Border Towns
Feb 17th, 2000, 06:14 AM
#1
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Border Towns
I have what may be seen as an odd request. I have a great interest in the US/Mexico border area, and have read much about it in recent years. My interest is getting the best of me, and I would now like to pay a visit. <BR> <BR>My question is this: What is/are the best border town(s) to visit? Please don't tell me I should check out Cancun, Mexico City or Monterrey; that's not my focus. I'm interested in experiencing what it's like to live on the border. Right now, I'm leaning toward visiting El Paso/Juarez, but please let me know if I might find another town bordering California, Arizona, or New Mexico more interesting. I'm looking for great contrasts; beauty/blight, wealth/poverty, urban/rural.
Feb 17th, 2000, 06:25 AM
#2
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Well, if you really want to see Border Towns, I suppose Texas has enough of them to suit your fancy. Juarez is a good example of what a border town is: big, dirty, lots of maquiladoras. Also, Ciudad Acuna (across from Del Rio, Texas) can be fun. It is a smaller town, but still has some maquiladoras and rural ranches. <BR> <BR>Enjoy yourself, I guess, and be careful!
Feb 17th, 2000, 07:53 AM
#3
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You might want to try Nogales. It's about 80 miles from Tucson. I was there with a girlfriend for one night. We stayed on the Arizona side. <BR> <BR>We shopped and ate at a restaurant called the Rock which built into the side a mountain. <BR> <BR>I thought it was interesting, but I was a little nervous. We didn't travel too far into Mexico. <BR> <BR>The good part about Nogales is you can site-see through lower Arizona. The went to places, such as, Tuscon, Tombstone, Bisbee, and Tubac. I'm from Ohio so senery was so different for me. <BR> <BR>If you have any other questions, feel free to e-mail me.
Feb 18th, 2000, 05:38 AM
#4
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An important factor to consider is your proximity to the border. The largest border city in Mexico is Tijuana. I am very familiar with Tijuana as I own a business there and have lived there. I now live in San Diego which is far more desireable. <BR> <BR>Each border city has it's own character though they do share some common traits. I have been to several border cities from Texas to California. The border areas vary greatly in the amount of contrast from one side to the other. <BR> <BR>The greatest difference is found at San Diego/Tijuana. San Diego is a very clean, prosperous, safe, and outstanding city and is the only US border city that is a major tourist destination. Tijuana on the other hand is just the opposite. It is dirty, dangerous and not too nice. However it is one of the most prosperous cities in Mexico with almost 2 million habitants. There are some nice parts of Tijuana and is not all bad. However you must be very familiar with the city to know where to go. <BR> <BR>There are some border areas where there is very little contrast from one side to the other. <BR> <BR>I spent a lot of time in Nogales, Son as well. Nogales, Son and Nogales, Az is like one city with a barb wire fence down the middle. Actually 90% of the people etc. are on the Mexican side. <BR> <BR>El Paso/Cd. Juarez is somehwat the same except on a much larger scale. Both El Paso and Cd. Juarez are fairly good sized cities. <BR> <BR>There are considerable differences between the various border areas even though they share the common thread of being on the border. <BR> <BR>Many foreign visitors may not be able to detect the differences but they certainy do exist.
