a more charming side of Tijuana

Marketplace in Tijuana, Mexico. January 2008.

Amidst the hazy smog and heavy pollution of one of the most notorious border towns in North America, I had to wander far and wide in search of something interesting in Tijuana, Mexico. Past the sultry steps and over the bridge connecting it to the U.S, we jumped into the melting pot of over the counter/under the table/shoved down your throat prescription drugs, leather bound whips, drunken american frat boys, and donkey slavery. It was necessary to pass through this madness in order to find the actual city that lives and dies there. And so my friends and i ran the gaunlet of merchants, beggars, and the mysterious tequila man who dowses you in his own special brand, then rattles your head while screaming. all for one dollar i tell you. It took us roughly an hour to get through and quickly realized that Tijuana is a town bustling with life and precarious tranquility that seems to perpetually be on the cusp of combustion. For every stolen car, there is a mechanic's garage, for every pick up truck there are 4 policemen perched atop the back. This was the city no one wanted to live in but were all curious about passing through. 

We got lost and  in search of food,  found a charming little family owned restaurant where we were treated graciously by our hosts, our bellies made full by their delicious homemade recipes. I was sure they were making fun of us in Spanish, wondering why we had strayed so far from all that terrible action on the TJ strip. Feeling slightly tired and unsure of what to do or where to go next, we walked further into the city and eventually  found a suitable place to take some pictures. While they don't really depict Tijuana's chaos and absurdity, they show another more peaceful side of it. This market was perhaps the most quiet and tranquil one i have ever been to. Its eerie little shops lay vacant with only the light of the midday sun carving through its rooftops and scuttling across its floor. I found it amazing that such a place existed in what was in my mind the most despondent and ineloquent city i have ever been to.