BajaNomad

Border crossing surprise.

geoffff - 4-3-2018 at 05:02 PM

Oh! I just remembered a story I left out from the very start of recent road trip!

Entering Mexico, I went into the immigration office with my pre-paid tourist visa application. The stern-looking uniformed guy behind the desk looks over my application and passport for a while, and then says "180 days?" I say yes and he does all the necessary stamping and separating of my documents.

Then his demeanor changes. He makes a big deal of turning his head around and "furtively" looking over his shoulder into the adjacent offices separated by glass walls. Finally he opens his desk, and pulls out...

...bottles of honey and hot sauce! In this hushed voice he asks if I want to buy some! I'm so amused by the whole unexpected clandestine operation that I say yes to a few of the little bottles of the hot sauce. (They were nothing special.)

At least he stamped my documents *before* asking if I wanted to buy something from him!

-- Geoff

chavycha - 4-3-2018 at 05:20 PM

Hahahaha wtf, I love Mexico.

pacificobob - 4-3-2018 at 05:39 PM

Quote: Originally posted by chavycha  
Hahahaha wtf, I love Mexico.


X2, i find that sort of thing so charming after so many years.

Paco Facullo - 4-3-2018 at 06:23 PM

Enterprising man, supplementing his income, I love it !

In the old day's he'd likely offer you his seester...

gueribo - 4-3-2018 at 06:57 PM

👍

carlosg - 4-3-2018 at 06:58 PM

Quote: Originally posted by geoffff  
Oh! I just remembered a story I left out from the very start of recent road trip!

Entering Mexico, I went into the immigration office with my pre-paid tourist visa application. ...he does all the necessary stamping and separating of my documents.

Then his demeanor changes. He makes a big deal of turning his head around and "furtively" looking over his shoulder into the adjacent offices separated by glass walls. Finally he opens his desk, and pulls out...

...bottles of honey and hot sauce! In this hushed voice he asks if I want to buy some! I'm so amused by the whole unexpected clandestine operation that I say yes to a few of the little bottles of the hot sauce. (They were nothing special.)

At least he stamped my documents *before* asking if I wanted to buy something from him!

-- Geoff


It probably was at the Tecate office, it hapened to us a few months ago however, then he was blunt about it: he had the "merchandise" on top of his desk:

Quote: Originally posted by carlosg  

It costs $500.00 pesos per person, so if possible have exact amount, preferably in pesos with you to avoid ANY misunderstandings, last Saturday the officer had honey and salsa on his desk that he was peddling to each one that was getting their FMM... I told him I didn't have any more money because I was counting on paying the same as I did during easter this year (it was cheaper) so I got off without "buying"....


[Edited on 4-4-2018 by carlosg]

aguachico - 4-3-2018 at 07:32 PM

Cool! Good choice.

woody with a view - 4-3-2018 at 08:46 PM

500 pesos? Must be that new math.

willardguy - 4-3-2018 at 09:12 PM

Quote: Originally posted by woody with a view  
500 pesos? Must be that new math.


how so?

motoged - 4-3-2018 at 09:48 PM

The Tecate guy is always eating cacahuetes in the shell when I get stamped in....thought of bringing him a bagfull...then was worried he might think I was bribing him....then thought...."and.....?"

chuckie - 4-4-2018 at 02:35 AM

WAY back in the day, When the agent in Tecate still used a long carriage Remington typewriter, ....He always had a bowl labeled "Por los Nino's" on his desk. His typing speed increased in proportion to the contribution.

wiltonh - 4-4-2018 at 09:25 AM

I have purchased his hot sauce in the past and it was good. It was after the transaction and the price was fair so it all worked out. I normally bring back hot sauce from Mexico every year so my first stop in a restaurant is to check for one I have not tried before. His had a different label than ones I had seen.

[Edited on 4-4-2018 by wiltonh]

sancho - 4-4-2018 at 11:04 AM

Quote: Originally posted by chavycha  
Hahahaha wtf, I love Mexico.











One of the best parts of Mex is the quirky, off beat.
Back in the day, crossing into the mainland, in the
Imm Office, the first thing the Officer asked was if we
we're looking for the barber shop. Then said the max
he could give us was 30 days, but if we supplied a little
$ for coffee, donuts, we could have the max days. done deal