2023 Travels -- El Paso, Texas - Passport, Stanton House, Taft Diaz Bar and Savage Goods Coffee

Passport Rush in El Paso: A Quick Trip Recap

Overview

I recently found myself in a bit of a bind with an expired passport that needed urgent renewal. I managed to secure a same-day appointment at the Passport Office in El Paso, making the trip from Dallas. While the journey had its share of turbulence, the trip was smooth overall.

Passport Appointment Details

Appointment Time: 7:30 AM
Duration: 6 hours (completed by 1 PM)
Process:
- I arrived at the office, was called for my interview at 9 AM, and observed that others who arrived before me also got their appointments around 1 PM.
- They mentioned they would call if my passport was ready early, which they did.
- The office closes at 3 PM, so it’s beneficial to stay nearby if you have a hotel reservation.

Night Before: Taft Diaz Bar

On the evening before my appointment, I relaxed at the Taft Diaz Bar in the hotel:

Drinks:
- Suntory Toki Old Fashioned - $16 (preferred over the regular version)
Food:
- Al Pastor Tacos - $5 each (delicious!)

Hotel Stay

I chose to stay at the Stanton House, which was conveniently located near the Passport Office. It was a nice, slightly upscale hotel for what I needed.

A few pics nearby the Passport Office El Paso in the Anson Mills building.

Morning of the Appointment

After my appointment, I headed to Savage Goods Coffee for breakfast:

Coffees:
- Cortado - $4 (excellent)
- Cappuccino - $4 (better than most in Dallas)
Food:
- Breakfast burrito - $6 (delicious!)

Exploring El Paso

With some time to spare after breakfast, I wandered around the open-air shopping district in downtown El Paso:

Shopping: A few blocks of inexpensive clothing boutiques.
Art Museum: I visited the nearby Art Museum, which had free admission. While small, it was modern and a nice place to cool off.

Lunch at Sabor

For lunch, I chose Sabor at the Hotel Paso Del Norte, which was across the plaza from the Passport Office. Though pricier than Stanton House, it was a nice option:

Food: Carne Asada tacos (good but average for El Paso).
Drink: Paired with an IPA.

Departure from El Paso

Once I had my passport in hand and confirmed everything was in order, I headed to the El Paso Airport (ELP) to fly home. The city was clean and felt safe, and I was satisfied with how everything turned out for this quick trip.

Comments

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