Growing up in the Southwest, I was exposed to Mexican culture from an early age (partially due to my family), but since Mexico is super close, I was also exposed to Mexico. So like many other singer-songwriters or writers living in the Southwest, I have one of those tendencies to reconcile fact and fiction when it comes to the borderlands, specifically the 2,000 mile Mexican-American border and the locales in those states.
Tijuana, the northern-most city in Mexico, is not only a gateway between two countries and their cultures, but it's also a portal to a different time. While there is something to be said about nearby San Diego's international flair, Tijuana is the very embodiment of a clash of cultures on the border.
It is not the romanticized Mexico City of Jack Kerouac, nor is it the war zone implied by screaming headlines. Granted, Mexico is not really a safe country to visit without caution. There is crime, there are cartels, and there are reasons why Mexicans are inclined to migrate to the States. It is a sad reality and those issues don't remain on only one side of the border. Violence spills out and it becomes politicized. There are people who are convinced that Mexico is a safe haven where the borderlands are safe and free from the very issues that affect places like Phoenix, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Antonio. However, there are other people who are so concerned with the crime and violence of the borderlands that they stay away and typically the latter act as though Mexico is on par with Syria or Iraq.
Either way, I see that Mexico is a special place where caution must be exercised and I don't get how Americans can act as if Mexico is exactly like Canada. It's not and yet I think that Americans tend to see Mexico as if Las Vegas was a country bordering the United States and Canada would be seen as if Disney World was another country bordering the United States.
Getting back to Tijuana, visiting the city is akin to a pilgrimage and perhaps that mentality drives the number of tourists crossing from San Ysidro. Certainly some of Tijuana's appeal comes from the same mentality of Las Vegas where "anything goes" and it was evident with the college students and teenagers who would frequent Revolution Avenue.
This is part of the appeal, but the appeal comes from a desire to leave the familiarity of one's life. Due to Tijuana's proximity to Southern California, it became a popular destination as early as the 1910's, only to be fortified by Prohibition, and solidified by the disposable income of Southern Californians and tourists in the 1950's.
Ultimately, Tijuana is seen as either being "too American" by faithful Mexicans or "not Mexican enough" to visitors expecting an authentic Mexican village or at least a stereotype based on what they've heard about Mexico.
When it comes to how Tijuana is a portal to a different time, I'm referring to the history of the city and how a majority of the older buildings in the city play a role in the history of the borderlands. If there's a nightclub that someone like Jim Morrison visited in Tijuana in the 1960's, then chances are that it still exists, even if the management changed years ago. It's a city where the very barrio that Carlos Santana grew up in is still there. The same bullring that Herb Alpert heard mariachi music for the first time is sitting on the coast. My point is that while being hyped up as a cosmopolitan city to appeal to a younger demographic looking to party south-of-the-border like generations before, Tijuana is still an old city with living monuments to yesteryear's pop culture. Then again, people will say that a lot of cities retain their historic haunts, but Tijuana is different because of not only its location on the border constantly being developed and shaped by waves of migrants and new construction, but its relevance to a pollination of cultures across the border.
This reminds me of a few other places on the Mexican border where history is still alive in the air.
The Southern Arizona border city of Nogales shares its name with the city directly south in Sonora, Mexico. Nogales is all-around a nice place with friendly people on both sides, but the place we are concerning ourselves with is not necessarily a nice place and one must exercise caution when in this neighborhood, especially at night. Due east of the border crossing into the United States, there are hills overlooking the city and there is an old sign on the hillside that advertises Nogales (not like you're already in town from somewhere else undoubtedly). At the foothills, you will find a neighborhood just on the east side of the Arizona-bound railroad tracks. On Elias Street, there is this empty lot between two buildings. On this lot, which has since been fenced off, there are approximately three caves in the side of the mountain. This is where it gets interesting. Apparently, these caverns were first used by local police to house prisoners in the 1800's before it was re-purposed as a hideout for revolutionaries during the Mexican Revolution and later sold to an entrepreneur eager to quench the thirst of desperate Americans during Prohibition. In 1927, the Cavern Bar opened its doors and it became a popular restaurant in town. Arizonans visiting Nogales from the 1940's through the 1970's would often make the pilgrimage to dine in these caves and listen to mariachis and big bands. Unfortunately, the restaurant caught fire in February 1984 and was shut down, leaving a legacy that lived on in the memories of those who visited. Now of course, I never got the chance to dine there, but I honestly suspect that my mom did dine there with her parents and grandparents in the late 1960's or early 1970's and I even believe my dad ate there sometime in the 1970's. However, the fact that the same hard-wood floors that were likely there in the 1920's had for the most part lasted almost a century is remarkable, especially when you factor in events like years of exposure to the open elements and urban explorers. The caves are still there and the outer shell of the restaurant is mostly intact (albeit crumbling).
The last border city we will be visiting today is notorious for being one of the most dangerous cities in not only North America, but even the world. Without being a hysteric about the dangers of visiting Mexico in any capacity, I will calmly state that Juarez is simply dangerous. However, this doesn't negate the fact that it held a special place for Americans and Mexicans alike. From claiming to be the birthplace of both burritos and margaritas to being the subject of songs by Bob Dylan, Marty Robbins, or the Doors, Juarez is a legendary city. Sitting across the Rio Grande from El Paso, Juarez was the Tijuana to troops stationed at nearby Fort Bliss as well as the jumping point for select military expeditions into Northern Mexico. In the past thirty years, Juarez developed a nastier reputation with the skyrocketing crime rates, particularly homicide, and that has affected places like the Kentucky Club Bar. Like the Cave in Nogales, the Kentucky Bar was particularly popular even after the end of Prohibition. Instead of families, the clientele included some of Juarez's more famous visitors. Marilyn Monroe reportedly bought the house a round of drinks after her annulment from playwright Arthur Miller. Jim Morrison visited the bar one late night during his cross-country journey from Florida to California. Bob Dylan reportedly visited the bar in the early 1960's. Heck, stars like John Wayne and Steve McQueen would frequently drink there. Another historic haunt in Juarez is the Museum of the Revolution on the Border, which covers the Mexican Revolution in Northern Mexico. If you've been to Disneyland, then chances are that the facade of the museum reminds you of a certain train station and city hall.
In conclusion, there is a lot to be gained from learning about places that have played even obscure roles in history. Perhaps, months of research, a trip out of the country, or simply a new perspective on things.
This reminds me of a few other places on the Mexican border where history is still alive in the air.
The Southern Arizona border city of Nogales shares its name with the city directly south in Sonora, Mexico. Nogales is all-around a nice place with friendly people on both sides, but the place we are concerning ourselves with is not necessarily a nice place and one must exercise caution when in this neighborhood, especially at night. Due east of the border crossing into the United States, there are hills overlooking the city and there is an old sign on the hillside that advertises Nogales (not like you're already in town from somewhere else undoubtedly). At the foothills, you will find a neighborhood just on the east side of the Arizona-bound railroad tracks. On Elias Street, there is this empty lot between two buildings. On this lot, which has since been fenced off, there are approximately three caves in the side of the mountain. This is where it gets interesting. Apparently, these caverns were first used by local police to house prisoners in the 1800's before it was re-purposed as a hideout for revolutionaries during the Mexican Revolution and later sold to an entrepreneur eager to quench the thirst of desperate Americans during Prohibition. In 1927, the Cavern Bar opened its doors and it became a popular restaurant in town. Arizonans visiting Nogales from the 1940's through the 1970's would often make the pilgrimage to dine in these caves and listen to mariachis and big bands. Unfortunately, the restaurant caught fire in February 1984 and was shut down, leaving a legacy that lived on in the memories of those who visited. Now of course, I never got the chance to dine there, but I honestly suspect that my mom did dine there with her parents and grandparents in the late 1960's or early 1970's and I even believe my dad ate there sometime in the 1970's. However, the fact that the same hard-wood floors that were likely there in the 1920's had for the most part lasted almost a century is remarkable, especially when you factor in events like years of exposure to the open elements and urban explorers. The caves are still there and the outer shell of the restaurant is mostly intact (albeit crumbling).
The last border city we will be visiting today is notorious for being one of the most dangerous cities in not only North America, but even the world. Without being a hysteric about the dangers of visiting Mexico in any capacity, I will calmly state that Juarez is simply dangerous. However, this doesn't negate the fact that it held a special place for Americans and Mexicans alike. From claiming to be the birthplace of both burritos and margaritas to being the subject of songs by Bob Dylan, Marty Robbins, or the Doors, Juarez is a legendary city. Sitting across the Rio Grande from El Paso, Juarez was the Tijuana to troops stationed at nearby Fort Bliss as well as the jumping point for select military expeditions into Northern Mexico. In the past thirty years, Juarez developed a nastier reputation with the skyrocketing crime rates, particularly homicide, and that has affected places like the Kentucky Club Bar. Like the Cave in Nogales, the Kentucky Bar was particularly popular even after the end of Prohibition. Instead of families, the clientele included some of Juarez's more famous visitors. Marilyn Monroe reportedly bought the house a round of drinks after her annulment from playwright Arthur Miller. Jim Morrison visited the bar one late night during his cross-country journey from Florida to California. Bob Dylan reportedly visited the bar in the early 1960's. Heck, stars like John Wayne and Steve McQueen would frequently drink there. Another historic haunt in Juarez is the Museum of the Revolution on the Border, which covers the Mexican Revolution in Northern Mexico. If you've been to Disneyland, then chances are that the facade of the museum reminds you of a certain train station and city hall.
In conclusion, there is a lot to be gained from learning about places that have played even obscure roles in history. Perhaps, months of research, a trip out of the country, or simply a new perspective on things.
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