Saltillo, Day Uno

We left Austin at about 0900 Monday morning and arrived in Saltillo at about 2000. We met with Saltillo firefighters at the Walmart, then drove to a dealership where our van could be safely locked up. Then we got in the two Saltillo vehicles and went for lunch before going to the immigration place for our tourist visas. This took about 3 hours...or so. We crossed the border at Laredo instead of someplace else because it was felt that would be safer as there is much more traffic. Apparently the drug lords and such are mostly bothering vehicles with Mexican plates on lonlier stretches of road. The drive was not bad at all. We arrived at the Hampton in time for their afternoon snack time, which includes free BEER! Then a super quick change, and onto Fire Station 1 (the north station) for a reception and dinner. Dinner was a hot soup that was super tasty and roast pork with fresh tortillas and guacmole. It was late, but we were not done. A few quick tours by this and that and then we had to go see a "special friend". This turned out to be a visit to a hotel (El Morillo) with only 14 rooms, a restaurant and a pool. They hosted an international opera competition last week. The rooms have no AC, no phones, no television and they are only 48 dollars a night. The family that owns the property has a pear orchard and they make tequilla with a pear in the bottle. No, we did not drink any Tequilla. But it was a beautiful place and they wanted to show it off to us. I have already made up my mind that I will be back. Hotel by midnight.