BULLETS OVER BAJA: Attack Yields Grave Consequences

[Teamcasa]

Well I’m back and alive. I was in a small community, just off the main Tijuana – Rosarito highway. It did rain but I encountered no banditios, killers or thugs. I did encounter a young family that had recently moved to the area after their family home was destroyed in a flood near Veracruz. The young family moved to Tijuana because the father, Evelio could find work in one of the factories that dot the local hillsides. Although he could only afford payments on a small piece of land, Evelio constructed a shelter for his wife and two small children.

With the rain, his shelter was destroyed and his family was forced to take shelter in a local church along with a few other families. The community helped them out by providing blankets and food for the displaced families. Our team built them a brand new house. Even in the rain and sloppy mud, some of the neighbors came out to help including making us one of the best lunches I’ve ever had. We all made it safely back to California.

 

[dlndavid]

who's going to save Sammy?

 

[dlndavid]

Dave, when you say build a new house, to what degree? Some pictures would be cool.
I like Baja very much, I hope they get things under control.

 

[JDog]

The criminals seem to be having an affect after reading this: Tourists shun crime-hit Mexico beaches - Yahoo! News

But to those willing to venture down, you can probably get a great deal on a hotel room.

 

[Sam Miller III]

DAVE

THE UGLY AMERICAN?

There was a very popular best selling book printed in 1958 tilled "The Ugly American," by Lednerer and Burdick. It should be a required reading for any one visiting a foreign country

The rich good looking charming American Ambassador to the country is the villain. He is loud, arrogant , boastful and ignorant of the wants and needs of the small fictional SE Asian nation. He has an air of superiority and only considers the top social and economic strata of the nation as his equals. His policy and the American policy of that post Viet Nam era was to supply rice to a nation that was exporting rice, to build bridges where none was needed and super highways for ox carts

Surprising the "Ugly American," Homer Akins, is not the villain but rather the hero of the story. He is very crude short of stature, and not in any way attractive, but he listens and befriends the locals--he is known by them as the "Ugly American." He is aware that the nation does not need more rice, bridges over depressions and super highways. What is universally needed is a very low tech way to raise water from one rice paddy to another for irrigation. Homer and his native friend modify some discarded bicycles wheels and other items to create a pedal powered water lift.

This irritates the Ambassador; Homer leaves the US foreign service and establishes a company with his native friend manufacturing water lifts--He is the national hero the "Ugly American."

I would strongly suggest that you and others obtain a copy and read "The Ugly American."

Sir, I do not know nor will I judge if you and your home building skills equate the Ambassador or Homer, that is for you to decide.

I do recall the title of this thread "Bullets over Baja," which most reasonable and prudent readers consider applying to the local unrest bordering on anarchy currently prevailing in Baja Norte. Some how you have apparently misinterpreted the thread as "Baja home building 101."

Some day, but not now, I will be happy to share some of my Baja experiences which began in December 1951 and has continued until this day.


sdm

 

[Skull]

My hunch as to the violence has more to do with drug gangs taking over Rosarito. Lately there have been a rash of small boats being beached along the San Diego coast from Silverstrand all the way to Encinitas. One could see why the drug gangs would load the boats full of illegals and drugs pull out of Rosarito head north for 15 miles +/- amoung all the small craft in and out of SD Bay and Mission Bay, beaching their boats after sundown along the coast. Rosarito being the best place in Baja Norte to launch since Playa doesn't have a boat ramp and Playa is observable from Borderfield State Park where the Border patrol and National Guard have an outpost at the Bull Ring/TJ Lighthouse crossing. Gangs being opportunist would obviously take advantage of any expensive vehichle or camping tourist. Heck just last week they assasinated the chief of police in Rosarito ...

 

[Teamcasa]

Sam,
Thank you for the literary reference. If you did any research you would realize how ….. never mind.

Just what message do you think I'm trying to convey to the readers of this thread. The original post and several others make it sound like any tourists venturing into Baja have a high probability of being killed; I just don’t see it that way.

 

[Skull]

Team

I agree with you I think this problem is primarily centered at the coastal towns where drug gangs have the upper hand ...The bigger towns like Ensenada and TJ have the usual tourist trap crimes
The majority of northern Baja is safe for anyone anytime ...certainly more safe than Paradise Hills here in San Diego ...

 

[Codyjp]

DAVE

THE UGLY AMERICAN?

There was a very popular best selling book printed in 1958 tilled "The Ugly American," by Lednerer and Burdick.... snip....


sdm

Yes, fiction, that is how I like to learn about reality.

Dave, nice work down there, it would be neat to hear more about it. Several of my friends work with the group Doctors without borders and they have a great time with it.

In the meantime I am looking forward to the book "The Pessimist" It is about a guy named Sam who cruises around the world with a giant rain cloud to rain on everybody's parades.

Now, DIE THREAD DIE!

 

[Skull]

Folks I find it highly ironic and almost amusing (if it wasn't so sad) that Americans head down to TJ to build houses for the indigent while they send able body workers up here to build our track homes ...likewise we send Doctors Without Borders down there and then Americans flock to TJ and Algodonas for cheap medical procedures, pharmacuticals, dental and chiropratic work ...you should head out to Yuma and see the mass migration of slowbreathers from around the world who cross @ the Andrade border crossing just to take advantage of the cheap medical in Algodonas.



We Americans are a very pecular bunch ...indeed!