“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow mindedness.”
—Mark Twain
\"La vida es dura, el corazon es puro, y cantamos hasta la madrugada.” (Life is hard, the heart is pure and we sing until dawn.)
—Kirsty MacColl, Mambo de la Luna
Thanks Jan..WOW I love Mexico and Mexicans. I'm so sorry they are suffering so much in the war.
What could be sweeter than the scene in the stadium when the Cholo's giant head is disgorging great crowds of pro players...and their wives and
babies! Every necessary size of jersey was available.
What would that look like in the NFL?
Undoubtedly, there are people who cannot afford to give the anchor of sanity even the slightest tug. Sam Harris
"The situation is far too dire for pessimism."
Bill Kauth
Carl Sagan said, "We are a way for the cosmos to know itself."
Follow Jorge as we experience the famous Rosarito-Ensenada Bike Race and its colorful riders. Then see the little known
and secluded Rincon Tropical resort with a mini-zoo, go carts, and beautiful scenery. Then follow Jorge as he has a ball at the R/C airplane field
where we see local aviation enthusiasts maneuver their remote control airplanes. And finally take a visit to Suzanne's restaurant, an American
experience with a foreign flavor. Watch as Jorge goes into the kitchen and tries to make and successfully eat a delicious meal.
I've seen all 4 episodes that KPBS in SD has aired. The Tijuana episode is by far the strongest, though the one on Ensenada has some interesting stuff
in it. They tend to be a little cheesy but entertaining
Most of them are posted on You Tube shortly after the original KPBS air date. There is also a Crossing South Facebook page.
I always liked TJ , I lived many years in Chula Vista
TJ is more than Revolution Blvd, ( not that I avoided it as a young man)
alot of really great restaurants,, had alot of fun spending the day at Caliente then going across the street to the famous
Carnitas place for dinner,, WOW was that great eating, is this place still there, what was its name again, something Urapine (spl)
TIJUANA — In the KPBS-TV travel show “Crossing South,” host Jorge Meraz focuses on a range of leisure activities in his native Baja California.
While producer Steven Javitz shoots video, Meraz sings opera, plays golf, sips beer, tastes tacos, rides a roller coaster, and flies a ultralight
plane above the Pacific Ocean. The 35-year-old host laughs frequently and never seems at a loss for words.
Meraz is creative director and partner in his own ad agency. He and Javitz won an Emmy last year for the documentary “Visa Dream,” which first aired
on KPBS.
Q: Why did you decide to do “Crossing South?”
A: It’s just an enjoyable thing to do. We know the places; I was born and raised here. For me, it’s simply showing people what I know of Baja.
I’m like a normal dude who literally gets scared when you see him scared, who literally gets nervous when you see him about to eat something that
seems wacky. I think the audience says, “If this guy can drink rattlesnake tequila and live through it, I can live through it.”
"Crossing South" host Jorge Meraz gets a ride in an ultralight plane in an upcoming episode. — Centurion5
Q: Do you have your own favorite spots in Baja California?
A: I personally love Tijuana. I think it’s a sophisticated town with a unique border culture that could be considered as foreign to the rest of Mexico
as are Guatemala and Honduras. I also enjoy Ensenada very much, given a choice as to where to live with a laid-back lifestyle but with all the
amenities of a city.
Q: Are you modeling “Crossing South” after any other travel programs?
A: I’m a big fan of Rick Steves (who specializes in travel to Europe), a super fan. I’m not doing anything deliberately that I think he does, even
though I’m an avid watcher of the show.
Q: Does your show aim to revive tourism in Baja California? Is it a response to complaints that the region has been negatively portrayed in U.S.
media?
A: We did not say, “Let’s change perceptions.” Our show is a leisure travel program of genuine places that we enjoy. If anyone feels after seeing it,
“OK, I’m going because it might be worthwhile to try,” that’s nice. But it’s not something that we set out to do.
Q: Do people pay money to be on your show?
A: We made the decision from the beginning not to accept money from the people whom we feature. We tell them, “We cannot take money from you, because
otherwise our recommendation would be tainted and we would not have freedom of speech.” We have absolutely no agenda, and nobody’s paying us to do
this.
Q: Then who are your sponsors?
A: Cotuco (Tijuana’s Tourism and Conventions Committee), although we have not received the funds yet. And Secture (the Baja California Tourism
Secretariat) said, “Yes, we are gathering funds from different tourism trusts.” Specific amounts we would not like to give out, but it’s less than a
show would cost.
KPBS pays a small amount to air each episode, nowhere what we need. It’s a project we decided to believe in before we got any sponsors.
TIJUANA — Q: How did you come to speak fluent English?
A: My Mom has a thick Mexican accent, but she taught me English before Spanish. As soon as I was 6 years old, when we crossed to San Diego, it was
“Jorge, order for us” or “Jorge, tell her I want this on layaway” or “Jorge, could we get this without salt?” I was the family spokesperson.
Q: What does it mean to you to be from the border?
A: This is where Latin America and Anglo America meet, like two currents in the middle of the ocean. I think it’s phenomenal. For those of us who were
born here in Tijuana, we’ve had a passport all our lives. Going to San Diego is part of going shopping, we have relatives over there, we have friends
over there, we go to the Gaslamp to have a Guinness.
Air times
Episodes of “Crossing South” are scheduled to air on KPBS on:
I've always wanted Huell Howser (google if youve never heard of him) to do a "Baja California's Gold". This "crossing south" seems perfect.
Hopefully they post all episodes online as I ditched cable tv a year ago.
"If it were lush and rich, one could understand the pull, but it is fierce and hostile and sullen.
The stone mountains pile up to the sky and there is little fresh water. But we know we must go back
if we live, and we don't know why." - Steinbeck, Log from the Sea of Cortez
"People don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care." - Theodore Roosevelt
"You can easily judge the character of others by how they treat those who they think can do nothing for them or to them." - Malcolm Forbes
"Let others lead small lives, but not you. Let others argue over small things, but not you. Let others
cry over small hurts, but not you. Let others leave their future in someone else's hands, but not you." - Jim Rohn
"The best way to get the right answer on the internet is not to ask a question; it's to post the wrong answer." - Cunningham's Law
Thankyou to Baja Bound
Mexico InsuranceServices for your long-term support of the BajaNomad.com Forums site.
Emergency Baja Contacts Include:
Desert Hawks;
El Rosario-based ambulance transport; Emergency #: (616) 103-0262
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