I love the homes in the area. This one had a three hole golf course in its front yard. The homes are interesting they have palm trees and other things added to the walls of the stucco on their homes. The stucco is painted greens, yellows, beize and browns. There are a lot of lots for rent and I am renting mine for $300 a month for everything. I like doing that so I know I have a place to come back to or if I want to leave my motorhome I can.
About 10 minutes away there is a place called the Peanut Patch. They have tours twice a week, well it is just a barn where they explain everything about the peanut and its uses. They used to grow peanuts here, but now they bring them in from Texas.
They have the best ice cream that I have tasted in a long while and only $1.50 for two scoops. They have every kind of peanut you would want along with home made peanut butter. Chocolates, dried fruit, sugar free candy and of course yummy fudge.
Did you know that the peanut is a vegetable and a rich source of plant protein, no cholesterol so are more beneficial than many sourses of animal protein. Peanuts can help reduce the risk of heart disease. They are an execellent sourse of Vitamin E and 2 grams of fiber per ounce. Peanuts provide more protein per ounce than any other legume. I didn't dare buy some peanut brittle it is deadly. The Peanut Patch was started after World War II it was homesteaded on the Yuma Mesa. the soil was much sandier then the surrounding valley. The first peanut was grown in 1977.
The Canadian Snowbirds Association has their annual information day here in Yuma. You know just how many Canadians are down here when you get them all together. I did learn a lot about the laws regarding leaving Canada and coming into the U.S. The association does a lot for Canadian travelers and has changed a few laws that snowbirds have had to deal with. Check out their site and join to support all they do for Canadians, not just Snowbirds, but all Canadians. www.snowbirds.org
As I mentioned before I joined the Moose, it is like the Legion and the ANAF. In the U.S. the Elks, Moose and VFW have some of their lodges with motorhome hookups or you can dry camp. I hope to use this membership to park the RV when I am on my travels on the west coast. All you need to do is make a donation. They are friendly places with very reasonable meals and cheap drinks. They have dancing at most of them with live entertainment. The cost is $45.00 for women and $60.00 for men. I don't know why the difference in price.
Every one goes to Mexico either to San Luis or Los Algodones. Most go to Algodones it is about a 10 minute drive from Yuma on the California side. The Quechan Indians have their reservation just before the border and a big parking lot to park. Cost $5.00 and all you have to do is walk across the border. I know you are saying it can't be very safe, well this border is well policed and you see them all over the place. Their lively hood is made from the American and Canadians going there in the winter to spend their money. It is called the Medical Border Town because it has a lot of medical, dental and discounted prescriptions. There are restaurants, all kinds of tiny shops that line the sidewalks. Lots of silver jewelery, pottery, cloths and purses. All the merchants take U.S. money. The dentists are less than half the price of any place in North America along with the optical stores. You can get your teeth done in an hour and if you want bridges you can get them the next day usually. Glasses you have in two hours, my friends did and paid $60.00 for frames and biofocals. Hair cuts are from $5.00 to $8.00 and you tell them what you want and they know how to do it. Cheap liquor stores that sell everything. Every kind of tequila you could think of. That is all you see people coming back across the border with a purple bag from the Purple Liquor Store. Prescriptions are very inexpensive, I bought some arthritis gel for $2.85 and the Canadian was $58.00. It works just as good so will be bringing a lot back. Also retinol E cream for $3.95 and I payed $28.00 in Canada and it was a smaller jar. They have outside eating places in courtyards with entertainment. The margarita's are really good and almost too big to drink. The only drawback is the wait at the border to come back across. I have waited for about two hours while other times half an hour. They are equipped to handle the people they have walk ways that have a sun covers over it so you are in the shade. A plus is that you get to talk to all kinds of people while in line. I have never had any trouble coming back, they sometimes ask you what you are bringing back and other times they just look at your passport. One picture is a shot of the jewelery booths in the court yards and this guy in a Mexican dress played the flute and danced around. The other is the line up under the cover at the border. The guy sitting down was selling food along the street and the boganvia flowers were in full bloom. The border has all kinds of camera's plus this look out that keeps tabs on the border. They are always checking to make sure the Mexican's don't cross into the U.S. They go through every car and motorhome coming into the U.S.
Will finish Yuma after I return from a rally I will be attending for the next four days.
