Mexico 1989: Tijuana - Tia Juana for the Gringos...

"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are..." - Theodore Roosevelt

Tijuana, Mexico

(1 June 1989)

(In a small Mexican town)

We had the opportunity to cross the heavily guarded US - Mexico border and visited the city of Tijuana. This region of Mexico isn't the safest and is notorious for its human-trafficking and drug-related homicides. As it was a short visit, we avoided the crowds and stayed within the tourist shopping area. 

Tijuana is the largest city of the Mexican state of Baja California, situated on the U.S.-Mexico border adjacent to its sister city of San Diego. Tijuana is the westernmost city in Mexico. Tijuana has a vastly diverse population consisting of immigrants from all over Mexico and the world. Tijuana is also home to a large and rapidly growing population of United States citizens, mostly from Southern California, who have moved to the city to avoid the higher cost of living in their home country while still being able to work in San Diego.

Tijuana's bustling main street, Avenida Revolución, is lined with souvenir shops and lively bars. Landmarks include the neoclassical Jai Alai Frontón palace and Centro Cultural Tijuana, a modern cultural complex in the Zona Río district. Throughout town, stadiums stage lucha libre for wrestling matches, while the nearby city of Rosarito fronts sandy beaches.

A visit to Tijuana was a once in a lifetime experience for us...

(Are we lost?)

(A sunny day at the border)

(A cool mosaic fountain)

(A short visit to Knott Berry Farm)

👈 1991: Medan, Indonesia

1989: San Diego, New York 👉

USA 1989: San Diego - America's finest city...

"Life is about laughing and living in good and bad times. Getting through whatever comes our way and looking back with a smile..."

San Diego, USA
(30 May 1989)

(Fun time at the Sea World)

Today we went for a leisure drive in our rented car to San Diego about 120 miles from Cockatoo Inn in Los Angeles.

This beautiful city on the Pacific Ocean has the perfect climate, and is the perfect destination for all travelers. The 'Must sees' here include the eminent San Diego Zoo and the associated San Diego Wild Animal Park, two excellent museums are San Diego Museum of Man and the San Diego Natural History Museum and of course, the San Diego Sea World.

(Visiting the Japanese Garden)

(San Diego Zoo)

(Strolling leisurely in the garden)

(Shopping for souvenirs)

San Diego Sea World - Exciting adventures, amazing animals, and wondrous shows! Learn what your pets already know at Pets Rule! Sea lions, otters, and even a walrus give home improvement a whole new meaning at Fools with Tools. Polar bears, beluga whales and seals entertain you from their chilly dwellings at Base Station Wild Arctic. Kids of all ages can focus on fun at Shamu's Happy Harbor.

(The Sea World)

San Diego Zoo - Located in beautiful Balboa Park, the 100-acre World-Famous San Diego Zoo was founded by Dr. Harry Wegeforth in 1916. This colorful and extremely enterprising San Diego physician started the collection with 50 animals gathered from various local menageries. The San Diego Zoo cares for over 3,800 animals of 800 different species. Its collection of animals, as well as its plant collection of over 6,500 species, is acknowledged as one of the finest in the entire world.

👈 1989: Tiwana, Mexico

1989: Los Angeles, USA 👉

USA 1989: Los Angeles - City of the Stars...

"To get full value of joy, you must have someone to divide it with..." - Mark Twain

Los Angeles, USA
(27 May - 5 June, 1989)

(Universal Studios)

(The 'Jaws' prop in the background)

This trip to LA was made after my 2-week Reserve Management Seminar in New York organised by J.P. Morgan. Our initial plan to visit San Francisco was cancelled because of time constraint. We ended up staying in Los Angeles for a week and had the opportunity to rent a car and visit San Diego Sea World and Zoo. We even arranged a trip to cross the USA-Mexico border and visited the cowboy town of Tijuana.

(A full day trip to Disney Land)

(Christine of Stephen King)

(Too many rides to choose from)

(With Donald Duck at Disney Land)

No trip to Los Angeles is complete without a visit to Hollywood. Hollywood beckons tourists with landmarks like TCL Chinese Theatre and star-studded Walk of Fame. Highlights include Paramount Pictures, historic music venues like the Hollywood Bowl, and Dolby Theatre, home of the Oscars. Scenesters can choose from improv comedy clubs, retro-cool bars and velvet-roped nightclubs. Locals frequent eateries in nearby Thai Town.

(Superman at the Wax Museum)

(Jerry Lewis, the Mad Scientist)

(The three stooges)

When you visit Los Angeles, you’ll discover that much of the vibrant life here seems to thrive somewhere between reality and dream. This alluring place is where trends are born. Greater Los Angeles embodies everything that makes the United States a great place to visit: beautiful scenery, world-famous attractions and a wonderful selection of activities. Among others, be sure to visit Disneyland in Anaheim, Mann's Chinese Theater in Hollywood , Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills and the many picturesque coastal communities including Long Beach, Santa Monica and Newport Beach.

(The Cockatoo Inn)

In your arms a simple peace, 

Haunts my mind of separation. 

Beyond my body’s own existence 

Did I learn my destination?

With my promise always breaking 

Soon may come the day. 

When honest words are spoken, 

Please send me on my way.

👈 1989: San Diego, USA

1989: New York, USA👉

USA 1989: New York - The City that never sleeps...

"Yesterday is but today's memory, tomorrow is today's dream..." - Khalil Gibran

(The Statue of Liberty)

New York
(12 - 20 May 1989)

I was in New York for the 'Reserve Management Seminar' organised by J.P. Morgan. I was the only one nominated from Bank Negara Malaysia. The most junior and the youngest among the Central Bank's candidates from the South-East Asia region. For this trip, hubby accompanied me from the start.

We stayed in The JW Marriott Essex House Hotel, opened in 1931 and commonly known as the Essex House. It is a 44-story luxury hotel with Art Deco–style rooms and suites, located at Central Park South in Manhattan, across the street from the southern border of Central Park. For two weeks I had to commute by subway to J.P. Morgan building situated at Park Avenue.

In the 80s, the New York City subway was known as the most dangerous mass transit system in the world. The subway was notoriously covered in graffiti, with nearly every car vandalized. Getting around New York was quite easy yet scary because of the city's reputation for crime and disorder. Transportation tokens were used for both the subways and city buses. The newly released tokens, had the words “Archer Ave Extension 12-88” in lieu of the “Good for one fare”. To date I still have a few NYC tokens for souvenirs.

When we arrived in New York, there was enormous attention on the criminal trials of the Central Park jogger case where a Central Park jogger was badly beaten and raped. It was over the news and papers. We were briefed and advised not to roam alone and to be extra careful of our belongings.

(The elegant Essex House Hotel, New York)

(The New York Sports Club opening soon)

(Visiting the Metropolitan Museum)

(Taking a rest in between exhibition halls)

(The Battery Park Pier to Staten Island)

(Seafood Restaurants at the wharf)

(The weekend crowd at the Central Park)

(Boating at the Central Park Lake)

(A leisure evening walk in the park)

(A horse-carriage ride around the Central Park)

(The hustle and bustle of downtown New York)

(Doing my homework in the park)

(A glass of hot coffee in the park)

(Spending our care free days in New York)

(Watching the colorful weekend parades)

(American Eagle Statue at Battery Park)

(New York War Memorial)

New York is one of the world’s great metropolises, offering visitors everything from the ethnic flavours of Chinatown and Little Italy, to the galleries of SoHo, the cafes of Greenwich Village, the glitz of the Theater District, the shopping on Fifth Avenue and the affluence of Park Lane and the Upper West Side. New York City is made up of five boroughs and is laid out on a grid of avenues and streets.

(The twin towers of the World Trade Centre in the background)

(Roaming mode, from Battery Park to Bronx Zoo)

Most tourist sights are found on Manhattan Island, the city’s entertainment and business centre. The remaining four boroughs are primarily residential, the Bronx to the north, Queens to the east, Brooklyn to the southeast and Staten Island to the southwest. Each has wealthy and salubrious districts alongside working-class neighbourhoods demonstrating New York’s varied social mix.

(View point on the Empire State Building)

(A misty view of New York City)

New York’s location at the mouth of the Hudson River on the Atlantic Ocean is reflected in the city’s importance as a port, and as the point of disembarkation for millions of immigrants to the USA. Vibrating with the energy of over seven million inhabitants, New York is a constantly evolving, growing and changing organism. The sheer volume of things to do – theatre, ballet, opera, museums – is astonishing. During our two weeks stay we tried to cover most attractions.

(The Essex House Hotel, New York)

(Attending the Hudson River Cruise dinner)

(NY city sightseeing experience with dinner and live music)

You

(by jenawin)

'

ocean waves wash my soul

cleanse me of your smile

and the memory often

fingers entwined forever

in a hopeless wish

👈 1989: Los Angeles, USA

1987: Hong Kong 👉