A Tijuana street bar
A Trip to Tijuana, Mexico - 25th March 2006
Tijuana in Mexico is only about 10 miles from downtown San Diego, or about 20 from Nosher's apartment in La Jolla, so after having worked a few hours on Saturday it was about time to take a look. The trip starts with a drive down to the "Last U.S. Exit" ramp on Interstate 5 to leave the car and catch a Mexicoach bus across the border into Tijuana. The place is a bit of an eye-opener: there's a huge difference to nearby San Diego, even though the place is largely invaded by US teens who come over to subvert the States' under-21 drinking laws - everywhere there are bars and food outlets, and as night falls, taxis and cars stop and disgorge Mariachi musicians on to the street. It looks like some huge Mariachi showdown is about to go off. It doesn't, but as the darkness gathers on the back-streets, impromptu huddles of musicians coagulate into street bands and play to anyone who will listen. The streets themselves are almost reminiscent of places in the Far East, with steaming trolleys of food being wheeled around. A conspicuous police presence keeps things under control, whilst back on the Paseo de la Revolucion, clubs compete for passers-by with banging bass. The trip back reveals the true scale of what must be one of the busiest border crossings in the world, as an endless stream of people and traffic head back into the U.S.
next album: California Snow: San Bernadino State Forest, California, US - 26th March 2006
previous album: Clairesprog Christening, Church of St. Margaret of Antioch, Thrandeston, Suffolk - 19th March 2006
One of many pharmacies
Tijuana's central Jai Alai court
The dodgy-looking Hotel Express
A street-corner café
A Jai Alai player statue
Ornate building entrance
A street vendor wheels his foodstuffs downtown
A cold beer cervezaria
Southside Tiujanan tenements
A Tijuana side sheet
An adapted US schoolbus trundles around
The neon sign of the central bus station
Another Tijuana pharmacy
Wicker basket shop
A food vendor sells 'Alotes y vasitos'
Looking down Avenue de la Revolución
Illumniated 'welcome to Tijuana' sign
Funky backstreets, alive with market stalls
More back-street life
More interesting hotels
A Mariachi guitarist crosses the street
A barbershop does late-night business
A café opens out on to the street
The café Mexicali
Steaming food
Walking around
A Tijuana street corner
More street food
A busy night for taxis
Another Mariachi get-together
A dude in a taco shop
The taco dude gets on with his tacos
More random double-bass playing
The Maria Candelaria café
Black and white cows in a dairy shop
An ancient station wagon
Back-street dentist
Grey-and-White taxi rank
Piñatas hang from the bus-station ceiling
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A Tijuana street bar
A Tijuana street bar
One of many pharmacies
Tijuana's central Jai Alai court
The dodgy-looking Hotel Express
A street-corner café
A Jai Alai player statue
Ornate building entrance
A street vendor wheels his foodstuffs downtown
A cold beer cervezaria
Southside Tiujanan tenements
A Tijuana side sheet
An adapted US schoolbus trundles around
The neon sign of the central bus station
Another Tijuana pharmacy
Wicker basket shop
A food vendor sells 'Alotes y vasitos'
Looking down Avenue de la Revolución
Illumniated 'welcome to Tijuana' sign
Funky backstreets, alive with market stalls
More back-street life
More interesting hotels
A Mariachi guitarist crosses the street
A barbershop does late-night business
A café opens out on to the street
The café Mexicali
Steaming food
Walking around
A Tijuana street corner
More street food
A busy night for taxis
Another Mariachi get-together
A dude in a taco shop
The taco dude gets on with his tacos
More random double-bass playing
The Maria Candelaria café
Black and white cows in a dairy shop
An ancient station wagon
Back-street dentist
Grey-and-White taxi rank
Piñatas hang from the bus-station ceiling