Mexicali is the capital of the Mexican state of Baja California Norte, and is a large border town with a population approaching nearly 800,000 residents, and is situated just across the steel fence from the small California city of Calexico.  Mexicali has the distinction of being the largest capital city of a Mexican state that is also a border city. Considering that Mexicali is the capital of Baja California Norte, and a large city, I'm really surprised how little information has been published on the world wide web about this fascinating, capital city.

Sure there are the commercial websites that will give you a brief history of the city, and some of the civic and commercial attractions.  Not to mention the sites that promote specific hotels, all on the web to make a buck.  But how many websites really take the time to explore the city in detail and take you to places the average gringo doesn't visit?  

Mexicali is not a tourist-oriented city.  If you're looking for gritty, tawdry, border-town-style attractions, look elsewhere, particularly Tijuana, 120 miles or so to the west.  Sure, Mexicali has it's very compressed El Centro, complete with strip clubs and honky tonks, but they are few and far between, compared with cities like Tijuana, Cd. Juarez, or Nuevo Laredo.  Mexicali's orientation is toward industry and farming, as it is situated in a huge agricultural valley that stretches north from the Salton Sea in California, almost south to the Sea of Cortez in Baja Califormia.  In addition to being an agricultural center, thanks to N.A.F.T.A. , Mexicali is a manufacturing hub and, especially on the south side of town along Federal Highway 5,  the traveler will note many modern industrial parks and maquiladoras, with many more being constructed.  Not to mention the fact that Mexicali is the capital of Baja California Norte and the seat of government for the state.  Mexicali is also a major transportation center for the state of Baja California Norte, as it features an international airport, it's connected to the deepwater seaports of Ensenada, San Diego and Long Beach by excellent highways, and Mexicali is the northern terminal for the Mexican rail system which has connections to the major U.S. railroad, Union Pacific, at the border to California. Just  a few miles to the east of the city you'll find MXL, otherwise known as Mexicali International Airport, which has scheduled flights to all points in Mexico and beyond.  You could say the city is well-connected.

Most norteamericanos who enter Mexico at Mexicali just breeze through the city, as for many of them, destination is the picturesque seaside town of San Felipe, a couple of hours to the south, along Federal Highway 5.  I suppose that I'm a bit different, as I wanted to see what Mexicali is like and to get a close-up-and-personal, intimate look at this fascinating city.

Let's see now, where are we going with this article?  I can't begin to cover, convey, portray or even guess at all of the interesting aspects of this beautiful city, located on Mexico's side of the Imperial Valley.  All that I can present to you is what I've experienced, up close and personal, in my travels to Mexicali.  I can tell you that this page will be expanded, as I pay additional visits to the city, and get the opportunity to explore, take notes, meet the locals,  and above all, take many more digital photos.

My first visit to Mexicali was way back in 1970, when, as a senior in High School, I found myself elevated to the lofty position of the president of the Spanish Club.  So at Easter break of 1970, many of my club-mates and I, along with our Spanish teacher, Mr. Frederick Osborn and several chaperones, took a trip to Baja, spending several nights in Ensenada and a couple of nights in Mexicali.  (Editor's note:  Someday, when I find the photos, I plan to publish an article about this trip, but don't hold your breath...)  As I recall from 1970,  Mexicali was a pretty good-sized city,  and I'm guessing the population at that time was around 250,000.  My, time and N.A.F.T.A. has been good to Mexicali!

Mexicali was founded,  surveyed, and laid out by Americans in 1903.  Unlike most Mexican cities, Mexicali is laid out like an American city, only somewhat backwards.  Many American cities, and particular California cities, grew up along a railroad or a highway, the former more common, as railroads have been around a lot longer.  Most American cities seem to grow from the central city, laid out upon the railroad, to the north.  That is exactly the case in Fresno, California, my pseudo-hometown, as it started as a railroad station and later grew to be a major distribution mecca for central California.  (Editor note:  If you're interested, Fresno translates somewhat loosely in Spanish to "ash tree" as the Southern Pacific named a somewhat obscure water stop way back in the 1870's...) So what we're talking about is the "old" part of Mexicali is located near the border and the "new" or "newer" part of town is located to the south.  Think of Fresno flipped upside down and you'll get an idea of Mexicali.

Another aspect of Mexicali that the seasoned Mexico traveler will note is the population density, or the lack of. The veteran traveler to Mexico knows that, for whatever reason, Mexican cities are very compact, compared to cities north of the border.  Suburbia is almost non-existent and the typical Mexican city has a rather small footprint, relative to their size in population.  I compare Mexicali to Fresno, as I am intimately familiar with Fresno, and the cities are both oriented in a similar manner, but with glaring geographical differences.  Since Mexicali straddles the border, it is oriented from north to south, but Fresno is oriented south to north.  Since Mexicali was surveyed by Americans, it mostly conforms to the accepted protocol familiar to most citizens of the U.S.  That is not to say that Mexican protocol lacks anything; I'm merely trying to state that the norm in Mexico is greatly understood by the "average Joe" in the U.S.  Perhaps that is one of the reason why so many U.S. citizens visit Mexico, as I've heard it stated that no two countries, so close together, could be so different.  And, how!  When you cross that iron fence from Calexico to Mexicali, you're crossing from one world into another. Or perhaps, one planet to another.

Unlike most Mexican cities, Mexicali is spread out, over the fertile, desert agricultural valley.  I'm assuming, because it was surveyed by Americans, the grid system is that of a city found north of the border.  You'll note that streets and avenues are oriented north to south, east to west, although they may bear unfamiliar names to gringos, such as Ave. Ariesta,  Ave. Sinaloa, or perhaps, Calzada Lopez Mateos.  However, if you're familiar to the large California city of Fresno, you'll note a striking similarity in the way the cities are laid out, except that Mexicali is backwards, as per California style.  

In Mexicali, the streets are wide, there is plenty of room to roam and breathe, so why not take the time to visit this fascinating city with me?  As I previously stated, I can't even imagine coming close to publishing all that this desert city has to offer.  Stay tuned as future visits will unearth more of the soul of this fascinating city, the capital of the fantastic Mexican state of Baja California Norte.