During a stint in Chicago a few years ago, I found that Frontier Airlines offered some really good deals to/from Harlingen, Texas (airport code HRL), close to the Mexican border cities of Reynosa and Matamoros. Then, from one of those cities, it’s a cheap flight to where ever else in Mexico.
Yes, why not escape those sultry winters for which Illinois is so famous?
Now, some might say those Mexican border cities don’t have the greatest reputation for safety. The same could be said about many US cities. Those two sentences don’t cancel each other out, but I also don’t wander around sporting ostentatious jewelry, Mamiya cameras, or Señor Frog’s apparel.
Having already become familiar with crossing from Reynosa to Hidalgo/McAllen multiple times, and then once from Matamoros to Brownsville, I felt comfortable testing the Texas border again last month, after having been in Mexico for a few weeks.
Even more amusing? My destination*: Mexico, Missouri.
Now, to address the elephant in the room, as of January 26th, 2021, all international flights landing in the US require passengers to show negative COVID-19 test results, with few exceptions. However, land borders are exempt from this. I booked my ticket to Mexico before this was announced, and only ever book one-ways.
After a pleasant and delicious part-business/part-leisure trip to Mexico, it came time to say “hasta la próxima,” or until next time. First stop, Reynosa, via Mexico City.
The new Reynosa terminal had just opened a few days prior, and it was certainly a world of difference from the older claustrophobic structure. I guess it comes down to business people visiting maquiladoras, or mostly tariff- and duty-free factories, often near the US border. From leaving the plane to hopping in a 280 peso taxi (pre-paid; I asked for a receipt, but they didn’t “have” any) to the McAllen-Hidalgo International Bridge. it took all of 30 minutes. Not bad.
Once you’re deposited at the pedestrian bridge, you will find a number of dentists and pharmacies, extant primarily for Texans scouting cheaper prices. It’s a bit grimy, though, and food options weren’t plentiful. Though, I did manage to score some tasty parting steak tacos:
I grant you that hygiene practices were a little suspect, but I will be damned if I wasn’t going to get one more Mexican meal before leaving to fast-foodsville.
Once you’re ready to cross to Texas, you can amble up the white gently-inclining wheelchair/luggage-accessible pedestrian bridge in the plaza. Note: you will need to have a 5 peso coin (or I think 25 cents) to exit Mexico, although they do not have any exit formalities other than a turnstile.
Having done this trip a few times, I can’t estimate how long it would take to cross. The average wait time for me was ~45 minutes, but you may want to take into consideration customs officers taking lunch breaks, weekends, holidays, etc.
Once on the Texas side – called Hidalgo – there’s…not much. Duty free shops, comida corrida (fast food), shady taxis, and vans. Luckily, Lyft operates in the area, and can whisk you away to the nearest large city, McAllen, and its convenient airport (airport code MFE):
Earlier, I said that my destination was Mexico, Missouri. That’s partially true. I was visiting family in the St. Louis-area, and wanted to drive around a bit, looking for really local bbq. Noticing Mexico on the map, I made it so.
Going from this…
to this…
You might ask, why would you ever want to leave the southerly Mexico for this one?
Well, I have prepared a rejoinder, just for you: “I don’t know.”
You see, there was talk of a giant tater tot stuffed with barbecue at one restaurant, and the fallback across the street sounded just as good. Alas, due to a combination of the pandemic, and restaurants not updating their search engine details, no bbq for me. And to throw salt in the wound, the best edible I could find in the area (i.e. that was open) was a sweet peanut corn flake snack from a chain store:
The moral of the story? Crossing the Mexico-US land border = piece of cake, visiting Mexico, Missouri = better to go when it doesn’t look like the rapture just took place.
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