One of the reasons behind my moving to California was also the possibility of visiting Mexico. It is such a large and complex world, much more developed than the Americans think, and with such a similar culture to ours, that I have the impression I will feel like home at south of the border. For many months I hoped, I tried, and I did not succeed to travel over the border that lies south of San Diego. I've been close though – at the end of the tram line, at the outlet mall, last time I even crossed the pedestrian bridge... I've got to the gate where I would've had to take just one more step... And now... finally! I went to Baja!!!
When traveling from US to Mexico by car, you don't even realize when you stepped from one world to the other. I guess some people don’t even think about this. One blink of an eye and you're already on the other side of many's dreams and tragedies. Found at 32km south of San Diego, CA the Tijuana border is the most transited international border in the world. Highway I-5 was drawn parallel to the Pacific Ocean, on a length of 2 222km, to create a direct connection, from the Canadian border (at north) to the Mexican border (at south), and at the crossing point it splits in eight lanes – five on the south bound, and three for the north bound. The crossing time in any of the senses can be overwhelming at certain times of the day, but we tricked the dead traffic around noon and didn't spend more time than we would waste at a street light. So, we crossed. Between the two borders there's no neutral zone or “nobody's country”... there's no exit from US sign, nobody checks your passport. You just see ¡Bienvenido en Mexico! and that's it!! you're in Mexico. You're already in Tijuana.
Like any other border city, Tj seams a poor town, with many precarious neighborhoods, with bad quality roads and cars, with people concentrated on producing as much as possible from tourists. I heard many people referring to Tj as to a tourists’ trap for bad quality souvenirs sold at exorbitant prices. On a first glimpse this is exactly what it suggested to me too and somehow, it reminded me of the peripheral street of Alexandria, TM. The architectural leit motif seams to be the unfinished building, on one or all exterior walls, the rusted fence and the cracked concrete more than we ever saw back home. The only thing that kept reminding me where I was, was the multitude of flags fluttering everywhere out of beautiful and strong Mexican pride.
As soon as we left the border area, we turned right and headed to Playas de Tijuana. Obviously, the beach of the city, which is after all situated on the shores of the Pacific, on the north of Baja California peninsula, unraveled a series of surprises. This is where I saw some images which I believe I should've picture, but whom somehow did not cross my mind before arriving there.
First was the image of the famous border fence that separates US from Mexico. The one well praised by the previous administration and which appeared in the press maximum reinforced with man power, as well as top defense technology so that the sinners from the south to not have any chance on penetrating the American dream. To my surprise, the American defense, in this case, leis in a poor and ugly fence built from rusted tin, which needs to stand for 3141km, from Texas to the bottom of the Pacific Ocean (?!?!).
The next image that impressed me popped up when we were driving on a road parallel with the border fence. Being on a hill I could observe on the clear horizon the skyline of downtown San Diego, which is of course on the other side of the fence. For a moment I stopped to think: What could it be in the souls and minds of the people that get here? Many have the fortune of succeeding in crossing this line drawn by man and society, but others never had and never will. Instead they will live with the tragedy of an unfulfilled dream in their hearts, looking towards the horizon to the virtual answer of all their troubles... I smiled, sad at this life's irony and to the image in front of me, realizing what little value I give right now to my situation, to the life that I so easily choose where to live – today here, tomorrow somewhere else, while others raise the drama to the rank of destiny.
The last image was the one that encompassed the beach, and brought up a mix of feelings. One weird when I've got to see the urbanized image of San Diego in the background, when the shores should be dedicated only to the wideness of the ocean; another of disgust at the view of the lamentable construction development which looked pathetic and lacked the picturesque of the buildings we saw on the beaches of Vama Veche; and another of astonishment when I saw the fine sand, totally unattained, and the water, much cleaner than the polluted one by the San Diego harbor.
Back in Tijuana I discovered a dirty town, deserted of monuments or historical buildings, but rich in loungers, street vendors and touts ready to get your dollar from the pocket for any trifle, buildings with multiple destinations and sidewalks in decay.
The only attraction for me at that point remained the huge Mexican flag which can be seen even from San Ysidro, CA, on the American land, north of the border. The flag has two more replicas in Mexico City and Guadalajara, and despise its enormous dimensions it is visible from such a distance also because it is anchored on the tallest hill of Tj.
However, the goal of this trip was not to spend the time of my life in a border town, but to go down on the coast to the shore villages, famous for the beach parties and especially for the local cuisine based on lobsters, typical to Baja. I think the villages become more and more luxurious and pretty as you go lower into the south, to the tip of the peninsula, towards Cabo San Lucas. We, on the other hand, didn't have the time and stopped only in Rosarito and Puerto Nuevo.
Both beaches were deserted by tourists in the middle of the day, but even then the terraces built on the beach could create the image of a perfect place for nocturne extremely animated parties. The streets were filled with souvenir stores: vivid colored ceramics, different dimensions, forms and textures hammocks, folkloric decorations, and toys. Well, when it comes to food, however, Baja is extraordinary through the explosion of testes and aromas. The tortilla soup, for example, totally different from the one served in California, is more spicy and for sure better, while the fried lobsters are served with rise, tortilla and Mexican beans in quantities that could feed a whole family!
On our return we stopped at a Taco Shop Drive in – which was totally insalubrious. The restaurant is actually a grill set under a shed, exposed to sun and dust, next to a bar with high chairs, behind which you could park you car. I didn't even want to try thinking at the provenience of the meat, where or how it was maneuvered, or if in this country they have the BBB (Better Business Bureau). I focused on the purifying power of fire and charcoal, in the same way we do at home when we are attracted by a grill full with delicious mici on the side of a road. And that was the right attitude!!! as I never had in my whole life a better taco as the one I ate on the side of a dusty road in Tijuana!
On our return we stopped at a 
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