Through the Looking Glass
The Mexican city of Juarez as seen through a bullet-pocked protective barrier from the American side of the international border. Ciudad Juarez has been plagued by drug-related violence and thousands of murders over the past several years.
I have actually been to Juarez multiple times till quite recently (last time was May 2011) and cannot be thankful enough that I do not have to return. It felt rather strange to cross the border between El Paso, TX and Juarez, Mexico, not knowing what was waiting on the other side. But I had to travel there for work multiple times and would only spend the time necessary there and leave.
I remember I was once held at the border trying to go into the US by the border police because they could not “process” my US visa at that location and made me wait and interrogated me for over 2 hours. I then had to drive through the heart of Juarez at about midnight to the other border crossing where I was further questioned for a few hours. I spent a total of 9 hours at the border that night. And that car ride through Juarez was probably one of the most strangely frightening times in my life. Very glad that chapter in my life is over… at least I think so.
