Crossing Over

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A week in Corpus Christi is a week too much. We are both so glad to have left.
We got our van back late Friday afternoon and headed south Saturday morning....not too soon. We've landed in South Padre Island....about 20 miles this side of the border. If all goes well, we'll be crossing over sometime tomorrow. We don't know what to expect at the border and not wanting to be held up anymore, we hired a broker. I'm sure we could cross over ourselves and fill out all the necessary paperwork...but we're loaded up with 2 dogs and a 12' trailer full of "stuff". That just makes for more papers to be filled out and more questions to be answered. I do believe a broker will make our lives a little simpler...we hope. We'll see.
In the meantime, we will stay on South Padre Island for a couple of nights. It's not what I had thought it would be at all. Looking at a map, it's a long, very thin strip of land stretching north just offshore. So fragile looking on a map! I had visions of a protected barrier beach...like the Cape Cod National Seashore...with just a few hotels/motels dotting the landscape. Not so! It's more like Vegas...only on the ocean! There are hundreds of hotels...most of them high rises...up and down the beach. As we drove down "the strip", I noticed a duplex on the opposite side of the water with a for rent sign on it. With nothing to lose, I called. Yes, they will rent for two nights....and allow our dogs! Wow, business must be slow. Being a bit off-season, they gave us a great rate, too. So, we are staying in a 2BR/2BTH condo style duplex....with no neighbors. That's a good thing, because Lobo does like to bark at stuff....and he doesn't sound very friendly when he does. Oh yea...it also has a little pool in the patio area and it's all fenced in, so we can swim and the dogs can hang around freely. This is SO appreciated after spending a week in the dirty little Budget Inn. It all ends tomorrow, though.
We took a ride this morning and headed north up the island. We stopped at the Sea Turtle Rescue Center and went in. What a wonderful place! They had about a dozen salt water pools that had all sorts of turtles...Loggerheads, Kemp Ridleys, Hawksbill. All of them had been rescued and all of them had been hurt, either by natural predators or fishing line. Most all had some sort of deformity which was why they were there in the first place. The picture posted is of a Loggerhead they named MJ...didn't ask what the initials stood for. He had been labeled "non releasable" because of two missing fins. The did, at one time, lend him out to a local aquarium. However, the aquarium wanted to return him as he kept eating the other fish in the pool with him! He is the only blue eyed loggerhead in captivity. He was beautiful! So glad we stopped there.
Well, tomorrow is cross over day. Everyone, please cross your fingers for us and we'll keep you posted. Just not sure what internet connection will be like once we go over.

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Photos

MJ
The only "blue eyed" loggerhead in captivity.

Me and Sebastian
Taking a walk along the beach. This was north of the main drag....less people.

Bill and Lobo
Boys playing along the beach.

South Padre Island
This was taken as we approached South Padre Island...coming over the bridge from Brownsville. I wasn't expecting such development.

Time to Enjoy
This is the pool/patio area of our little place. All ours, just for a day.