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| A view of the Gulf of Mexico near Frontera, and heading toward Campeche. |
We drove over toward the coast for this day's trip, to the town of Frontera. There was a military checkpoint here, and they indicated we should pull over. We got out our papers showing the sticker in the window was ours, and our list of items inside the trailer. Lowell got out to open the trailer for them, and another officer came to my window to ask me to get out. I did, and he snooped around in the front seat area, looked into my purse, didn't find anything of interest and said I could get back into the car. Another officer wanted to look into the back of the Escalade, which has a rear tailgate door that lifts up. Normally it does, anyway, but our trailer has a v-nose on it which prohibits the door from lifting. I said, hold on....and shut the door while the guards looked at me like I was crazy. Then I opened the window, which allowed the officer to browse to his heart's content. I had some groceries back there and he found a box of Applets and Cottlets candy and showed it to his buddies. I said Haayyy, no waayyy! and he put it back. Next he found warm Cokes. Lowell was back up front by then, and offered the guys cold Cokes. We dug 4 cans of soda out of the ice chest, gave them to the guys and they were happy. We were free to go on our way!
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| Approaching an interesting bridge somewhere in Mexico! |
Other stops were local policia. They would look at the list of items I had made up for the trailer in English and Spanish. Lowell would lower the back gate of the trailer, they would see the bed and sofa, and tell him to close it back up. But the last checkpoint was getting into Merida. They are very strict here. This time they looked at the list, wanted our passports, the title to the car and especially the trailer. I had a copy of the title and registration on one sheet of paper. The policeman couldn't find the trailer license letters on the title, but I pointed out that it was on the registration and finally he was happy. Why he would have thought we had a stolen trailer filled with household belongings is beyond me! We had gotten into the wrong lane for Progreso at this stop, and he explained to Lowell how to get where we needed to go.
Although it was annoying, Lowell has such an open and friendly attitude that we really didn't have trouble with any of the security stops. And having the list of items in the trailer ready to show them before they could even ask made it easier too.
It was already after dark at the checkpoint in Merida. I had decided on staying at the Technotel Norte, on the road between Merida and the beach town of Progreso, but had not made a reservation. We missed the entrance, had to get to a place to turn around and went back. We found the office, and went in to see if there was a room available. They were not busy at all and it was no problem to check in. I had a piece of paper with the price as indicated on their website, and that was what we were charged. ($65, including breakfast). This hotel was more Mexican than American (imagine that, in Mexico!) but clean and pretty. And, they didn't mind if Spooky came into the room! We went to the restaurant on site, where the waitress spoke no English but we managed to figure out something to order from the Spanish menu. Shortly after we ordered, the manager came out to talk to us....in English! Her name was Abril, she was the owner's daughter, and this was her hotel to manage. She spoke excellent English and we had a great time chatting with her that evening.
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| The lovely swimming pool at the Technotel Norte in Merida. |
We enjoyed our complimentary breakfast at the Technotel the next morning before heading to our home in Telchac Puerto. We asked for Abril again so we could say "goodbye" to her..what a nice girl!
Today we spent $376 pesos on tolls ($30) and $1400 pesos on gas.($114).
