GENERAL FACTS ABOUT TIJUANA,MEXICO
It is not necessary to know any Spanish if you are only going to the main tourist areas. If you plan to get off the beaten path, as I usually do, then you should know a few basic words and phrases. The more language you know, the more fun you will have. You can go to school right here on the internet. While we are waiting for our trolley why don't you learn a little Spanish. You can even click on the words at this site and hear how each word is pronounced. BASIC SPANISH
Here is a more advanced
website you may want to visit after you learn the
basics.
THE TIJUANA TROLLEY
The easiest way to get to
Tijuana
from downtown San Diego is to take the trolley. The
trolley
runs at about 12 minute intervals and goes all the way
to
the border entry. It takes about 45 minutes from
downtown
San Diego. You can drive down to the border and park
and
walk over if you prefer. You can even drive into
Tijuana
but I strongly advise you not to do this for two
reasons.
First you have to purchase Mexican auto insurance
before
crossing into Mexico. If you have an accident in
Mexico
with no insurance you will go straight to jail.
Secondly,
delays of over an hour at the border inspection
stations
are not uncommon for automobiles. Remember this is the
world's busiest border crossing. So, relax take the
trolley and then catch a red Mexicoach at the end of
the
line.
AVENIDA REVOLUCION
Avenida Revolucion
(Revolution Avenue) is the
destination
of most tourists. Here you will find about 8 city
blocks
of wall to wall souvenier shops stocked with everything
from Mexican blankets, leather goods, sombreros,
pottery,
craft items, and trinkets of every description. You
will
also find many restaurants, and street vendors here.
Prices
are not fixed on Revolution and the marked price is
only a
starting point; offer half of the original and then
barter
for a final price somewhere in between. For more
information on Revolution Avenue go to:
Near the end of Revolution Avenue is
the
El Palacio Fronton (picture below) where on six nights
a
week Jai Alai is played. Jai Alai is the world's
fastest sport. In this game players catch and return
balls
traveling up to 160 mph using large hand woven scoops.
You
can place bets on your favorite players.
Half of the people on Revolution Avenue are tourists. Revolution Avenue is built around the tourist trade. To experience the real Tijuana you need to explore beyond Revolution Avenue where the residents of this great city live and shop. The streets around Revolution Avenue are part of the "old" Tijuana. They have many stores and restaurants. Tourists rarely venture into these back streets. You should. It is safe during the day and in my opinion they are also safe at night because they are crowded with people, not deserted like many American cities at night. Here in these back streets you will often find bargains or unusual items. Don't expect to find all of the same products that you are familiar with. Remember you are now in a foreign country and things are different. Open your mind to a new experience and enjoy!
Go here for more information about Revolution Avenue:
ZONA RIO
The Zona Rio(the river area) is where the "new" Tijuana is located. Here you will find modern skyscrapers,apartment and condominiums, a modern shopping mall, and the Tijuana Cultural Arts Center. The old municipal produce market which covers 4 city blocks is also here and should not be missed. Many fine restaurants and the better stores and shops are located in the Zona Rio .
The Zona Rio was once filled with a shantytown of shacks occupied mostly by new arrivals in Tijuana. The area was constantly threatened with flooding during the Winter rainy season. One very bad flood destroyed most of the homes and the Tijuana government then moved the rest of the people out and redeveloped the entire area, after new river channels had been built to protect the area from future floods. Today this area is a showcase of the modern Tijuana. It is far from completed but there is enough there to keep you busy for a full day.
Tijuana Cultural Arts Center
The Tijuana Cultural Center was designed by Pedro Ramirez Vazquez, the architect who also designed Mexico's Aztec Stadium and the Anthropological Museum in Mexico City.
The Cultural Center is easily recognized because it is shaped like a big globe (see picture below). Within the Center complex are regular art exhbitions,IMAX theater, a museum,a performing arts theater,a book store, a crafts store and resturant. The 1000 seat concert hall presents world class symphony, opera, and dance performances. To find out more about the Cultural Center click on the English version of this website.Cultural Arts Center
Only a few blocks away from the Cultural Center is a 4 city block Municipal Produce Market. Here you will find many colorful displays of fresh fruits, vegetables,dried beans, pastas, spices, candies, baked goods, and household items. This is both a wholesale and a retail outlet. Mexican housewives shop along side of restuarant and produce store owners. You need to know a little Spanish to shop here because most of the workers here do not speak English.
Directly across the street from the Cultural Center is a modern shopping center named Plaza Rio. Plaza Rio has several department stores and many shops that offer quality merchandize. All prices are fixed, unlike on Revolution Avenue where one expects to haggle for the best price. The Commercial Mexicana store is a large supermarket and K-mart type store under one roof.
Closer to the border in the Zona Rio are two smaller shopping centers. The Pueblo Amigo center has a large superstore and many small shops. The Viva Tijuana Center is between the border and the downtown route and caters primarily to the American visitors. There are at least 6 drug stores in this center. Perscription drugs sell for about 50 % less in Tijuana than the prices in San Diego. Mexican liquors and American cigarettes are popular items here.
GAY_TIJUANA
Tijuana has a population of over 1.2 million people. Like large cities everywhere, there is a large gay population. Tijuana has about 8 gay bars and discos. I marched in this year's Gay Pride Parade in Tijuana. The parade was small in comparison to San Diego"s parade but Tijuana is a conservative Catholic city. Tijuana gays are making progress however. Click here for the story on the 1998 Tijuana Gay Pride Parade Tijuana Gay Pride Parade
Here are some pictures taken at the
1998 Tijuana Gay Pride Parade(many thanks to Rex
Wockner)
Many gay people from San Diego go bar hopping down
in Tijuana.
You can learn more about the Tijuana scene by going
here: Don
Pato"s
For more information on the Gay scene in Mexico go here:Gay Mexico
That concludes our Tijuana tour for now. I hope you have enjoyed Tijuana as much as I have. I go down to Tijuana frequently. I have several Mexican friends and would like to have more. If you are Hispanic and you live in San Diego or Tijuana, check out my Friendship page listed in the Foyer, and send me an E-mail. Or if you are not Hispanic but would just like to tag-along with me to Tijuana, I invite you to send me an E-mail also.
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