title	A Trip to Tijuana, Mexico - 25th March 2006
intro	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.
imgp8440	A Tijuana street bar
imgp8441	One of many pharmacies
imgp8442	Tijuana's central Jai Alai court
imgp8444	The dodgy-looking Hotel Express
imgp8446	A street-corner café
imgp8447	A Jai Alai player statue
imgp8449	Ornate building entrance
imgp8451	A street vendor wheels his foodstuffs downtown
imgp8452	A cold beer cervezaria
imgp8454	Southside Tiujanan tenements
imgp8455	A Tijuana side sheet
imgp8461	An adapted US schoolbus trundles around
imgp8462	The neon sign of the central bus station
imgp8463	Another Tijuana pharmacy
imgp8465	Wicker basket shop
imgp8466	A food vendor sells "Alotes y vasitos"
imgp8467	Looking down Avenue de la Revolución
imgp8472	Illumniated "welcome to Tijuana" sign
imgp8474	Funky backstreets, alive with market stalls
imgp8475	More back-street life
imgp8476	More interesting hotels
imgp8480	A Mariachi guitarist crosses the street
imgp8482	A barbershop does late-night business
imgp8484	A café opens out on to the street
imgp8487	The café Mexicali
imgp8494	Steaming food
imgp8496	Walking around
imgp8497	A Tijuana street corner
imgp8500	More street food
imgp8502	A busy night for taxis
imgp8503	Another Mariachi get-together
imgp8508	A dude in a taco shop
imgp8510	The taco dude gets on with his tacos
imgp8516	More random double-bass playing
imgp8520	The Maria Candelaria café
imgp8523	Black and white cows in a dairy shop
imgp8525	An ancient station wagon
imgp8528	Back-street dentist
imgp8531	Grey-and-White taxi rank
imgp8540	Piñatas hang from the bus-station ceiling