Shop and Eat! In whichever order you please. Actually, part of the fun was the trolley ride from San Diego which was enhanced by the glorious sunny day which accompanied it. I don’t recommend crossing the border by trolley for various reasons I’ll explain.

The heart of Tijuana is found on Avenida Revolucion, where a huge clock has been erected which looks like the St. Louis Arch from a distance. There are hundreds of alleys within alleys before you reach Revolucion, filled with souvenir vendors, and more drugstores than you’ll ever need. The town center is huge and surrounded by shops and restaurants. Business owners solicit tourists to make sales; as you negotiate the many up ramps to get to Avenida Revolucion, children are sent by their parents to either beg or sell chicklets in shrink wrapped packs of 4.

According to Chuck, Tijuana looks cleaner; he used to come here a couple of decades ago and apparently, the city has received a facelift. The excitement is finding the better artistic works and staying away from trinkets.

One of the most pleasant finds was a French patisserie where we enjoyed the sun, cappuccino and fruit tarts.

Quick Tips:

In the center, you’ll also be able to visit the ecological museum. Along Ave. Revolucion, we visited 3 stores which carry crafts to exquisite art forms, including magnificently carved furnishings for every room in the house. We found products from Oaxaca and Puebla, where the best Talavera is made and you can also find some of the more avant garde designs offered by cutting edge artists. The stores are all on the same side of the street, and lie mid-way of the 10 or so blocks which constitute shopping on the avenue. We didn’t make it to the Wax Museum, but I would definitely include this for the next trip.

As for restaurants, they’ve managed to spoil the avenue with yet another McDonald’s, but rest assured, there are enough Mexican and Seafood restaurants to make you forget the arches.

Best Way To Get Around:

We were sort of "yanked" into El Torito by one of their "criers"; it looked like fun from across the street, and the outside dining area was hemmed by a row of balloons; colorful definitely, and loud music which vibrated through the air. So up the stairs we went, and walked into a very interestingly decorated, extremely large dining room. In the center was a large, round wooden dance floor above which were strobe lights (1960's??) so one can imagine this place literally hopping at night. All customers were eating on the outside patio, and so did we.

The menu comes fast enough, and there is sufficient variety and a few non-Mexican dishes in case you're in the mood for French Onion Soup. I had the chicken flautas and Chuck went for the chicken burritos . Tecate beer and a lemonade for me, which is wonderful in Baja, since they use limes to make it. Service is a bit slow, but the waiters are very entertaining.

We had a German couple in front of us, and this served to remind us that California and Tijuana are not mutually exclusive.

The flautas were served with rice and beans, with some lettuce and tomato on the side; I found the tortillas a bit tough and realized they had been fried; it was also difficult to taste the chicken inside. Overcooked perhaps? The rice and beans were delicious. The burritos had the same side dishes as the flautas. The weather was wonderful, so we took our time eating, and had a great view of the Avenue below and one can really get into people watching from up here.

. El Torito will help you celebrate any occasion if you call ahead of time. Their menu includes steak, a variety of shrimp dishes, Caesar salads, and indecent desserts like flan and caramel crepes .

The waiter appeared, and he was extremely friendly; however, in order to select your choice of weight gain, you needed to go inside and look into the array behind the glass.

And yes, they have a great representative selection of what one would find in a patisserie, except I didn't see any baguettes, or breads of any sort. Croissants, brioches, fruit tarts, napoleons, chocolate mounds of sweetness in every shape and form, custards, but no crème brulée. I was at a loss, but finally opted for the kiwi fruit tart for myself, and knowing Chuck's fondness for nuts, selected a hazelnut tart for him. I could hear hisses behind the counter, indicating that our cappuccinos were in progress.

When I came back to the table, we were approached by a young man (could have been 15 years old or 21, hard to tell) who showed us a worn piece of paper that read $150, with the destination of Mexicali. The boy looked miserable, and I almost began to feel sorry for him, until the waiter told him to get lost. We were then informed that he is one of many, who seek money purely for drugs to support their habits. It's a sad situation, but one that is quite real down here.

The cappuccinos arrived with a terrific mound of pure whipped cream which we both savored with a spoon. The tarts had been reduced to a couple of mouthfuls at that point, and none of it was going to waste, believe me. You'll understand when you see the pictures.

As this was day's end, we were totally exhausted, and quite lucky, as a "taxi" was parked right near the pastry shop. We boarded it to the border ($5.00+tip)realizing that we had just had dinner.

It’s really hard to determine whether the crafts or the people selling them are more colorful. Though we visited several shops, and saw some incredibly unique things, my most vivid memory is of a man in one of the shops in Ciro’s Arcade who totally insisted on selling something to me "now" because he didn’t believe in the instability of "later". He was most imaginative, in describing the painful process in which his father, an old man (and he called him such) used to produce these very "uneek" stained glass pieces, and with which he, the son, helped him greatly, by bringing them to the big city, and selling them for close to nothing.

The Arcade was practically deserted when we walked in, and it was really heart breaking to see all of these folks, mostly men, come to life for a few minutes, long enough to call on us to visit and find something cheap. If it were not for the language, and the separateness of each shop, you would swear that you were in a souk with hawkers shouting to get your attention to their wares.

The quality of the items appears to have improved tremendously over the years of having people report back from having gone to Tijuana. This being my first time, I could only compare it to material I had seen imported, or in Mexican markets in Texas. Jewelry literally dangles everywhere and I learned that Mexico is the leading exporter of silver. But let’s get back to Ciro’s; as you enter the arcade, the colors assault you on arrival, and the variety of folk art seems endless; it’s a long stretch with shops on both sides, and at the very end, is the most interesting as there were some very atypical pieces on the floor which caught my attention, including an outstanding mirror framed in sculpted metal. The Huichol masks came to my attention here, and I decided to start Chuck on his collection by purchasing 2 of them. You can find them in almost every shop, and prices vary from $7 each at the very lowest, up to $12 for the same pieces. It was the joyous splashes of colors that attracted me to them, and of course, the clay that lay underneath.

The interesting thing about the arcade is that you don’t need to go out the same way you came in, and that was a blessing! We found a most interesting shop on our exit route selling decorated tiles of various sizes which make great kitchen hot plates, or if you’re ambitious, flooring or part of a backsplash. We bought a few different designs.

I encourage you to venture in one of these arcades since you are allowed up to $400 in merchandise as you return to the US, and your dollar will go pretty far here.

There are just as many logical and reasonable reasons to visit Tijuana, and the rest of Baja, as there are pleasurable ones. If you have time, you can combine the two! Goods and services are much cheaper than they are in the US, and why not hit two birds with one proverbial stone?

1. If you have a valid prescription for drugs, you can obtain it in Tijuana’s countless farmacias for a fraction of the cost of what you’d pay back home. Up to a 90 day supply is permitted.

2. Need a car make-over? Get your wheels painted and/or re-upholstered for a bargain.

3. If you smoke, you can find genuine Cuban cigars which are imported directly from Havana. Beware of vendors selling counterfeit cigars; you know you’re OK if you spot a Habanos certificate on display.

4. If you drink, you will find a duty free shop at 841 Ave Revolucion between 2nd & 3rd Streets with the major labels. At the same place, American cigarettes and international fragrances. Just like the airport!

5. Wear lenses? You can have them replaced in 2 hours at incredible prices; this goes for glasses and contacts as well! Head over to the Centro Optico on 1651 Revolucion between 8th and 9th Streets. The brands of Versace , Nina Ricci , Armani and Bausch & Lomb among others line the shelves.

6. Grocery shopping can be an adventure here as well. If you are concerned about items which are not allowed back in, you can check with the US Dept of Agriculture at (619) 662-7417 in San Diego. Their web site is at usda.gov On the Ok list are coffee beans, breads, cookies, cake, spices, sauces, cheeses, dairy except eggs unless cooked, no pork in any form, and chicken must be good, other meats OK. Most fruits can be brought back including papayas, strawberries, dates, grapes, and a whole variety of nuts.

7. Need new pillow cases, shams, towels for the house? Head over to Hand Art at 967 Av Revolucion. They have a 45 year tradition as sellers of the best quality linens and embroidered tablecloths, doilies, etc.. They also have clothing from Mexico’s various states.

8. Need a dental cleaning? Feel sick to your stomach? United Medica y Dental San Diego at your service located at 1471-A Ave Revolucion. For more involved dental problems, like root canals, gum treatments (those are muder!!), implants etc.. visit Odontologia Integral de Mexico which is 2 blocks from Av Revolucion, crossing 7th Street at 1457-201 Av Niños Heroes.

9. If you find pricing for removing unwanted hair prohibitive, call ahead Laserium who do permanent hair removal by appointment only. Their telephone is (011526) 622-5129, and if you’re in Mexico, drop the numbers in the parentheses.

9. Thought about esthetic surgery? Tijuana is equipped with the latest technology and professional practitioners. There is a very interesting web article on the lure of Mexico for these procedures right here . Worth a read before the plunge.

10. Alternative and holistic medicine: Tijuana is reputed for alternative cancer therapies. Do your research and ask people that you know if they’ve had any positive experiences.