Going To San Diego. . . Advice/Suggestions Please

Tourists are not going to be bothered.

As Bugsy Siegel said of his gangster friends: "We only kill each other."

It is true that TJ is crime ridden - burglaries are a hassle, ditto thefts of certain kinds of vehicles - but the tourists who stick to the main tourist areas aren't going to be hassled.

There are two main cartels vying for control of the city: the Arellano Felix Organization (AFO) and the Sinaloa cartel, headed by the criminal Napoleon of Mexico, Chapo (Shorty) Guzman.

The mayor of TJ is under control of the AFO, as is most of the local police force, but Chapo is gainng grouind. The brothers of the AFO are all dead or jailed, and the organiazation is supposedly weaker now, due to one of the sisters currently running  it.

It is true that the AFO has a kidnapping franchise there - but not for the ordinary gringo tourists.  They target their victims carefully - almost all are Mexicans or Mex Americans with profitiable businesses in Tj.  Once, several years ago, the son of the immensely popular singer Alejandro Fernandez was 'napped - they cut off his ear to show rich papa they meant biz. Papa paid a huge ransom ---- and then moved himself and family to Texas.

But again, they ain't gonna target the average gringo.  And you can be there for many months, or live there, and never hear gunfire.

However, I would be very very careful going to the well-known whorehouse, Adelita's. It is true they have young girls there, often just arrived from the interior. (The TJ cabbies look for them at the bus station, lost and alone, and take them to Adelita's where they can make money as prossies)

But that bar is in the area known as Zona Norte, or Coahuilla. (Co - wheela)  Back in the early '80s it was a safe area - not now.  A friend of mine, around 8 years ago, was mugged and robbed in broad daylight. I have walked around the area at night, and without problems.  But would not dare do it now.

If you do go, be sure you have at least 2 other gringos with you - preferably obvious iron pumpers. At least one of you should stay sober - they ladrones (thieves) wll target the drunks.

And as for the girls - yes, sometimes good.  But you better wear a condom.  And it's very unlikely tht a young Mex pros will give a bj. It's not something that's done there - in Mexico such an act is considered  "dirty."  Even by person. Esp the young ones.

Go to the bars in Mission Valley,  or OB or Pacific Beach, or the racetrack or the malls if you want to meet girls.  Or tell a Scietology gal out at the pakt that you're very wealthy and see if she'll lie down for her creed . . .

 

Yep, La Jolla is correct - means "the jewel" in espanol.  However ion Spanish it's actuallys spelled La Joya!

You're right, there are a helluva lot of golf courses in SD. And, I'm told (don't play) reasonable.

There is just an awful lot to do in the area - and you are also, correct:in all the years Ilived ther and in Orange I never was bitten by a mosquito. Don't remember if I ever even saw one.

However, there are flies. Don't kill any if you go to Mexico - they're the National Insect there and it's agaisnt the law to harm one. (OK, my little "racist" joke - I can tell it 'cause I have two very close friends south of the border, we joke all the time)

Not really too many flies, actually.  Mostly bug free, unless you live near fresh water.

BTW, he could also take in - I think it's in early or mid August - the national sand castle building contest in Imperial Beach, just before Coronado.  Professional sand architects from all over the world, free  admission.  And quite a few young, California-attractive beach bunnies walking around, wanting to be noticed.

Good advice. You'll never be able to do all that been suggested in one little miserable weekend, better stay the week.  Or a month.

But then go home. I'll be living there or thereabouts one year soon and don't want it overcrowded.

Nude beach, Tough to get too, steep cliffs.

I've seen young ladies peel their tops in IB and OB. Not allowed, but they sometimes do it anyway

Oh shud up...no tourists are getting killed.  They want our money.  Stay away from the bad people; you won't get messed with

Basically correct.

I know a millionaire who lives down south of the Fox studio where they filmed Titanic, he drives a new luxury car, and has never been bothered.  He does live in a gated community, right on the beach sojuth of Rosarito - but if kidnappers want to get someone some rent-a-cops ain't gonna stop 'em.

To the OP - now that you got more suggestions than you can possibly use, tell us how it went when you were there and the places you hit.

"Well, guys, I decided just to go the library, check out a good book, and stay in my motel room all weekend, reading."

Nobody goes to Tijuana anymore. That place was 'hip' in the 80's and 90's People go to Cabo and Cancun now. Get with the times.



Luckybythetruck: You tell him the place is safe and then you give him tips on staying alive by telling him he should bring 2 gringos with him?



There are safer places in Mexico. Why take the risk.

If you live in a city of any size I'm sure most of it is safe ---- but that there still will be a few areas which one would be smart to  avoid.

 

luckbythetruck  TJ is not somewhere you want to go these days, I have plenty of mexcians friends that are Amercian Citiztens that won't even go their anymore. The drug cartels will target any Americans that go down their regardless if you have money. They will hold you for ransom and beat the shit out of you. downtown TJ is not an option these days. If you want to cross the border and have have Coronas and Fish taco's for a buck each that's fine, but don't venture too far... you may not come back.

As for what you said about downtown... drive around down there at night..and all you see is tents and sleeping bags with homeless lining block after block.. SD is the worst metroploltian area when it comes to homelessness.

Yes I live in SD, spent almost my whole short life here.

Short short.. my buddy (who is mexican) had a uncle get napped right off the main road only a few months ago. They beat him up pretty bad..no broken bones but fucked up his sholder and both knees. They took his cell and started calling his family for ransom. The asking price?? A whole $3500.. sounds like nothing right. The numbers that were contacting his family were coming from both TJ numbers and SanDiego numbers. Anyway they took him to a house after they beat the shit out of him and left him in the car because he acted like he was knocked out.

So he hobbles out of the car asap and flags down a Tujunia taxi and has him take him to the border. At the border the agents thought he was full of shit.. they thought he was just some crazy mexican trying to into the US. After sometime he is allowed to call and have his family retrieve him at the border. Since the mexican thugs stole his wallet he had no passport or ID to get across. This is supposed to be a big deal and is supposed to cost upwards of a $1000, but the border agents were cool and let him cross without paying. He told my friend he is lucky to be alive and will not be heading back any time soon. He wasn't even in downtown TJ he was just at a busstop outside the border.

Be that as it may.. if you had any sense at all you would not go to this part of mexico in its current state

 

Ace is on the money with this!

If you go south of the border be careful bro, heads are getting chopped off down their on a daily basis, and tourists stick out....I used to go down every year but was told by a friend who's uncle lives down there to stay away....fucking violence everywhere, not worth it to get your dick sucked or whatever your doing down there, i have a messed up kidnapping story too, guys brother gets jacked off the street and they ask for a mil...a fucking mil and this guy doesn't have close to it, they start sending digits of the guy in the mail, finally the guy drains his savings, retirement etc and they finally let his bro go, got lucky...I heard stories of cops seeing tourists then tipping off the fucking gangs to jack you up or rape your g/f....not to piss on your parade but i would stay away from TJ or anywhere down there............gas lamp in Sandiego is a fun place, Pacific Beach has alot of clubs.bars........

No offense Eric but your full of fucking shit....yeah listen to the baja tourism board, no agenda there......I know for a FACT that tourists are getting jammed up, could fill a thread up with at least 10 stories of such....my buddy's uncle lives down there, he's hispanic and won't go down south of the border......just a month ago, tourist from OC, teenager went down to TJ, from south carolina I believe, 3 days later they find this fuck dead and they had to fly his parents out to claim the body...look it up! Its fucking mexico, there are no laws/rules and the drug cartels are doing whatever they want, daring someone to fuck with them.......mex is trying to clean up the drug trafficing and the vilolence will continue until the new pres of mex leaves them alone, fox the old pres of mex ignored it and things werent bad.....it does suck, rosarito, ensanada are great places, awesome strip joints, beautiful women, right on the coast....great golf, great food....just a major risk, been living in SD whole life......obviously I'm not the only one saying it...hang out in SD, theres lots of things to do....have to have the latin thing, go to a latina porn site and rub one out when you get back to your hotel, you'll live to tell about it 

I'm assuming the thread starter has never been.  So maybe he might enjoy it

And Cabo and Cancun are not in driving distance from San Diego, if my memory is correct

My wife tells me this all the time.  You guys should exchange BBMs

Honestly, what are the chances of getting mugged/raped/killed in Tijuana?   You probably have a better chance of dying in a car accident

You really are clueless. You still think people go there to party?

How old are you? You're probably to old to realize that. You mentioned you're wife so I'm guessing you haven't been there to party for quite some time. Ask your son if kids still go there to party. Get a clue.

And no shit you can't drive to Cancun or Cabo.

I meant if he's gonna go to Mexico, go to those 2 places at another time where there's a better chance you won't be held for ransom.

ive seen everything on both coasts basically. Ive lived in New York and San Diego, but been to about half the country... If I had my choice I would still prefer to live in NY.. only because I enjoyed the fast paced life style and their were a lot more girls to meet back there.  San Diego is nice for the weather, but it seems like everything is too relaxed in the california lifestyle.

If southern cali doesn't get some rain this winter, I have a feeling all hell is going to break loose. Water prices here have shot through the roof this past year and were in serious drought conditions.

California as a whole is in a deep pile of shit.. and I have a feeling The Govonorator isn't going to have any soultion to the problem..
I just know if I had an despensible income I would surely be living on the east coast.

I guess I'm just a rare breed, because most people would call that crazy and much rather live in california.

As for mexico, I know for fact that plenty of people still go down there for whatever reason. But I would not advise anyone to go down there right now   the place is a warzone, if you want to go play with the animals your taking your life into your own hands..