LOS ALGODONES, MEXICO

Having been in Yuma almost 3 months now, we felt it was time to  check out the frequently talked about Los Algodones.  

Entrance sign to Los Algodones, Mexico

We are presently staying on the far east side of Yuma on Avenue 9E and our drive to Quechen Casino on Algodones Road took us 14 minutes using I-8.  It was close to noon so we opted to stop at the casino to donate some money to the machines and grab a bite to eat before heading to the border. 

Quechan Casino

The distance from Quechen Casino to the border is only 2.8 miles.  Several people we have talked with drive their vehicle over the border but we opted to park on the U.S. side and walk across. 

Border crossing at Los Algodones

As the border comes into view you will be able to see a very large (“muy grande” ) parking lot on the right hand side.  It is fenced with plenty of good lighting and carries a cost of $6.  It is the only parking lot available if you plan to walk across the border. 

parking lot at border

parking lot at the border

The rows in the parking lot are labeled alphabetically.  If you have trouble remembering where you put your car just take a photo of your row sign before you leave the lot. Unfortunately, I lose my car ALL THE TIME so this is a must for me unless someone else is with me. 

The path from the parking lot is concrete and handicap accessible with nice wide ramps and sidewalks. 

ramp walkways

nice concrete walkways

extra wide walkways

Los Algodones, Baja California, is a small Mexican town.  Its official name is Vicente Guerrero and in the 2010 Mexican census it reported a population of 5,474 and is the northernmost town in Mexico.

During our time in Yuma we have been hearing claims that Los Algodones is a mecca for pharmacies, opticians and dental offices.  

They have largely displaced many of the open-air shops and restaurants and have effectively shifted the town's focus from tourism to medicine.  On the first street alone I counted 6 dental offices in the same block.    

Six dental offices in one block

There are over 350 dentists practicing in Los Algodones today, and all within a ten minute walk from the border.  Most are trained in the U.S. and speak excellent English. 

It is really hard to comprehend how many pharmacies, opticians and dental offices there are in Los Angodones.  Suffice it to say there are plenty for you to choose from at a fantastic cost.  Neither Mike or I take any prescription drugs but a couple we met told us that she had just come from the dentist and her root canal, crown and a cleaning cost $154USD.  They also bought an entire years supply of inhalers for their son.  They can purchase 3 for $5USD with no prescription.

We stopped at Rancho La Tetilla for a drink.  Brightly colored yellow tablecloths accompanied by yellow chairs, we found it to be very friendly, bright and inviting. 

Rancho La Tetilla

 

Decor inside the restaurant

We had just finished lunch at the casino so we opted for 2 Dos Equis beers.  It was brought promptly along with a chips and salsa.   Total cost of $4USD.

Beers with chips and salsa

The pedestrian line for entering back into the U.S. consisted of about 50 people but the line moved quite quickly.  The waiting line is covered and has several seats along the way. 

When it came my turn to go through security it was simple, quick and easy.  I presented my passport, it was scanned, the agent looked at me and asked “Are you bringing anything back in with you?”  A simple “No” and I was waved through. 

The concrete walk leading away from the security area was fenced, covered and took us right to the street directly across from the parking lot.  Once we located our car and drove out of the lot, the total drive time back to the house was under 20 minutes.  

#Simply Dental#Dr Lopez#crown

“THE GAME’S AFOOT”

Was it Colonel Mustard with the knife in the Library or Professor Plum with the rope in the kitchen?  The classic board game of Clue was launched in 1949 and has been enjoyed by millions around the world.    

I played Clue many times during my youth and have always loved a good murder mystery so I jumped at the opportunity to attend Ken Ludwig’s “The Game’s Afoot”.  It was a classic murder mystery dinner at the Yuma Art Center. In 2012 it was named as the Mystery Writers of America Edgar Allen Poe Award for Best Play! 

The Game's Afoot

Tickets to the production included a 3-course dinner.  At a cost of $30 per person I found it to be a very good price.  Doors opened at 5pm and dinner began promptly at 6pm.  Our table was #10 and there were 10 seats at each table.  Total in attendance was 120.  A salad was served first that included a thousand island dressing with a slight ‘punch’ of spice added. 

Salad

Next came the entrée.  There are only 2 options available - Chicken Francesca or vegetarian.  Both Mike and I selected the Chicken Francesca.  I typically eat Chicken Francesca sliced and served with pasta but this was a chicken breast covered with a white sauce and capers.  It was complimented by a twice-baked potato and a nice bundle of bacon wrapped green beans.  A basket of rolls were placed on the table after all the plates had been served.

Chicken Francesca entree

Mike and I received our plates first and waited for the others to be served but after several minutes our table mates encouraged us to begin, which we did.  It was another few minutes before the other 8 were served, definitely a fopaux on the part of the staff. 

Tables set for 10

Ice tea and water were complimentary.  They had an open bar available for beer and wine purchases.  Coffee was available but at a cost of $1 per cup.  

No host bar

As Act I begins you will meet William Gillette.  He is an eccentric and famed actor who is known the world over for his interpretation of Sherlock Holmes.  While recovering from an attempt on his life during a performance, Gillette invites some friends and colleagues to his Connecticut mansion, complete with secret passages, hidden rooms, and state-of-the-art gadgets like an intercom and a remote control.   Little did they know it was planned to ferret out the identity of the assailant who tried to kill him.

Act I - learning the characters

The story is full of twists and turns, misdirection and misadventure. While Gillette is busy sleuthing to solve his own mysterious attack, one of his guests falls victim to foul play and the evening becomes a double whodunit. By the time Inspector Harriet Gorring arrives on the scene in Act II, everybody is a suspect.

Intermission brought a plate of chocolate cake being placed in front of us.

Chocolate cake for dessert

After a 20 minute interlude, the house lights dimmed and the story continued.  Wacky antics; perfectly-timed entrances and exits; characters just missing each other or appearing in unexpected places; and sharp, witty dialogue keeps you guessing and makes the second half of the play fly by.

Cast members

This play is fun and funny, an energetic romp that keeps you guessing and laughing from start to finish. With some fabulous acting, an amazing set, nice costumes and excellent direction, The Game’s Afoot is a production you’ll be thankful you attended.

“THE LONE STRANGER”

Legend has it that The Lone Ranger was the only survivor of a group of six Texas Rangers who were ambushed and killed during the pursuit of a band of outlaws led by Bartholomew "Butch" Cavendish.  Later, an Indian named Tonto stumbled upon the scene, discovered one of the rangers still alive and nursed him back to health, thus forming a lifelong bond.   

The story of The Lone Ranger surfaced in 1933 as a radio show but it was the TV series that aired between 1949-1957 that the character became a common household name.

The Lone Stranger and Tonto at Gaslight Theater

On a recent trip to Tucson, Arizona I had the pleasure of spending some quality time with my grand-daughter. I found myself asking the question “What would an ‘almost’ 70 year old grandmother do with an ‘almost’ 15 year old granddaughter?" My conclusion was dinner and tickets to “The Lone Stranger” at Gaslight Theater.  It proved to be a perfect choice.

With my granddaughter at Gaslight Theater

Entering into it’s 35th year, Gaslight Theater productions are hysterically funny musical melodramas.  Each one represents a ‘spoof’ on a well-known classic and shows have included such favorites as “The Phantom of the Opera,” and “The Lone Stranger.”  Newer comedies have also been introduced such as 2010’s “Space Wars,” 2011’s “Wizard of the Rings,” 2012’s “Back to the Past,” and an upcoming show titled “Spider Guy”.  Their productions entertain the young, the old, and everyone in between.

If you are planning on eating at Little Anthony’s, the 50’s diner attached to the Gaslight Theater, you will need to arrive one and a half to two hours prior to show time. We arrived at 6pm and with insufficient time for seating at Little Anthony’s, we opted to order from the theater menu once we were seated. 

Our seating assignment was D1 and we had a fantastic view even though it was an end table, 4th row from the stage. This venue is small and intimate, seating under 300. Tables are cafe style with blue and white checkered tablecloths and pre-set with popcorn and a playbill.  Popcorn refills are unlimited.

Inside Gaslight Theater

The menu selections in the theater are somewhat limited but all the food is excellent.  My granddaughter opted for a medium pepperoni pizza.  We should have ordered a small as we had much more than we could eat.  Due to the size of the tables, a black wrought iron 3-legged stand was used to elevate the pizza. 

Pepperoni pizza at Gaslight Theater

We found the crust to be perfectly cooked. Not too thin, not too thick, but just right with plenty of pepperoni. Simply delicious. 

I selected the chicken tenders and fries accompanied with a ranch dressing dip. OMG! The chicken was cooked perfectly.  Crisp on the outside, similar to a KFC crispy chicken order, and included 4 tenders plus the fries. We ended up getting a to-go container for both the left over pizza and the chicken. 

Chicken Tenders and Fries at Gaslight Theater

The show began right on time as Music Director Linda stepped out from behind a curtain and sat down in front of an old upright piano.  She was followed by a drummer and a guitarist. The music produced by these 3 individuals was
outstanding. They played almost non-stop for the entire 2 hours.

Music at Gaslight Theater

The melodrama was titled "The Lone Stranger" and it was simply a HOOT!  We laughed through the entire evening.

The interaction between the characters was classic and I especially loved the improvisation of the Tonto character.

Tonto and The Lone Stranger at Gaslight Theater

The creativity of costumes, stage decorations and backdrops was simply classic. From a wooden horse that would rear up to a bonfire on the open plains to a moving stagecoach to an Indian attack including smoke signals and shooting arrows, this show was a classic.

The Lone Stranger and his trusty horse Silver

The stage coach under attack

Diamond Lil and the girls

ORIGAMI IN THE PARK

Origami:  The Japanese art of folding paper into decorative shapes and figures.  When I first read that Tucson Botanical Gardens was displaying “Origami in the Garden” I envisioned an exhibit of decorative shapes and figures made from paper. 

Tucson Botanical Gardens is located on North Alvernon in the high desert of Tucson, Arizona.  You will find plenty of free parking and an affordable admission charge of $15.   

Entrance to Tucson Botanical Gardens Photo by Tucson Botanical Gardens

As I walked through the gift shop and stepped into the garden area, I was surprised to discover that instead of a paper exhibit, the sculptures were created of metal.

"Painted Ponies"

Created by Santa Fe artists Kevin and Jennifer Box, they pioneered methods of capturing delicate origami details in museum quality metals utilizing lost wax casting and fabrication techniques.

Eighteen origami sculptures were placed throughout the gardens.   The first sculptures you encounter are “Star Unfolding” and “Painted Ponies”.  

 

Other statutes carried names like “Blooming Stars”, “Who Saw Who”, “White Bison”, “Rising Cranes” and “Emerging Peace”.     

Tucson Botanical Gardens consists of seventeen specialty gardens within 5.5 acres.  It was originally the home of Bernice and Rutger Porter, dating back to the 1920s.  The earliest buildings were constructed of adobe brick made on the site. 

The winding walkways are dirt and proved to be fairly dusty.  The majority of the plants are a variety of cactus that are more suitable to the Tucson climate.  There are several fountains throughout the gardens.  Today, the gardens contain many of the original plants from the Porter estate including citrus, roses, privet, sweet olive, pomegranate, Aleppo pine, pyrancantha, iris, chaste-tree, jasmine and other plants of that era.