I always found that at Kmart if they still exist. When entering a Kmart, I could always find everything but what I wanted to buy. With Sears, it was the opposite. Sears always had exactly what I wanted and quite often it was on sale. I really miss Sears.
I went to work the 3rd day out of the Army, I went to buy a new car at the oldest Buick Dealer in Houston and instead of getting a car I got a job. I had no tools so the service manager Florian Meleski told me to go down to Sears three blocks from the dealer and use the dealership account to buy what tools I needed, they took out just a small bit every payday. The Sears is now closed and has been remodeled by the Local university for other purpose. It had gone down so bad over the years people stopped shopping there. Homeless were sleeping in the doorways and using the walks for the bathroom. Sears started bricking up the beautiful plate glass windows all around the entrance sides when smash and grab got it's roots in Houston in late 70. The thugs had actually closed a new K Mart in one year and finally the property was leased to the USPS. I can see why Sears finally went belly up but it was actually a planned failing and all the prime real-estate Sears once owned was the primary reason Sears was purchased, to sale all that land in places that would be impossible to purchase today. I still remember the candy counters of Sears and the tool sections.
I've been to Mexico a bunch of times during the 1980s and 1990s, mostly along the border between Matamoros and Reynosa, except for one trip to Mexico City when we drove a few ambulances there that the company I was working for was donating to an ambulance service there. Mexico City was... let's say, interesting, but I wouldn't want to live there. We thought about moving to Puerto Vallarta for a moment because my in-laws owned a house there, but that didn't work out.
I've been to Mexico three times, years ago, and always to tourist trap areas (Ixtapa, Cancun and Zihuatanejo). I remember how difficult it was to avoid drinking the water; I didn't even want to brush my teeth with tap water. All the places we visited were beach areas so I really missed having ice in my drinks. Yep... paranoid.
I think you mean Leased a Home There, Last I heard Mexico does not allow foreign ownership of any Mexican Land. The leases terms I saw years ago were for like 50 years. I've been across the San Diego border and it was always the wild west, coming back across has become a real hassle due to the customs inspection station. In the early 70s late 60s you could walk across the border but still had a Mexican post to pass thru. My brother was a long haired hippy and once he was going across the guards stopped him to ask what was his purpose for coming into Mexico, he promptly told them "to get a haircut" ! My sister and her friend went across and the friend parked the car in a pay parking lot, they came back from shopping and her Chevy had been stolen. It was never found again. 25 years ago Mexico was forced to return over a hundred private airplanes they seized, and a large amount of stolen new vehicles all parked outside a large Police station. It is true there is a lot of thieves and danger in Mexico, now a lot of is here thanks to the half wit in the White House.
Paranoid but still Alive ! Ensenada was a nice place because their governor had armed military patrolling the vacation and tourist areas. It is a large fishing center also but has a lot of famous little bars. Ken mentioned his inlaw's home. Most of the homes leased in Mexico is on the Pacific side and are like mini mansions on the beach. It might be a good deal for people to never own it because you can't take it with you when you leave this life and the price was probably a lot cheaper than buying here in the US.
No, unless I'm joking, I always mean what I say. My mother-in-law was a Mexican citizen, with dual citizenship. Going to and from Mexico, if there was going to be a problem at the border, it would be on the US side. Going into Mexico was a breeze.
Not a bit paranoid. Tap water and ice in Mexico is dangerous. Yes, it always is a problem returning into the U.S. The lines are ridiculously long AND CBP officers NEVER man the counters to keep up with demand. The San Diego/Tijuana border crossing is the busiest land crossing in the entire world I've lived in Tijuana for the last 11 years. The cost of living in the U.S. has gotten completely out of hand. Especially, rents. In San Diego and surrounding areas, the rent for a 1 bedroom apt averages $1,200. AND, it's $8 for a pack of cigarettes. In TJ, I pay only $320/mo for rent and only $3 for a pack of cigarettes. Plus, only $ aprox $15/mo for electric.
Tijuana water turned off once again. After 4 days without water , from Monday to Friday, it was FINALLY turned on. Perhaps someone felt water was important during X-mas. Now, at 6pm on X-mas day, the water is AGAIN shut off. God, knows how long it will be off this time.
lol - what do you expect for $320 a month? p.s. - even though it is cheap, please quit smoking. We all love you and want you to be healthy
It is not the price of the apt that controls the water. A huge section of Tijuana is effected. All businesses and all priced apts , houses etc. I wish i could stop smoking. I am, however, incredibly addicted. I have tried and tried to no avail. If I go an hour or two without a cigarette, my body starts to freak out. If there was a place where I could go thru detox, I'd do it. But, it would take powerful meds. 20 plus years ago I fell off a roof and broke my back. The hospital kept me on morphine for 4 days and I had no desire for a cigarette.