Town in MEX across from Big Bend?

[Texas97]

Been so long, what is the name of that town in Mexico across from Big Bend? I believe Robert Earl Keen's "Gringo Honeymoon" was about that town.

Back in like May 2001, some buddies of mine and I took a road trip to Big Bend. We stayed 3 nights there and took a flat-bottomed boat across the Rio Grande and then paid some guy to drive us to town. We drank a couple of Coronas and saw the gorgeous canyons there. And then went back.

Soon after 9-11, they closed that up. The border patrol never monitored it before. I read that the town basically died after that.

ANyone do that as well? What was the name of that town?

 

[Texas97]

Is that a ghost town now?

 

[MirrOlure]

Yep.

It is now a federal offense, punishable by fine and/or imprisonment to go over there via the former "informal crossing".

Back in the day, you could freely go across, have a few cervesas and some authentic food, and by trinkets, sotol walking sticks, etc.

Now, we are all safer because the terrorists will no longer flood into our country via the Boquillas crossing.

 

[ryskey]

Isn't there also a small village just a bit upstream from the entrance to Santa Elena canyon?

I went on a weeklong canoe trip down the Rio Grande a couple years ago and slept on the Mexican side most nights. It is also technically Mexico just across the halfway point of the river. Our outfitter and the state park employees both gave us various forms so that it would be legal (or not quite illegal) to cross back and forth across the river. How is that any different from going into Boquillas? Is there some loophole?

 

[pmg]

In reply to:

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[blkshoes]

the town across from santa elena canyon is called . . . santa elena. one of the major druglords of mexico was from there and was arrested there a few years ago.

the other sad thing about these border closures, besides us not being able to get over there. is that those people relied on the grocery stores in bbnp, and they can now not get to them.

 

[Lone Star]

Front page story in the 05/06/07 DMN News about the Big Bend Border towns.
The Link

 

[SouthernSooner]

That sucks....I never made it to Boquillas but my buddies always talk about the good times they had riding the burro up to the village and drinking beer and eating tacos and I always looked forward to making the trip someday.

Here's one of my favorite watercolors by Sam Caldwell entitled "Boquillas Rooster -- Chicken Champ Tonight, or Chicken Soup Manana.":

The Link

 

[Lat22]

La Linda is another one. It's right down the road (FM 2627?) from Cajunhorn's ranch. Very strange to see a very functional, new bridge that is blocked and a ghost town sitting across the river. There's a chuch off in the distance that stands out against the skyline. Creepy.