Businesses want tourists back in Mexico, border

" We haven't been to Nogales in years. It's become even more tawdry than ever before. "

" Go ahead with all of your 'meetings' at fancy resorts, throw a lot of dollars at it and please take months to put together a 'plan' to get people to Nogales, but you are merely spinning your wheels because no one wants what either Nogales, Mexico or Nogales, Arizona have to offer.

Nogales, Mexico is a shoddy dirty slum. You can't shop in peace due to the frantic and aggressive sales people, and the goods that they are selling are overpriced and often of poor quality. You can't walk two minutes down a street without being pestered by a multitude of beggars, taxi drivers, and so on. The very few restaurants that might be safe to eat in are overpriced. There are no museums, no cultural events. There is no fun, there is little enjoyment there. Entertainment is limited to the raunchy. Nothing is cheap in Nogales, Mexico, except for life, which you are in danger of losing in a drug cartel shootout.

Nogales, Arizona offers ( very ) little more. "

" Five of us 'senior' men stroll into Nogales, Sonora at least once a week. We enjoy ourselves immensely.

We've made friends with merchants and are treated with courtesy, humor, and kindness. (One grocer sat with my dog once when I went solo. I brought him along and realized that he couldn't come with me into a bank. The dog, a tireless, hand-shaking-tail-wagging golden retriever, became a minor celebrity.)

As for prices, how does $5 for an excellent 3-course 'comida corrida' seem at one of our favorite, immaculate restaurants? (We do avoid the tourist-trap ones, preferring to dine where the 'locals' do.) Or, how about fresh vegetables and fruits up from the farms at Imuris at prices less than 50% at Safeway and of better, fresher quality? Or $5 for an excellent 'scissors-only' haircut from one of our merry barbers with whom we're on a first-name basis? Or a root canal by a first-class dentist under the most modern, virtually painless, and safe procedures for $150.00?

'Expert' Phil, (who hasn't been to Nogales for 'years???' ) would be surprised to see the attractive new plazas that have been constructed, complete with benches and new plantings. They are pleasant places to relax, especially near a new coffee bar serving excellent Vera Cruz coffee.

As for beggars, they are virtually non-existent, because 'El Centro' has become patrolled more heavily by new, friendly and helpful police, many of them bi-lingual.

And, yes, it's true, most merchants do 'pester' with their good-humored wisecracks. But we joke back - in Spanish, because we view our trips there as an opportunity to practice this witty, funny language. (Our favorite phrase:" "Quiero mucho; necesito nada," ("I want much; need nothing." which always provokes a laugh.)

As for taxi-drivers pestering? How is calling out 'Taxi?' pestering? A gracious 'no, gracias' earns a smile in return.

Try a visit, but be sure to go with a smile and an openness to the warm hospitality for which Mexico is so justifiably famed.

There's nothing to lose, really. Except, perhaps, discovering that all the bad press our sister city has been getting is sensational hype, pure and simple.

PS: Phil will also be surprised to see the two new vehicular and pedestrian overpasses built over the railroad tracks in 'El Centro.' Not bad for such a 'backward' place, is it? Especially because in the whole of Santa Cruz County, USA, only one such overpass exists. "

" Greetings,

We own a home in Nogales AZ and have for the last 12 years.~ we live here part time but would not dream of living elsewhere. Over the last (3) months we have crossed into Mexico about (12) times for either lunch, duty free purchases, homewares, etc. NEVER once did feel unsafe or my personal security threatened either in America or Mexico, though I will say I am extremely uncomfortable in Tucson car parks. I do not like the empty buildings in Nogales, the influx of $$ stores, nor the bad press perpetuating an already sad situation on both sides. I have been to various USA/Mexico border cities over the last (30) years and honestly I cannot say any of them exactly would make Americans or Mexicans proud.of their country but giving up is not helping nor is making either side a battle zone. We can do better and if this Meeitng moves progress a wee bit further - Great. Lastly, as a former hotel owner and manager, hotel employees need work and if having a meeting at TCC enables the staff there to work a few more hours and earn a few more dollars - GREAT News since they are spending it in the local neighborhoods. "

" We havent been down to mexico since they made it that you have to have a passport. We cant afford the cost of it. "

" When drugs stop crossing the border, I'll start crossing the border. I think more than enough US money is getting into Mexico without the few tourist dollars I could add. And, Jack, you can just as easily practice your Spanish right here in Pima County. "

" We went down to Nogales, Mexico, shortly after moving here in the late 90's and, unfortunately, have not been back.

Jack's comments make me want to try another visit, However, until Americans and Mexicans alike come to grips with the drug industry and quit clinging to addiction, tourism will continue to deteriorate.

Drugs, or "Pharma" are rightly so-called. Pharma is the Greek word for drugs which also means "sorcery". And people who choose to dabble in them are into something deeper, darker and more evil than they realize. "

" I enjoyed going to Nogales, Mexico but have stopped going for a few reasons. Cartel violence. As long as the U.S. continues to wage a "war on drugs" and waste the taxpayers money, the cartels will remain in business. As long as the cartels remain in business there's the possibility of violence in the border towns. Is it worth driving an hour to bring back 1 carton of cigarettes? Why not up the limit to 5 cartons. Have your meetings, make grand plans, think positively but unfortunately nothing is going to change. "

" Jack, are you sure it's just the food that brings you and your chums to Nogales every week(wink,wink)? Seriously though, your glowing review reads as if it was written by the Nogales tourist commission. "

" Jack sounds as if he has a Nogales Mexico agenda, or he just drinks too many margaritas while doing whatever it is he does there, because that place is NOT at all as he portrays it to be. I recently drove there with a few of my girlfriends - we are in our mid 30's - and among many other things that we found unpleasant there, we were especially appalled at the crude comments made to and about us by the men on the streets. The place is dirty and depressing. And the vendors ARE aggressive as one post stated. Once was enough - Never, ever again. "

" Art and Heidy: Don't like the message? Well, attack the messenger. Classic!

Here's something interesting:

"

" Right Jack, I'm sure you look like a real thousandaire, strutting the streets of Nogales, throwing your $5 bills around. "