Marpeg: Big Bend National Park, TX

We drive out to the Boquillas Canyon overlook where we look across the Rio Grande to the small town of Boquillas, Mexico. Placed on top of certain rocks we find scorpions made of copper wire and hand made jewelery for sale. There is no one around and the park service warns about buying these illegal items. We buy two.

We hike into Boquillas Canyon. Once we reach the river we hear a beautiful voice singing a Mexican song. As we come closer we see a man atop a rock across the river. He is the singer and he bids us good day. There is a plastic jug on the beach and he asks us to donate money to the Boquillas school children. We decline and continue into the canyon. On our return he sings us another song and again asks for donations. I tell him I will give him all the money I have. He says "OK." I leave eight dollars in the jug.

Peggy rides her bicycle down to the hot springs beside the Rio Grande while I watch for bandits. We take a campsite in the Rio Grande Village and attend a Park Service program about the history of the Big Bend National Park.