The gringos are back! And in large quantities! …but please stop going to every single tourist trap in downtown Tijuana. The American paranoia seems to be coming to an end. San Diegans are starting to …
November 9, 2013
Baja travel stories
(The real) Tijuana!
Baja is back for visitors
Tijuana is making a comeback, thanks to hipsters, hypesters, and people that never gave up on the border city.
July 24, 2013
Into Mexico
Sometimes I forget that a mere 15 miles away from downtown San Diego is a-whole-nother country, with its own customs and laws that, despite their close proximity to America, are light years away from those …
July 24, 2013
Ensenada by bus
Many travelers still want to visit Baja California, but are concerned with safety or even bored with Tijuana day trips. A great alternative is to skip Tijuana and head to Ensenada for a weekend stay. …
July 13, 2013
The Satirical Tourist
“I need to pee again,” I said to Arturo, the man behind the steering wheel. “Didn’t you just go?” “It’s not my fault you’re a camel,” I said, defensively. “And anyway, that was over two …
April 3, 2013
Caution: Whales at Work
Our whale-watching excursion in San Ignacio, Mexico, turned into a close whale encounter in the literal blink of an eye. On the Pacific side of the Baja peninsula, there is a large lagoon where gray …
February 15, 2013
Lucha Libre, T.J. Style
“Did that really just happen?” A lucha libre wrestler had tried to roll into the ring, miscalculated, and slammed down hard on the concrete. Instantly, the arena erupts in laughter, and the wrestler begins yelling …
February 5, 2013
Vamos a Las Gaviotas, Baby
Here’s what you will do: head south to the land of Baja California, where tumbleweeds run like wild desperados under the tangerine glow of a nuclear sun. Hard work is commended, yet siestas are encouraged. …
February 1, 2013
Borderlands: Two Days in Ensenada
We drove through downtown San Diego in a state of anxiety, paranoia and excitement. It’s hard not to be affected by the constant media deluge of horrors from south of the border: decapitated heads, mutilated …
January 27, 2013
Cheap (Foodie) Thrills in T.J.
Less than ten years ago, Tijuana was a cultural mecca for the salty, surf-inspired natives of San Diego. A gateway to the Baja Peninsula touting cheap drinks and cheaper thrills, promising an unforgettable experience with …
November 26, 2012
Baja Is Still Baja
On our first of what will be many journalistic journeys south of the border, we explored the towns of Rosarito, Puerto Nuevo and Ensenada to check out some of the upper Baja’s more renowned spots. …
November 13, 2012
Cruising Down to Ensenada
“16 miles! Please tell me you’re kidding?” It’s 12:30 p.m. and I’m at the first break spot along this 50-mile Rosarito–Ensenada Bike Ride. I’ve been on my $40 Craigslist-bought beach cruiser (the title doesn’t lie) …
November 6, 2012
Tijuana Revisited, Part 3
(continued from an August 23 travel story) Via my acute investigational skills and combined Gringo/Uruguayan/Mexican/Spanish language abilities, I finally locate a Tijuana orphanage to spend time with. It was a long, tedious search for answers… …
September 25, 2012
Baja Wine Country
When he was growing up in coastal Southern California back in the mid '50s, Jay Dworsky had absolutely no idea that he might end up becoming involved in the farming of grapes, let alone in …
September 13, 2012
Tijuana Revisited, Part 2
(continued from an August 7 travel story) “Come on, take a photo,” urges a man standing on a corner of Avenida Revolución, locally known as “La Revo.” This is the main street running through T.J.’s …
August 23, 2012