Bridge Report

December 25, 2007

After the previous experience, I was planning to walk across and taxi around for Christmas, but there was one little problem: too many Christmas presents to carry. So I drove across fully expecting coming back to be a repeat of the August nightmare.

But it was not so bad. It was Christmas day. I zipped all the way down Avenida Juarez and then got all the way to the apex of the bridge before having to stop. The inspection lanes on the left side of the bridge were open again.

I expected to wait about 20 minutes, but it turned out to be about 40 because of the extra attention the customs officers seemed to be paying to each car for some reason. When I finally pulled up, the officer asked the usual "what are you bringing back" question, and I told him I had been sent home with enough tamales for a family of four if he wanted some of them. I can usually raise a laugh out of these guys or at least a smile, but this particular officer seemed really concerned about the possibility that these tamales were contraband.

"Beef or pork?" he asked curtly.

"Pork," I replied, sensing instantly that my reply had pained him a little.

"Are you sure?"

I think then he might be relieved if I just switched my answer to "beef" so he could let me pass, but, trust me, it's never good to tell these guys even the smallest lie.

"Yes, unfortunately, I know they're pork, because I helped make them with my own hands."

"How many?"

"Oh, mayby 50 I'm not sure. We can look."

I opened one of the two plastic tubs Rosie, my friend's wife, had given me as I was leaving, and he seemed to be making an earnest attempt to estimate the number of tamales in that tub. I wondered if there was some magic number of pork tamales permitted...

He seemed clearly consternated. "Anything pork is against the law," he finally said. "Beef is okay."

What to do with this old guy? he must have been wondering. I was clearly in violation of some law which had been written before even I had been born, but, after all, it was just a couple of tubs of tamales. And it was Christmas... He finally shook his head, apparently not able to picture the idea of busting someone on Christmas Day over 50 tamales. For all we know, it would probably be the talk of the station for a couple of days.

So, to his credit, he finally just said, "Just go!"

So hats off to this officer for having the sense to do the correct and humane thing. I really didn't want to part with the tamales, because they are so good under a big helping of pinto beans with jalapenos sprinkled on top, but let me hasten to reassure any Customs officials who might be reading this that this crime will not be repeated.

At any rate, I guess we can expect the usual 60-90 minutes instead of double that much time when half of the inspection lanes on the Sante Fe Bridge were under construction.

Feliz navidad!

Ron Mears
Unknowing Smuggler of Pork Tamales

August 14, 2007

Recently, travelling back to the US on either of the two main bridges in the city has been a rather miserable experience. This situation has come about because four of the eight lanes at the Avenida Juarez bridge are closed for construction. The result has been that now thousands of people are avoiding the downtown bridge in favor of the Free Bridge adjacent to Chamizal Park, rendering it into a nightmare, also.

Here was my personal experience this past Saturday, August 12th, just to give you an idea of conditions:

• Approximately 2 p.m.: Waiting 45 minutes to move a few dozen feet on Avenida Juarez. Truck began to overheat it was so hot. Then another 15 minutes to move up another few feet so I could take a right and exit the downtown area. Driving to the Free Bridge only to find it backed up all the way to the southern edge of Chamizal Park.
• Approximately 4 p.m.: Finding the exact same conditions at both bridges.
• Approximately 10 p.m.: Finding the same conditions at the Free Bridge but decided to wait it out this time, no matter how long. It required 48 minutes to get to the foot of the bridge and another 50 minutes to cross.

The customs officer told me it's still possible to cross between about 1 and 6 a.m. without much of a wait at all, but, obviously, the current situation is a huge inconvenience for anyone who wants to cross to shop or have dinner.

If you intend to go to Juarez under current bridge conditions I would suggest allowing at least two hours to cross back.and be prepared to wait as long as three.

I'll keep you posted...