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San Diego, welcome to the USA

Updated: Jun 24, 2020

After more than three months I spent in the Yucatan peninsula, I decided I couln't leave the American continent without laying my feet on the United States. That's why from Cancun I took a flight to Ciudad del Mexico and then to Tijuana, the northest Mexican city on the West Coast. I arrived there on a saturday night of half-may.

The city is really sticks to its reputation: a main street in the center hosted hundreds of bars and discos where American and Mexican citizens were partying all night long!
Theatre in Avenida de la Revolucion in Tijuana

At a walkable distance from the center, there was the border. This famous wall that separates USA and Mexico standed there in front of my eyes. It was around 3/4 meters tall, and behind a big entrance let me access to the border for those who wanted to crossed it by walk.

USA-Mexican border

A long spiral tunnel had to be walked and I climber white stairs that led to a bridge. When I arrived on the top of it I looked back: the city of Tijuana lightened up the night, with the big arch of the Avenida Revolucion standing out from the buildings. I was on the USA side of the wall.

View on Tijuana by Night

The American policemen checked my passport shocked: "Which job do you do for having so many stamps on your passport?" was his first question. I was a Receptionist in Mexico, I answered, even though my Italian passport didn't match that much with the definition, but he still smiled at me kindly. I had prepared online my Esta Visa for the United States, but he told me this was not necessary. Instead, he issued a paper that had the same allowance of three months but costed only six dollars. I received the new stamp and asked for which way to go for the city centre. He explained the way to walk and showed me the bridge I had to cross before finding the tramway station. "Wecome to San Diego!"

California

Entrance in Balboa Village

Entering in the United States was a big emotion for me. I felt that the world was so different, the streets so clean, the spaces so big, the people so quiet. This was not necessarily better, just different. I got accostumized to the world of Latin America and that first step I made in the the USA reminded my of how life was back in Europe.

San Diego Convention Centre

Even though still located in the warm California, San Diego was in a much higher latitude than the places I had been so far. My backpack was full of summer clothes, so I had to find strange remedes to protect myself from the strong wind of the Pacific Ocean!

Balboa Park

San Diego is definitely a great city, which I think would be very pleasant to live in. My favourite part of it is definitely the Balboa Park. Very close to downdown, this huge green space is perfect for a nice walk in the nature, while enjoying a beautiful architchure of the buildings. It contains also the Air and Space Museum and the Japanese Friendship Garden.

Balboa Park

Not many people know that San Diego has a particular bridge that are built on wood, connecting two different parts of the hills, it's a peculiar place where without any cost you I could amazingly walk!

Old Town

Even though now it is American city, San Diego in the past belonged in its totality to Mexicans. The state of California was occupied by the new settlers in the haf 19th century, and officially passed in the hands of the United States after the Mexican-American War of 1846-48.


Old Town of San Diego

Despite that, San Diego conserves it its Old Town the style and traditions of Mexico, so that tourists can buy souvenirs as Mexican Potteries and taste Burritos and Tacos in every restaurant.

La Jolla

The last place I recommend visiting if you are in San Diego is La Jolla. This beach is situated at 20 minutes drive North from Downtown and is a great location to enjoy nature.High waves crash on the rocks and several seals are visible from that point. It is a great way to enjoy a sunny afternoon next to the beach!

Find the seal and seagull on the coast of La Jolla

Thank you for riding my article! I hope you enjoyed it and took infteresting information for a nice visit of San Diego. Leave a like or a comment if you have already been there or would like to visit it some day!

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