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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.


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