Tuesday, January 20, 2015

New Year Beach Get-away and South of the Border, the largest Road-side Tourist Trap, ever!

When a friend asks if you'd like the keys to
her beach house for the long weekend...
You rush home to pack your bags immediately!
Which is exactly what happened on Friday evening...
And, exactly where we ended up Saturday morning!
As you already know, I love my Pacific Coast any time of year. But here
on the east coast, I prefer to visit only during the winter months... Because
while the sea is just as beautiful, there are fewer bugs and people to deal with!
I also love having the beach all to myself and
as you can see, Ocean Isle did not disappoint!
Also, because it's only a half hour drive from where we spent the weekend...We
finally made the trip to South of the Border to see what all the fuss is about!
And, now we know!
I had to do it... Because if I had a nickel for every time a certain friend
has asked me if I've ever been I swear, I could buy the place! I still don't
understand why he thinks we travel 95 enough to have stumbled into it
before now; but to put the issue to rest we made the trip to see Pedro!
And, what we found at South of the Border was
America's largest road-side rest-stop/tourist trap, ever!
Intentionally campy about sums it up!
It's a little hard to believe that former Federal Reserve Chairman,
Ben Bernanke worked for a summer here as a poncho-wearing
waiter to help pay his way through Harvard, but it's true!
However, if you come looking for some of that imported-from-Mexico
kitsch South of the Border was once famous for you'll be disappointed,
because while there's tons of kitsch, all of it is now imported from China!
Although their post cards are printed right here, in North Carolina!
Nevertheless, I had a little shopping to do because I promised to
bring something back for our sweet house-sitter and his girlfriend!
Especially since her parents spent their honeymoon here!
So true...
I would have loved to see SOB (as it's referred to by locals) in its heyday!
Because today the place seems a little sad...
In fact, one of the shop employees told me they pretty much
keep it going only because it would cost more to tear it down!
Nevertheless, if you find yourself traveling along 95 between Florida and Jersey...
It's worth stopping...
To check South of the Boarder off your list!

3 comments:

  1. You know, if I had a beach like that at my disposal, I think I'd try to go back to running....who am I kidding?? But, I would walk on it, every chance I could get! So happy you had such a fun and interesting weekend!

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  2. I don't think that I will be rushing to SOB, but I am glad that you went and I could see it in your pictures and that you had a great time too! xx

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