When I first visited the US as a student, three of us purchased a $99 Greyhound Bus Pass. We intended it see the US as we had no expectation of visiting again - such was state of Ireland in the 1970s !!!
We bussed from Pennsylvania to Niagara Falls, on to Chicago, St Paul and hit the west coast at Vancouver. We continued down the west coast to San Francisco and to Disneyland at LA. Boarding a bus, we considered crossing the border into Mexico but a gentleman on the bus discouraged us and advised that it was an unsuitable place for three young girls to visit. We took his advice and until now, though I have visited Mexico a number of times, I had never been to Tijuana!!
We took the trolley from Imperial /12th and took the half hour ride to the border. On arrival, we used the pedestrian entrance and our passports were checked by a Mexican Emigration official, who welcomed us to Mexico.
On arrival in Mexico, on the advice of the Tourist Information, we took a bus to Plaza de la Revolucion, the only interesting part of the city. The street was lined with souvenir shops.
Contrary to the above advice, we took a cab to what appeared on the map to be an interesting part of the city but was to our disappointment turned out to be merely a modern shopping centre. We ate a delicious Mexican lunch and taxied back to the border.
On this occasion, we were met by US Immigration. I got a grilling from a young official who on checking my passport visas, enquired as to why I had visited Doha, Qatar.? I forestalled the question of my Chinese Visa by volunteering the reason for my visit. He then said he’d love to visit Dublin and I suggested he visit Temple Bar!!
As we walked back to the trolley, we saw Trump’s ‘Wall’ - not very impressive !! (it’s the low fence in the background dividing the world’s 4th largest bi-national conurbation).
There is extensive daily commuting across the border - US citizens working in Mexico and vica versa. While pedestrian traffic was very light, there were traffic jams at the vehicle crossings
Returning by trolley, we changed from the Blue Line at Imperial /12th to the Green line, passing the enormous Convention Centre on the Harbour,
as we travelled once again to Santa Fe Station to collect our Rail Pass and tickets. We leave for St Luis Obispo tomorrow at noon.
More anon ....
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