To me, there will always be two versions of Mexico. There is no doubt that parts of Mexico are absolutely beautiful. The coast borders the same ocean that people pay millions of dollars for in Malibu. However, the poverty of the country does bring you out of this ideal or even fantasy version of Mexico very quickly.
Tensions between the US and Mexico are high so this might not have been the ideal destination. A caravan full of individuals from foreign countries seeking asylum in the US had made their way up to Tijuana this weekend putting pressure at the border to make sure none of them slipped through illegally. This tension spilled over into more security and longer wait times.
Tensions between the US and Mexico are high so this might not have been the ideal destination. A caravan full of individuals from foreign countries seeking asylum in the US had made their way up to Tijuana this weekend putting pressure at the border to make sure none of them slipped through illegally. This tension spilled over into more security and longer wait times.
When we crossed the border there was an unusually high amount of armed officers in Mexico. I have always learned to stay clear of the police in Mexico to avoid conflict. However, Grant must not have gotten that memo because he decided that it was okay to wave hello to the officers. He also made sure to hit every single pothole that Mexico had to offer. At a certain point, I think he was doing it secretly on purpose or as he put it… “the car wanted to hit the hole.”
Our hotel, Bajamar, was about 1.5 hours into Mexico and we made a quick stop there first. Unfortunately, the hotel was not ready for us to check in. Check-in was at 4 pm, which was absolutely crazy to us so we decided to skip checking in and go straight to La Bufadora.
La Bufadora is one of the largest blowholes in all of North America. It is an incredibly cool phenomenon based upon air getting trapped in a cave when the waves come in forcing the water and air to explode upwards of 100 feet from sea level. The area has become a tourist trap, which means that you cannot get to the site until you walk close to a mile of shops. These shops have a wide variety of purposes from selling alcohol, to churros, to tacky souvenirs, and even prescription medicine. Grant really wanted to post next to Viagra Man.
After purchasing a large wooden mask to add to my growing collection, we made our way to the hole. The surrounding area was absolutely beautiful and the actual blowhole was really neat to see. We both very much enjoyed seeing it and thought it was well worth the extra drive to get there. If your ever in the area skip the tour and just drive there. Parking is $3/4 dollars and they set you loose at the same spot the $50 tours do.
On the way back, we stopped at a nice Mexican restaurant and I ordered lobster and filet. The duality of Mexico continued even with this meal. The lobster was absolutely delicious, but the steak could have very well of been horse it was so tough. We returned to our hotel and hung out the rest of the day utilizing the amenities and services of the hotel. The restaurant at the hotel had very poor service, but the food was excellent.
Upon exiting the restaurant, we went out the door we came in. However, for some reason, they placed an unidentifiable piece of furniture outside the door to block anyone else coming in. Grant did not see this upon exiting and pushed the door open. The door hit the furniture with a loud “BAM” and toppled over. Only in Mexico does a sound this loud not attract any attention. We looked around and quickly corrected it’s toppled position. The unknown furniture item was splintered into a few broken pieces surrounding the door and we very calmly collected them. We scampered back to our room and fortunately, the hotel was none the wiser that we broke it. In our hurry, I did not get a picture, but I am sure you can assume why not! :)
The next morning we got up slowly and left. We wanted to get to the border crossing as fast as we could knowing that we were in for a long wait. Fortunately, we were given a fast-pass by our hotel to skip the general line into Mexico. While I am sure it saved us sometime— it did still take about 2 hours to cross the border. The border into the US is like nothing I have ever seen before. There are mobile shops, street food vendors, beggars, and even street performances going on all around you in as you are an unwilling captive for their attention.
As we finally made our way to the crossing we were asked some simple questions that I evidently failed according to Grant’s standards. The border agent asks “where are we going?” I respond, “home.” Grant corrects me and says, “La Mesa.” The officer asks me, “please take off your sunglasses.” I yell, “they are prescription glasses.” Evidentially, this is funny to both Grant and the officer. Clearly, I am oblivious and still am unsure why this is funny. However, I am sure Grant if you ask Grant he could tell you. :)