Here's something you might be interested in.
What is your perception of Baja, Mexico?
Perception is the truth, as we know it.
If all you hear is negative about Mexico, then your perception is going to be negative. As one of the fortunate people to call Baja my home I know and appreciate how wonderful it can be living here. Thousands of Americans live in Baja and enjoy in many ways how the US was to live 50 years ago outside the gated communities.
I can remember growing up as a child when we burned our trash, built bonfires on the beach next to a family tent, popped firecrackers year round, where we always waved at all strangers and they waved back and smiled, where having a lemon aid stand in our front yard was a sign of entrepreneurship, when you could ride in the back of a pickup, and when you as got your car filled up with gas someone would check your air in your tires, your oil level and clean your windshield. Baja is not only a great place to retire due the lower cost of living, but also because of the slower pace of living. Life is more basic here including getting your gas (propane) delivered and backup water in large tanks called pilafs. Your drinking and cooking water is in similar 5-gallon containers as in the US except the cost, which is just over $.50.
A good example of such a life is a gated community strung along the coast between Tijuana and Rosarito called San Antonio Del Mar. It is how American’s can come to Baja and live next to the beach, enjoying the nightly sunsets with a background of the Coronado Islands. Each home is unique and is from 600 square feet to over 6000 square feet.
Tuscany it has a rich history and has streets with ancient cobblestone with a 15-mile per hour speed limit. It is a very quite place to live with the number one sound being the sounds of the waves coming ashore on the beach. If you prefer extremes in temperature, this would not be a place you would want to live. The ocean keeps the temperature an average 10 degrees below and 10 degrees above 70 degrees all year long. Personally after living in Baja for 2 years now I don’t miss the extreme cold winters or the extreme hot summers elsewhere.
At the northern tip of San Antonio Del Mar and across the scenic highway is a resort called Real Del Mar which has many things world class resorts have including an ocean view golf course. If you show up at noon you can practice with a bucket of balls on the driving range for $5. At 2 pm Sunday through Friday you can play 18 holes including golf cart for $25. The service is the same at much higher priced resorts. A good example of such a life is a gated community strung along the coast between Tijuana and Rosarito called San Antonio Del Mar. It is how American’s can come to Baja and live next to the beach, enjoying the nightly sunsets with a background of the Coronado Islands. Each home is unique and is from 600 square feet to over 6000 square feet. The Tuscany it has a rich history and has streets with ancient cobblestone with a 15-mile per hour speed limit. It is a very quite place to live with the number one sound being the sounds of the waves coming ashore on the beach. If you prefer extremes in temperature, this would not be a place you would want to live. The ocean keeps the temperature an average 10 degrees below and 10 degrees above 70 degrees all year long. Personally after living in Baja for 2 years now I don’t miss the extreme cold winters or the extreme hot summers elsewhere. At the northern tip of San Antonio Del Mar and across the scenic highway is a resort called Real Del Mar which has many things world class resorts have including an ocean view golf course. If you show up at noon you can practice with a bucket of balls on the driving range for $5. At 2 pm Sunday through Friday you can play 18 holes including golf cart for $25. The service is the same at much higher priced resorts. San Antonio Del Mar has two pro tennis courts and a pool overlooking the ocean. At the southern entrance there is a new restaurant called Gusto’s that not only serves gourmet food but also the bar is ocean front view features live entertainment.
A few miles south is Rosarito with a modern shopping center which features a food court that includes a Subway Sandwich and a Burger King. It has a theatre you can enjoy current first run movies for $3.50 and large popcorn for $3 while stretching your legs in a wide isle super modern theatre. The center also features a Super Wal-Mart, Home Depot and an Applebee’s. It has several modern Hair Salons’ that do family haircuts including a professional men’s haircut for $5. Rosarito is a resort town with many enmities you would expect such as fine restaurants and hotels and pristine beaches where you can rent a horse for $10 for ½ hour ride on the beach. The further south you go you will find a beautiful coast lined with resorts and gated communities and oceanfront restaurants with great food and entertainment. Many peoples perception of Baja and even Mexico is walking across the border, catching a taxi to Revolution Avenue and its many tourist attractions. In city of over 2 million people Tijuana is extremely diversified as any world-class city of its size. For example, there is a suburb, which recently grew from zero population to over 300,000 in 5 years. It is very modern and has modern housing, Shopping Centers and is cultivating an emerging middle class. The regions factory production and technology goes far beyond what many are aware of. My partner William Yu and I through an entity called Ground Floor Technology work with medical Tourism companies in which 300,000 people get various medical treatments every month. We also work with an organization called Tijuana Innavordora (Spanish for Innovation) to promote and educate the general public of the many innovations, which Baja provides to the local, and International Community.
Since perception is the truth, then the truth about Baja, Mexico is that it’s a wonderful, safe, affordable, place to visit, retire too and live
Strong
What is your perception of Baja, Mexico?
Perception is the truth, as we know it.
If all you hear is negative about Mexico, then your perception is going to be negative. As one of the fortunate people to call Baja my home I know and appreciate how wonderful it can be living here. Thousands of Americans live in Baja and enjoy in many ways how the US was to live 50 years ago outside the gated communities.
I can remember growing up as a child when we burned our trash, built bonfires on the beach next to a family tent, popped firecrackers year round, where we always waved at all strangers and they waved back and smiled, where having a lemon aid stand in our front yard was a sign of entrepreneurship, when you could ride in the back of a pickup, and when you as got your car filled up with gas someone would check your air in your tires, your oil level and clean your windshield. Baja is not only a great place to retire due the lower cost of living, but also because of the slower pace of living. Life is more basic here including getting your gas (propane) delivered and backup water in large tanks called pilafs. Your drinking and cooking water is in similar 5-gallon containers as in the US except the cost, which is just over $.50.
A good example of such a life is a gated community strung along the coast between Tijuana and Rosarito called San Antonio Del Mar. It is how American’s can come to Baja and live next to the beach, enjoying the nightly sunsets with a background of the Coronado Islands. Each home is unique and is from 600 square feet to over 6000 square feet.
Tuscany it has a rich history and has streets with ancient cobblestone with a 15-mile per hour speed limit. It is a very quite place to live with the number one sound being the sounds of the waves coming ashore on the beach. If you prefer extremes in temperature, this would not be a place you would want to live. The ocean keeps the temperature an average 10 degrees below and 10 degrees above 70 degrees all year long. Personally after living in Baja for 2 years now I don’t miss the extreme cold winters or the extreme hot summers elsewhere.
At the northern tip of San Antonio Del Mar and across the scenic highway is a resort called Real Del Mar which has many things world class resorts have including an ocean view golf course. If you show up at noon you can practice with a bucket of balls on the driving range for $5. At 2 pm Sunday through Friday you can play 18 holes including golf cart for $25. The service is the same at much higher priced resorts. A good example of such a life is a gated community strung along the coast between Tijuana and Rosarito called San Antonio Del Mar. It is how American’s can come to Baja and live next to the beach, enjoying the nightly sunsets with a background of the Coronado Islands. Each home is unique and is from 600 square feet to over 6000 square feet. The Tuscany it has a rich history and has streets with ancient cobblestone with a 15-mile per hour speed limit. It is a very quite place to live with the number one sound being the sounds of the waves coming ashore on the beach. If you prefer extremes in temperature, this would not be a place you would want to live. The ocean keeps the temperature an average 10 degrees below and 10 degrees above 70 degrees all year long. Personally after living in Baja for 2 years now I don’t miss the extreme cold winters or the extreme hot summers elsewhere. At the northern tip of San Antonio Del Mar and across the scenic highway is a resort called Real Del Mar which has many things world class resorts have including an ocean view golf course. If you show up at noon you can practice with a bucket of balls on the driving range for $5. At 2 pm Sunday through Friday you can play 18 holes including golf cart for $25. The service is the same at much higher priced resorts. San Antonio Del Mar has two pro tennis courts and a pool overlooking the ocean. At the southern entrance there is a new restaurant called Gusto’s that not only serves gourmet food but also the bar is ocean front view features live entertainment.
A few miles south is Rosarito with a modern shopping center which features a food court that includes a Subway Sandwich and a Burger King. It has a theatre you can enjoy current first run movies for $3.50 and large popcorn for $3 while stretching your legs in a wide isle super modern theatre. The center also features a Super Wal-Mart, Home Depot and an Applebee’s. It has several modern Hair Salons’ that do family haircuts including a professional men’s haircut for $5. Rosarito is a resort town with many enmities you would expect such as fine restaurants and hotels and pristine beaches where you can rent a horse for $10 for ½ hour ride on the beach. The further south you go you will find a beautiful coast lined with resorts and gated communities and oceanfront restaurants with great food and entertainment. Many peoples perception of Baja and even Mexico is walking across the border, catching a taxi to Revolution Avenue and its many tourist attractions. In city of over 2 million people Tijuana is extremely diversified as any world-class city of its size. For example, there is a suburb, which recently grew from zero population to over 300,000 in 5 years. It is very modern and has modern housing, Shopping Centers and is cultivating an emerging middle class. The regions factory production and technology goes far beyond what many are aware of. My partner William Yu and I through an entity called Ground Floor Technology work with medical Tourism companies in which 300,000 people get various medical treatments every month. We also work with an organization called Tijuana Innavordora (Spanish for Innovation) to promote and educate the general public of the many innovations, which Baja provides to the local, and International Community.
Since perception is the truth, then the truth about Baja, Mexico is that it’s a wonderful, safe, affordable, place to visit, retire too and live
Strong
What is your perception of Baja, Mexico?
Perception is the truth, as we know it.
If all you hear is negative about Mexico, then your perception is going to be negative. As one of the fortunate people to call Baja my home I know and appreciate how wonderful it can be living here. Thousands of Americans live in Baja and enjoy in many ways how the US was to live 50 years ago outside the gated communities.
I can remember growing up as a child when we burned our trash, built bonfires on the beach next to a family tent, popped firecrackers year round, where we always waved at all strangers and they waved back and smiled, where having a lemon aid stand in our front yard was a sign of entrepreneurship, when you could ride in the back of a pickup,and when you as got your car filled up with gas someone would check your air in your tires, your oil level and clean your windshield.
Baja is not only a great place to retire due the lower cost of living, but also because of the slower pace of living. Life is more basic here including getting your gas (propane) delivered and backup water in large tanks called pilafs. Your drinking and cooking water is in similar 5-gallon containers as in the US except the cost which is just over $.50.
A good example of such a life is a gated community strung along the coast between Tijuana and Rosarito called San Antonio Del Mar. It is how American’s can come to Baja and live next to the beach, enjoying the nightly sunsets with a background of the Coronado Islands. Each home is unique and is from 600 square feet to over 6000 square feet.
The Tuscany it has a rich history and has streets with ancient cobblestone with a 15-mile per hour speed limit. It is a very quite place to live with the number one sound being the sounds of the waves coming ashore on the beach. If you prefer extremes in temperature, this would not be a place you would want to live. The ocean keeps the temperature an average 10 degrees below and 10 degrees above 70 degrees all year long. Personally after living in Baja for 2 years now I don’t miss the extreme cold winters or the extreme hot summers elsewhere.
At the northern tip of San Antonio Del Mar and across the scenic highway is a resort called Real Del Mar which has many things world class resorts have including an ocean view golf course. If you show up at noon you can practice with a bucket of balls on the driving range for $5. At 2 pm Sunday through Friday you can play 18 holes including golf cart for $25. The service is the same at much higher priced resorts.
.
i think ur blog reads better like this
the run on sentences with no delineation from topic change to topic change make it seem chaotic
it's a very interesting blog...but i think many might hesitate to read it the way it is
hope u don't mind the constructive critism....Nan
Ummmm. Your blog appears to have been entirely refuted by this 15-year resident of San Antonio Del Mar, who posted this comment in The San Diego Reader:
Comment by ALIVE_IN_TIJUANA
oh my goodness!!!...this is a completely different view of the area
what is the truth of it???
I've been in San Antonio for 6 years. We cross the border weekly and have never had even the slightest problem. Our friend crosses the border everyday and has never had a single problem. Our neighbor is the HOA president and there have been no incidents of violence in the community that he is aware of.
There were 8 San Diego Policeman accused of suggesting exchange for sex to set aside DUI tickets to woman last year. One was put on trail and recently sent to prison a few months ago for multiple counts. I was approached near Horton Plaza Parking lot last year by a deranged homeless man who looked me in the eye and said he was going to stab me. There is corrupt Police in both Mexico and in the US.
What to believe? You are no more likely to be a victim of crime in Mexico than the US. Its a 100 % fact the the US media reports 90% bad about Mexico. The perception then is distorted to the truth.
I have lived in Baja for two years. I have previously visited Baja for over 30 years on a regular basis. I frequently talk to many of the thousands of Americans that live here for 20 to 30 years. They all echo what I have said in the articles I have written. I am sorry when I hear stories like the one referenced in a comment and sorry his daughter had such a problem with the Police.
I recently read an article that stated that there are over 1 million retired Americans in Mexico which makes it the largest number of any other country outside the US. It predicted there will be 10 million in 8 more years.
The Secretary of Tourism for Baja recently stated that over 300,000 people cross into Baja for some type of medical treatment every month. This number is expected to grow in the near future with the growth of Medical Tourism.
First of all, 5 gallons of drinking/cooking water is around 30 pesos, not 50 cents, 30 pesos being around $2.50 at the moment. And San Antonio del Mar is not paradise, it has its issues, as does most of Baja. And the phrase isn't "perception is truth", rather, "perception is reality". Baja is what it is, and it isn't for everyone. While I will always disagree with Fulano de Tal's entirely negative view of this place, it is difficult to endorse your entirely positive view as well.
I've only lived here for 20 years, but my eyes are wide open, I have no axe to grind either way. The reality, beyond perception, is that Baja is neither hell nor paradise, it's just a place. I love it, but I can't paint it as something it isn't. I can't recommend it and I can't warn anyone that it's some dangerous and evil place, because neither description would be accurate. In fact, the best way to describe anyplace in Baja is to simply describe it. The reader is very capable of drawing his or her own conclusions.
If you go to the Walmart in Ropsarito ( right around the corner ) next to the Thrifty Ice Cream 5 gallons of water is 6 pesos. If you buy it at Pemex or Calimax or other retail outlets its 30 pecos for the same thing.
I can understand your point, and respect your opinion, but the US media is 99 % bias against Mexico. What would you pay for apples to apples in the states compared to San Antonio Del Mar? The media bias translates to an unfair description of what 99% of the country is. Most of teh Americans I meet here feel the same way.
My point I am trying to make is giving a more balanced perception like you mentioned.
There was an article on Tuesdays USA Today from page stating that there are more Mexicans returning to Mexico than there is leaving Mexico to the US. here is the article:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2012-04-23/mexican-immigration-united-states/54487564/1
I agree with Tony. It is not perfect, but what community is? Where else can you buy an ocean front home for about $300K? Or have a maid who cooks and cleans for $30 per day? Or a handyman who fixes everything and details your car for the same ($30/day)? All the while being 10 minutes from the San Diego border. While it's not La Jolla, it's as close as you can get for 1/20th the price.