What is a ROPA Store?

We had planed on leaving Mission on Monday, March 28th, but our mail didn't arrive on Sat so we had to stay another day. I'm glad because we had a great day of sightseeing, which we hadn't done yet. Too busy visiting relatives. Charles Lee and Elsie drove us around in the area.

There are many ROPA stores in the area. Everyone said they were quite the experience to see. They were right. ROPA stores sell clothing by the pound. There are huge piles 2' to 3' high. Some are as big around as our living room. People ( Mexicans) sit in the middle of the pile and sort thru the clothes. They have a large bag to put them in. One guy was even lying down and once in awhile, would pick up a piece and look at it. You can also buy large bundles about 4'x4' for $600. People buy those, sorth thru it and sell the pieces individually for 10-25 cents. That is how lots of people make their living. Everything is in Spanish.

Beware if you have to use the restrooms. Quite a way from the restrooms was a cardboard box on the counter. It was labeled "paper for the Banyo'. It was just single sheets of toilet paper. If you didn't see it, you were out of luck. If you buy by the pound, it is 25 to 35 cents. per pound.

We went to South Padre Island. That is on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. It was quite a contrast from seeing how the Mexicans live. This is an expensive resort town. All for tourists, but beautiful beaches. I went to a store to look at bathing suits because somehow mine shrunk in my drawer since I last used it. I saw one for half price. I thought "what a deal". WRONG! It was still $100. I'll keep looking. We strolled the beach. There were alot of men sitting in beach chairs along the shore. They had fishing poles in the water. Not sure how much they catch being so close to shore.

This view is from the restaurant on the mainland that we stopped at for lunch. The bridge on the right goes to South Padre Island. It is a very narrow strip of land, probably only 1/2 mile wide. As you drive down you can see water on both sides.

This is the wall that the U.S. is building along the Mexican border. It is about 14' tall. The problem is that there are large gaps every once in awhile. That is because some Mexican live in the U.S. but their farms are in Mexico. They need to get back and forth. What is to stop the illegals from just going to one of the gaps and walking thru. I have heard that they go under the wall.

Denny makes quite the pirate. This was at the restaurant we stopped at before going on South Padre Island. He grumbles when I make him to that, but he does it anyway.

We went along the border for quite awhile. It was very interesting to see the contrasts of how the Mexicans live compared to us. We are so lucky. In the town of Mission, where we stayed, we went into a gas/connivance store. We were the only ones speaking English, except for the clerks, who were bilingual. Alot of the food is labeled in Spanish and English. I thought we were close to the border before, but this is the closest we have been. We went to a restaurant on the banks of the Rio Grande. Across the river was Mexico.

On to West Texas!