Big Bend National Park

At Big Bend National Park (BBNP) one can wade across the narrow, shallow Rio Grand River and be in Mexico. In fact, some Mexican vendors set up their stands along the river and walk their goods across to willing buyers on the US side. We met one who even erected an auxiliary stand on the US side and negotiated the river when he needed to resupply. Jerry has a beautiful, hand painted walking stick to prove it. At $4.00 it was an irresistible bargain. Big Bend is starving for rain, but a few desert flowers and many species of birds find a way to survive. Multiple varieties of cactus thrive here. The mountains with their unusual forms of vegetation seem unaffected by mankind except for a little smog that blows over from Mexico. BBNP is one of the most frequently visited parks in the US. Mexico is working with the US to help preserve the huge area known as the Chisos Basin and Mountain Range on the US side and Maderas Del Carmen on the Mexican side. This symbiotic relationship helps build cooperation in other areas between the two nations.