural resources and tourism.  The big political issue in Belize and Guatemala is that referendums will be held this spring to decide whether to send the matter to the International Court of Justice.  Landy thinks that Belize has an excellent case but was worried about the administration/education process for the referendum.

Landy is a big fan of the United States, but has grave concerns about our current president.  He is also worried that other countries like Russia and China will fill the vacuum of credibility/leadership in Central and South America.  We live in interesting times.

That night, Julia and I dined at Hode’s Place, which was all of the way down the hill and to the other edge of the downtown area.  We got lots of exercise walking up and down the hill over the next days.  Dinner was terrific.  Julia had jerk pork, and I had an onion stew.  We were joined for dinner by these two well-fed companions.

Day Two:
We were up early the next morning and traveling by foot to our first Mayan ruin. Cahal Pech is on the edge of San Ignacio and about a mile from our host’s house.  We did get lost getting there and walked up an extra hill, but a business owner turned us in the right direction, shouting “Don’t use Google maps in this city,  It doesn’t work.”

The only ruins that I had ever seen before were fallen barns and outbuildings, so this was something new to me and old for the world.

There was hardly anyone else visiting, so we had the ruins mostly to ourselves.  I can only imagine all of the rules and regulations that would have been imposed if something like this was in America.  Here, we were free to climb up the temple steps and explore the palace rooms.

I was glad that we saw Cahal Pech first because it was the smallest of the ruins that we saw and was a good introductory lesson about the Mayans.  We learned that the temple and palace were only for the elites, and that the regular folks rarely stepped here.  The Mayan elites were also very  much into blood sacrifice: Cutting off finger tips and mutilating genital areas were areas of specialty that  pleased their gods.  Prisoners and animals were also sacrificed.  The elites consumed hallucinogenic drugs and stretched their heads to the point of deformity.  The Mayans kept an accurate though different calendar and were known for use of the number zero.  Some people believed that the end of the world would occur at the end of the Mayan calendar.  It didn’t.  Our host argued that the Mayans only predicted that the end of the calendar marked the beginning of a new turbulent time. Hindsight is 20/20; predictions are tougher.