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| I'm obsessed with these little fishing boats. |
Negotiating entry into Mexico isn't frustrating so much as it is long, and you had best bring five copies of everything. First you have to go to the port captain, who sends you to Health and Sanitation. They give you a piece of paper and stamp each of the 25 copies you hand them and sometimes the original. They then send you to Immigration, who sends you to the bank where you pay for your tourist card. Then, it's back to Immigration for more stamps, and finally you return to the port captain. Then, the guys from Customs come out to your boat and give you more stamps and pieces of paper, all while letting you know that your aloe plant is not allowed in the country but they will make allowances this time.
You think you might be done, but not so fast. Next, it's back to the port captain (after we had to return to the boat for a second time because I didn't bring the paperwork. When the Customs guy said we were done, I thought he meant, you know, finished. Oh, how naive we are.) and you wait for more stamps. He then sends you back to the bank to pay for something else (I haven't figured out what, but it cost $45), and finally he says those beautiful words, "Bienvenidos a Mexico."
After all of that, we had to go swimming. Or at least I did, Vlad being too smart to leave our computers unattended on the beach. And I have to say this is the best water I have ever been in. It's clear, warm but refreshing and just plain gorgeous.
I like to think of foreign bureaucracy as a land based adventure. You wanted adventure, right?
ReplyDeleteAnd adventure we have received! But it wasn't awful by any means. Everyone was super friendly and incredibly helpful.
DeleteAh the joys of bureaucracy... Although, it sounds more complicated on the East Coast then here on the Mexican West coast - Probably in part because Ensenada is a Port of Entry that gets TONS of cruisers every year and they ended up putting everything in one building (Port Captain, Immigration, Bank, Customs) - It's weird, we didn't have to deal with Health and Sanitation at all. And the boat import permit? Done at the same bank we paid for our tourist visas. But, who cares: You're there!! Bienvenidos from Baja! :)
ReplyDeleteHey, at least we got to see the town, right? Thanks for the Mexican welcome!
Deleteque celos tengo... tantos celos
ReplyDeleteI had to get the dictionary out for that one. Aren't you headed this way for the summer? Cause I could really use someone to mock my Spanish.
DeleteAhhh, to swim in a warm sea. I cannot wait. Enjoy! Sounds like you might know your way around town pretty well now.
ReplyDeleteYou are going to love it. I know selling your boat is heartbreaking right now, but think of all the places you'll be able to go.
DeleteGood job on that one, We heard entering Isla Mujeres is a long nightmare involving trips into Cancun and everything, because of their port captain. We just cleared into Bocas in Panama and were told the same thing, but were greeted with something completely different, you just never know I guess.
ReplyDeleteHow's that tropical formation looking up there? Do you guys have SSB? if so go to channel 8137.0 at 7:30 eastern and listen to Chris Parker.
Ur looking tan and like u've trimmed up a bit!
ReplyDelete