Tijuanna, the economy, the eye doctor, the dentista...and the hot dental assistant babe
- From: phil scott <phil@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 21 Dec 2009 19:48:43 -0800 (PST)
Business is about 70% off these days... the cartels have been a bit
tough on the tourists in spots, and the US govt says you need a US
passport to get back in...but its not true. but its cult into the
tourist trade along with the economy.
They just look you over pretty hard if you dont have one... thats
according to my dentista... who does absolutely world class work which
I can afford... 3 root canals, posts and stainless steel/procelin
crowns...and two huge inlays. all meticulously fit way way better
than any US dentist has ever done for me....$1,600 the man is a pro.
Nice offices. His assistant listening to her ipod and singing along
as he works had a habit of pressing the hottest parts of her
lovelyness against my arm... that can be embarassing sitting in a
dental chair and all....
the store front dentists, there are dozens of them... run 20 dollars
for an amalgum filling, and 35 for porcelin... and crowns for half to
50% less than their high end dentists, 100 dollars or so..... about a
tenth of US prices...not a bad alternative for anyone in dire
straights... one room dental offices...these are not doctors to the US
standards but trained in the mexican dental training tech schools.
for most work thats about 90% suffficient as best I can tell.
This took him 4 days about 12 hours total.... he's meticulous.
***
the hotel across from the Sanborn Cafe on Revolutione blvd (a
pristine place owned by one of the worlds richest men, Carlos Slim)
was no more... they cllosed ..its thick sea green plate glass windows
papered over. (another Sanborns is across town but I didnt go).. I
asked.. business had dried up.
one street over is the Revolution Cafe, my favorite place of all
time with its dirt floors, and vintage 1800's photographs of the
hero's of the revolution...They put in a tile floor, expensive red
table cloths.. and a glass store front. One oculd no longer walk on
hallowed ground, The place was empty as it was earlier.
The chilli Releno's went to $6, up from 3 bucks two years ago... the
streets were mostly deserted of tourists...
Two years ago the poilice were riding around in pickups 6 men to
toyota pick ups with machine guns mounted on the cab...
now there are the cartels... and the poliice ride i4 kawaski's and
drive immaculate ford cop cars.. but crime is vastly escalated with
so many criminals shot, it appears the police are filling in for them.
My friend, the killer babe was still at the check in desk... still
brooding and dark but not as severely as last trip, and she had put on
a luscous 10 lbs or so... this time she was more relaxed..and planning
her next entry into the US, legally this time...she's about an 11 on a
scale of 10... and has made friends of every single flush dood who
ever stayed at the hotel apparently.. some attorneys in Beverly Hills
who are fixing her up.. and moi who will be sure she gets one of her
broken tooth fixed. (damaged in a fight a while back .... in her
darker days).
The mexian eye doctor fixed me up ....20/20 with driving glasses...
using inexpensive test equipment... the USA eye people said it wouldnt
be possible.. cataracts and all... except now I see clear as a bell,
and can read street signs, 46 miles away.... go figure.
$80 with the tip, that probably doubled his net judging by the look
on his face... I was grateful.
***
Crossing the border on foot entails a long long lonely walk through a
no mans land of closed in overhead walkways, cemented worn down a few
inches from the decades of foot traffic .. and what looks like blood
spills along the way.. Not a good experience for the nervous or
well dressed... I wasn't... . I had my beat up leather on, a 4 day
growth on my face...and was not entirely defenseless. .. no luggage.
Once inside mexico there is another no mans land about 100 yards
between revolving turn style gates.. one is watched by sullen mexican
police who are paid $3,500 peso's (written with a $ sign) a month...
thats about 50% of what it takes to live at the poverty level in
TJ...
My friend at the hotel says they make up the difference by offering
protection to the local businesses (at gun point)..and the occasional
kidnapping.. she mentioned that my leather jacket marked me as a rich
gringo but offered that Id probably mke it back out OK seeing as how I
knew the ropes. (means taking the red bus back and getting off at the
border station , 5' from the door with a customs guard standing
there.)
***
Friday night livened up only fainltly... last trip two years ago
hundreds of gringo idiots circled the tourist areas in their cars
yelling, and drinking and behaving like maroons..
this time....... zip.
the streets remained mostly deserted in the occasional drizzle..
Saturday night however saw some slight traffic, cop cars circling with
their red lights on, and about 30 motorcycles lined up out front of
the dance hall/ whore house. These were a few harlys, but mostly
older jap bikes, ranging from 250's to liter bikes... one duc as I
recall.
Maybe 50% of the stores are boarded up or not open for the day.
The hotel was $35 a night last trip, and it was a bit funky motel 6
class (one of the best in TJ though, the CIA's HQ apprently when they
are in town).. this time it was grossly upgraded, very very nice, with
new AC, immaculately clean.. $28 bucks...very nice.. not 5 star, but
it had that feel.
Phil scott
.
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