geoffff
Senior Nomad
Posts: 643
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Border crossing surprise.
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
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chavycha
Nomad
Posts: 373
Registered: 1-20-2014
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Hahahaha wtf, I love Mexico.
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pacificobob
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X2, i find that sort of thing so charming after so many years.
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Paco Facullo
Super Nomad
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Mood: Abiding ..........
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Enterprising man, supplementing his income, I love it !
In the old day's he'd likely offer you his seester...
Since I've given up all hope, I feel much better
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gueribo
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Registered: 10-16-2014
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👍
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carlosg
Senior Nomad
Posts: 504
Registered: 5-28-2012
Location: chula vista, ca
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Mood: Just like in Baja: No Bad Days...
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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
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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]
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aguachico
Senior Nomad
Posts: 602
Registered: 3-23-2007
Location: tijuana
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Mood: logic cannot get thru to the illogical
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Cool! Good choice.
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woody with a view
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Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
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500 pesos? Must be that new math.
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willardguy
Elite Nomad
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how so?
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motoged
Elite Nomad
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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.....?"
Don't believe everything you think....
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chuckie
Elite Nomad
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Location: Kansas Prairies
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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.
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wiltonh
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Posts: 300
Registered: 2-2-2007
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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]
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sancho
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2524
Registered: 10-6-2004
Location: OC So Cal
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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
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