Today, American firms continue to establish factories in the city, taking advantage of the cheap labor. Tijuana is Mexico's fourth largest city, home to more than a million people, the fastest growing city in North America. A few yards from the border post, beyond the five lane highways of California, is the clamor of a third world city rapidly developing into a modern, prosperous society. Follow the signs to El Centro, past the cheap car repair shops, and the marriage and divorce establishments. Drivers are aggressive, and the narrow crowded streets and lunging pedestrians challenge the tourist's driving skills.
Many visitors leave their cars at the border.
Taxis are inexpensive and driven with gusto but driving the crowded streets brings its own sense of exhilaration. The short-term tourist usually heads for the stores restaurants and bars of Avienda Revolucion. Parking can be a problem, but will be a snip for the average New Yorker. Stroll down the Avienda, have a picture taken on a suspiciously striped donkey-giraffe, soak in the sun, and take in the local color. Explore the narrow crowded alleys.