Crossing the Border

Nuevo Progresso, Tamaulipas, Mexico

We travel around America living in our RV and the most important thing we do is talk to local people. We ask questions about places to visit. We listen to the people who have been there. Many have been to Nuevo Progresso and recommended that we cross the border to this town. Some of them said they visit here regularly.

South International Blvd, South Farm to Market Road 1015, took us to the border. There were large signs for parking on the right. The cost to park was $2.00. We pulled into the parking lot and watched others walk toward the border building. We learned where to go and what to do.

Not knowing what to expect on the other side, we utilized the restroom facility before entering the bridge walkway. We had our passports ready when the couple in front of us said they were not needed until we came back across to reenter the U.S.

It cost $1.00 per person to cross the bridge. We put everything we were carrying on a conveyor belt for scanning. We picked up our stuff at the other end and continued down the walkway. I took pictures of the Rio Grande river as we crossed it.

Rich walked past the border sign, and I stopped. He was in Mexico and I was not.

Homeless beggars were living under the bridge on the Mexican side of the river. One in particular caught my attention. You can read about that here.

Mexican locals met us at the other side to offer dental services, pharmacy services, bracelets, hats, and clothes. One young man was spitting out words like Vicodin and Oxycontin. Another young man made a gesture like smoking a joint and I shook my head no. I told them all no thank you and walked on by.

The sidewalk was packed with merchants constantly asking us to purchase their product, but they were not pushy. They willingly accepted no for an answer and moved on to the person behind us. Be informed that this area is full of dentists and pharmacies. Every other store is one or the other.

We were told to visit Pancho’s Bar & Grill. This was a great place in the first block across the border. Notice the sign right past this one. It is a pharmacy. A frozen margarita and an appetizer hit the spot. There was live music and a dance floor. A few people were dancing already by noon.

Continuing to tell everyone “no,” we ventured on down the street into the second block and went into the Angel’s building. This was also recommended to us. There is a store on the first floor and the restaurant and bar is on the fourth floor. A second frozen margarita and lunch was enjoyed here. This is more upscale restaurant but still priced very reasonable.

We only went to the end of the second block before we crossed the street and came back up the other side. As we looked ahead to the third block it looked like much of the same and didn’t interest us. We saw two policemen and decided to head on back.

Coming back up the other side of the street was sidewalk vendor after vendor and we were done.

I want to mention here that a passport is not needed to cross the border here or to get back into the United States. When crossing back there are two lines, one for passports, and one for driver’s license and birth certificate. So if you don’t have a passport, just be sure to have other identification with you.

Waiting in line, I went forward when called. They took my photo to match it with my passport. Everyone had their photo taken. We were cleared and walked on back to the car in the parking lot.

Crossing the border to Nuevo Progreso, in Tamaulipas, Mexico was a fun day trip and I would recommend it as safe to anyone interested in going.

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