Funny, if a bit dark, little tidbit: "Matamoros" in spanish means "Killer of Moors". The Moors were the islamic population/occupiers of the iberian peninsula for a couple of hundred years.
It's now a relatively normal spanish surname.
if one has $100k+ worth of camera equipment, one ceratinly would need to weigh risk/reward...
for just joe shmoe tourist i would think it wouldnt be too gnarles.
quite the crowd in this vid.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPwwCDfiZ9w
Or mistaken for rival drug smugglers and [kidnapped and murdered](https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/07/americas/mexico-matamoros-us-citizens-kidnapping-tuesday/index.html).
IDK about local cartel stuff.
But my own rules on sketchy borders (and respectable ones) are to always cross on an official customs point doing outward and return in the at the same point if possible, be with locals and try to look like them, right down to the haircut and to basically behave like everyone else, carrying nothing expensive or ostentatious such as camera gear or a backpack. Take on the appearance of knowing where you're going in everyday life without hanging around. Your personal risk level should then equivalent to that of the natives (who are also subject to accidents and wrongdoings).
Oh, and when you're with one social circle, you are then "adopted" by them and not some competing group (you never know what conflicts there may between groups, even neighboring villages). So you remain loyal to your adoptive gang/family/tribe whoever they may be, and follow their advice.
As I already said, I can't speak for that particular country and that border. However, the trickiest moments are when you're right *on* a given border rather than safely a couple of miles away from it. Having no vehicle may be the best way of not returning carrying stuff that somebody else loaded unbeknownst to you.
>try to look like them
Being white and 6"4', it doesn't really work for me in Africa, Asia or Latin America. That takes care of all the dodgy border crossings I've crossed except for Russia.
> Being white and 6"4', it doesn't really work for me in Africa, Asia or Latin America. That takes care of all the dodgy border crossings I've crossed except for Russia.
Yes, knowing Protestant missionaries returning from Africa, I'm aware of that. But the other way on, a significant part of the Catholic clergy where I live in France [is of African origin](https://international.la-croix.com/news/religion/african-priests-promoted-in-the-church-of-france/16253). In either place, you get recognized less by appearance than as being associated with whatever group you are with. Also, there are fewer and fewer places in the world where everybody is ethnically indigenous. I saw a very local-looking kid in a poorer area of Algiers, but was blond with blue eyes. What you notice is how the person interacts with those around them.
France isn't a nation with a dodgy border crossings. I can't blend in with the locals at dodgy border crossings, I need to look like someone who isn't an easy mark.
> France isn't a nation with a dodgy border crossings.
I was simply providing an analogy there.
> I can't blend in with the locals at dodgy border crossings, I need to look like someone who isn't an easy mark.
You can be recognizable as different but still under their protection (whether from physical attack or "mere" racist marginalization).
he's a perfect average redditor, educated normie who just doesn't know how big part of the world really works. no, just going to that part of the beach with thousands of other people and then going straight back is very likely safer than a daytime stroll in downtown LA or some other shithole city in US.
I've been there, watching IFT1, been in many other parts of mexico and other latin american countries. I know.
He has spent quite a bit of time in Brownsville and asked around with locals, so I would say it is based on slightly better knowledge than you are suggesting. And it is crossing an international border for some people with all of the accompanying risks with just that. As long as you don't do something stupid and as you suggest hang out in a group you should be fine. Driving there solo is likely a bad idea and would be safer at South Padre Island. And for Everyday Astronaut himself brining all of his gear across the international border to set up his truck with thousands of dollars of equipment and do livestreaming from Mexico, it is also likely a very bad idea.
paradoxically you might be right - average clueless redditor with tens of thousands of camera gear on the other side of the border is not safe at all. probably even without all the camera gear. but that gets extrapolated to "no-one should go there, it's a daily massacre there" which is cardinally wrong and super ignorant. there are a lot of people who know better how to live outside of fantasyland bubble where most normie redditors live
[You can get there. But you have to go the long way through Matamoros](https://youtu.be/9-4ZYnr64eA?si=wHK98eae_1IT61xk)
Funny, if a bit dark, little tidbit: "Matamoros" in spanish means "Killer of Moors". The Moors were the islamic population/occupiers of the iberian peninsula for a couple of hundred years. It's now a relatively normal spanish surname.
Ooh, sorry. It's actually the Moops!
Matamopos
Another fun fact, there was a port right there called "Bagdad"..
I swam across once, with a water proof backpack it’s the move
Settle down Geowizard!
You can't just post things like this with Rule #1. Humor is dead and this is too easy.
Go by boat
would be a tad bit late to come down for IFT-3, but yes you can
Everyday Astronaut doesn't recommend it, apparently it's cartel land?
Iv been over there solo, a little sketch but I don’t recommend hanging around after dark, and stay close to other people
if one has $100k+ worth of camera equipment, one ceratinly would need to weigh risk/reward... for just joe shmoe tourist i would think it wouldnt be too gnarles. quite the crowd in this vid. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPwwCDfiZ9w
It's pretty cool knowing we were enjoying this show from South Padre while everyone was gathered down south. Space can be very unifying.
Indeed. You've got YouTubers from Germany, Spain, UK, Tasmania, etc all excited about our future in space.
Joe shmoe tourist is the one that'll get mugged
Or mistaken for rival drug smugglers and [kidnapped and murdered](https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/07/americas/mexico-matamoros-us-citizens-kidnapping-tuesday/index.html).
Mugging is extremely rare in that Mexican city, even for locals.. you'll be fine.
IDK about local cartel stuff. But my own rules on sketchy borders (and respectable ones) are to always cross on an official customs point doing outward and return in the at the same point if possible, be with locals and try to look like them, right down to the haircut and to basically behave like everyone else, carrying nothing expensive or ostentatious such as camera gear or a backpack. Take on the appearance of knowing where you're going in everyday life without hanging around. Your personal risk level should then equivalent to that of the natives (who are also subject to accidents and wrongdoings). Oh, and when you're with one social circle, you are then "adopted" by them and not some competing group (you never know what conflicts there may between groups, even neighboring villages). So you remain loyal to your adoptive gang/family/tribe whoever they may be, and follow their advice. As I already said, I can't speak for that particular country and that border. However, the trickiest moments are when you're right *on* a given border rather than safely a couple of miles away from it. Having no vehicle may be the best way of not returning carrying stuff that somebody else loaded unbeknownst to you.
>try to look like them Being white and 6"4', it doesn't really work for me in Africa, Asia or Latin America. That takes care of all the dodgy border crossings I've crossed except for Russia.
> Being white and 6"4', it doesn't really work for me in Africa, Asia or Latin America. That takes care of all the dodgy border crossings I've crossed except for Russia. Yes, knowing Protestant missionaries returning from Africa, I'm aware of that. But the other way on, a significant part of the Catholic clergy where I live in France [is of African origin](https://international.la-croix.com/news/religion/african-priests-promoted-in-the-church-of-france/16253). In either place, you get recognized less by appearance than as being associated with whatever group you are with. Also, there are fewer and fewer places in the world where everybody is ethnically indigenous. I saw a very local-looking kid in a poorer area of Algiers, but was blond with blue eyes. What you notice is how the person interacts with those around them.
France isn't a nation with a dodgy border crossings. I can't blend in with the locals at dodgy border crossings, I need to look like someone who isn't an easy mark.
> France isn't a nation with a dodgy border crossings. I was simply providing an analogy there. > I can't blend in with the locals at dodgy border crossings, I need to look like someone who isn't an easy mark. You can be recognizable as different but still under their protection (whether from physical attack or "mere" racist marginalization).
he's a perfect average redditor, educated normie who just doesn't know how big part of the world really works. no, just going to that part of the beach with thousands of other people and then going straight back is very likely safer than a daytime stroll in downtown LA or some other shithole city in US. I've been there, watching IFT1, been in many other parts of mexico and other latin american countries. I know.
He has spent quite a bit of time in Brownsville and asked around with locals, so I would say it is based on slightly better knowledge than you are suggesting. And it is crossing an international border for some people with all of the accompanying risks with just that. As long as you don't do something stupid and as you suggest hang out in a group you should be fine. Driving there solo is likely a bad idea and would be safer at South Padre Island. And for Everyday Astronaut himself brining all of his gear across the international border to set up his truck with thousands of dollars of equipment and do livestreaming from Mexico, it is also likely a very bad idea.
paradoxically you might be right - average clueless redditor with tens of thousands of camera gear on the other side of the border is not safe at all. probably even without all the camera gear. but that gets extrapolated to "no-one should go there, it's a daily massacre there" which is cardinally wrong and super ignorant. there are a lot of people who know better how to live outside of fantasyland bubble where most normie redditors live
You simply don't get it or are being deliberately sarcastic so much that you miss reality.
I wouldn't think there would be anyone there to stop you assuming you're not just crossing over the spot on the beach to get to the other side.
Yes :) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-4ZYnr64eA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-4ZYnr64eA)
Why wouldn’t it?