Tijuana (and most of Mexico) has gotten a bad reputation over the past few years for being a violent war zone that is unsafe for tourists. In a way though that makes it sort of intriguing when paired with the fact that it is rapidly becoming known as a foodie destination. My friends that I asked in San Diego though were mixed on their opinions, but everything was put in perspective when I spoke with two guys from Tijuana. I told them that I used to live in Chicago and their reaction was, "Woah! That place isn't safe!" Their reaction was shocking to me. However it's understandable, because like us they relied on media stories, rumors, and exaggeration and got the wrong impression about a place they've never been. This is a really important lesson to consider, because the only way to really see what a place is really like is to actually go visit, explore, and experience it for yourself.
That's exactly what we did - in a safe, controlled way, led by Derrik Chinn of Turista Libre for a tour of three taco restaurants and an ice cream parlor in Tijuana.