The Beagle Log, 26 October 2007 - Trip to Tijuana

Last edited by on Fri 26 Oct 2007 - 13:03; edited 1 time in total

Good Morning Fellow Chatters,

The Mexican border has been a focal point of US immigration policy for some time now. Below is a photo of the border between San Diego and Tijuana. The photo’s vantage point is from the US side looking into Mexico. Note the small number of cars entering Mexico. On the left side, under the arch, are the cars lined up for entry into the US.

I visited Tijuana many times while on business trips to San Diego. The pedestrian crossing point is to the right side of the picture. The main shopping district is approximately a mile from the border. In recent years a new “touristy” shopping area was built about a quarter mile from the border crossing area.

My purchases were normally limited to leather goods (e.g. hand bags for the wife), Kula, blankets, and miscellanies trinkets for the kids.

There are many shops selling jewelry (silver and gemstones) but I was always skeptical of the value of the products being sold.

In the mid 80's, on our return from Guam, we toured southern California.
While in San Diego I took the family to Tijuana.
The photo below is our crossing into Mexico.
This is the Mexican customs point.
Brian is to the left, Ben and Mom to the right (I was still in the US).

Here is one of the alleys in the main shopping area.

Return to the US; this is the US customs building on the Mexican side.

There is a trolley running from downtown San Diego to San Ysdiro on the Mexican border, about 25 miles.
Note the McDonalds to the right of the trolley - first restaurant in the US!

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Don

Correction: The pedestrian crossing point is to the right side of the picture, not the left as previously stated.

I visited Tijuana many times while on business trips to San Diego. The pedestrian crossing point is to the right side of the picture. The main shopping district is approximately a mile from the border. In recent years a new “touristy” shopping area was built about a quarter mile from the border crossing area.

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Don

Great pictures Don.

It must be brillant to travel to so many different countries.

But things are not looking too good at the moment in California, just heard on the news that bodies have been found near the border.

Jean

Hola Don!

Yes, very evocative pictures! We have our own memories of queuing to enter the States. We landed at Los Angeles airport and then spent what seemed like an eternity in a queue. I don't know how I managed to stand for so long...I did seriously wonder whether I would die before I got through immigration control. It was shortly after 9/11. The thing that made it at all bearable was the constant checks made by the customs people with their adorable dogs (which of course we didn't dare to touch).

However, once we were allowed into the States we had a wonderful time. We only had a couple of days to explore before moving on to the Cook Islands. It is very sad to see the pictures on the news at the moment.

Adios Gillian
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''What will survive of us is love.'' Philip Larkin

Thanks for your concern regarding the fires in California. They are truly terrible and to make it worse, there is growing evidence that several of the fires were started by arsonist. The newscast tonight reported there have been arrests and authorities are looking for some other specific people. I think the latest report has 11 deaths - an amazingly small number given the scope of the disaster.

Gillian, where did you visit in the US?
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Don

Hi all,

Yes more wonderful photographs Don. Thanks so much for sharing those and the information. Fascinating stuff. I've never been to America. My mum and dad have been over a few times to visit relatives - cousins on both my mum and dad's sides in the USA. My Grandad Smith's sister Annie Smith married the "boy next door" Jack Forsyth & they emigrated to Connecticut, early 1900s. Mum & dad have stayed with their family sometimes, and sometimes with family on my mum's side - who are descended from my great-grandad Topping's brother.

When my son was at Liverpool University for 4 years, during the summer holidays he and a group of others from his Uni travelled around North America working as football coaches to American children - in "Summer Soccer Camps". So he's been all over the place in USA too. I've still got loads of memorabilia from his travels, here in his "Archive" cupboard at my house.

See y'all wave

Carole

PS: Terrible about what's happened in California, Don.

Thoughts go to all the families who have been affected. Will keep watching for the latest TV news about it all.

Carole

Hola Don!

We stayed in Los Angeles on Sunset Boulevard I think. We visited the famous 'Farmers' Market' where it seems possible to meet people from all over the world and sample their cooking. We took tours around Los Angeles, walked on the pavement set with celebrity stars and visited the cemetary where Marilyn Monroe is buried!! We caught glimpses of the homes of the stars eg The Reagan's. We went to Venice Beach where they have HUGE facilities for skate boarding and roller skating as well as a HUGE beach with HUGE waves!

I would loved to have gone further afield (especially Grand Canyon) but we had neither the time nor the money.

I hope they manage to get the fires properly out before the winds return.

Hasta Luego Gillian
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''What will survive of us is love.'' Philip Larkin

Hola Gillian,

Sunset Boulevard - doesn't that all sound wonderful. Well you seem to have done a lot during your stay there. Thanks for sharing that.

See you later,
Carole wave