First things first – dispel what you’ve likely heard about Tijuana.  It’s true that it is a city that saw a remarkable amount of horrific violence in its not too distant past.   It’s also true that it can be a clichéd day trip location to drink bad tequila, buy some trinkets and pose for pictures wearing a sombrero.  But there’s a lot more to Tijuana than the shadow of its history and what can be found in its overly touristy areas.

When I found out I’d be traveling to San Diego, I wanted to visit Tijuana as I find it hard to be so close to an international border and not pop over for a look.   I’m also intrigued by Mexican culture and food and couldn’t pass up the opportunity for even a brief taste, both literally and figuratively.  As I read more about Mexico’s fifth largest city the pull became too strong to resist.  I found an incredible local guide, Derrik, from Turista Libre, and my wife and I committed to a day trip as part of our week on the west coast.

We took a morning train south from San Diego, met our guide and walked across the border into Mexico.  No document checks, no wait… we just swung through a few turnstiles guarded by some folks with impressive looking guns strapped across their backs and presto, we were in Mexico.   Our day had a loose plan of a market visit, spending some time on a beach, a bit of touring the city and a meal of tacos.  Had I known how good those tacos were going to be, I might have considered just heading there straightaway.

Stop one was the Mercado Hidalgo, the largest market in Tijuana.  After a quick stop for a taste of traditional Mexican coffee simmering in a pot on the stove, we entered the market and were most enthused by the food vendors.  We walked past mounds of moles (my mind was spinning with what I could do with these):

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