Terrible Time in Tijuana
maskmask21
INDIANA
I recently took a trip down to Tijuana to see what all the fuss was about on this site. To my surprise most of what I read was true. Many good times are to be had here but if you are not careful plenty of bad things can happen too. What follows is an account of one such unpleasant adventure to Tijuana…
I went to TJ on consecutive nights. The first night was great where I just visited Hong Kong and Adetias (reviews posted). However, the second night would prove much more interesting. The night started with me trying to get more creative to save some money. I decided to rent a room at Dulce and Gobanna hotel across the street from Hong Kong. The room was absolutely terrible. Since it was a weekend they charged me $25 a night which is $10 more than a normal night. I was told it was the last room available and for good reason. Toilet had no flusher, water would come on an off, holes in the wall and a small one on the door, dirt marks on the wall and a odd smell. But it is TJ so I wasn’t picky. The only purpose of the room was to bring girls so I figured I was still coming out on top. I went downstairs to the associated bar and had a few drinks while watching the ladies. It was disappointing watching girls on stage not taking their clothes off. Its more of a brothel than a strip club. None of the girls sparked my interest so after a few beers went exploring.
I quickly found out that the girls that I found in the clubs (Hong Kong, Tropical Bar) were not allowed to leave to go to a rival hotel. This defeated the whole purpose of getting the room. So I decided instead to try my luck with the street girls. These girls were noticeably less attractive than the ones in the club. Not terrible but not as great. To my surprise, even most of the street girls had their alliances with certain hotels. Disappointed I decided to check out some of the less popular bars in the area. This was my first major mistake. If you are a tourist and don’t speak Spanish stick to the Hong Kong block. Things get sketchy when you leave this area. I left to check out a bar a block away from this area where I ran into a friendly guy that asked if I wanted help. I initially tried to get rid of him but he was persistent. Since he wouldn’t go away I asked him a few questions about TJ and he proceeded to school me on how everything works. We walked around the tourist part TJ and he showed me all the best clubs to go to, he introduced me to multiple club girls and street girls that fit my liking. He told me how to deal with police and people on the street. When I would negotiate prices with girls he would always get them to go lower for me. He seemed cool. I figured he was working for tips which I didn’t mind. He gave me a story how he is an American that moved to TJ and now helps guys like myself out. He followed me around for like 3 hours and introduced me to other tourist and guides in the area. Then things started to take a turn.
I was preparing to leave and I realized my phone was dead. The group I was with not put pressure on me not to leave without charging my phone a little. I said ok and went back to my hotel to charge the phone. I met everyone I had just met outside and we went to get tacos. Then the guide says he wants needs to go buy drugs and walks into the alley. I think nothing of it at first and enjoy my tacos and conversation. After I realize he was gone for a while I decided to check on my phone just in case. When I get back to the hotel I see him walking out with the hotel staff. I ask if he went in my room and he says no. I tell him lets go to the room so I can check if my phone is there. He refuses and walks off into the dangerous area of town. I decide to tail not knowing if he really took my phone or not. He leads me in circles and eventually he gets into a cab and gets away. Meanwhile Im left in the middle of nowhere not knowing where the tourist area is. Luckily I find my way back with no trouble and check my room to see that he indeed stole my phone. The hotel staff denied they led him to the room and let him in I knew they were lying. Couldn’t prove it though.
At this point I should have cut my loses and when home. But I wanted my phone back. I started interrogating the people her introduced me to in order to find the phone. The other guide was willing to help and gave me a whole spiel about him being a bad egg and not assuming all guides are like that. He agreed to help me find my phone but told me I would have to wait until morning. So I spent the rest of the night plotting, and planning the events which would take place the next day. In the morning the guide told me that when a phone is stolen it is taken to one of 4 pawn shops. We visited each but had no luck. Then he said he found people with information but they wouldn’t talk unless I paid them. 5 bucks here and 10 bucks there as I continued to trail the missing phone. After spending nearly $70 and wasting half the day I realized I was on a wild goose chase. Each person we brought in only wanted money with no results or lead me to dead ends. Eventually the guide that was helping realized I was catching on and disappeared. But another guy named Monster would not go away so easily. He kept demanding that I pay him for his service which I refused until he found my phone. He claimed to know were it was and asked me to get in a car to jump the person who had it. I declined and told him to bring it to me. Another tourist who wanted to help agreed to go with him. I told him it could be a trap but he didn’t listen. A few hours later Monster came back with blood on his shirt. I asked him where my phone and the tourist was but he didn’t answer asking for his payment. I refused which angered him. He told me a fight occurred and he stabbed the guy he stole my phone and the police were after him. I again refused to give him any money and he looked to attack me. I noticed a police officer and called to him which prompted the guy to run away. I didn’t see him after that.
About an hour later the tourist that went with him showed up to my hotel with bloody face and surrounded by cops. I went down to see what was happening and it turned out that Monster led the tourist into a trap where he was robbed and beaten. An innocent by-standard helped him out and Monster tried to stab the tourist in the scuffle. He missed and stabbed the man that helped the tourist. The looked at the man as he was bleeding out on the street. He asked for some money to get medical attention and I gave him some. It was at this point I realized it wasn’t safe for me there. Right when I was about to leave, one of the informants I paid earlier told me he found the phone and would take me to get it at the pawn shop. When I got there I was confronted by several men who all wanted money. One guy for leading me there, another for buying the phone earlier in the day and then returning it for a loss in order to pay his rent, and the pawnshop owner and his goons who wanted money before showing me the phone. I refused to pay until I saw the phone and he told me it doesn’t matter he will sell to someone else. When I left the pawnshop police were waiting and pulled me over. The searched me for drugs and told me tourist are not allowed in the area. They then told me they found drugs on me (which they didn’t) and handcuffed me and placed me in police car. They drove me around for a while but never took me to a prison. They then stopped, took off handcuffs, pulled me out of the car, took my all money and valuables from my wallet and drove off. I had to find my way back to the strip. To make things worse, my tourist friend got drugged by a bartender working with one of the girls in Hong Kong and they stole his motorcycle and beat him half to death. He went to the hospital and is now partially brain dead.
I now know nobody could be trusted here. The police rob American tourist in broad daylight in front of the public. The guides will harass you and extort you for stolen property. Some of the people on the street are violent and will attack also in broad daylight. The hotel staff work with the thieves on the street to help steal from tourist. The girls will distract tourist in order to help allow the guides and thieves to steal. It is all an intricate system. It pissed me off but I realize this is how they survive. They got me they don’t have to get you. Anyway I had to use a card to pull money out of an ATM and then I left to go back to San Diego. Crossing the border this time took 5 hours. I should have left earlier when I had the chance but I wanted the adventure. I knew every step of the way I was making a bad decision but I just wanted to see what would happen next. The adventure thrilled me. In the end I was robbed and almost stabbed, and had an entire day wasted. Lost my phone and about $140 in total. But at least I have a story to tell. Could have blown just as much in a Vegas club and had less of an adventure.
My take home advice to those who go to TJ:
1) If you don’t speak Spanish stay on the tourist block. Things get sketchy when you leave this area
2) Don’t talk to strangers on the streets or in the club. Especially males and especially Mexicans. No matter how nice they seem, everyone is involved in the con
3) Never flash your wallet or phone out in public. Its what attracts thieves to you
4) Be careful not to leave valuables in hotel rooms. The locks on doors are faulty and hotel staff may be involved in stealing belongings
5) Watch yourself. The police are corrupt and will not help you. They are pretty much thugs with badges
I went to TJ on consecutive nights. The first night was great where I just visited Hong Kong and Adetias (reviews posted). However, the second night would prove much more interesting. The night started with me trying to get more creative to save some money. I decided to rent a room at Dulce and Gobanna hotel across the street from Hong Kong. The room was absolutely terrible. Since it was a weekend they charged me $25 a night which is $10 more than a normal night. I was told it was the last room available and for good reason. Toilet had no flusher, water would come on an off, holes in the wall and a small one on the door, dirt marks on the wall and a odd smell. But it is TJ so I wasn’t picky. The only purpose of the room was to bring girls so I figured I was still coming out on top. I went downstairs to the associated bar and had a few drinks while watching the ladies. It was disappointing watching girls on stage not taking their clothes off. Its more of a brothel than a strip club. None of the girls sparked my interest so after a few beers went exploring.
I quickly found out that the girls that I found in the clubs (Hong Kong, Tropical Bar) were not allowed to leave to go to a rival hotel. This defeated the whole purpose of getting the room. So I decided instead to try my luck with the street girls. These girls were noticeably less attractive than the ones in the club. Not terrible but not as great. To my surprise, even most of the street girls had their alliances with certain hotels. Disappointed I decided to check out some of the less popular bars in the area. This was my first major mistake. If you are a tourist and don’t speak Spanish stick to the Hong Kong block. Things get sketchy when you leave this area. I left to check out a bar a block away from this area where I ran into a friendly guy that asked if I wanted help. I initially tried to get rid of him but he was persistent. Since he wouldn’t go away I asked him a few questions about TJ and he proceeded to school me on how everything works. We walked around the tourist part TJ and he showed me all the best clubs to go to, he introduced me to multiple club girls and street girls that fit my liking. He told me how to deal with police and people on the street. When I would negotiate prices with girls he would always get them to go lower for me. He seemed cool. I figured he was working for tips which I didn’t mind. He gave me a story how he is an American that moved to TJ and now helps guys like myself out. He followed me around for like 3 hours and introduced me to other tourist and guides in the area. Then things started to take a turn.
I was preparing to leave and I realized my phone was dead. The group I was with not put pressure on me not to leave without charging my phone a little. I said ok and went back to my hotel to charge the phone. I met everyone I had just met outside and we went to get tacos. Then the guide says he wants needs to go buy drugs and walks into the alley. I think nothing of it at first and enjoy my tacos and conversation. After I realize he was gone for a while I decided to check on my phone just in case. When I get back to the hotel I see him walking out with the hotel staff. I ask if he went in my room and he says no. I tell him lets go to the room so I can check if my phone is there. He refuses and walks off into the dangerous area of town. I decide to tail not knowing if he really took my phone or not. He leads me in circles and eventually he gets into a cab and gets away. Meanwhile Im left in the middle of nowhere not knowing where the tourist area is. Luckily I find my way back with no trouble and check my room to see that he indeed stole my phone. The hotel staff denied they led him to the room and let him in I knew they were lying. Couldn’t prove it though.
At this point I should have cut my loses and when home. But I wanted my phone back. I started interrogating the people her introduced me to in order to find the phone. The other guide was willing to help and gave me a whole spiel about him being a bad egg and not assuming all guides are like that. He agreed to help me find my phone but told me I would have to wait until morning. So I spent the rest of the night plotting, and planning the events which would take place the next day. In the morning the guide told me that when a phone is stolen it is taken to one of 4 pawn shops. We visited each but had no luck. Then he said he found people with information but they wouldn’t talk unless I paid them. 5 bucks here and 10 bucks there as I continued to trail the missing phone. After spending nearly $70 and wasting half the day I realized I was on a wild goose chase. Each person we brought in only wanted money with no results or lead me to dead ends. Eventually the guide that was helping realized I was catching on and disappeared. But another guy named Monster would not go away so easily. He kept demanding that I pay him for his service which I refused until he found my phone. He claimed to know were it was and asked me to get in a car to jump the person who had it. I declined and told him to bring it to me. Another tourist who wanted to help agreed to go with him. I told him it could be a trap but he didn’t listen. A few hours later Monster came back with blood on his shirt. I asked him where my phone and the tourist was but he didn’t answer asking for his payment. I refused which angered him. He told me a fight occurred and he stabbed the guy he stole my phone and the police were after him. I again refused to give him any money and he looked to attack me. I noticed a police officer and called to him which prompted the guy to run away. I didn’t see him after that.
About an hour later the tourist that went with him showed up to my hotel with bloody face and surrounded by cops. I went down to see what was happening and it turned out that Monster led the tourist into a trap where he was robbed and beaten. An innocent by-standard helped him out and Monster tried to stab the tourist in the scuffle. He missed and stabbed the man that helped the tourist. The looked at the man as he was bleeding out on the street. He asked for some money to get medical attention and I gave him some. It was at this point I realized it wasn’t safe for me there. Right when I was about to leave, one of the informants I paid earlier told me he found the phone and would take me to get it at the pawn shop. When I got there I was confronted by several men who all wanted money. One guy for leading me there, another for buying the phone earlier in the day and then returning it for a loss in order to pay his rent, and the pawnshop owner and his goons who wanted money before showing me the phone. I refused to pay until I saw the phone and he told me it doesn’t matter he will sell to someone else. When I left the pawnshop police were waiting and pulled me over. The searched me for drugs and told me tourist are not allowed in the area. They then told me they found drugs on me (which they didn’t) and handcuffed me and placed me in police car. They drove me around for a while but never took me to a prison. They then stopped, took off handcuffs, pulled me out of the car, took my all money and valuables from my wallet and drove off. I had to find my way back to the strip. To make things worse, my tourist friend got drugged by a bartender working with one of the girls in Hong Kong and they stole his motorcycle and beat him half to death. He went to the hospital and is now partially brain dead.
I now know nobody could be trusted here. The police rob American tourist in broad daylight in front of the public. The guides will harass you and extort you for stolen property. Some of the people on the street are violent and will attack also in broad daylight. The hotel staff work with the thieves on the street to help steal from tourist. The girls will distract tourist in order to help allow the guides and thieves to steal. It is all an intricate system. It pissed me off but I realize this is how they survive. They got me they don’t have to get you. Anyway I had to use a card to pull money out of an ATM and then I left to go back to San Diego. Crossing the border this time took 5 hours. I should have left earlier when I had the chance but I wanted the adventure. I knew every step of the way I was making a bad decision but I just wanted to see what would happen next. The adventure thrilled me. In the end I was robbed and almost stabbed, and had an entire day wasted. Lost my phone and about $140 in total. But at least I have a story to tell. Could have blown just as much in a Vegas club and had less of an adventure.
My take home advice to those who go to TJ:
1) If you don’t speak Spanish stay on the tourist block. Things get sketchy when you leave this area
2) Don’t talk to strangers on the streets or in the club. Especially males and especially Mexicans. No matter how nice they seem, everyone is involved in the con
3) Never flash your wallet or phone out in public. Its what attracts thieves to you
4) Be careful not to leave valuables in hotel rooms. The locks on doors are faulty and hotel staff may be involved in stealing belongings
5) Watch yourself. The police are corrupt and will not help you. They are pretty much thugs with badges
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37 comments
Definitely stay on the tourist block. My assumption is the businesses there pay the police to keep actual law and order to try to keep American Tourists coming.
A phone is not worth the risk of leaving the tourist zone. Glad you are alive? If this post is real you should count your blessings.
I hope anyone with grand ideas about Mexico reads this. It should be a tuscl PSA (public service announcement). You can get killed looking for fun in many third world countries. Not just Mexico and Tijuana, and think about the hospital they'll take to. You don't want surgery in Tijuana...
You going after your phone was just flat out stupid, and who the hell leaves their phone in the hotel charging in a place they do not know let alone out of country ?!
If your in a poor country and need to charge your phone you stay in the room and watch tv or something until it is done charging.
It would be complicated to go into Mexico strapped. You'd be really fucked if the cops caught you with a gun. You def would not want to go past the free trade zone and try to go through customs with a piece. Does anybody know, if you have a concealed carry permit for the state you are crossing into, does that mean US Customs can't give you shit about having a piece?
My biggest worry is that the sexoservidoras (as they're known) don't get a fair cut. I guess in TJ they have a union. Maybe I could ask to see a union card.
Even by third world standards, Mexico is pretty damned violent. Do a quick google search on Tijuana murders if you have any doubts about it. While a lot of the violence is centered around drug battling drug cartels, this also creates an environment were petty criminals are virtually ignored and have little to no reason not do bash your head in with a rock to steal anything you have.
It seems almost obvious that the police are getting paid to keep you safe around a couple of the larger, more popular brothels. Take advantage of that. Leaving that area to try and save $10 might not be the best decision.
Hindsight is 20/20. I know I made a lot of mistakes that I wouldn't repeat again. I wrote this article because I know there are others like me who are willing to take the chances I did. I hope my experiences stops them from making my mistakes. I knew I was gonna get a lot flack for my decisions from the community but it was worth it if I can save one person from falling into these traps. But I did want to address some comments.
1. First this article is not fake. Everything I described happen 100%. I did have incredible bad luck. I was there for over 24 hours so they didn't happen in perfect sequence like this but it all happen. The point of my article isn't to discourage people from coming to TJ. Hell, even I plan to go back someday. And not everyone I met betrayed me there either. There were actually some genuine people on the tourist block and even off of it. I chose to highlight my bad decisions for the purposes of getting my point across. Also to be clear, on the day all this occurred, I wasn't drunk or high.
2. While it is true the dangers of TJ have been discussed before on this site I found some things to not be true. For example it has been said that leaving the tourist area is very dangerous and crime is everywhere. This is not completely true. No one threatened me or even said a word to me in the outskirts of the tourist block. The "guides" that took advantage of me were all english speaking thieves who work in or around that tourist area. Im not saying its safe to walk through the alleys of TJ but the dangers described, from my experience, were blown out of proportion. Also it was written on the site that if something is stolen from you then to play their game, pay off a few people and you will get your stuff back. Had I not read that I would had cut my losses a long time ago. Another post said the Dulce Gabbana was a trust worthy establishment with very pretty girls. I found both of these to be lies. My point is don't take everything you read to always be true and apply to you.
3. It has been commented that i "almost died 3 times" or "risked my life to random strangers for a phone". This is not the case. Despite the events that took place at no point did I feel my life was in danger. The one big mistake I made was chasing after the guy who took the phone but the only reason I felt comfortable doing it was because I caught him off guard at the hotel. He had no time to set up a trap and I followed him the who way, no way to call to set something up. As I noted before, the neighborhood I ran through was completely calm. No dangerous or suspicious people on the street. Getting back to tourist area wasn't that hard as long is you look up and look for the bright lights. Also the whole time I made sure to have an idea where to get back home and plus taxi's were everywhere. Im not saying TJ is not dangerous but it can be overhyped at times. They guy that almost got stabbed was foolish to trust a stranger and get in a car with him, I declined because I expected a trap. During every situation I made sure I knew where the exit was and that I had a clear path in the event things went south. I admit being naive at the start but I quickly realized I shouldn't trust anyone there. As soon as I saw first hand that cops were corrupt and criminals were willing to stab tourist in broad daylight in public streets, I left immediately. It was only at that time I felt staying there any longer could cost me my life.
But anyway I hope everyone who goes to TJ reads this article and avoids my mistakes. Hope you enjoyed reading.
did you read your own review?????
dude if you aren't any more street smart than you have demonstrated in your article and your comment then you probably shouldn't even go somewhere like new orleans must less Mexico. You broke like every single rule of being safe in a strange city ....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9al5P-T…
1. go only to hong kong- price is so reasonable it doesn't make sense to risk the street girls
2. get a $30 travel safe from target. Put your stuff in there, at least someone will have to work a bit to get your stuff
3. stay at hotel Cascadas - 65 bucks on the weekend but safer
4. park at Otey Mesa boarder - 20 buck taxi ride to HK but absolutely no wait at the boarder at any time
In many poor countries; a vacationing gringo will stand out – in most of these areas one is safe as long as one stays where the tourists are supposed to stay.
Better to have good information about how things are done before going there. To me, one of the advantages of the less LE hassle in Mexico would be being able to spend more time with the girl, but also a more out in the open and free from selection process and being able to get her exactly as you first saw her dressed.
http://www.escortsofmexico.com/cities/me…
"
Mexicali is different than Tijuana. There is a more relaxed feeling, more personal. Also, the main action is in a couple of hooker bars. While hooker bars aren't traditional brothels, they're close. What's the difference between a hooker bar, a brothel (called "casa de citas" or "house of dates" in Mexico) and a strip club? A hooker bar has escorts (prostitutes) inside, but you have to take them somewhere else. The girls can lead you, so don't worry about that. A brothel is where you go in, the girls line up, you pick one and take her to a room on the premises. A strip club is a hooker bar with dancing, and in Mexico usually has little rooms where you can take a dancer for fast sex. There are a lot of variations. In Tijuana, for example, sometimes the strip club is downstairs with a hotel upstairs where you can take the dancers. There's usually a charge to take the girls out of the club (called a "salida").
"
So, best to know how it works with the un ratito and toda la noche room pricing. Anything where you can fraternize with the girl face to face, and then walk with her to a suitable room, and where you are not in effect paying extra for an unused room, would be great.
I got a great deal of cash stolen from me in the dressing rooms of a very fancy clothing store on Union Square in San Francisco, once. I don't think anyone except the unseen thief was in on it, but who knows. If I started getting accusatory with other people it wouldn't have helped. I just learned to be much more careful.
SJG
REPLY THREAD, TOPIC CONTINUED HERE, because articles don't bump.
https://www.tuscl.net/postread.php?PID=3…
also, some of the other HK Bar threads:
how to get Hong Kong Bar quality in the US?
https://www.tuscl.net/postread.php?PID=3…
Electroman's comment and then my reply
https://www.tuscl.net/postread.php?PID=3…
Bossnia, Hermosillo
https://www.tuscl.net/postread.php?PID=3…
I prefer not to talk to the english speaking guys, although I did let one guy walk me a mile out of the tourist district from where he found me outside Hong Kong to go to a particular parlor that he gets a kickback from. Hindsight, I'll never do that again, but he made it seem like it was right across the street and we just kept walking and walking until we finally got there a good 15 minute walk later. That was definitely the time when I should have been jumped, beaten and robbed, as the place he took me to had three guys standing outside a secluded building with no other business operating, but inside we went and the parlor proceeded to give me the rundown on how it worked and brought all the girls out for a lineup. In the end, it was too expensive for an unknown (only like 120 for an hour in a room but I didn't know this place from the clubs in Zona Norte) so we walked out. My chauffeur waited the whole time I was given the spiel (because his kickback comes in if I pay for service) and said no problem and walked with me all the way back to Hong Kong. I actually gave the dude a 5 when we got back simply because A) he didn't put me in danger B) he walked with me there and back which took about 45 minutes total including stopping in the place and C) I'm sure he lost out on a chance to get other unsuspecting gringos to go to a club and get a kickback.
All that said to say, the danger isn't in visiting Mexico. The danger is in giving someone a reason to rob you, which you did by leaving your phone.
I'd thought about this before. If the girl is that hot, she will be out standing on the sidewalk, not some guide.
Likewise, if he represents some bar or brothel, he can be passing out fliers. They can pay him if you turn in the flier.
Point is, no reason to ever deal with guides.
SJG
SMEGMA!!