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     Ron wrote --   
      
   > He picked up the computer in Detroit and put it in he back of the car.   
   > No one said "boo" crossing into Canada, but coming back over, he was grilled   
   and if it wasn't for the receipt that showed that the computer was from the   
   U.S., they would have made him pay an import tax on the computer.   
      
      In June, '19 I made a round the country trip visiting lots of folks,   
   some from here on Memories whom I only knew on line.  Such as the late Nancy   
   Backus, Jim White, Ed Vance and Daryl.   
      (There were also lots of other friends I knew around the country as   
   well, and visiting old places and new ones).   
      Long story short.   
      I was in Del Rio, TX and wanted to check out the border.   
      I parked near the bridge and simply walked across the border.   
      Vehicles had a short line of cars for inspection but on foot, nothing.    
   Merely had to pay a 25 cent toll on the sidewalk at a turn stile, as opposed   
   to several dollars if in a car.   
      On foot there was no customs inspection, no questions, nothing.  It was   
   no different than walking across a bridge in this country from one state to   
   another.   
      Checked out the Rio Grande (about several feet wide and not deep to   
   hardly get your ankles wet if you waded across), saw the massive maze like wall   
   in Mexico, turned around and headed back.   
      I was stopped by Mexican authorities and asked "papers please", in   
   perfect English.   
      Papers?  What papers?   
      He said I needed a passport from Mexico into the US.   
      I had no passport, but did have my drivers license which I handed him.   
      He asked how long I had been in Mexico and I said just a few minutes, I   
   had wanted to see the border and the river.   
      He asked where I was from as he glanced the license and asked where I   
   was from.    
      When I said WV he handed it back to me, probably thinking "dumb   
   hillbilly" and let me pass, but I had to cross to the other side of the   
   bridge.    
   (One side into Mexico, the other out).   
      Now I had just walked past him a few minutes before and the only one   
   walking into Mexico.  If he had looked he would have surely seen me.   
      Meanwhile, as he asked these questions I half expected to find myself in   
   a Mexican jail, calling a couple of lawyers I know back home to get me out   
   or spending the rest of my days in some jail.   
      The guy was nice about and we even joked a bit when I was allowed to   
   continue in.  (I asked him why the American side of the bridge was uncovered   
   but the Mexican side at a canopy and shade.  He said I needed to talk to the   
   mayor of Del Rio about it.  :)   
      Interesting sidebar.   
      Walking into Mexico were a long line of cars leaving and going through   
   customs.   
      Groups of men would appear suddenly cleaning windshields and asking for   
   tips only to be chased away by men in uniform.  After a couple of minutes   
   they returned and chased off again.  This went on several times.   
      Walking back into the States were small groups of men walking into   
   Mexico (on the wrong side of the bridge) with lots of straw sombreros. Large   
   ones   
   on the bottom and smaller ones on the way up forming a pyramid on their   
   heads and carrying others in their    
      I thought they must have bought those in Del Rio to sell to tourists in   
   Mexico and got a laugh.   
      Back in the States I had to pass through a huge bus/airport-type   
   terminal with American officials merely saying Good Morning as I walked   
   through.   
      Joe   
   --- Platinum Xpress/Win/WINServer v3.0pr5   
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