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Islandbuilder
Senior Nomad
Posts: 555
Registered: 11-9-2011
Location: nob
Member Is Offline
Mood: bewildered
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Sandlefoot makes a good point, very few of the people that are terrified of the "violence" in Mexico have been there. We have made several driving
trips from San Diego as far as Cabo, and never felt uncomfortable of at risk.
The people we've met have been incredibly helpful and kind. And, a little bit anxious.
Imagine that reports of violence in, say Detroit, was used as a justification not to visit California. It's sort of the same thing in Mexico. Some
places and circumstances to avoid, but by taking the same precautions you would take driving around in the state you can be as safe as you are going
to the store where ever you live now.
Do your homework, like you are, but nothing beats first hand experience. Find out who here lives, or regularly travels in Baja, or the mainland, and
seek their counsel. Much better than worrying over poorly written and researched media stories, or urban legends from people who haven't been off the
couch for a decade or two.
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durrelllrobert
Elite Nomad
Posts: 7393
Registered: 11-22-2007
Location: Punta Banda BC
Member Is Offline
Mood: thriving in Baja
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I won't comment further on any of the above except to say welcome to baja Nomads which could become your new home away from home.
Bob Durrell
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Whale-ista
Super Nomad
Posts: 2009
Registered: 2-18-2013
Location: San Diego
Member Is Offline
Mood: Sunny with chance of whales
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Thanks for the reminders about the fears vs. reality of life in Baja.
I lived in San Miguel in the 90s, just north of Ensenada. The drug cartel was controlled out of Tijuana, and we had no problems in our area. Then some
locals began causing trouble: breaking into our home multiple times, stealing all my SCUBA and camping gear and damaging property. It was a rough
several months.
But they began doing other things that must have attracted the attention of the TJ cartel. One night nearly 20 people related to these thieves were
herded into a house not far from mine- men, women, teenagers- and people we all assumed to be hired killers shot them all. We guessed they had been
sent from the TJ "office."
One woman survived, reportedly because she was covered by dead bodies piled on top of her.
Did I feel scared? No. As the classic line in the Godfather said: "It's business," and I wasn't part of their line of work. They were in the
drug/theft business and they over-reached and paid the price.
I continued life as usual, walking with my dog near the home of the survivor (which now had an armed guard out front) and enjoying the fact that the
break-ins had ended.
However, once the cartel was broken and leaders arrested in 2005 or so, all hell broke out as others tried to "capture the market." By then I was no
longer living in San Miguel, but many of my friends gave up and moved back to the US. I don't blame them.
\"Probably the airplanes will bring week-enders from Los Angeles before long, and the beautiful poor bedraggled old town will bloom with a
Floridian ugliness.\" (John Steinbeck, 1940, discussing the future of La Paz, BCS, Mexico)
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grizzlyfsh95
Nomad
Posts: 226
Registered: 1-8-2010
Location: East Cape
Member Is Offline
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[]
But they began doing other things that must have attracted the attention of the TJ cartel. One night nearly 20 people related to these thieves were
herded into a house not far from mine- men, women, teenagers- and people we all assumed to be hired killers shot them all. We guessed they had been
sent from the TJ "office."
The same thing happened in Creel. There are lots of stories, some true, but overall, I would rather be in Baja than Salinas.
The harder I work, the luckier I get
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BajaBlanca
Select Nomad
Posts: 13212
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
Member Is Offline
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Well, if you are really rich, you might be targeted. Even in Baja.
Our dentist in TJ had a simple, very simple office for years in order not to attract attention to himself. He has since updated it but although it
has state of the art equipment, it is still a pretty simple office.
One of our Mexican friends owns a hospital in TJ. He indeed moved to san diego for a couple years because he was afraid of being kidnapped. He is
now back living in TJ.
The eye doctor in TJ where Les went to for his cataract operation , very wealthy American who owns the bldg he does operations out of as well as has
probaly 100 employees (EDIFICIO CADET), in TJ WAS kidnapped. Family paid up and he is still around.
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