Calexico - SoCal

As we looked back on the glam of L.A., we made the journey back to Uncle Matt and Aunt Linda's in El Centro, CA, which is about 2 hours east of San Diego. El Centro is a city about 10 minutes from the border of Mexico, so one evening, we drove on down. We came to the city of Calexico, on the California side of the border. I soon found out that the city on the Mexico side is called Mexicali. Get it? Anyway, this was a real eye opener for me. As we were driving, I could sense that we were nearing the Mexico border. Everything turned dark, the roads were all dirt, and all the advertisements and store-fronts were written in Spanish. It was an eerie feeling. Being we were there at night, we had to be very cautious of the border patrol, so we barely had time to get out of the car for a picture. Matt and Linda then started telling us stories of the illegal immigrants who try to sneak over to the U.S. in search for jobs.

These illegal immigrants would travel by night to try and get into the country. On the border where we were, there was a huge mountain that the illegals would try to cross as to bypass the border patrol. Matt and Linda said the best way to spot if an illegal crossed the border is by their shoes. Most of their shoes would be worn from climbing over the mountain and walking through the rough terrain. Illegals who set out at the fall of darkness would barely make it into the U.S. by morning without being caught because the mountain is a lenghty one to get around. By morning, these people would be captured and then taken by bus to into Mexico again. We actually saw some illegals sitting beside a building, waiting to go back into Mexico, as they had just been captured. Matt and Linda also told stories of how some illegals had drown in the Rio Grande, trying to swim under water in attempts of not being seen by the border patrol, but they would be swept away by the strong current.

This experience was such a reality check for me. Here I am, sitting in the mid-west with seemingly nothing to worry about, and down around the U.S. border, people's lives are in danger. I guess it's just a way of life for them. Going to the border helped me understand Southern California's culture a lot better!

Tips on Calexico:
-I wouldn't suggest any tourist go all the way to the border, especially not at night. If you don't know where you are going, it can result in serious danger. There are too many illegal immigrants looking for any way to get in, and if you are in the wrong place, bad things can happen. Not to mention you can easily get in major trouble with border patrol.

Blue Angels Air Show - SoCal

The United States Navy Blue Angels Air Show is a first class flight show, spotlighting 6 acrobatic aircrafts. The Blue Angels split into the Diamond (Blue Angels 1 through 4) and the Lead and Opposing Solos (Blue Angels 5 and 6). Most of the show alternates between maneuvers performed by the Diamond and those performed by the Solos.

We were lucky to have been with Uncle Matt because his company sponsored the Blue Angels, so we got to go behind the scenes and get some VIP treatment. Some of the behind the scenes stuff we did was: getting to go onto the Navy Base in El Centro, CA, having the honor to meet the Blue Angels at their "Food Festival" the night before the show, and get front row VIP tickets to the real thing!

The day before the show, the Blue Angels had a practice run on the navy base, and we watched the whole thing. Before then, I had never heard of the Blue Angles, and now I was getting the experience of a lifetime. How they do all their formations, I will never know. Click here to see a video. They are so precise on their maneuvers, and one wrong move could result in tragedy. The Navy will forever have my respect!

The Blue Angels Air Show is a show you won't want to miss, and it is a once in a lifetime experience. If you decide to go to a show (their shows run from March to November in various city's), be honored! You will be blown away by what they can do, and you will remember it forever!

Tips on the Blue Angels Air Show:
-No matter when or where you go, make sure to stay well hydrated. Bring lots of water!
-Be prepared to make the show an all day event. When the Blue Angels come to town, its a big event. Not only is the show a production, but the whole base is like a fair. There are a bunch of planes on the base that the Navy used to use in war, and you have the opportunity to go inside of them and see what a war plane is all about. Other fun things to do before the show might be taking part in a Navy simulation, eating really good food, and talking with vetrans!