Most people are not aware that Tijuana is a city built on hills, since they only make the walk from the border to Av. Revolucion, where the terrain is relatively flat, with only a few rolling hills.  Tijuana has hills, many that are as steep as the hills found in San Francisco.  When you look at the city of Tijuana from the U.S. side of the border, there are three landmarks that immediately grab your attention:  The huge metal Tijuana arch, the gigantic Mexican flag, and the hill seems to have grown many radio and T.V. antennas.

After spending a bit of time in the shopper's paradise of Av. Revolucion, I decided that it was time to take a hike and explore a portion of the city that I'd never seen before, and an area where gringos fear to tread.  After sipping tequila at Leyva's for an hour or two, I looked up towards the flag, and the TV-tower hill beyond and decided to take a hike.

Left:  Nice residental area at Av. Television and Espana.  Right:  Looking down at one of the many neighborhoods on the hike up Av. Television.  Many of the photos in this chapter are washed-out, due to poor camera settings on my part.

I turned south on Av. Revolucion, admiring the craziness of the place.  After passing the Jai Lai stadium at the corner of Av. Revolucion and Calle 8, a.k.a. Miguel Hidalgo, the tourists start to thin out rapidly, and the area suddenly becomes more "Mexican" and the "touristy" atmosphere disappears.  The area is now a commercial district in a large Mexican city that caters to locals, not tourists, where real people come to shop for everyday necessities.  Just south of Calle 10, Sarabia, Av. Revolucion takes a bend to the east, and suddenly becomes Bl. Agua Caliente, as it heads in a east-southeast direction.

Left:  Looking down at the huge Mexican flag.  To look down at the flag, it takes a bit of strenuous hiking. Right:  A very pleasant residental neighood on the way to the TV towers.

Since my goal was the gigantic Mexican flag, I turned off Bl. Agua Caliente at the first major street to the right, which is Bl. Fundadores and began the hike uphill, with the flag in sight.  Believe me, you can't miss this one. After leaving Bl. Fundadores, the commercial business are left behind, and the area becomes a working-class, residential neighborhood.  Eventually I found myself on a poorly-marked street called Ramos Milan, and hiked in the direction of the flag.

I didn't know it until I got there, but the huge Mexican flag is located at an army base, as it was pretty well evident by the gentlemen wearing olive drab military fatigues, and carrying assault rifles.  Across from the base is a park, with the required statue of Benito Juarez.  I didn't really spend a lot of time in this area, as I have a tendency to feel slightly uncomfortable when I'm around a bunch of soldiers armed with assault rifles.  However if I was strolling around the area at night, I'm sure I'd welcome their company.  By the way, from downtown Tijuana and Av. Revolucion, it's about a two-mile walk to the base of the flag.

Next, it was time to tackle the hills where the television towers are located.  I followed Ramos Milan back to Bl. Fundadores where is merges with Bl. Agua Caliente, and found a street marked as Av. Television, that started to climb a canyon, that seemed to head in the direction of the towers.  With a name like Av. Television, I knew I'd found the way to the towers!

Left:  This old motorhome looks like it's been put out to pasture in someone's back yard.  Right:  This street is as steep as streets encountered in San Francisco.

If you're planning on walking up Av. Television, think of it as more of a hike.  Have you ever hiked up Jones St. or Lombard St. in San Francisco?  Well, think of Av. Television as that strenuous, only there are a few differences. In San Francisco, the sidewalks are wide, un-cluttered, the curbs are of a uniform height and the temperature, in the afternoon, might be a pleasant 65 degrees or so.  In Tijuana, at times the sidewalks are non-existent, the curbs are of uneven height, hazards like protruding bolts, chunks of concrete or rusty metal; you may encounter stray dogs of questionable temperament and health, and the temperature will probably be in the mid-80's. What is the same is the steepness, 45-degrees or so, and the breathtaking views.  Keep in mind that you want to wear a good pair of hiking boots, and keep a sharp eye out for obstructions.

Av. Television climbs us a canyon, and houses are built on both sides of the street, and they cling to the steep hillsides.  The street is steep, really steep, as steep as any street that you'd encounter in San Francisco.  After hiking up the street for a mile or sore, I was tired and thirsty, and I came upon a small, neighborhood grocery store named Abarrot's El Sol, where I purchased a large Tecate beer.  Since Mexican law is strict about consuming booze in public, I asked them for a cup, and I drank the beer inside the store, which is perfectly legal.  Naturally I gave them a tip of $5.00 and thanked them for their hospitality.  They also suggested that I might try not to frequent the area at night, as things change a bit.  Since it was about 1500 on an April afternoon in 2005, I wasn't really very concerned about being caught after dark.  However if I was, there are always plenty of taxis roaming the streets looking for business...

Left:  Looking toward Television Hill.  Right:  Abarrot's El Sol, where I purchased a large Tecate beer to quench my thirst, hiking up steep Av. Television.

I just followed Av. Television as it climbed the canyon toward the hill where the television antennas are located. This is residential area, as houses line both sides of the street.  I am not really sure if Mexico has zoning laws, as I've noticed that construction seems to be somewhat hap-hazard, and at times there can be a mix of residential dwellings and commercial establishments.  As you walk up the street, the odor of cooking meat is pervasive, particularly the smell of grilled chicken.  You'll also notice that many folks have dogs and chickens as pets, or maybe the dog is a pet and the chickens are meals, almost ready to eat.  I noticed a couple of houses that had pigs in the back yard!  Only in Tijuana.

From the intersection of Av. Fundadores and Av. Television, it's a steep hike of about 2 miles to the top of the hill, that I'm going to assume is named Television Hill.  That's only an assumption on the author's part... Anyway, the view is spectacular, you can look north and clearly see downtown Tijuana, the huge flag below you, the Tijuana arch, the bullring, and the border.  You can also see the ocean; this would afford a spectacular sunset photo, but I think that would require a taxi ride back, as the neighborhood changes after dark.  You can also make out the distant skyline of San Diego, 20 miles to the north.  If you feel like an exhausting hike, and you're an admirer of spectacular urban views, a hike up Av. Television is for you.

Left:  See, I really did make it to the top of the hill.  I bet these households have outstanding television reception!  Right:  Looking toward El Centro from atop Television Hill.

While I was admiring the view, I heard some shouts from a ways below me, and I looked down into a school yard where several young boys were playing basketball.  In perfect English, one of them shouted, "Hey mister, can you take a photo of us?"  I said, "Sure," and asked them to pose, and snapped their photo.  I yelled to them that they'd be on the internet, and they seemed to understand.  I suppose that Mexican youngsters are exposed to the internet in school, anyway, these guys seemed to know what I was talking about.

By now, I was HUNGRY, and it was getting time to hike down the hill, and head over to the Zona Rio and to hit a taqueria or two; follow this link to the write-up of my fining experience at  Taco La Fama.  I basically just followed my route down the canyon that Av. Television follows and made my way back to Blv. Agua Caliente and followed it to Av. Revolucion.

Left:  Looking down Av. Television towards Blvd. Fundadores.  This street is as steep as any found in San Francisco.  Right:  The intersection of Av. Television and an unmarked street, near Blvd. Fndadores.  Most of the residental streets aren't marked, so if you want to know where you are, you ask a local.  I'm not afraid of asking and I'm not timid, nor shy.

If you're looking for a steep hike, you're a fan of spectacular urban scenery, and you want to tread where few gringos a hike up Av. Television might be of interest to you.  If you want to bypass the hike and just savor the view, you can always take a taxi.  Me?  I like to see Mexico in general and Tijuana in particular, up close and personal, and get the views that you can only get by walking.

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