The slightly funky motel and other adventures...

Monday, October 12th


Got a late start Monday morning. Did a little shopping and waited for the currency exchange to open at 10:00 AM. On the road at 11:00. Monterrey is in the Eastern Sierra Madre. My next destination is Chihuahua in the Western Sierra Madre. So; Yota and I ran parallel to the Mountain Range all day. We are overnight in the town of Torreon, roughly halfway.

Then the weird stuff started to happen. I’ve been staying in American style hotels and spending more money than I would like. So, I decided I would look for something a bit more Mexican and a litle more of a bargain. There was a sign on the highway, “El Aeropuerto’’ To the Airport! Sounds good, Must be some hotels there. Wow, there’s a really nice one. It has a wall around it for secure parking.

So, we turn in. There’s a security gate, We stop and a crackly loudspeaker blares something at us. I just sit and look dumb. A distinguished looking fellow comes out. I ask, “Gotta room for the night?” You want a room?” “Yes, that’s why I’m here,” “Can you leave early?” “Sure, I plan to anyway,” “8:00 oclock OK?” “Yeah, that’ll work.” “How much?” 400 pesos (32 bucks).

I’m hooked. “Is the parking secure?” “You have your own garage.” Yota breathes a sigh of relief. “I’ll pay cash.” “You have to.” I pay. “How about the key?” There is no key, Senhor.” “:No key, what if I want to go out:” “You can come and go as you please, at any hour.” “Lets have a look.” He motion s me around to the other side of the building. And guides me into a double car garage. The floor of the garage is tiled and sparking clean. He motions me upstairs. The place is like a palace. Marble everywhere. Modern and perfectly decorated.
 

There seems to be no good neighborhoods in Torreon, so I go buy2 beers and some chips and come back to unpack. I notice that there is a window with a money grate facing into the back of the garage. “Pay Here” it says in Spanish. Now I get it. This is a Pay by the hour place. A rendezvous, a short time house. Business is bad. So they rented it to me for the night. Oh Dear. I crushed a beer can, wedged a big heavy suitcase against the door with the beer can between the door and the suitcase. My alarm. Now its morning and I’m ready to get back on the road.