Matamoros, Mexico

I am in the border town of Matamoros, just across the border from Mexico. I met a Mexican woman who works in Brownsville, and lives in Matamoros, and she walked me across the bridge that night. On the way to her house, a bottle-rocket firework hit me in the back and made a popping noise that took our hearing in one ear for a bit. Could have been an accident or could have been on purpose--but no harm done. People like to use fireworks here just about every night.

The next day, we went through the town center. Everybody was out Christmas shopping. Very fun to watch all the people pass in the people-street (no cars) between the stores. Stores play music, vendors with hand-carts and bicycle-carts sell roasted corn on the cob, fruit cups, pancakes, nuts, nopales (edible cactus leaves), etc.

It has been overcast and/or rainy for the past couple of days. I went over to the house of the sister of the woman I met and I learned how to make tamales (some of the steps) and I actually got to spread the masa into the corn husks that they make them in. I also sorted beans, removing broken beans or severely deformed ones. Last night, I celebrated Christmas with her extended family. We ate together, exchanged gifts, laughter, hugs, and took a couple of photos. One of the uncles lives and works in Harlingen, a town I passed through on the way to Brownsville. He has lived in the US for over thirty years, and spoke English well, but we spoke in Spanish to keep our conversation open to everyone else.

I gave t-shirts of the undoit campaign to all and explained the campaign to them, and the Climate Stewardship Act.

I am working on following my leads of people who would join me. One such partner is in mid-Mexico and she has done some of her traveling by bus. She may be up for parting with two riders she is with to slow up a little for me to catch up. Another guy may join me from LA, taking a bus here.