Originally Posted by
downinit
For the record, we crossed at San Ysidro (east side) around 3:00 on a Saturday afternoon and walked over to Ave Revolucion. This was the first time I ever had to deal with actual border control going south (unlike in the not so distant past where pedestrians and cars just flew through without even slowing down). There were two desks open, with very foot little traffic. For some reason, it took my husband and I about 10x longer to pass the desk with our USA passports than it took the family of four with their passport cards at the other desk. At least we got passport stamps, which was also a first for a land crossing into MX.
After wandering around the main street and a few side streets, we came to the conclusion that there are no taco carts anywhere in Zona Norte anymore. There were only a few food carts at all, and they were all selling the same hotdogs that they sell all over LA. It seemed like there are few restaurants at all in that district anymore, and they are all sit-down places. Unfortunately, half of my group was staunchly opposed to the concept of eating anything in Tijuana, so a sit-down restaurant was out of the question.
The whole area was very sedate and subdued. Very few tourists, but still quite a few TJ zebra photo opportunities (seems like there were more zebras than gringos). I never felt even remotely in any sort of 'danger,' but my guests seemed quite bored. Any future trips to TJ will involve taking a taxi directly downtown, as I see no real need to ever go back to Zona Norte again. It is a sad shell of empty storefronts and lost dreams.
The most shocking part was crossing back over at PedWest around 4:30 pm on a Saturday. There was no line at all; only about 20 people ahead of us. It was not terribly clear where I was even supposed to go for Sentri/Global Entry, since everyone was going to the Ready Lane (which was the only open lane. Eventually, I figured out we could just bypass what barely resembled a line and go directly to the kiosks. The officer called me up before I could even scan my passport at the kiosk.
Granted, I think it's been over a year since my last trip to SAN / TJ (nicer hotels for less money
), but I'd be shocked if there were no more taco carts - they were there on my last trip. However, my new favorite are fish tacos that can be had for 10 Pesos IIRC, and you don't have to sit down but can take them with you. Delicious, but fattening.
And as I've commented in one of Mexico threads, TJ itself has few tourists for quite a while now (I speak as former SoCal resident) - remember thirty years ago it was bustling, but I think the drug cartel shootouts ten years ago or so scared away most Gringos. You still see Latinos visiting, but it's hard to tell them from the natives.
Come to think of it, saw a Chinese tourist group on Avenida Revolucion on my last trip - just like the ones you seen in Thailand and Hong Kong, even Singapore IIRC.