When traveling thru Mexico, two things are ubiquitous: Pemex stations and Catholic churches. We visit both regularly, drawn to one out of necessity, attracted to the other because of architectural beauty and curiosity. On the road, green Pemex signs are comforting. Gas prices aren't posted because the stations are government-owned and the only game in town (so why bother), but prices are cheap compared to the U.S. and nice women and men pump gas for you. Feels very old-fashioned. It's customary to tip so I always give attendants 50 pesos or so. In small towns and large, Catholic churches are, more often than not, the tallest buildings. Proof of what is most revered and necessary I suppose, and possibly, to some, a constant reminder of the country's rich, volatile history. I always take my hat off when entering and leave an offering, trying to resist the temptation to take photos. I'm always moved by the motions of the faithful. We left Laredo at the ungodly hour of 11am guided by "a satellite-based navigation system made up of a network of 24 satellites placed into orbit by the U.S. Department of Defense," that apparently has no interest in south Texas. Not that we had to rely on Ms. Garmin but it I spent the next 10 hrs following her guidance and imagining her engulfed in flames or tossed into rivers. The same rivers she repeatedly suggested I turn my car "sharply right" into. But all is forgiven.
With Mexico fresh on my mind, long after crossing the border, I was reminded of all the choices available to us in the United States, religious and otherwise. Wow, and so many logos compared to Mexico, where thousands of mom & pop businesses sport handpainted signs featuring carburetors, sofas, and teeth. So many gas stations, so many churches...gravitating to the cheapest with the most appealing brand identity, and impressed by the modest architecture and signage promoting seemingly endless varieties of faith-based religions.
Made it to Tyler, Texas and saw some stuff along the way, including: Frio County Line, Leaving Dilley City Limits, "Don't pick up hitchhikers," Big Foot/Yancy exit, fish-stickered pickup trucks, the Devine Taqueria, Splashtown Drive, San Antonio, Austin, "Hand Scraped Hardwood," Snake Farm, Guadalupe Turnaround, Buda, "Buy 1 Get 11 Free Firecrackers," Waco Drive, Friendly Genie Car Wash, (thought I saw a former student driving a blue VW), and onwards towards Hubbard, Texas, Mt. Calm, and a bicycle covered with plastic cemetery flowers decorating someone's private pond. Corsicana Chip Plant, Hwy 155, and Texas 309 to Tyler. Didn't make it as far as we'd hoped, because of traffic, but we slept well.
