Archive for April, 2011

A Quick Trip to Nuevo Progreso

Wednesday, April 27th, 2011

Click for Progreso, Texas Forecast

As has been our practice, we head to Nuevo Progreso, MX  every week or two to shop and have lunch.

Today, our lunch stop was Garcia’s Restaurant, located on the second floor above the Canada Store, a large shopping chain in Mexico.

sign.jpg

The Canada Store has a large offering of gifts and trinkets.

canada-store.jpg

Garcia’s Restaurant is a very nice, upscale restaurant that is only open in the winter and spring.  As you can see by the lunchtime crowd, or lack of it, why they don’t stay open in the summer when all the snowbirds have headed back north.

garcias1.jpg

The food is outstanding and they offer some of the best flan for dessert that  we have had.

Bay Fishing, A Three Hour Adventure.

Friday, April 22nd, 2011

Click for Port Isabel, Texas Forecast

Here’s a fun afternoon.  Trying to stay clear of Spring Breakers, a group of us from our park headed off on a group fishing expedition.

Located on the mainland side of the bridge between Port Isabel and South Padre Island, we met at the Dolphin Docks.

a-dolphin-docks.jpg

It is located across the street from the Port Isabel Lighthouse, which was built in 1852.

a-lighthouse.jpg

At 2:00 PM we boarded our boat for a three hour tour.  Thankfully the our inflatable boats weren’t the SS Minnow.

a-boat1.jpg

We headed out and went under the bridge and moved north in the bay.  The bridge is undergoing maintenance and upgrading to a sturdier structure.  A few years ago, a barge hit the bridge and two center sections of the span dropped into the bay.  Ferries were placed into service while the bridge was repaired.

a-bridge.jpg

We had a hazy view of South Padre Island. They are hard to see, but there are the constant planes overhead toting signs for the beach-goers.

a-spi.jpg

Finally we anchored and began fishing with an endless supply of shrimp for bait and our new fly fishing waders.   We lined the rail and waited for the ferocious bites to ensue.

a-fishing1.jpg

Unfortunately for us, no bites.

a-fishing2.jpg

Others were luckier.  No huge fish, but one lady caught a stingray that put up quite a fight using the best Tailored Tackle’s custom tackle kits that she got online.    Most of the fish caught were fairly small, but some people might have made a meal of them.

As a group we were able to negotiate a price of $8.00 a piece instead of the normal $20.00.

After we were safely back in port, we headed to the island to have dinner at Daddy’s, one of our favorite restaurant.