I have been traveling north from Guadalajara to El Paso where I will fly back to NYC on March 9, I'd like to devote 2 days to seeing Juarez with a guide -- journalists call them "fixers," who will help me safely navigate the city, going into areas that tourists normally wouldn't go into. Neighborhoods, bars, perhaps setting up a tour of a maquiladora or two and yes, poking into the dark history of Juarez.
Burial sites, cemeteries, crime scenes. I'm male, 66 years old, speak Spanish OK. I'm not a journalist, but am interested in learning more about border issues, particularly at the Juarez-El Paso nexus where I understand that lots of dollars will be going to build the wall.
I'll be taking lots of photographs. Any thoughts? How was Juarez? Did you decide to go? If so, how did the people there react to you? I live in the U. But, like you, I was brave and did something similiar in a couple of countries abroad. I took pics too of the "most dangerous areas. People wrote "don't go in those areas!
Oh, it's sooo bad, the police won't even go in those areas. In an area where there are constant murders on the news. Drug addicts, prostitutes everywhere. The drug dealers MAIN interest is their customers arriving and they are looking out for the police.
When they know you are not the police, it is rare that you will have an issue. A person may ask you for a cigarette or 50 cents. I always have a cpl dollars or three singles ready just in case in a back pocket when I'm in a foreign country.
