The Sweeter Side

Illegal immigration, underage drinking, easy access to drugs… so far I haven’t painted a very enjoyable picture of the border, which may not be exactly accurate. Living in a border town has plenty of positive sides. Great produce, food and candy, cheap pharmaceuticals and medical work, and the chance to explore another culture sits minutes from our homes.

It’s a sunny Saturday afternoon and there isn’t much to do. People in other cities might head to one of the countless malls or the local theater to absorb more of Hollywood’s take on reality, but living in a border town expands on those options. How about heading across the line for some great fish tacos and a paleta (the Spanish word for popsicle)? Theses bars, made with whole chunks of fruit, became a favorite of mine early on. I always found myself going for the cantaloupe paleta, but the options aren’t limited. Mango, tamarind, strawberry, lime, coconut, arroz con leche, pecan, you name it, they’ve got it.

Oh, and the Mexican candy… yum. I think this is somewhat of a acquired taste, but as Border town kids, we loved it. Peanut mazapan, watermelon and mango lollipops covered in chili, sweet and sour lucas salt… okay, I think I could write a whole blog about the candy, so I’ll stop. But I think you get the idea. .Mexico has a lot to offer and living so close makes it that much easier for us to take advantage.

Beyond great food, living in a Border town has economic advantages. Two of my family members have asthma and buy inhalers on a regular basis. Buying them at U.S. pharmacies can start to add up, so they head down to Naco. It’s about a 10 minute drive to the pharmacies in Mexico, and the prices are MUCH cheaper. I can’t think of any of my friend’s in Bisbee whose families don’t take advantage of this. Whether its inhalers, antibiotics, or heck, I even had a friend who wanted to try out Viagra, Mexican pharmacies are cheap and convenient. And some people take it one step further. My uncle gets his allergy shots in Naco, one of my friends has all of her dental work done there, and another one of my friends had her braces put on in Mexico. For those of us who live in Border towns, Mexico is our resource and putting it use seems quite ordinary.

(By the way, purchasing pharmaceuticals in Mexico is illegal in the U.S. if you don’t have a prescription)

Photos in the blog came from the following Web sites:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/warmnfuzzy/161894796/
http://www.mexgrocer.com/9223.html
http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/1f247/e9cb4/a/
http://www.shop-progreso.com/dentists/marco_ramirez/index.html
http://westernblues.blogspot.com/2005_08_01_westernblues_archive.html