Today We Took a Cruise Boat Down The Rio Grande River.

 Our dock mates Sharon & Casey picked us up and we went on a boat cruise up and down the Rio Grande River. 


I was amazed at how crystal clear the water was.  It was like looking into a swimming pool, of greenish blue water.  I always thought the Rio Grande would be murky like our Red River. 

This must have been a beautiful cruise a few years ago.  But last year they had a "Flood of the Century" They had torrential rain falls all along the Rio Grande and this area had water levels about 20 feet above normal levels, that did not recede for weeks and weeks. 

This boat obviously floated up as the flood waters came and got jammed up into the boathouse and never came back down again. 

Businesses and homes up and down the river were decimated and filled with silt. 

This was once an extensive and exclusive resort that has still not been restored. 

There is devastation everywhere you look. 

Some will never  recover. 

Some are slowly starting to recover.  The cruise company we cruised with, is one that is on it's way back.  But I am sure they are hoping the scenery up and down the river will improve, and get back to it's former beauty. 

All in all it was a nice day.

The Latest News From Linda and Dan

When we arrived in Texas, we were booked in, to Magic Valley Park.  It's a park we had stayed in last year and knew that we liked.  Once there we heard about the new Off Leash dog park that had opened in McAllen.  So we checked it out, and as I said previously in this Blog, Sea-enna loves it.  Well, McAllen is about 15 miles from where we are staying, so we  started driving back and forth 30 miles every other day to take her to her park .  It didn't take long for us to realize that we should check out RV Parks in the area of this dog Park.  After a few days of looking we found Paradise Park a couple of blocks away. 
After a number of days looking at our options and discussing it we ended up purchasing a "99 year Life Lease", on lot 335 in Paradise Park.  It's a 26 X 40 RV site, with some pavement, Sewer, Water and Electric and two fruit trees.

 IT'S AMAZING WHAT WE WILL DO FOR OUR PETS. 

The lot is in a 55 Plus Seniors Park and it works like a Condo in that now that we have purchased the lot, we just pay $110.00 a month maintenance fee and electricity that we use while we are there. 




 This park has all the same facilities that we have here at Magic Valley.  Shuffle Board, Horseshoe pitch, Pool Tables, Card Playing, Crafts, etc. etc. 

They have a nice Pool and Hot Tub, that we will get plenty of use out of.   And the usual Showers, and Laundry facilities. 

We have been busy with this investigation and decision making process, and that is why I have not been blogging much these past two weeks.  We have made arrangements to have more concrete poured to enlarge our patio area, and we have to arrange for tie downs for our trailer then it will be ready for us and our trailer to move in. 

We are still going to take our holiday tour to the East, but then we will return to McAllen for some of March and leave our trailer on our lot for the winter.  No more hauling it all the way back to Winnipeg.  Then we will travel up to Youngstown, for our visit, then head home.

We have made a deal with each other that we will stay in McAllen for January and March each year, but for the month of February, we will travel around the south and sight see.  So that's the  "Gnus "for now.

Finally Some Pictures of Magic Valley Park

Well Dan and I just got back from the pool and hot tub. And this time I finally remembered to take my camera with me. It's a really nice facility we are suprised that every time we go there, we have the whole place to ourselves.

This is What We're Up To

On Sunday we also went to a Garden Centre just up the street from our RV Park. It's really kind of neat to go into a Garden Centre and find that, plants that we would consider "House Plants" ready to be planted out in your yard.

As you wander about, It's like walking into a jungle or the Assiniboine Park Conservitory. All dark and cool and shaded. They have rows of tanks with water plants and Gold Fish and Koi.

and the brick paths through the plants for sale.

This is What We're Up To con't

On Sunday morning we went to Mercedes, to find the new Outlet Mall. Thats where all the designers and manufacturers each have their own outlet stores with just their stuff.

It was interesting, but all I found to buy were a couple of T-Shirts. I'm sure we will go back again, because there are still some things I'm looking for.

I don't know what's up with weathermen. It's the same thing as at home. They always get it wrong. They keep talking about cold weather and every day since they have been talking about this cold front we've had temperatures over 70. If this is their idea of a cold front I'll take it.

Now it's Sea-enna's Turn

They have built a new Off Leash Dog Park in McAllen. It's about a 13 mile drive from our RV Park, but it's worth the drive. It's a beautiful facility, and Sea-enna just loves it.

It's 3 acres double gated with two sections for large and small dogs. Benches and water fountains etc.








She loves to run free with the other dogs. All we have to do is say "Puppy Park"and she gets all excited. She knows what those two words mean. We are even looking around in McAllen for a different RV Park to go to next year, to be close to this park.

NOW THIS IS A HAPPY DOG.

Off We Go to Mexico

Today we hooked up with our dock mates Sharon & Casey and took a little trip across the border to Progresso Mexico. We park our vehicle on the US side and walk across the bridge over the Rio Grande River, which forms the US Mexican border at this point.


Here's Dan & Casey at the bridge.

Just into Mexico and there is this big show of military strength. I think it is more a show for the Americans to make them see that they ARE trying to do something about the drug wars, but there has never been any problems at this border crossing like there has been at others that we have heard about. Once into the village it's like any other giant flea market, with people hawking their wares up and down the streets in front of all of the stores.