Hello from an American in Baja California Norte

Hi Doc,I'm currently in coatzacoalcos would like to know your thoughts on the place after spending a couple of years here

Hi, StinkyBoy-

To be more accurate, I was working on a ranch out near Barrancas, so I didn't actually live in Coatzacoalcos. We used to go every couple of weeks into Coatzacoalcos or Minatitlan for supplies (and occasional recreation). What I saw of Coatzacoalcos, though, I loved. I even toyed with the idea of living there later, but other opportunities popped up. The people were very friendly, cost of living was staggeringly low and the climate agreed with me.
How long have you been there? Are you working, retired?

Hi Doc, after all of the traveling you have done, why settle in Tijuana. or are you settled there? Are you a horseman ? you look the part.

Hoy Doc,thanks for the reply.I have spent most of my life in Alabama and moved down here seven months ago.i met my girlfriend in Houston,is from Coatzacoalcos works for Pemex.we are planning on moving out of town,about am hour and a half towards Acayucan.we have a small ranchito,no water or electricity so plenty of work ahead.so far so good,although i was not prepared for the rainy season.oct-march torential downpours constantly.Lost a lot of stuff to mould.

Tijuana wouldn't have been our choice (we intended to return to Zacatecas), but before I retired, I was living here, managing a series of maquiladoras. We had gotten tired of paying rent and decided to build a new home, thinking that at some point, it would be an investment we could sell when I retired and use the cash to build a new place in Zacatecas. But thanks to an imploding economy in the US, when I finally retired, it wasn't long before I had to go back to work. By that time, we had paid the house off and our daughter was enrolled in med school here. Besides, Zacatecas is a bit of a hotbed (like many parts of the country), so here we stayed. We've come to like it here, so here we've stayed.

stinkyboy1 wrote:

Hoy Doc,thanks for the reply.I have spent most of my life in Alabama and moved down here seven months ago.i met my girlfriend in Houston,is from Coatzacoalcos works for Pemex.we are planning on moving out of town,about am hour and a half towards Acayucan.we have a small ranchito,no water or electricity so plenty of work ahead.so far so good,although i was not prepared for the rainy season.oct-march torential downpours constantly.Lost a lot of stuff to mould.

I just got back from a quick trip to Coatepec thanks to a contact made on expat-blog.  Met some other nice people and enjoyed seeing what the town was like.

The torrential rains are still happening in June for as many as 4-6 hours a day, though the mornings are usually sunny.

Since I'm considering moving to Coatepec, what tips do you have offer to avoid losing stuff to mold>

Hi Gudgrief,i have bought a small dehumidifier to place in my closet to protect my clothes.Leather shoes or Leather bound books need wrapping,anything except plastic a little shoe polish or leather protectant would not go a miss.If you have a laptop make sure and keep it in a case.if you have things packed away make sure and unpack and clean maybe two times a month.

stinkyboy1 wrote:

Hi Gudgrief,i have bought a small dehumidifier to place in my closet to protect my clothes.Leather shoes or Leather bound books need wrapping,anything except plastic a little shoe polish or leather protectant would not go a miss.If you have a laptop make sure and keep it in a case.if you have things packed away make sure and unpack and clean maybe two times a month.

My laptop is powered up and ready to use 24/7.  I hope that will keep it warm enough to stay dry.
The humidifier sounds good.  I don't know how much electricity they use, but I's guess my 200 peso a month electric bills could double.  Good information to have.  Thanks.

I bought the dehumid machine on e bay its called "Eva dry petite dehumidifier" cost about 20 bucks total and costs very little to run.I originally had a little electric fan heater to knock the damp out of the air but it never gets below 70 degrees here so the heater was not such a good idea

Im curious do you not consider Tijuana a hotbed of criminal activity?  You must not read the Tijuana news as there are murders every day as everyone is fighting over drug routes into the U.S.  If you have any doubt about that just read this about where murders are happening.  If you notice the once-safe Playas de Tijuana is not so safe anymore.
Id take my chances in Zacatecas before moving back to Tijuana:
www.frontera.info/EdicionEnLinea/Notas/ … guras.html

I wholeheartedly disagree.

Read the news in LA/CHICAGO et al.   Playas is NOT in central Tijuana.
I still go to the zone rio area of Tijuana  for the wonderful mall, the dentist, etc. I still walk every where in Playas during the day.

I DO NOT GO into the red light or crime ridden areas of Tijuana nor would I go into South Chicago, Watts or Compton in the LA area.

I am a "little old lady" and being a gringo (all gringos are supposed to be rich) I would probably be a target in any gangsta area.  However I avoid those areas just as I would in the USA.  I maintain a low profile, no expensive jewelry or ostentatious apparel.  But I do that in the states where I go. 

Playas is a beach community, close to the border for easy trips back to the states, plenty of nice shops and restaurants ( including a Wall Mart).
Friendly people.   I recommend it highly.  My first destination  in Baja was Rosartio but Playas is so much better.

FYI  The Tijuana news is a "yellow journalism"
paper that deals in sensationalism..........that is their schtick for making $


It is not a REPUTABLE news reporting paper.    If the LA Times or the San Diego Union did  that kind of reporting,  they would literally become 'ghost towns'.

For those who are considering moving to the Tijuana area including Playas read this about the increased drug activity in the area.  Playas has not been immune to crime as well.  Most Americans know very little of what is going on in Baja due to the language barrier & not assimilating into the local culture.  If you read the Spanish news online such as La Frontera or El Mexicano (TJ newspapers) murders are a daily occurrence so one needs to be educated about their surroundings here in Mexico.  For those who think Playas is so safe read this link which shows crime statistics in the TJ area.  The problem now in area including TJ, Rosarito & Ensenada is that the cartels are fighting over drug routes going into the San Diego area.  Baja Sur at one time was the safest part of Baja but not now.
www.frontera.info/EdicionEnLinea/Notas/ … guras.html

And I guess you also don't believe the local newspapers.  Many expats live in their own little world here in Mexico and have no idea of what's going on outside of it.  To each its own.

And I wonder...do you speak Spanish???