Day Off - Ciudad Juarez, Mexico

After some much needed rest, the group of us planned to cross the border and visit Ciudad Juarez, a huge sprawling city that has a reputation for being a rough town. During the day, the city can be seen from El Paso in the North, but it is at night when the immense area can be appreciated from a distance. Looking south from El Paso, a sea of lights stretch as far as the eye can see, and with virtually no tall buildings, just a steady cluster of neighborhoods, subtle waves of light paint an awe inspiring picture.

The activity in Juarez is intense. The sidewalks are crowded, and every inch of space is used to provide a service, sell a product, or simply socialize. We walked to the Mercado, where the rich smells of Mexican street food spread everywhere and colorful vendors lead us through the market’s maze. On the other side of the Mercado we found a cantina where we cooled off with an afternoon drink. Afterwards we were possessed by the many delicious smells roaming the streets and we had no choice but to stop at about three taco stands on the way back to the border. Two Asada Tacos with a combination of authentic salsas is the best deal on the continent at $1 US. We were sorry to have to leave, but needed to get back to El Paso to see Ernie and Allan’s band, El Camino, play.

That evening we found our way to a venue in a strip mall outside of El Paso where El Camino, a Latin, Blues, Reggae and Rock flavored band including Ernie and Allan and slew of other talented musicians was preparing to entertain a large crowd. These guys were one of the best live bands I have seen in a long while, inspiring an all ages crowd comprised of teenagers up to thirty-somethings.