Puerto Penasco, MX

[Sparkle]

Or Rocky Point as the gringos call it. Beth and I just can't stay away from Mexico. We took cameras with us, but didn't take a single photo. We drove down through Organ Pipe Cactus Monument. Well y'know, seen one cactus, seen them all. Come to think of it we should have taken pics because we were giving captions to many of them. One Saguaro had it "arms" down and crossed in front of it, that one was "I told you to knock before coming into the bathroom." Beth of course found one that she said qualified for, "Viagra, anyone?" Well on second thoughts might be good that we leave them to your imagination.
I had been to Rocky Point at the tip of the Sea of Cortez many years ago with DH. It has changed and built up so much. It was a sleepy little fishing village back then. This time it was so built up we never even saw the water. There were many out and out beggars, we never saw that in other border towns or in Baja. There they at least tried to sell something. We agreed that of all the border towns we have seen, Progreso, out of Texas was the best. You could get anything you needed there. The venders were cheerful and amusing. Algodones was okay, but no Vet Pharmacy. San Juan, forget it. The best crossing into and out of Baja is definately Tecate.
We stocked up on medications for both of us and the dogs and were out of there. Beth got the best price ever on her meds. No hassle at the border crossing. Just a quick sniff by the druggy dogs. Oh yeah!

[OregonLuvr]

Algodones has a vet supply place. We visited it when I was in Yuma 2 yrs ago, unless it is gone now.... hmmm did you ask if there was one there. It was a quite a walk outside of town on the West side but had everything.

Karen

[Sparkle]

Karen, You know, you're right. I remember asking someone, and it seemed too far to walk. Of course that was party day and we had been inhaling free Margaritas for quite a while.

[carold]

We stayed there for a few days a couple of years ago. The RV park was on the water. Lot's of Americans, but the village was ok and the weather great. Don't know if we'd go back. carold

[retiredhappy]

Do you have to declare your meds when you cross back into the states? How do you get your drugs in Mexico? Do you take your old prescription bottles? Inquiring minds want to know.

[Sparkle]

Do you have to declare your meds when you cross back into the states? How do you get your drugs in Mexico? Do you take your old prescription bottles? Inquiring minds want to know.

You do not need a prescription for anything! As long as they know what it is you want and they have it, they sell it. I took the packet of cough meds in and she didn't have the same kind, but she looked it up and sold me the equivelant. Beth's meds are very expensive in the States and prescription only. She paid a fraction of what they would have cost her. Even when she had insurance it was still way cheaper. Nobody asks at the border. We had our dog meds ready, that's what we were going to declare, but nobody asked. They never have. Now Liquor they do ask about. You have to pay the tax, about 2.00. Bogie's meds, I would have had to get all kinds of expensive tests done, then got a prescription. I have no idea what it costs in the States, because even in Mexico it cost 56.00 for a bottle. When I went yesterday they wanted 92.00! I didn't buy them. I found a small bottle cheaper, but I may have to do the Algodones run and find the one that Oregonluvr mentioned.

[Bethers]

Well, I'll amend Sparkle's post on meds - there are SOME things you need prescriptions for - but not the majority of what most of us take. They don't ask about drugs crossing the border - and when they do - they mean the prescription ones (MX prescription ones).

Now to go back to naming the cactus - notice the only names Sparkle mentions. More were common names like "the hugger" and "I'm on growth hormones".

And, yes, we knew about the vet place in Algodones - by asking and finding out it's way out of town. In Progreso - the vet pharmacies are prevalent right on the street with the dentist offices and people pharmacies - and they are ready for what we norteamericanos need. I really liked that.

Did not care for Puerto Penasco, although I can see why many do - it's close to the border, on the water, and most speak some if not a lot of English.

[JanetA]

Why didn't you like PP, Beth??

[Bethers]

For all the reasons Sparkle said in her original post - too many out and out beggars, the beach is no longer easy to access - it's crowded. But it's so close to a border that thousands flock to it every winter. I'd rather drive further south. I haven't seen that kind of begging in any of the cities on the Baja, or in any of the other border towns I've visited. Have seen it in some American cities, though.

[OregonLuvr]

Beth and Sparkle

We walked to the Vet place and it wasnt that far LOL We even made Dick walk with us and he did OK for a while then sat and waited for us to return. I would say its about 10 blocks so not really that bad. It was hot so it seemed alot farther. It was sooooo totally clean I was impressed. I didnt have a pet at that time (Now I do ha ha expensive little bugger but oh so cute) but MaryLynn bought some stuff for her birds that she said was way cheaper there.

Hope this helps for your next trip. Also a little side note on the Pharmacy meds. You can get just about anything in Mexico as I believe I was told all pharmacies have to be owned by a doctor so if you need something you cant get over the counter just get the doc to write the script...ha ha Worked for my friend that way. I always buy some antibiotics to have on hand "just in case" because our docs in the USA always want you to come in the office sheesh even if you know what is wrong. I buy Ampicillin 500mg as it takes care of most common ailments. Have been known to share with my friends at times and fixed them right up......

Karen

[Bethers]

Karen, it was the free margaritas that kept us from making the walk Plus we knew we'd be in Mexico a couple months. So didn't think it was necessary to get them then. Then here we were, back in the US and hadn't gotten our pet meds. Duh. Well, one border town we would have gotten them, however the vet pharmacy was closed - even tho the hours on it showed it to be open then. As I've said all winter - they work on Mexican time. And sometimes I think that's way better. But that day didn't do us any good. There's a lot of good about Algodones, and I'd go back there. But in comparing Algodones and Progreso, I still prefer Progreso. As I'm sure many would say the opposite. And I wouldn't travel to Progreso if I was in AZ - lol - I may be weird, but I'm not dumb - at least not usually.

I did discover that prices are better at the pharmacies and vet pharmacies in the border towns than further down in MX - but they are still better anywhere in MX. All my meds were cheaper in Progreso however, EXCEPT the last ones I got in Rocky Point for my osteoporosis were the cheapest ever. That was a deal - unfortunately, I couldn't buy even more of them because they'd be out of date before I could use them.

I also keep penicillin on hand from down there. I rarely take it - usually give it all away and have to get more next trip - but it's good to have some on hand.