Nuevo Progreso is a small border town of only a few thousand in population, and everything in town is within walking distance of the border.  By Mexican standards, the town is very clean and safe.  Nuevo Progreso is just minutes south of the Mercedes and Weslaco areas of Texas, and it is the perfect place for the first-time visitor to Mexico to experience a Mexican border town.  Nuevo Progreso has become quite well-known for a place to shop for prescriptions, liquor, tobacco, vanilla and Mexican gifts and souvenirs to take back home to the family in Nebraska.  Many people travel to Nuevo Progreso to visit the various farmacias, optometrists and dentists, whose rates are very reasonable and treatments equal to those found in the U.S.  

Left:  Ave. Benito Juarez greets you as you step over the International Bridge into Nuevo Progreso.  Right:  Looking south on Ave. Benito Juarez, from the intersection of Ave. Juarez and Calle Tamaulipas, only three blocks from the border.

Nuevo Progreso is very small compared to most border towns and very compact; the main shopping area, or El Centro, is only a few square blocks and you can walk everywhere.  Immediately after stepping off the International Bridge, you're in El Centro, with all the shops, food vendors, sights and sounds to beckon and entice the curious visitor.  The main shopping area extends only about six blocks from the border and is only about three blocks wide. Shops line both sides of Avenida Juarez and side streets, and many buildings are several stories tall.  Nuevo Progresso has become prosperous, as it's a place where gringos come to shop and save lots of money.

Left:  One of the many small shopping malls that line Ave. Juarez.  Right:  Nuevo Progreso is a shopper's paradise, as noted by this clothing store.

Nuevo Progreso caters to tourists from the U.S. and Canada, and the city fathers have done a good job to promote that image and "sanitize" the shopping area to appeal to gringos.  You definitely know you're in Mexico, despite the facelift and clean image that the town is trying to project.  The streets are paved, well... sort-of, potholes, uneven curbs, the usual unfinished buildings (In Mexico, if a building is "unfinished," then the owner doesn't have to pay property tax.  That's why you see so much naked rebar protruding from buildings...) and a general coat of fine, brown dust seems to appear on everything and everyone.  There are many street vendors, children hawking junk souvenirs, beat-up cars, skinny dogs running around loose, and slimy puddles of water that always seems to collect in potholes.  Despite the fact that it was mid-morning and school was in session, there were many children running around the streets; I assume they're amusing themselves while mom and dad work in their shop or vender cart.  

Left:  Nuevo Progreso is a thriving town, as noted by the construction taking place.  Right:  At Ave. Juarez and Calle Chihuahua, note the street vendor in the photo.

Avenida Juarez also has several small malls that even feature clean, working restrooms, which is a most welcome amenity in Mexico.  The streets are lined with small malls, clothing shops, boot and leather shops, curio and souvenir shops; practically everything a tourist in Mexico could hope to find.  It's not just tourist fare however, this is a real, working Mexican town, and there are many stores that sell everyday items that the locals use. The multi-story Progreso Market has more than two dozen arts and crafts stores, as well as a well-equipped grocery store and a pharmacy. In one of the malls, Jerry and I stopped at a bar that advertised cheap, strawberry margaritas and each purchased one.  However, neither of us finished our drinks as they tasted like medicine.

Left:  Looking south, on Ave. Benito Juarez, the main street in town, from the corner of Ave. Juarez and Tamaulipas. Right:  Looking east on Calle Tamaulipas, from the intersection of Juarez and Tamaulipas.

In Nuevo Progreso, there are many bars and honky-tonks, but there isn't a "zone roja" like most border towns. This is a place where you can take your family and not feel intimidated, have fun and get a taste of Mexico.

Of course the usual assortment of souvenir hawkers were about, not to mention a few folks begging for spare change. These types can make a visit to Mexico somewhat unpleasant, but they're part of the landscape, so you just have to live with them.  I rarely give them anything, I just politely shake my head and softly say, "No, senior, pero gracias" and that usually gets the message across.  Then, there are the school-age children peddling candy, junk jewelry, souvenirs; just about anything and some that are begging for change.  The town has posted signs saying in effect, "don't give children money" to give the kids incentive to attend school, but we were astonished at the number of school-age children that we asking for money, roaming the streets, playing and selling junk merchandise.  Of course we didn't patronize any of them.

Left:  Pancho's is one of the many farmacias that cater to Norteamericanos found along Ave. Benito Juarez.  Right: Uncle Sam is one of Nuevo Progreso's honky-tonks, which are very tame, compared to Cd. Juarez or Tijuana.

On the south end of Ave. Juarez, the push-cart street vendors seem to congregate.  Naturally, most of them sell their own variety of tacos; I find them fascinating and colorful.  I love watching the guys slice off pieces of beef for tacos. There are also lots of vendors that have little barbecues, and are cooking grilled chicken and corn.

About two blocks from the border, on a side street that runs perpendicular to Ave. Juarez, is an area where about a half dozen food stands are located.  Unlike the push-cart street vendors, these food stands are permanent.  It reminds me of a Mexican version of a food court, as there are about a half dozen of these businesses and each one sells a slightly different product.  They're all under several large tarps, all connected together to provide protection from the weather.

Left:  Canada Store caters to both Canadians and Americans.  Right:  If you're thirsty, La Barra can be found inside one of the many small malls that line Ave. Benito Juarez.

I also wanted to buy a couple of those pottery "sun faces" that have almost become an icon in the Mexican souvenir department, to decorate our gazebo at home.  Across from the liquor store, there is a department store that sort of reminds me of a Mexican Newberry's store,  circa about 1975.  Anyway, we walked out of the store with the "sun faces," some salsa bowels and a heavy, metal tortilla press, which you can only buy in Mexico.  Between the "sun faces," the tortilla press and the tequila, my load was getting heavy.  It was time to head back across the river to Texas.

Left:  Inside Panchos Pharmacy, you'll find just about every sort of prescription that you'll need.  Yes, they even sell Viagra without a prescription; no questions asked.  Keep in mind that Nuevo Progreso isn't Cd. Juarez!  Right:  Yes you can get pierced or tatoo'd in Nuevo Progreso.

Nuevo Progreso is truly a shopper's and diner's paradise.  The people are friendly and the town is quite clean, by Mexican standards, and safe.  Dollars are readily accepted, so you don't need to convert your money to Pesos to shop or dine in Mexico.  Many of the street vendors and shopkeepers speak English, so a knowledge of Spanish is very helpful, but not mandatory.  Even if you completely murder the language, you'll get a big grin an find yourself an amigo if you make an attempt at Spanish.  I took Spanish in high school and college and have spoken it often for years, so I don't have too much trouble in that department. However, try to explain to the average local that you're researching an article to be published on the Internet and see how far your high school Spanish will take you!