tijuana: it’s… complicated
okay, so i just got back from tijuana. and honestly? it’s a lot. like, a lot a lot. i don’t even know where to start. i just checked and it's...there right now, hope you like that kind of thing. it’s 17.96 degrees and 33% humidity. seriously.
seriously, look at that map. it’s right on the border, which is… well, it’s the border. it’s a weird mix of everything. someone told me that the traffic is insane, especially at Otay Mesa. i didn’t really test that theory, to be honest. i mostly just wandered around, trying to absorb the chaos.
apparently, it used to be a super wild party town back in the prohibition days - casinos and all that jazz. now it’s… trying to be something else. they’re talking about a cultural revival, which is cool, i guess. but it still feels a little gritty, you know? like, a really, really gritty kind of cool.
they say it’s the westernmost city in latin america, which is a weird thing to think about. and it’s huge - 1.3 to 1.8 million people, which is a lot of people crammed into a valley. it’s hilly, too, which is why they get so much flooding. someone mentioned landslides, which, honestly, sounded terrifying. i didn’t see any, thankfully.
there’s a lot of trade going on there, too. apparently, it’s a huge hub for trucks crossing the border. and the airport is busy. it’s just… constant.
neighboring cities? san diego, obviously. if you get bored, san diego is just a short drive away. playas de rosarito is south, mexicali is east (about 130 miles - that’s a long drive!), and ensenada is further south along highway 1-d.
and the food! i didn’t really try anything iconic, but someone told me the tacos are amazing. they’re trying to be a foodie destination, which is interesting. it’s a really diverse place, too - lots of people from all over the world. they say the population is really mixed, which makes sense given the border location.
but be warned: it’s not all sunshine and tacos. there’s crime, pollution (the Tijuana River is a mess, apparently), and water shortages. and the traffic is a nightmare. someone mentioned being cautious in certain areas - the “edgy” ones, i guess. i mostly stuck to the main streets.
overall? it’s a complicated place. a messy, chaotic, slightly overwhelming place. but also… kind of fascinating. it’s definitely not for everyone. but if you’re looking for something different, something… real, maybe it’s worth a visit. just be prepared for a sensory overload. and maybe bring a poncho. seriously.
and the pressure is 1018, just in case you were wondering.
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