What's (pretty much) the first thing an American should do once she crosses the border? Visit it and stare longingly across towards home, of course!
I might not have gotten very far from the U.S., never being more than a few miles from the border, but Tijuana is alien enough in layout, composition, color, and...well, flavor, that I would've never confused it with home. The stark noncomprehension of language, the badgering of the street and stall merchants (man, was it great to be shopping back in San Diego!), the order and array of the sights and sounds, all smacked of a foreign experience. I didn't have the inclination or opportunity to go on a "stupid American does the illegal delights of Mexico" tour, I but I got plenty of local grit (literally - dusty!) and color (lots of orange and tan and red) just driving around the city, visiting the border, and going trinket shopping. Also, sleeping in a barred castle on the hill of the very rich added to the overall ambiance of "different."
Which contrasted all the more with the experience inside the house, where the familiar furniture, games, Internet, people, and food (hello, Trader Joe's!) all reassured that nothing had really changed :)
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2 comments:
Neat commentary! We very much enjoyed having you here and sharing the region with you.
I liked the barred castle comment.
Me too! I liked my experience in TJ and it was great spending time with you guys! Read on for more TJ commentary.
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