Month: March 2019

by

White Sands National Monument with the Colorado Traveling Ducks

We are going to White Sands National Monument today.

White Sands National Monument Visitor’s Center

And there is so much white sand there!    If you start digging at the shallow part, you will still be digging sand for more than 30 feet.   A sign said there is enough sand to fill 45 million boxcars.   That makes a train long enough to circle the earth, at the equator, 25 times.  That is a lot of sand!  White Sands National Monument is near Alamogordo, in southern New Mexico and is surrounded by White Sands Missile Range.   Sometimes this monument is closed during missile range tests.   White Sands Missile Range is also an interesting place.   The first atomic bomb test was here, at Trinity Site, July 16, 1945.   There is also a fascinating free museum at White Sands Missile Range.   But, today we are talking about a lot of white sand.   After the Visitor’s Center, we walked to the gift shop.   Isn’t this a pretty court yard between the Visitor’s Center and Gift Shop?

In courtyard between museum and store

Our mission in the gift shop was sleds.   Yes, we bought 2 sleds and wax sticks for each sled.   We can sled on the sand dunes.   Sleds and wax tucked into our car and we followed Dunes Drive until we found our perfect dune for sledding.

We are ready to sled

Here we are, ready to enjoy sledding on the sand dunes.

Dunes look pretty big from this sled

Well, these dunes really look big from here.   Remember, we are small rubber ducks.   Maybe we should let the humans try this first.   Soapy’s mom was the first to go.   She survived and said it was great.

Mom coming down sand dune

Here comes my mom sledding down the dunes.   We ducks went also.   Fortunately it was not crowded today.   Another family was sledding down a nearby dunes.   All the humans were all laughing and having a great time.   This white sand is primarily from gypsum.   This sand is fairly rare because gypsum dissolves in water, but there is no water here.

So much white sand

 

The sand is very white and beautiful.   A quite a bright reflection when the sun is at its brightest.   There are several picnic areas.   These picnic tables are great.

Picnic area

The covering protects from the sun and also the wind.   Nobody wants blowing sand in a picnic lunch.   But here I, Zeb the Duck, am sitting on the sand.   Those ripples are caused by wind, so be careful if a storm is coming.   But we do like to see mountains behind the sand.   There was another sign reminding us that from the space shuttle, the only white features visible are snow on mountain tops and this white sand.   At 275 square miles of white sand in the Tularosa Basin, this is the world’s largest gypsum dune field.   Much of southern New Mexico is desert, so you can guess that many desert animals live here at the sand dunes.   This one, the Bleached Earless Lizard, was the most fascinating to us.

Didn’t see this animal

We did not see the lizard, but he many have seen us.  We loved our time at White Sands National Monument.   We hope you visit soon.   We think you will have as much fun as we did.   And in the Visitor’s Center we learned so much about this whole area.   New Mexico is great!

by

Colorado Traveling Ducks Find an Automated Toilet

Walking across the International Bridge from Juarez, Mexico into El Paso, Texas, we immediately encountered these automated toilets.

Automated toilets

Most directions are in English, Spanish and Braille, for the blind.  This is our first post about a toilet, but this is something you all have to see.   First press the open button on the outside of the toilet building.   Enter the bathroom, and then press the button to close.

Push button to open and close door

This also locks the door, preventing unwanted visitors.   Just remember this is the same button you will later press to leave the rest room.    Next, if wanted, press this button to lower the toilet seat.

Ladies like toilet seat down

This is important as ladies like the seat down, and a previous occupant may have been a male that needed the seat  up.   When needed, press this button.

Push button for toilet paper

Toilet paper will be dispensed for you.   Now you are finished, but there is no button to flush.   What to do?

Will flush after washing hands

No problem.   After washing your hands, the toilet will flush for you.   To wash your hands, hold them under the writing.

Wash and dry hands here

First to get soap on your hands.   Then move to get water.   Then hands further to the right for hand drying.   Everything is very automated.   All you ever need to touch is buttons.   Remember, the button to exit is the same button you used to lock the door.   Walk out.

After a few seconds door will automatically close

The door will close in a few seconds.   This is the most automated bathroom we have ever seen.   However, there must be more of them around in the US and the rest of the world.   Anybody know of any?

by

Juarez, Mexico with Colorado Traveling Ducks and Chloe

After leaving Palomas, Mexico, we drove across the desert, along the US-Mexico border.   The sky was dark, very few vehicles on the road, but we enjoyed the night drive.   Many times the only lights visible were from the old international border wall.  After a little more than one hour, we arrived in El Paso, Texas.   Checked into our rooms, spending a couple days in El Paso.   Walking in El Paso, our humans wanted to walk across one of the international bridges.   We went into the customs area to see if we could take Soapy Smith Duck’s dog Chloe into Mexico, and then back into the US.  We did not have Chloe’s record of shots, but we did have her rabies tag.   After seeing Chloe, talking to the humans, checking passports, Chloe was allowed into Mexico and was assured we could bring her back. We would definitely return before these border agents were finished woking for the day.

International bridge between El Paso, Texas, USA and Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico.

Soapy Smith Duck’s mom and dog, Chloe, ready to cross into Mexico.   This is the second day in Mexico for Zeb and Soapy.   But this Chloe’s first international trip.   After walking across one of the three international bridges between El Paso, Texas and Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico, this was our first view of Juarez.

Walking into Juarez

Not a busy street at the moment.   Many people were interested in Chloe.   She is a pretty dog.   Some wanted to pet her and some were afraid of her.   Our moms watched her very closely.  She is not used to many new people.   But Chloe was wonderful and it seemed like everyone loved her.   We thought this was unusual.

Rhino on balcony

It is not often we see  a statue of a rhinoceros on a patio.   We could not go inside the building with Chloe, so we are not sure what that was about.   US dollars can be exchanged for Mexican pesos.

Exchange money here

One US dollars gets 18.60 Mexican pesos.   But only exchange what you will spend.   If you want to sell pesos to repurchase your US dollars, you must pay 19.10 pesos for a dollar.   We were only here for a short time, so we did not exchange any money.   We did not find any restaurants with outdoor patios that were open, so we purchased street tacos from a vender.   We paid in US dollars, so the price was a little higher, but we were fine with that.

Delicious street tacos

We wanted 3 tacos, but we got 3 orders of tacos, about 12.   We ate a lot and gave some tacos to people on the street.   The tacos were delicious.   And a little messy.  The humans decided Chloe had been here long enough, so we started back across the bridge to El Paso, Texas, USA.

Chloe and Soapy’s mom heading back to USA

From the bridge we could see the Rio Grande.   The river separates Mexico and the United States.  The bridges are quite long.   We enjoyed the walk and looking down at the river and the international border.   This is a very busy border crossing area, with 3 major bridges.  In 2017, each day about 20,000 pedestrians, 35,000 cars and 2,500 cargo trucks cross from Mexico into the US.   That is traffic for each day of the year.   This area is called the world’s largest international border metroplex.   The border between the US and Mexico is 1,954 miles (3,145 km) with 48 official US-Mexico border crossings.   Within these 48 border crossings are 330 ports of entry.   The border also extends several miles into the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.   In January 2009 there were over 580 miles (930 km) of border barrier in place.

Traffic coming into El Paso

Looking back from the US into Mexico, there is a lot of traffic on this one bridge, cars waiting to enter El Paso, Texas.  There was no problem getting Chloe back into El Paso, Texas.   The friendly agents were waiting for her.   We all had a great time in Juarez, even though it was a short visit.   We hope you cross borders and visit new places.   It is fun and we always meet nice people.

by

Palomas, Mexco and back to the Pink Store with Zeb and Soapy

We, the Colorado Traveling Ducks, and humans are back in Palomas, Mexico.   And that means we are going to the Pink Store.

The Pink Store

We love the Pink Store.   This is only our third time visiting, but we look forward to shopping and having lunch here.  And mom did promise that next trip to the Pink Store, she will get a better photo of the store.  It’s really not that dark and dreary there.   The most notable items are possibly the bigger than life statues for Day of the Dead celebrations.

Day of Dead statues

In Mexico, Day of the Dead is celebrated November 1 and November 2.   Many believe the spirits of deceased relatives return to their homes.   Death is not feared, but embraced as a part of human life.

Day of Dead

Here are more items for Day of the Dead.  We like the dogs on the bottom shelf.   Often the living will assemble an “ofrenta”, or memorial of items important to the deceased while they were alive.   But there are many more items at the Pink Store.

Huge selection of pottery

Many pottery items.   All of these are hand painted.

Pottery

We feel that the Pink Store offers some of the best Mexico has to offer.   The items here are of good quality and made in Mexico.   We like the hand blown glass.

Hand blown glass and silver jewelry

And of course, the silver jewelry is beautiful.

Glass vases

These glass vases are pretty also.   The dolls are so festive.

Dolls and a duck

Too bad we don’t have lots of empty shelves at home.   The sheets of papel picado, or cut paper, are really nice, with so much detail.

Colorful paper cutouts available

And who can resist the had painted pottery and ceramics figures?

So festive!

Not us.   We do a little shopping, then have lunch or dinner here at the Pink Store’s restaurant.   A day at the Pink Store is very enjoyable.   And we always seem to have several packages to carry across the international border to our waiting car.   We think you would also enjoy a day, or more, at the Pink Store in Palomas, Mexico.   That is just across the international border from Columbus, New Mexico.   And, the Pink Store and Palomas are not crowded.   You will feel welcome and be able to look and enjoy everything in this small Mexican town.

by

Palomas, Mexico with Zeb and Soapy Smith Duck

Palomas, Mexico, is a small, friendly and uncrowded border town.   And we love visiting.

Main street of Palomas, Mexico. Traffic but not congestion.

We parked our car in a lot in New Mexico.   Walking across the international bridge into Palomas, Mexico, we notice and remember all the dental buildings.

Medical tourism is very popular. Excellent dental care available at reasonable prices

Medical tourism, especially dental work, is very available in Palomas.   Many of the dentists offer procedures at a much more reasonable price than we can find in the United States.   However, we did not come for dental or any other medical reasons.   We just came for fun, shopping and eating.     Walking into Palomas, we admired the detail work on this statue.

Statue in plaza

Because this is a small town, and not a big tourist destination, there are very few street venders.   We usually see someone selling sunglasses and maybe a small food cart.   But the large selections of silver jewelry and other souvenirs often sold by venders, are usually absent in Palomas.  The gazebo in a park caught our attention, also.

Gazebo in plaza

The cathedral is very prominent and nice.

Cathedral in Palomas

We love these old cathedrals.   Walking down the street, we love the bright colors worn by many of the females.

Beautiful bright dresses

These dresses are really beautiful.   On the main street, we appreciated the statue of the man playing the accordion.

Statue of musician by the street

In another plaza we spotted this statue of a man and his guitar.

Statue of musician in plaza

The same plaza had beautiful carved wooden doors.

Beautiful carved doors

We love the craftsmanship of so many things in Mexico.   Further into town, we discovered this school for young children.

Painted wall for children school

Perhaps a preschool?

Painted wall on children’s school.

But children all over the world love Winnie the Pooh.   And so do the Colorado Traveling Ducks.   We enjoy wandering around Palomas.   We browse and make purchases in a couple grocery stores.   Always something new.   This time we found large chunks of a pumpkin candy.   And we always get small bottles of fresh vanilla.   Often there are new hair products that we have not seen in stores at home.   And, of course, in Palomas, we always visit The Pink Store.   And have lunch or an early dinner at the restaurant in The Pink Store.   Next time, we will show you some of The Pink Store.

by

Pancho Villa Attacks the US

The United States was attacked by Pancho Villa and soldiers from Mexico on March 9, 1916.   That was the last time a foreign military attacked a state in the United States.   In case you are wondering, Hawaii was not yet a state December 7, 1941 when Pearl Harbor was attacked.   Also, September 11, 2001 the attack on New York and the Pentagon in Washington DC, was done by hijackers using US commercial airplanes.   But back to Pancho Villa and his attack on Columbus, New Mexico.   In Columbus, we visited the Pancho Villa State Park.

Pancho Villa State Park in Columbus, New Mexico

This park was previously a US military camp, Camp Furlong.  Now it is home to a museum, with memorabilia from the very brief attack, a picnic area and a camp ground.   Here is Cootes Hill, a look out point from the military days.

Cootes Hill

You can see the cacti and flags of the United States and the State of New Mexico.  First let’s visit the museum.

In front of museum

We like the Mexican architecture and the old wagon here.   During the early morning attack, a young family escaped to Deming, about 25 miles north, in a 1915 Dodge Touring Car.

An antique car that survived bullets

All three members of the family survived, but the man did carry a bullet in him for the rest of his life.

1915 Dodge Touring Car with bullet holes

The car and bullet holes.   A close up photo of the driver’s door.

Bullet holes in the door

We are certainly happy all survived.   But let’s talk about the speed of this attack.   On March 9, 1916, at 2:00 a.m., Pancho Villa crosses the US Mexican border, 3 miles south of Columbus.   At 4:11 a.m. there are simultaneous attacks in the center of town and at Camp Furlong.   By 7:30 the last of the Villistas retreat into Mexico.   This attack lasted a little more than 3 hours, but there were casualties.   Ten townspeople from Columbus, New Mexico died.   Eight American soldiers died.   Eight other Americans were wounded.   Estimates are that 90 Villistas were killed and a small number were taken prisoner.   After a trial,  some prisoners were hanged, some jailed and returned to Mexico in 1921.   We ducks think that was a lot of deaths in a three hour attack.   But, let’s see what else is in the museum.   Soon after the attack, General Pershing was sent to Columbus and a tent city was soon built south of the railroad station and south of town.

A tent city was quickly built south of Columbus

We thought this covered wagon, without the cover, was interesting.

Covered wagon, without cover

Large trucks were brought to Columbus.

truck

And airplanes came also.

1916 JN-3 airplane, replica

This is a replica of a 1916 JN-3 Airplane, provided by Roger Freeman of Vintage Aviation.   These were all interesting, but the question is still why did Pancho Villa attach the United States?

Maybe we will never know why Pancho Villa attacked Columbus, New Mexico

And it is quite possible we will never really know the answer.   The US military spent time and money trying to get Pancho Villa, but he was never captured.   So what happened in Mexico?

Mexican Revolution over

Across the street from Pancho Villa State Park is the first US Military Airbase in the US.

First US airbase in the US

Also in the state park, we visited the headquarters building of Camp Furlong.

Former headquarters of Camp Furlong

Now many people enjoy the New Mexico desert and this picnic area.   There are sites for campers here.

Picnic area

New Mexico is a popular destination for many Americans and Canadians escaping the colder winters in the north.   If you visit Columbus, we hope you take time to explore Pancho Villa State Park and the museum   We think it is quite interesting.