Wow, long day. Since I hadn't noticed the shop after shop of money changers just north of the port of entry, heading straight west to downtown instead, I missed that convenience and spent hours looking for a bank ATM instead. That's something that bugs me about American cities, and a few Mexican cities like Veracruz too: all the shoe shops in one part of town. All the banks on one city block. Not a single block with one of everything, or a group of, say, four blocks in each direction where you can find one of everything.
Anyway, before I managed to score some greenbacks, I stopped in one restaurant and, while the waitress was too busy, went to the restroom. Took a huge dump -- two days worth -- and it wouldn't flush. I was in there cursing, flushing, plunging, trying to get the goddamned shit down the toilet. Anyway, when I came out, some old guy was talking with a woman, presumably the owner. When I asked if I could pay with pesos, the answer was no. Credit card? It says so on the door. No, we're out of credit slips. I'm pretty sure I was being thrown out for cursing, the old guy must have heard me goddamnning the fucking shit. Oh, well, at least I got that business over with.
With the urgent matter over, then I could attend to my banking needs, and then finally ate breakfast at Anandas Cafe, a house special of, if I remember right, chilaquiles de pollo for $3.50 plus tax, about $3.80 total. Quite tasty and filling, and included coffee with a refill. Friendly service, too, a real treat in that godforsaken town.
Got the 13:30 Rio Transit minibus to Port Isabel for $2, and moments later the Wave came by for my free trip to South Padre. Had a bath in the ocean and a nap; had my ceviche (yay!) at Wanna Wanna; then went looking for wifi. Stopped at the Texas Moon, which used to offer wifi and power, but no more. Ate some fried shrimp there anyway, and had a cup of coffee. Got out of there spending about $10 including a 15% tip. Then headed back the other direction. I don't think I'd ever stopped at Padre Island Brewing Company before -- the place looks too trendy and I felt so out of place. But this time I parked my luggage roller (which I'd bought earlier today for about $14 downtown, abhorring the thought of carrying all my luggage around the island) outside and walked in with just my Voit sling I'd bought in the Veracruz Soriana. Yes, they have wifi; wait a minute, I'll see if there's a table with power; there is, but it's occupied, so why don't you have this table next to it, and you can move there when they leave? Fuck, yeah! Now that's customer service! Instead of making you feel like a moocher or a thief for using a few cents worth of electricity while you spend 5 to 20 bucks, they make you feel like a valuable customer. Wow, what a concept. And if someone steals all my shit while I'm in here sucking down beers and using wifi, I won't cry a whole lot. Not till the beer wears off, anyway.
last updated 2013-01-10 21:10:01. served from tektonic.jcomeau.com