Bienvenido a Tejas del Sur

Welcome to South Texas for all of my gringo friends. In my work, as many of you know, I am commissioned to work in different places. Earlier this week, McAllen, TX was that destination. After finishing field work early on Tuesday, I decided that a little sight seeing was in order. After all, I was happy that it was simply NOT raining!

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I started to make the jaunt to South Padre but noticed the sign for this cool looking park off Hwy 83 (right on the border) that caught my attention. The sign read Anzalduas Dam Park and Wildlife Refuge. Well, I used to see "Jim" from Mutual of Omaha do this all the time. If it was fun and interesting for him, then it should be the same for me. Here we go...

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Starting with the bottom photo is the 1- road off of the main highway. This was very cool...palm trees on either side of the road for miles. Yeehaww!

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This 2-place along the Rio Grande has wild rice growing all along the banks of the river. It was loaded with birds, ducks and wildlife of all kinds. My dog would have loved a "walk" in this place.

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After getting to the end of the road, 3- I started to get a little nervous. It suddenly dawned on me while taking this photo that someone of Central or South American origination might be trolling around in the woods, hoping to find a ride further into America.

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Their story would go something like this:

"Well...Mi Amigos, we were hiding in the woods when here comes this pendejo Cajun Boy down the road. He not only has this shiny new rental Jeep, with a full tank of gas but he also has the cold A/C blowing for us, as well. That dude even had snacks and bottled water waiting, inside of the car. It was like he was waiting for us, or something. He was so nice... Ehh, what are e-lec-tro-lytes? Because when Pedro, here, ate a few of them from out of a snack bag on the floor of the Jeep...he couldn't keep still. He was skipping and hopping around in the back seat, like a Mexican Jumping Bean! So, I told him to sit down so I could see or I wuz gonna' throw his ass out on the side of the road." Man, he was annoying.

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"Anyway, when that dude stopped to take a picture of something in the ditch, we popped him in the head and our prayers were answered! Vaminous Muchachos! You know...that poor dude thrashed around in the road for quite a while, before finally passing out. I saw him still kicking, in the rear view mirror when we drove off. (shrug by the immigrant) Oh well."

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Back to real life... On the way out, 4-you knew things were still interesting when the authorities post snake warning signs. SNAKES, what the hell!! Are the friggin' snakes so large that they will tear up your rental vehicle, should you exceed 20 mph and hit them? And, I suppose you would not want to let your pets or small children roam freely around this place. They...may disappear... (begin the playing of Twilight Zone music)

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So, this trip illustrates the quintessential South Texas. Wild, beautiful and dangerous. Sometimes all at the same time. I know, I know...a little too adventurous for my own good but man was it ever fun!!