Lost in the bazaar in Tapachula was a bit bizarre!
JTOG Day No. 31, Sunday, November 10th, 2013, was as much about getting out of Mexico as it was about getting into Guatemala. It was a long, arduous, and ultimately successful day as it ended with me laying my head down on the soft pillow of the Crowne Plaza in Guatemala City. What a difference a day makes as far as hotels, this one with a roof top 360-degree view of the airport and city. More importantly I found two new lifelong friends in Florencia and Pepe Rolz. It had been three days since I had been with anyone and I was missing my friends in Mexico City. I guess unplanned journeys are like that. You can’t really expect when you will meet nice people but you know it will happen sooner than later.
Torch losing her Mexico sticker in Huixtla.
To go south to Guatemala, I had to head north about 30 miles from Tapachula to Huixtla to turn in Torch’s Temporary Importation of Vehicle sticker to have my $200 refunded. Of course I got lost coming out of Tapachula and ended up, literally, in the middle of a Sunday morning bazaar which was quite bizarre and a bit unnerving to drive through a sea of people on tight streets. No address mind you but I did have a mile post number—243 on Highway 200. Eventually I found it, courtesy of a police escort. No lines and I was in and out, well actually the guy came out to remove Torch’s sticker, in five minutes.
Leaving Mexico at Hidalgo, crossing the Sachiato River and arriving in Tecun Uman, Guatemala.
On the way out of the Immigration Internal Checkpoint Torch was thoroughly searched and they did not give me back my passport. When I came in I mistakenly used the road reserved for buses, was flagged down and basically drove the wrong way to get on the right road. I wondered if that may have something to do with their interest in me. They said to follow their police pickup truck which I did. They escorted me to the entrance of Highway 200 heading south to Guatemala and then gave me back my passport saying Que tengas un buen día. Vamos otra vez! (Which means have a good day and come again which really means they were happy to see me go and going the right way!
The trip of 56 miles south to the same Hidalgo-Tecun Uman border I was at yesterday went fairly routinely. There were no lines, no wait and no inspection on the Mexico side of the border. But the Guatemala side of the border was quite an experience!
With my tour and trusted friend Isai at the Mexico-Guatemala border.
First of all, they insisted on fumigating Torch. At least it was only on the outside, pretty much just a washing of her wheels. I was trying to understand the process and how much it would cost when a tout named Isai came to my rescue. A tout is somebody who is bilingual in English and Spanish and makes his money helping people like me who don’t speak Spanish navigate the border crossing. As it turned out the man was only a money changer and there was no fee for the fumigation. Isai became a trusted friend though I did not trust his friends, the other guys who hung around the transactions, and my mistrust unfortunately almost derailed my journey.
It was a Sunday morning and the bank at the border was closed. I was out of cash so I needed to find an ATM to pay the fees to enter Guatemala. Isai led me through Tecun Uman about six or seven blocks to an ATM that was open. I was careful and alert and felt safe with Isai who was a family man and just trying to make a living.
Border agent who gave my passport away! Fortunately I got it back!
When we walked back to the border my sense of safety was shattered when I learned the immigration officer had given my vehicle paperwork to one of the guys that had remained behind while we went to the ATM. Again I trusted Isai and took control of the situation. First I asked him to ask the immigration officer, who did not speak English, if she had given anything else to the guy. I was shocked and angry when I learned that she had given him my passport too. With Isai’s help the guy immediately surrendered and returned to me my passport. I then told Isai that he would not be getting paid unless the other guys got out of my sight never to return. They complied and I like to think they were just trying to be helpful but it certainly smelt a little bit like an upcoming scam. Not sure, doesn’t matter now, but lesson learned is to keep my eye on and if possible have possession of my passport at all times!
With the nice security lady who told me where I was and then called Pepe and told him where I was and then asked for directions for me!
The rest of the border crossing was a bit tedious too. The immigration officer came out to inspect Torch, opening the hood and checking the VIN number. There was a last minute snafu where they needed a copy of the temporary vehicle import permit. Once again I trusted Isai, giving him the original and money to go make a copy nearby. He came back, Torch and I entered Guatemala and I paid Isai the agreed upon $15 and gave him $2 each for the two other guys.
It was after 1 pm by then and Torch and I had gone only a 100 miles and crossed a border in the last five hours. Slow and steady with patience and determination. In reality we had only gone a couple hundred yards since we had checked out the border late yesterday afternoon. Definitely room to streamline this border crossing next time!
Beautiful countryside and a stunning sunset as I made my way to Guatemala City.
Looking back the day had really just begun and there would be tons more frustration trying to find Pepe Rolz’s place and then my bed for the night. But it was all good, freshly new and exciting in the land of active volcanoes called Guatemala. I will wrap up today’s diary quickly as I will have much more to write about my experiences in Guatemala, including nearly getting arrested in front of the American Embassy, in the days ahead. Suffice it to say I found my way without a working Garmin. A wonderful woman police officer at the tollway rest stop heading into Guatemala City helped me tremendously by calling Pepe on her cell phone. Then once in Guatemala I called Pepe at least three or four times and eventually hired a taxi to show me the way while I followed along.
With Florencia & Pepe Rolz, golf’s ultimate charming couple!
Definitely a day of determination to get there. but once there it was easy as Florencia and Pepe were wonderful and hospitable people. They made me the best ever spaghetti dinner topped off with tiramisu for dessert. She a champion amateur golfer from Mexico and he a champion amateur golfer from Guatemala who played college golf in the United States, gave me fascinating interviews. I think they have more silver trophies and plates in their house than present at the World Golf Hall of Fame!
CLICK here for Video Interview with Florencia & Pepe Rolz.
CLICK here for Video Interview with Pepe Rolz.
Torch and I followed Pepe over to a nice Italian boutique hotel called the Hotel Bresciani but there was a reservation snafu and they would not have a room for me until the following night. I ended up staying at the Crowne Plaza which was really nice though the most expensive out-of-pocket place I stayed on the entire ‘Journey to Olympic Golf.’
No worries, it was a good day, a big day to get settled in the third country of the odyssey.
Tomorrow morning we would take Torch to see Olaf and see what the deal is with her braking issues.
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Passing a family of four on a motorcycle in Guatemala.
At first I thought these trucks were carrying sticks but then I realized it was harvested sugar cane.
Following Pepe to the Hotel Bresciani, but there would be one more stop at the Crowne Plaza before I found my bed for the night.
