I just completed another harrowing all-night bus ride from Navojoa, Sonora, Mexico. Three checkpoints in the middle of the night. Three 45 minute stops being boarded by armed police and soldiers. We were searched and made to leave our comfortable reclining seats, personal travel pillows and ...not one of us was carrying any kind of contraband (that was discovered) After we crossed the US border on foot we caught a 2 hour shuttle van to Tucson. On the way we were stopped by Americas finest border patrol agents. All my dark-haired traveling companions scrambled for their visas and crossing permits as the green & white SUV (the migra) pulled us over on north-bound I-19. When the tall blond patrolman came to me and was confronted by my cold stare, empty hands, inactivity and nonplussed expression he recoiled. I blandly asked him what he wanted. Somewhat complying I told him that I was a @#% American and made no move to show any ID. My cool Midwest accent and even cooler demeanor convinced him and we were on our way. A great time was had near Alamos, near where this painting was made. A fine reunion with old friends capped off a week of clandestine activities that included smuggling a 15 passenger van into southern Sonora with no permit and watching the new Narnia movie at a theater with one of my kids and some amigos. Scott Holmberg says that C.S. Lewis would turn over in his grave if he saw what they did with his stories. I say he'd roll over twice if he saw them in Spanish! Now, I've seen a bunch of movies in Spanish and it's usually no big deal. In our family we like to see how good or close they make the voices to the original and some of them are quite good. But centaurs and British kids walking through mystical wardrobes sounding like they just crossed the Rio Grande?
