How bad is Juarez...really?

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Re: How bad is Juarez...really?

Postby jakeleg » Thu Jan 14, 2010 8:46 am

Was talking to this guy at a bar. He told me all the bar and restaurant owners have to pay a quota or else they get killed or the place get burned down. I don't know who runs that racket. But I have heard even the priests are being asked to pay protection now.

I am guessing this is why you here about alot of regular people getting shot up too.
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Re: How bad is Juarez...really?

Postby EOE_overland » Tue Feb 16, 2010 7:13 pm

Well, I guess it's time to find out. Flying to El Paso tomorrow afternoon and into Mexico Thursday morning. Pics and personal sitrep when I get back next week...
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Re: How bad is Juarez...really?

Postby LechoZX » Tue Feb 16, 2010 7:16 pm

EOE_overland wrote:Well, I guess it's time to find out. Flying to El Paso tomorrow afternoon and into Mexico Thursday morning. Pics and personal sitrep when I get back next week...


Good luck, have fun!
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Re: How bad is Juarez...really?

Postby jakeleg » Mon Feb 22, 2010 1:28 am

EOE_overland wrote:Well, I guess it's time to find out. Flying to El Paso tomorrow afternoon and into Mexico Thursday morning. Pics and personal sitrep when I get back next week...


cool. look forward to the pics and report.
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Re: How bad is Juarez...really?

Postby Ultra Swain » Tue Feb 23, 2010 1:25 pm

I just love SITREPs they are awesome.
Geez,am I NOT ALLOWED TO BE INTENSE FOR JUST 10 FUCKING SECONDS??!!!!!!!
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Re: How bad is Juarez...really?

Postby EOE_overland » Fri Feb 26, 2010 7:25 pm

Just got back from my trip to Chihuahua state on tuesday. What a great trip! Since it was my first time in the area, we flew to El Paso and took buses everywhere (except in Creel, where we stuck to shoe-leather express), ditching the car rental idea. Crossed the border at Juarez in a taxi at 4:30am. Had to wake up the folks at the visa office. No real issues, other than the fact that we only saw about 4 other vehicles (one being the typical black F-150 full of federales with M-16s) on a 20 minute drive in a town of 1.3 million. It was pretty creepy; looked like a war zone. But then, I guess it is a war zone?? The rest of the trip was amazing! To Chihuahua, Creel, and Divisadero for the day- worst part was finding vomit on the back of my leg when I got off the bus at Divisadero. We stayed out of red-light areas, stayed off the highways at night (except our return bus to Chihuahua that arrived at 9pm), and kept a low profile near the border. I plan on returning in the next year with my truck! Oh yeah, two military/federales checkpoints going into the city from the south. No problems, except for a guy on our bus with a block of lard must have looked like coke or C4(?). But they only hassled him for a minute. Coming back thru Juarez in daylight wasn't bad; even walked across the border on the way home.

Pic is of two Tarahumara women standing at the fence at the overlook in Divisadero. More pics later.
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Re: How bad is Juarez...really?

Postby Brent » Thu Mar 24, 2011 1:50 am

Wow i think it's actually been a few years since i've been on this board... glad to see it's still here.. anyhow i was reading through this travel discussion thread + saw your post.

Juarez right now has finally taken the cake as being worse than tijuana at 4am on a sat. night. Keep in mind back in the day 4am in tijuana on a sat. night could be one hell of a good time, but in this case it's really more of the part where you really have to watch what you're asked/what you answer (better not to answer than to give an answer to what you 'thought u heard')...obviously don't be that dumb idiot openly looking to score drugs (OF ANY KIND... don't just think because its pot it's not going to immediately remind folks you have cash on hand). Pretty much same as anywhere else.. don't use open atms (walk into the damn bank)...honestly (and i'm sure someone will argue this one) i've always made it a rule of thumb never to give to beggers and/or the children vendors (Chicklits?! lol)..that being because i've seen their parents (who were watching) then decide you're now a person of interest. Had a close encounter in mexicali when i was in HS that was a result of just that. With juarez you need to also understand that if you're in a car, whether rental or your own, and happen to make a long vacation out of your trip. You better either have a good reason for it, be pretty well versed in spanish..mainly the good ol' mexi slang, or just pay no attention to any cars that might be following you after your first two weeks....they'll eventually go away once they realize you're not there for 'ulterior motives.'

Ohh, and if someone brings up (usually this'll be at a bar, over a beer on the street, etc..) that if you didn't have a problem bringing back some arms on your next trip if the price was 'worth it' (and actually it somewhat is.. i've heard everything from $2k all the way up to 8k for either a full auto ak or one with a conversion kit). Just tell them you'll think about it... that'll even prob get you another free beer.

Ok, after that mini rant, i have to add that you really don't have anything to fear about juarez. Just like anywhere else, don't be dumb. It's a great town, great people (well, at least the half of the towns inhabitants who aren't only there looking for coyotes are great) and so much to do/see/photograph, etc.. Very relaxing. There's actually a pretty famous yoga/spa down there which was founded in the late 60s.. if you're interested PM me (so i'll get it via email) and i'll try to look it up for you.
cheers
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Re: How bad is Juarez...really?

Postby Jäeger » Sun Apr 24, 2011 3:55 pm

How bad? Real bad.

I was in Juarez last week and it's sketchy as hell. The sicarios shaking down the small business owners has gotten so bad, that many of them are just closing up shop and getting jobs in the factories (that used to be in the USA, thank you NAFTA). The word on the streets is that the factories are paying off the cartels to avoid trouble, so the three options for the regular people are: work in the factories, work for the cartels or be one of the unfortunate ones who end up sent there with the Mexican army.

It's a pretty hopeless place, with the army and the federales nervously manning checkpoints just waiting to get shot. And when they get a chance to do some shooting of their own, let's just say they're not very discriminating about sight alignment and sight picture or where in the hell their bullets end up going. The regular people are extremely friendly and welcoming (once you get past the part when you try to convince them that you are not actually insane for being there) and the city (and the women) is gorgeous. The night-life is there if you can find a local (and not "local" as in El Paso Mexican-Americans, who are the prime targets for kidnapping and are scared shitless to go there) who's willing to go out after dark and it's cheap. Lastly, when you make it back to your hotel you can drift off to sleep to the soothing sound of sporadic automatic weapons firing in the night.

I had a good time, and I felt like I was at least helping some locals make a bit of honest coin by being there, but the fact is that there's no good reason to go to Juarez. It's a lost cause. Next time, I'll just go to El Paso and get drunk with all the prissy, beautiful broads from Juarez who come over to the American side to bar hop.
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