BajaTrooper
Junior Nomad
Posts: 57
Registered: 3-5-2007
Location: somewhere cold and wet
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Mexican Drug Wars Keep Spring Breakers From Heading South of the Border
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,337721,00.html
SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, Texas — For college students, March Madness usually means basketball and Spring Break. But on South Padre Island in Texas, March
Madness is taking on a whole new meaning.
Students there say the real madness would be to take the traditional 30-minute trip to the Mexican border for the popular "Two-Nation Vacation."
News of gun battles between Mexican soldiers and drug cartels in border cities are keeping tourists away and prompting many parents to dole out a
stern warning: "Don't go to Mexico."
Bryanna Lindblom is visiting for a few days from University of Central Missouri, and she says she wouldn't think of going to Mexico. "I think my mom
would freak out," she says. "She'd probably have a little bit of a cow."
It's easy to see why parents are concerned.
In Ciudad Juarez, just across the border from El Paso, machine-gun-toting Mexican soldiers have been deployed to the border in armored personnel
carriers to quell drug cartel violence. The situation is the same in other Mexican border towns. But the sight of armed men patrolling the streets
makes many visitors nervous.
As a result, local businesses that depend on tourist traffic to Mexico say they are really hurting this year.
Debra Fassold's family has been running the Original Tours company since the 1970s. Fassold says she used to have 10 to 20 trips from South Padre
Island to Matamoros, Mexico, each day. But now she says she doesn't have enough customers for even one tour.
One visit to the border crossing in nearby Brownsville confirms that Spring Breakers are staying in South Padre. A border guard said he'd seen only
two kids go across the entire day.
The U.S. State Department is warning American visitors to Matamoros and Nuevo Progresso to "be especially aware of safety and security concerns due to
increased violence in recent years between rival drug trafficking gangs," although they say that it's "unlikely that American visitors would get
caught up in the violence."
Fassold goes further and notes that you're just as likely to be a victim of violence in any American city. "If you go on a tour and you see, it's safe
over there," she said.
Many college kids in South Padre said that with all the parties, girls and deejays spinning on every block on the American side of the border, there
was no reason to risk a trip to Mexico.
Said Evan Bookstaff, a University of Texas student: "Is it really worth the extra 30 miles when you can have fun here?"
[Edited on 3-14-2008 by BajaTrooper]
Go Ducks!
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Pompano
Elite Nomad
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Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
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Mood: Optimistic
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BajaTrooper, heard that report on tv news, too.
But for Baja inhabitants, Mainland Mexico is another world. Weekenders and spring breakers are not applicable for Baja Sur visits.
But, as always, our beaches will still be ..'overflowing'... for Easter.
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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TonyC
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Registered: 1-25-2008
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| Quote: |
But for Baja inhabitants, Mainland Mexico is another world. Weekenders and spring breakers are not applicable for Baja Sur visits.
But, as always, our beaches will still be ..'overflowing'... for Easter. |
I agree, Baja Sur will do well, but how about TJ - Ensenada? As a parent, no way I want my child to risk going into TJ, and Rosarito with other young
adults. OMG.....did I just say to do what I say, not what I do?
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surfer jim
Super Nomad
Posts: 1891
Registered: 8-29-2003
Location: high desert
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What is the situation over here in TJ & Rosarito.....are the spring breakers going down or not?
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elgatoloco
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4332
Registered: 11-19-2002
Location: Yes
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I have had five college spring breakers at my house all week.
My nephew and four buds from Idaho. We had planned on taking them down to our Casa by the Sea in Baja Norte but on arrival they were not comfortable
(despite my reassurances that I would/could keep them safe) based on recent news accounts that they had seen on the internets and they decided to stay
here in SD and prowl the boardwalks and beaches scoping out the  's
We did have surf camp early in the week and I am proud to say that all five of them are no longer Hodads! 
MAGA
Making Attorneys Get Attorneys
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Sharksbaja
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5814
Registered: 9-7-2004
Location: Newport, Mulege B.C.S.
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Way to go Idaho! 
DON\'T SQUINT! Give yer eyes a break!
Try holding down [control] key and toggle the [+ and -] keys
Viva Mulege!
Nomads\' Sunsets
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Steve&Debby
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Registered: 12-18-2007
Location: Colusa,California/ Percebu
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I feel more comfortable with the federales and the police patroling the streets with machine guns.Was in Rosarito in December and had both of them
patroling ,should make the bad guys think twice about doing something stupid. Maybe the US should do this
[Edited on 3-17-2008 by Steve& ebby]
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Woooosh
Banned
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Registered: 1-28-2007
Location: Rosarito Beach
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Mood: Luminescent Waves at Rosarito Beach
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Steve&ebby
I feel more comfortable with the federales and the police patroling the streets with machine guns.Was in Rosarito in December and had both of them
patroling makes,should make the bad guys think twice about doing something stupid. Maybe the US should do this |
The presence of armed combat military in Rosarito Beach isn't a positive impression for tourists IMO. Ameifacna sjust aren't used to or comforatbel
with that level of visibility. They say "what am I doing in a place that's so bad the miltary is in charge here?" I don't blame kids for being scared
away- never mind the total lack of marketing because the club ownerws are stateside afraid of being kidnapped themselves.
While I'm ranting... let me say that although I love the Red Cross (unlike my father who begrudged them until his death for charging him for hot
coffee during WWII while giving it to the officers for free). What I don't like is their fundraising timing. Sure it's teh busiest time, but why have
your hand out at every stop sign- backing up traffic. The stop signs that don't have fundraisers have kids selling sodas. Just more traffic jams when
what Rosarito needed was a welcoming party for tourists. Where are the Rosarito PR people doing druning this peak eriod? They should have legions of
people greeting tourist cars at the stop signs with cheap candy and welcome stickers or something. It shoudn't be a toll road to get from the first
exit of Rosarito to the tourist zone- but it is. I don't think that helps thing either.
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