Hong Kong Gentleman's Club, Tijuana Mexico - first visit, not last.

I was in San Diego for just one night last week but that was enough time for a quick run to the Hong Kong. I'd never been before.

I took the trolley from downtown to the border, which was cheap, fast, clean and comfortable. Nobody even looked at me as I walked into Mexico and over the footbridge to the taxi stand. I was immediately approached by a cabbie and all I had to say was “Hong Kong for $5?” and I was ushered into a very clean cab for the short ride to the club.

I bought an absolutely delicious taco from a street vendor around the corner and strolled up and down Calle Coahuila, just taking in the sights. It was about 2p.m. so no concerns about safety at all. (I had stuffed $50 in my shoe just in case.)

When I entered the club nobody asked for any kind of cover charge and I gave myself a walking tour before sitting down. The front room is more open, with a mezzanine which I didn't climb up to, but to me it just looked like some more open booths looking down on the main floor. I'd say there were about ten girls dancing on the bars and stages in the front room and another four or five in the back room, where I found a booth. There were at least another 15 or 20 girls milling around the floor.

For a Wednesday afternoon, I was surprised at how crowded the club was. Well more than half the booths were taken, though there were plenty of open stools at the bar. I don't speak Spanish, but found the girls to be good at reading non-verbal cues. When I caught their eye they would sit down with me (generally on me) but if I just smiled but looked away they would not bother me.

If they sat with me a waiter would appear and I'd always buy her a drink ($8.00) which would start the equivalent of an incredibly high-mileage, two-way contact lap dance, though with no privacy. The girls would stay until they finished their drink, usually at least two full-length songs. Suffice to say – this was excellent, and I bought drinks for about 7 or 8 girls. Depending on how affectionate they were, I'd usually tip a couple bucks when they were done. First time in my life I felt like a big spender at a strip club.

The girls all wanted me to take them to the hotel for a half hour, but that's not my thing. None of the girls seemed annoyed when I thanked them and tipped them. When it was time I bought my one and only real lap dance from a girl recommended by my waiter. $21. The lap dance rooms are very clean and entirely private. As mentioned after the dance the waiter knocked on the door and left. (I didn't look around for a camera.)

I took another $5 cab ride to the border, but this time I did have to wait in line to clear customs. They scanned my passport and I was back on the trolley. I highly recommend the trip if you have the opportunity.