Anyone been to TJ lately, if so post info!

I hae stayed away, but miss the food, beer, etc. Anyone been lately?

went to Adelita's and Chicago on Saturday. no problems. short line at border too

I am planning to go if not this week, next for sure :D

A vacation in mexico country

i take vacation for two months in mexico's, mexic o really danger coutry with a lot of crazy drug gangs cartels, they from everywhere attacks everybody who look like rick or have money. i saw,i heared a lot murder, kidnapping, gangs band harass tourism , they don't care who are you,or what your national country, they just want money only.The murder gangs or crimes people maybe taxi guy,tourist guide, mexico local police officer, some guys sale candy and tobaco, hotel workers, vv......i tourist victim by cheat and gangs people but my story just less than real victim at mexico for who mexico woman,senor, mexico disable persons and mexico kids, they live got a lot hungry,unfair,unrule, unjustice,no money to go to school no human rights by mexico goverment and leader drugs gangs mafia controls the country. that a real story i'd been in mexico. MEXICO NEED HELP EVERYTHING for more peace and safety .

2 stories - went to Hong Kongs and adelitas a couple of weeks ago day time from 2pm to 6pm I had no problems. One of my friends who is an atty came w me and left at 3pm - he was pulled over while in a taxi and hassled by the police. They put him in a car and drove around for 15min and let him go. He was scared but not harmed.
2nd story - my barber owns 2nd home in rosarito beach. He and a friend were having drinks at home and shot off a gun. 1 hour later federalis broke down his door and arrested him and his friend. They were taken to the mountains and held for 2 weeks. He had to pay 25,000 to come home and be released. He has decided to sell his home.

Damien wrote:

I am planning to go if not this week, next for sure :D

Post how it goes!

Javier wrote:

<quoted text>
Post how it goes!

I go to TJ several times a year. I also have a few friends that go also. I haven't been since last summer, but my friends have gone recently and told me that everything is the same. I go to Adelita's, Chicago Club, Hong Kong etc. All of the regular places. I park on the border and walk across. I go straight to a taxi and tell him "Adelita's por favor." He drops me off right in front and I only walk around close to that area where there are a lot of people. Just follow a couple of basic rules and you will be okay.

1. First and foremost avoid the Police! I literally jog across the street when I see them approaching my area (on foot). I try to keep them 50 yards away or more. If I see a car coming, I keep looking ahead and avoid eye contact with them.

2. Don't overdrink, and walk briskly in the street. Like a confident man.

3. Don't talk to "street people" trying to sell you something or offer you a girl or massage. Ignore them completely. Just shake your head "no" and keep walking, even if they call you names.

4. Be polite to everybody, especially the girls.

5. Don't drink in the street.

6. When you are leaving take a taxi straight to the border. Get out and walk directly to the U.S. border.

Stick to these rules and you will have a blast with no problems!

great time Thursday in TJ. no line, no problems. Adelita's was great! good selection. tacos were good also on the corner. Chicago Bar tijuana empty.

Mike wrote:

great time Thursday in TJ. no line, no problems. Adelita's was great! good selection. tacos were good also on the corner. Chicago Bar tijuana empty.

What time did you go to Chicago Club?

went around 3pm to Chicago completely empty. This is the only TJ discussion board / forum I was able to find.

Mike wrote:

went around 3pm to Chicago completely empty. This is the only TJ discussion board / forum I was able to find.

Yeah. I prefer the Chicago Club, but for some reason it doesn't fill up til about 10 p.m. I'm a late night guy, so I don't mind. Adelita's sometimes gets too crowded for me. But there are people there all during the day and into the night.

Reg: your 2nd Story. Was your friend ever able to make a phone call during those 2 weeks?? Reason I'm asking is beacuse my brother has been missing for about 3 weeks from Ensenada, and we have not heard anything. Cops don't do shit out there... Just want some advice. Thanks

Arnold wrote:

2 stories - went to Hong Kongs and adelitas a couple of weeks ago day time from 2pm to 6pm I had no problems. One of my friends who is an atty came w me and left at 3pm - he was pulled over while in a taxi and hassled by the police. They put him in a car and drove around for 15min and let him go. He was scared but not harmed.
2nd story - my barber owns 2nd home in rosarito beach. He and a friend were having drinks at home and shot off a gun. 1 hour later federalis broke down his door and arrested him and his friend. They were taken to the mountains and held for 2 weeks. He had to pay 25,000 to come home and be released. He has decided to sell his home.

yes
its completely fine
tijuana is huge so all the murders happen in the shady areas
its like saying a bunch of people have been killed in south central LA, yet you are afraid to go to beverly hills

cac98765 wrote:

yes
its completely fine
tijuana is huge so all the murders happen in the shady areas
its like saying a bunch of people have been killed in south central LA, yet you are afraid to go to beverly hills

Agree. Also, I have a theory about why the Zona Roja (Adelita's, Chicago Club etc.) are really pretty safe. They are run by the Mexican Mafia. Those places make a ton of money. There is no way that they DON'T have a hand in the till. So they tell everyone to leave the Gringos alone, and let's take their cash. It's a huge cash cow for them.

JocJonJay wrote:

Reg: your 2nd Story. Was your friend ever able to make a phone call during those 2 weeks?? Reason I'm asking is beacuse my brother has been missing for about 3 weeks from Ensenada, and we have not heard anything. Cops don't do shit out there... Just want some advice. Thanks
<quoted text>

He was able to make one phone call to his wife and it lost a connection. She came by bus to deliver some extra money and than left. I guess once the federalis felt they had enough money they let him go. He has to go back to court with a mexican atty. If he does not go back he will most likely lose his other properties. I will see him in the next week or so and get news on how it went. Sorry about your brother. Was he just visiting or does he live there?

Thank you for the info. He had just moved out there about 3yr. ago.

Arnold wrote:

<quoted text>
He was able to make one phone call to his wife and it lost a connection. She came by bus to deliver some extra money and than left. I guess once the federalis felt they had enough money they let him go. He has to go back to court with a mexican atty. If he does not go back he will most likely lose his other properties. I will see him in the next week or so and get news on how it went. Sorry about your brother. Was he just visiting or does he live there?

I currently live in Playas de Tijuana with my fiance, have been since January, and I gotta say that everything you hear about Tijuana is extremely over-exaggerated and over-sensationalized.
I agree with the poster with the LA/Beverly Hills comparison. I've never had any problems here with crime or police since I started living here. Once time when I was a newbie here I parked on Constitution and left my car late at night and had my window bashed and passport stolen, but that was me being stupid, just like in America you wouldn't park your car in certain places at night. You sure don't see many gringos like me around anymore though, clubs on Revo are shutting down, and I rarely see other white people around here anymore.
TJ is in a sad, pitiful, poor state, but, I don't think it's dangerous or anything for the average person, just be smart. If you're not involved with bad people nothing's gonna happen to you. Only advice, pay to park, don't park on the street around Centro or Coahuilla district. If you have any questions about anything TJ at all, I'm pretty much an expert on everything around this area now. I also visit Ensenada, and I even drove from Mexico City to Tijuana with my fiance and her 4 year old daughter last month, and didn't have any problems with that either.

Alan wrote:

I currently live in Playas de Tijuana with my fiance, have been since January, and I gotta say that everything you hear about Tijuana is extremely over-exaggerated and over-sensationalized.
I agree with the poster with the LA/Beverly Hills comparison. I've never had any problems here with crime or police since I started living here. Once time when I was a newbie here I parked on Constitution and left my car late at night and had my window bashed and passport stolen, but that was me being stupid, just like in America you wouldn't park your car in certain places at night. You sure don't see many gringos like me around anymore though, clubs on Revo are shutting down, and I rarely see other white people around here anymore.
TJ is in a sad, pitiful, poor state, but, I don't think it's dangerous or anything for the average person, just be smart. If you're not involved with bad people nothing's gonna happen to you. Only advice, pay to park, don't park on the street around Centro or Coahuilla district. If you have any questions about anything TJ at all, I'm pretty much an expert on everything around this area now. I also visit Ensenada, and I even drove from Mexico City to Tijuana with my fiance and her 4 year old daughter last month, and didn't have any problems with that either.

I'm considering moving to Mexico and buying a house. Did you buy a house, and if so, is it difficult? Is there a lot of red tape? I have heard stories where Americans have bought houses, legally owned them, then a few years later the Mexican government just comes in and takes it over. Is this true?

I'm renting an apartment I found listed on Craigslist by a Mexican woman who does real estate in Mexico and San Diego. She didn't ask for anything more than a copy of my ID, no visa or anything. Here's info on buying taken from mexonline.com . In addition to this, there is also what is called a life-time or 99 year lease which I think is easier to go thru than this other process listed below. But, I have heard and read a lot of horror stories similar to what you have mentioned, so I would reccommend doing everything 100 percent by the book with no shortcuts if you do it. Mexico is very corrupt, and remember, even in the USA you can have your property taken by the gov't, imagine Mexico.

It's possible for Americans to buy land outright in the interior of Mexico, and the below details options for buying the in the restricted zones, which are 50 km from any coastline, or near any borders.

THE RESTRICTED ZONE AND "FIDEICOMISOS"
The law declares that the Mexican nation has original ownership to all land and water in Mexico, as well as minerals, salts, ore deposits, natural gas and oil; but that such ownership may be assigned to individuals.

The Mexican Constitution prohibits direct ownership of real estate by foreigners in what has come to be known as the "restricted zone." The restricted zone encompasses all land located within 100 kilometers (about 62 miles) of any Mexican border, and within 50 kilometers (about 31 miles) of any Mexican coastline. However, in order to permit foreign investment in these areas, the Mexican government created the "fideicomiso," (FEE-DAY-E-CO-ME-SO) which is, roughly translated, a real estate trust. Essentially, this type of trust is similar to trusts set up in the United States, but a Mexican bank must be designated as the trustee and, as such, has title to the property and is the owner of record. The Mexican Government created the "fideicomiso" to reconcile the problems involved in developing the restricted zone and to attract foreign capital. This enabled foreigners, as beneficiaries of the trusts, to enjoy unrestricted use of land located in the restricted zone without violating the law.

A "fideicomiso" is a trust agreement created for the benefit of a foreign buyer, executed between a Mexican bank and the seller of property in the restricted zone. Foreign buyers cannot own real estate in the restricted zone due to Constitutional restrictions. The bank acts on behalf of the foreign buyer, taking title to real property. The bank, as trustee, buys the property for the foreigner, then has a fiduciary obligation to follow instructions given by the foreigner who is the trust beneficiary. The trust beneficiary retains and enjoys all the rights of ownership while the bank holds title to the property. The foreigner is entitled to use, enjoy, and even sell the property that is held in trust at its market value to any eligible buyer.

In order to allow foreigners to enter into the agreement contained in the Calvo Clause, Mexico requires all foreigners to apply for and obtain a permit from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs prior to contracting to acquire real estate in Mexico. This is currently done by the trustee/bank at the time a real estate trust is set-up.

good trip to tj monday. Adelita's was great. no problems. 10 minutes at border to come back