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Here we are at the Mexican border..
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We’re finally going to leave the USA… the last city before the border is
Yuma in the State of Arizona.
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It’s the temple of VRs here ; 50,000 of them pass through here every year.
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As usual, we carried out our maintenance works but alone, separated from
the crowd as it doesn’t appreciate our Doberman, Ulla… so we’ve been
refused entry to these specialized VR camps… here, dogs… as they say… are
supposed to be very dangerous (for them), but reassuring us for our
safety… and, this said, our gear… it’s behind the church that we’re
setting it up !
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Moreover there’s a coyote coming to steal my dry food in my plate at
night…
It’s great to see him up so close… he’s apparently very young…
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XL, I warn you… it’s dangerous the other countries…
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Yes, I’ve heard the Northern Americans (USA and Canada) explain to our
masters several times that we were wrong to cross Mexico as there are
only « thieves », that dogs are never on a leash, that they go about the
street in wild packs and that they eat what’s in garbage bins, the latter
never being picked up and emptied, and of course that they do their poop
on the road and the police doesn’t do anything about it…
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Finally, you see, XL, it’s a country to avoid, and to top it all, there
are no MacDonald in these countries… and the farther we go from the
States the more violence and thieves there are… it’s terrible !!
Waff… listening to you, Ulla, look, my hair’s standing on end.. please
try to have the Gallic and the Gypsy understand they must avoid crossing
Mexico…
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But, XL, we’re obliged to go through there to reach Patagonia as I remind
you that our destination city is Ushuaia and, on top of that, look at the
map : we still have 5,000 kms to go before the next country which is
Belize then Guatemala etc, etc..
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Guatewhat ??
Drop it,
I’ll explain it to you when we reach it, and if we do…
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Ulla, Ulla, I’m getting
scared, will you be able to defend us properly ?? Mmm..
I’m going to try !
But that’s not an answer, that… !
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XL, don’t get me upset ; After having crossed 8 Canadian provinces and 35
American states…
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Here we are ! We’ve reached the Mexican border….
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Tell me, Ulla, here, we’ve changed worlds : Before the border, there was
grass… here there are only stones…
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And now there a long wall bordering the USA. Look ! you can see the
American mountains over there…
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You know, XL, here, it’s rocks as the Americans have taken all the water
from the Colorado River and left just a trickle ; it’s serious to do that…
I’m going to tell you a local « gringos » saying :
« Let God protect American and no other country but it »
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Well, my dear friends, this
trip is promising…
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Look, Ulla, I tell you we’re going to be forced to go back in our tracks…
to the left there’s a car watching us, there are barbed wires…
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A wall that must be around 5 metres high… that rocks and cacti….
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And vultures wanting to eat me… you speak of an opportunity !
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Of course not, XL, they’re the American customs watching over the Mexican
customs officers they’ve trained ; Waff, they’ve learned their lesson
well so that the Mexicans don’t go invading the United States.
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Ulla, are the Mexicans going to do as the Northern Americans did :
Invading Irak ?
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OK, XL, I already told you not to get involved in politics… Look at
Ingrid Betancourt, having become French through her marriage and who
wanted to become president in Colombia….
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We are heading towards the Pacific Ocean, to the South-East…
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We will cross the following big cities : Hermosillo, Los Mochis, El
Recreo (going through the Tropic of Cancer) just before Mazatlan, and
Puerto Vallarta. Tell me, Ulla, there are military everywhere, it’s wild !!
Moreover, it’s the third time today that we’ve been stopped as the Gallic
says, « at a check-point »… to control the ownership titles of our
equipment, and our identities…
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Why are they so wary ?
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I don’t know, maybe they want to visit our six-wheeler house !
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But, in any case, these men are polite, courteous and pleasant ! not like
others… !
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You know, XL, they’re doing more prevention than repression… !
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Ulla, why are you always critical of authority ?
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You know, XL, I repeat what I heard the Gallic and the Gypsy say. Besides,
they have the nicknames they gave themselves. ! They say repression is
made for delinquents but that it’s always the others that are subject to
it… the word justice only exists in the dictionaries.. ! Especially in
nations that are.. so-called « democratic »….
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You know we’re privileged dogs as this nomadic life « if we don’t feel
good in a place we’re lucky enough to go elsewhere » that’s freedom…
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But XL, you’re young, you’ll understand later.. ! Waff, waff !!
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Look, these fishermen, if they were in Europe or in Northern America, I’m
sure they’d be obliged to have around 50 permits… then each month, have
loads of papers to fill in to be entitled to enjoy fishing…
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And did you see those funny little « lolos » (small businesses) as we say
in the French West Indies ??
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Here as in the countries we’re going to cross everyone has to get by with
his own means and help himself get along as the Heavens won’t help them
as some pretend.
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What are these weird cacti without spikes ?
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It’s an Agava plant, used to make Tequila, the Mexican’s national drink.
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I find it resembles aloe, you know : the West Indies’ magical plant that
heals almost everything.
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Yes, it’s true but it’s blue ; look, XL, and aloe is green.
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I’m sure that our companions will meet Mexicans who will show them how to
drink tequila…
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Look, Ulla, this spot is pleasant to spend the night on… Yes, if you want,
but we’re all alone…
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And watch out, Ulla, there are guys nearing us ; on top of that, there
are five of them… bare your teeth !
Of course not, I’m keeping an eye over their every move…
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Finally, they want to offer us a drink to friendship… !
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Keep your eyes open, Ulla, that nothing happens to us as I remember that
the American friends warned us that all these Mexicans are thieves… ! And
to top it all, we’re on a road without any houses, in a deserted city,
alone in the world…
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Stop, XL, be perseverant and courageous and don’t listen to those tall
tales.
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Look at how they drink that tequila : they’re putting fine salt in a
plate and around it, lime cut in quarters… you must dip your piece of
lime in the salt, put it into your mouth and in one go swallow a « shot »
of tequila.
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Oh, it’s strange.. they’re not even making a face from the taste, do you
think it’s good then, Ulla ?
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Yes, but not for us, and with moderation… in any case, our dog’s job is
to ensure security….
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And, Ulla, the « topeys » you know, the speed bumps that used to make me
jump each time…
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Remember there are six of them per pueblo (village)… you must really stop
at them, or else you break everything. Furthermore, we had to stop
several times to do and redo soldering…
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We’re going to reach good friends, Serge and Danielle, who are expecting
us, in a camp ground at Puerto Vallarta. They promised us that dobermans
are not.. cursed dogs…
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We’re going to take advantage of the stopover to check all our equipment
and to speak French as in this campground there are only Quebecer
cousins, finally compatriots, my dear XL.
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After this good advice and that super stopover, it’s time to take the
road up again towards the South and the famous city of Acapulco… and yes,
we’re crossing cities with huge and busy traffic with our gear…
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Hey, Ulla, look at this policeman who’s signalling us to stop ! Why’s
that ?
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No, you cannot cross Acapulco ! « Why ? »
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Then, this rotten scoundrel tells us « do you have agua fresco ? » (fresh
water)
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Ah, so that’s it, it’s blackmail !! She opens her banana bag saying I
only have 30 pesos… that’s three dollars.. seeing that he signals us with
disgust, to go on, without taking anything (too little for him) he
doesn’t want to get caught for a few pesos.
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Ulla, fortunately you had your muzzle on as usual so you don’t bite
policemen, but I saw he didn’t suit you, that one…
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It’s true their wages are very low so a little cheese in the dry food
would do us good too !
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After this stopover, we leave for Puerto Escondido, a small seaside
health resort just as we like them as they’re beautiful, (still) natural
and with space on top of it !
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We’re parking on the beach, peacefully… XL has his admirers ! As I
frighten…
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We even met French people living here, the « petit hotel » and another
small business selling souvenirs, whose manager told us having left
France as it’s a country of thieves…
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Tell me, Ulla, I don’t understand, thieves in France, this is the case
everywhere then ?
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No, XL, it’s not the same ones, it’s the administration, the thieves…
over there.. youp ay taxes everywhere and for everything… Ah, OK, I see…
it’s racketeering…
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XL, I hope that in spite of the horses on the beach and this sea turtle
who came to lay her eggs here, you had fun ?
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Yes, Ulla, I like sand but not the sea. You see, the Pacific Ocean waves
are OK for you and the surfers but for me, they’re way too big…
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OK, XL, look at the map, I’ll reassure you…
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We’re going to change direction, heading North-West, the Gulf of Mexico :
there won’t be any waves and it’s not the hurricane season so it’s going
to be just like a lake.
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I don’t really care for it as I don’t like water as much as you do.. and
our masters even say I resemble a rat when I’m wet… so they’re making fun
of me… Waff !
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OK, so I was saying look at the map, heading for the Chiapas, Mexican
lake region and natural water preserve, then Campeche and the petrol
stocks and finally Merida.
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Still quite a distance to go, you know, as the Mayas were living in the
Yucatan, in the Chiapas region, and in Guatemala.
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We’re going to visit this Mayan region that’s been existing since 550
B.C. Do you realize this, XL ?...
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We’re
leaving for the Yucatan.
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Ulla, but what does Brian Claude have to do with this story ?
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It’s not Brian Claude, idiot ! It’s Jesus Christ : B.C.
….
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Uxmal
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Ulla, tell me, why are you writing « Bush Man steps » ?
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Ah ! Didn’t you hear the
guide explain to us : « When Mr Bush, still president of the United
States, came, he demanded and paid to have these steps covered with
concrete to avoid Mrs Bush slipping on them as they’re not straight (and
he… oh he !!... to impose himself down in History ! He demanded…. ) Great
respect of cultures and man… What a shame ! In any case the Maya
descendants were shocked by this attitude !
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Come on, stop chatting and let me look at all these marvels from the tip
of my 10 cm height.
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OK, Ulla Uxmal, Chitzen-Itza, Tulum… when are we leaving ? It’s hot here
and on top of that it’s tiring : we’ve been visiting for several days now…..
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All right, XL, we’ll get back on the road for Cancun….
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Here we are in Cancun, a seaside health resort of worldwide reputation,
but well… it’s too high for you, XL, and too big as well, as moreover we
can’t park here….
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Well, XL, after having travelled across Mexico, that’s 6,450 km to our
meter, do you know how many Mexicans there are ?
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92 million 712,000 inhabitants do you think ? For 1 million 958,201 km so
48 per square meter !
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Finally, Ulla, we agree, all these people are truly nice without any
agressivity and in their eyes no racism, foreigners are welcome.
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On the other hand : 3 negative remarks
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-
Thank you, Mexicans, you can be proud of your country and you are.
Bravo !
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A few dozen friendly pawings
while I still have the strength to do so… !
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For the next part of the trip…
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