texaswalker
06-30-2005, 04:52 PM
:cool: If my report is too touristy, let me know and I’ll focus more. I enjoy reading the travel details others like Helpmann have written. They helped me hit the ground running.
Up early, turn on the TV, mostly fuzzy but the Pistons won their first home game of the finals. I live not far from the Palace…good. I hadn’t unpacked because I’m out of this room no matter what, today. Showered and went for toast and coffee outside at the bar near the office which was chica-less at this morning hour. A good cup of coffee and I enjoyed the morning sounds of Boca Chica. The heat, a dumpster loading up outside the gate, birds, lots of dogs. Where am I?
Hotel El Caucho is at the top of that little hill in front of the public beach area. If you walk out of the hotel to the right and down the hill one block, you’re in front of the main beach and at the west end of Duarte, the main drag. El Caucho means the “cork” like in a wine bottle. Babel Fish translates it as the “rubber”, I always thought they were Argentinean cowboys not condones.
I walk out and turn left. I need a ride to airport to pick up a rental car. Thanks Helpmann. After two three blocks I pointed to a van going by thinking it might be a taxi. It was a van, but the driver was up to making some side money. He says 700 rd, I say 600 rd knowing that’s what a taxi wants, the amount is ridicules for 8 km to the airport, but $20 bucks is the going rate. Primero un bank and then the Alamo office. The airport Cambio was closed last night and El Caucho had no change. So I wasn’t going out peso broke, in the rain.
Alamo gives me a Chevy roller-skate, 5 speed manual, air-conditioned. Did I tell you its hot and humid? I reserved for $177 for the week no insurance. My AMEX gold covers rental insurance. The guy at the counter is good guy complimented me on my Spanish and asked where I was taught. Pimsleur CD’s Level 1.5. Anyway he said if I banged the car, they’ll charge the whole car to my card and I can work it out with AMEX at home. I bought the extra coverage at $200 for the week. More than the car!
Turn right out of Alamo and immediately come up to toll booths. Tried to pay but waived thru. I’m on an autobahn at 100 clicks and the big cars were passing anyway they can. There are no rules so let’s see how fast this car is. OK top winds slowly out to close to 170 but the tack is not buried. So it’s limited by something. So what can I really do with this thing? I have a good power curve up to 150; cruise at 140 is noisy but comfortable. Sharp bends at speed have severe under steer and an uncomfortable lean. So my rules, downhill is all out, 140-150 flats, uphill all out in whatever gear needed, and corners brake hard in, hard on out and turn the wheel hard. Four empty seats, this dog hunts alone. This was going to be fun.
So into town, U-turn at the colonial zone exit and back out toward Boca Chica. Twenty clicks at speed each way. The toll booths are collecting this way. I made the mistake of getting in the lane for change. Next time exact change only. This country has people making change before you throw into the bucket. Who’d have thought? Entering Boca Chica but still on the highway I see my first entourage coming up fast behind me. An entourage consists of two motorcycle cops, followed by two black Mercedes S500 up cars, an SUV, and two more motorcycles. If you’re lucky to join an entourage, you can really get thru the traffic and move on the highway. I was able to keep up until Juan Dolio??, the next beach town. I wasn’t impressed with only a quick drive thru. I didn’t know it then but later that day I was going to meet Moraina and my sixtieth year on earth was about to earn a new gold star. Boca Chica 12 noon, Wednesday. More later….
Up early, turn on the TV, mostly fuzzy but the Pistons won their first home game of the finals. I live not far from the Palace…good. I hadn’t unpacked because I’m out of this room no matter what, today. Showered and went for toast and coffee outside at the bar near the office which was chica-less at this morning hour. A good cup of coffee and I enjoyed the morning sounds of Boca Chica. The heat, a dumpster loading up outside the gate, birds, lots of dogs. Where am I?
Hotel El Caucho is at the top of that little hill in front of the public beach area. If you walk out of the hotel to the right and down the hill one block, you’re in front of the main beach and at the west end of Duarte, the main drag. El Caucho means the “cork” like in a wine bottle. Babel Fish translates it as the “rubber”, I always thought they were Argentinean cowboys not condones.
I walk out and turn left. I need a ride to airport to pick up a rental car. Thanks Helpmann. After two three blocks I pointed to a van going by thinking it might be a taxi. It was a van, but the driver was up to making some side money. He says 700 rd, I say 600 rd knowing that’s what a taxi wants, the amount is ridicules for 8 km to the airport, but $20 bucks is the going rate. Primero un bank and then the Alamo office. The airport Cambio was closed last night and El Caucho had no change. So I wasn’t going out peso broke, in the rain.
Alamo gives me a Chevy roller-skate, 5 speed manual, air-conditioned. Did I tell you its hot and humid? I reserved for $177 for the week no insurance. My AMEX gold covers rental insurance. The guy at the counter is good guy complimented me on my Spanish and asked where I was taught. Pimsleur CD’s Level 1.5. Anyway he said if I banged the car, they’ll charge the whole car to my card and I can work it out with AMEX at home. I bought the extra coverage at $200 for the week. More than the car!
Turn right out of Alamo and immediately come up to toll booths. Tried to pay but waived thru. I’m on an autobahn at 100 clicks and the big cars were passing anyway they can. There are no rules so let’s see how fast this car is. OK top winds slowly out to close to 170 but the tack is not buried. So it’s limited by something. So what can I really do with this thing? I have a good power curve up to 150; cruise at 140 is noisy but comfortable. Sharp bends at speed have severe under steer and an uncomfortable lean. So my rules, downhill is all out, 140-150 flats, uphill all out in whatever gear needed, and corners brake hard in, hard on out and turn the wheel hard. Four empty seats, this dog hunts alone. This was going to be fun.
So into town, U-turn at the colonial zone exit and back out toward Boca Chica. Twenty clicks at speed each way. The toll booths are collecting this way. I made the mistake of getting in the lane for change. Next time exact change only. This country has people making change before you throw into the bucket. Who’d have thought? Entering Boca Chica but still on the highway I see my first entourage coming up fast behind me. An entourage consists of two motorcycle cops, followed by two black Mercedes S500 up cars, an SUV, and two more motorcycles. If you’re lucky to join an entourage, you can really get thru the traffic and move on the highway. I was able to keep up until Juan Dolio??, the next beach town. I wasn’t impressed with only a quick drive thru. I didn’t know it then but later that day I was going to meet Moraina and my sixtieth year on earth was about to earn a new gold star. Boca Chica 12 noon, Wednesday. More later….