Algadonas Mexico and Yuma Arizona

Algadonas is the border town where loads of retired folks (including Mikey and Jan) go to the dentist, get new glasses, medications and booze. Mikey decided that for a buck it was also worth getting his shoes shined.

And David figured he would try getting his teeth cleaned. I think it was a whopping $30. Me, I would rather pay the deductible and wait until we get back to our very own-I know and trust him- dentist. I have been told that the dentists are every bit as good as the ones in the US and as clean and sterile. That's OK, I'll wait:)

And here is David waiting patiently to get into his appointment.

There are miles and miles of fields of lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, beats etc in this area. The process for harvesting these veggies is amazing to me. They are handpicked and put on a flatbed truck that is parked in the field and are then immediately wrapped and packaged into boxes. The semis wait on the road to haul the fresh produce to the waiting store. After the fields have been picked anyone can walk in to get whatever is leftover. Lots of produce is left in a field because it has to be a certain size and quality. We had a salad made from a freshly picked head of lettuce tonight for supper. Very good.
Mikey and Jan do take us to the finest places. This one is The Lutz Casino. Nope it's not a casino but an interesting place to eat where the Lutz special (and most ordered) is a cheeseburger with the works including a sliced hot dog on it! Jan and I both had one. It is surprisingly good.
It is difficult to eat with all of the 'stuff' to look at. There are deep sea fisherman perched on a post.
And a vehicle grill hanging on a wall below this fine photo.
And a huge fish dangling from the ceiling with the one that didn't get away in his mouth.
An interesting place indeed.
Then there is the site of the Yuma Territorial Prison. Much of it has been destroyed by fire and there isn't much original there any longer but it was interesting.
This poster reminded me of how many feel even today about how well those that are incarcerated for horrible crimes seem to often have it better than we do.
The prisoners had to make whatever they wanted. All of their food was raised, they made their own plates and bowls and if they wanted to play games they made them as well.
I was fascinated by the dice and dice box which is in the lower left of the picture made out of clay I think.
And one of the male prisoners did gorgeous lace work.
And I loved this women. She was the prison curator and actually lived at the prison by herself until her family, as she says, raised a fuss.
Here the old babe is. I love her.....doesn't look to me like she needs to be afraid of anything or anyone with the shotgun on her lap!
These are some of the original jail cells...pretty primitive.
Ummmm ya......
When they took the prisoner's picture they had them sit beside a mirror in order to get a profile view...seriously. Our two most famous prisoners had to try their very own mugshots
Innocent...right....
And this is probably why he was locked up in the previous picture.
It has been a little cool here this year...really it has I am not trying to be a smart a--. BUT I aint complaining. The people that have been coming here for years are complaining a bit though. Ah such is life.

Stealing Grapefruit

This is a fine art. First you have to spy a grapefruit tree with ripe reachable fruit. And it really is better if these trees happen to be in a county owned parking lot right behind the police department.

Then you crawl onto your good friend's pickup end gate and get your fingers around the ripest fruits.

Your wife either stands to the side telling you which fruits are the best or takes pictures of you boys committing this crime.
Once you have the back of the pick up full of grapefruit (and some lemons as well) you quietly drive away hoping no one has seen you. The grapefruit are yummy and Jan promises (didn't you Jan) a lemon meringue pie made from the fresh lemons.

New Year's Eve we spent playing games, munching food and consuming a variety of beverages. Yup we filled the garbage can with empties. A nice night spent with great friends. PS Kelly L, your father in law won the most games that night...drats.
We took advantage of a warmer day to hike in one of the valleys here. Everywhere you look there are fabulous pictures to be taken.
Mikey and David spent a few minutes searching for gold in the stream. This appears to be David signaling that he found something of value....turns out that was not the case he was just letting us know where he was.
Great views
Cool rock formations
And what can you say about a view like this.....
Tomorrow we move to one of the local casinos for two nights then off to Yuma where David, Jan and Mikey are going to the dentist. Me, as much as I do not like dentists I certainly am not going to go to one in Mexico although many do....just not me.

Oh and by the way, it is OK and expected that people 'steal' the fruit on the county lots. However the first time Mikey and Jan did it, years ago, they didn't know that it was OK and really did think they were getting by with something :)