Drug Travel: Peyote North and South of the Border
In South Texas, peyote is getting harder and harder to find. The Houston Press sent a reporter to chat with the men who rustle the cactus to find out how dire the situation is getting, with supplies drying up and endangering a traditional part of Native American culture. It's grim enough that peyoteros are now supplementing their income by leading hunting trips.
On the southern side of the border, though, business is booming. The tourist town of Real de Catorce has become hippie central in the past 10 years. That's thanks in a good part to local peyote enthusiast Humberto Fernandez who built the first boutique hotel in the area:
On street corners, young men harass foreigners for a "ride in the desert." For about $70, they'll take tourists out to the peyote gardens below the mountains. It's technically illegal, but no one seems to care much. As Don Humberto says, peyote tourists are the core of the town's livelihood.
Even Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts stopped by when they filmed "The Mexican." They apparently didn't risk a run-in with the police to go peyote hunting, but they certainly could have.
Just remember, if you get caught picking peyote and can't bribe your way out of trouble, you're looking at up to 25 years in prison. A Mexican prison. We can think of better places for a lengthy vacation.
Related Stories:
· Mescaline on the Mexican Border [Houston Press, via]
· Drug Tourists Eating All the Peyote [Jaunted]
· Drug Travel coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo of Real de Catorce: andresg2008]
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