Tecate - A magical little town that is the heart of Baja
Submitted by adambehar on Tue, 06/16/2009 - 08:18.
By: Carla White
I first visited Tecate in the 1980s, with my husband-to-be. I remember driving into town through a sleepy border crossing, in early December. Icy sleet – unusual but not unheard of — did not dim our enthusiasm as we strolled, arm-in-arm, through the quiet zocalo (town square) that is just as lovely today as it was then. That day, more than 20 years ago, Tecate evoked the Mexico of a bygone era—friendly townsfolk, delicious pastries and coffee, colorful fabrics and flags hanging in windows, and the alluring smell of hot corn tortillas and grilling taco meats (Tecate is famous for its delicious tacos) lacing the brisk winter air.
In September, 2008, my husband and I returned to Tecate. You know what they say about going back…that you’ll be disappointed. Don’t believe it. If anything, this charming town is more appealing, with more to offer, than ever before. The zocalo is even lovelier in the warmth of the sun and, while the charm of Tecate seems untouched, the town has added high-end restaurants, accommodations and increased recreation options.
The once-sleepy border crossing has been spruced up, but it is still pretty darned quiet (don’t tell anyone) and very user-friendly. All in all, this little community – the gateway to Mexico’s wine country – offers amazing possibilities for everything from spa and ecology trips, to brewery tours, to fine dining and shopping. Proof? I am returning there with my book group soon to meet with author Daniel Reveles who is profiled in this issue of the magazine, to raise a glass of Tecate beer and to consume copious amounts of carbs at the famous Asao restaurant!
Sometimes referred to as the ‘Heart of Baja’, Tecate is located along the northern Mexico border between the ocean and the desert. Only 35 minutes from Tijuana , 45 minutes from San Diego and 90 minutes from Mexicali, the town that was founded in 1892 exudes the character of a small, quaint Mexican town certainly more than any other place in northern Baja. With an elevation of 1700 feet, the region enjoys an estimated 340 days-a-year of sunshine and a generally mild climate. Ringed by hills that often become snow-tipped in winter, to the delight of outdoor enthusiasts, Tecate enjoys clear starry nights almost year-round. The symbol that best represents Tecate is the Chuchuma mountain, also known locally as the “holy mountain.” The place is great for nature lovers. The mountain is lush with greenery and wildflowers, as well as dramatic landscapes – perfect for hiking or just viewing. Perhaps it is the town’s strategic location that makes it an excellent gateway to so many of Baja’s sights and wonders.
TECATE PLAZA
If you go nowhere else, make sure that you spend some time enjoying Tecate’s main plaza (Sundays are best, with music and the traditional strolling of young couples around the square) at Hidalgo Park. It requires nothing more active than plunking yourself in a chair under an umbrella at a café table and observing life as it passes by.
From your plastic throne, you can spy on the comings and goings at the Bar Turistico Diana (the hub of all things and home to a rather awesome painting of the goddess in her natural state); watch the Balloon Man bounce by with his colorful wares and the Doughnut Man selling out his quota of cinnamon-sugar-covered churros; perhaps engage in a boisterous game of dominoes, and always listen to strolling mariachis.
The plaza is a direct shot south from the border crossing…it’s hard to miss, so don’t.
SHOPPING
Shopping really isn’t the main activity in Tecate but, nonetheless, it can be rewarding. Scout out the “paver’s yard," where inventory is sent north across the border every day. Here, you can purchase outdoor fireplaces, pottery, tiles and other items at bargain prices. Two blocks from the tourist office on the main plaza, you’ll find Rositas Curios and Artesania Salazaar, where you can purchase arts and crafts of the region, including handwoven items, jewelry, onyx bowls and more. About two miles west of the plaza, Los Azulejos offers up spectacular tiles, both talavera and other traditional styles, for indoor and outdoor décor.
PANADERIA EL MEJOR PAN
On Avenue Juarez, just a little bit east of the main square, is this famous bakery with its distinctive sign. It doesn’t take a brain
surgeon to figure out the main activity here: buying and eating incredibly rich and often unusual pastries. The bread is its
specialty—many say the the bakery’s bolillos are the best in Baja.
Other not-to-miss items? The elephant ears, bread pudding squares and the pastries made to look like watermelons.
CERVECERIA CUAUHTÉMOC-MOCTEZUMA
Perhaps no place is as emblematic of Tecate as Cerveceria Cuauhtémoc-Moctezuma, the internationally renowned brewery, home to Tecate beer. With 500 employees, the operations of this Femsa-owned company, under the directorship of Francisco Garza Hernandez, are vital to the town’s well-being. And, according to Raul Peña Hernandez, director of sales, the brewery takes a deep interest in partnering with the community on many projects, including recycling grey water for use in parks and recreation areas, and supporting events. Although much of the company’s sponsorship helps nonprofit causes, one of the most popular activities that benefits from the cerveceria’s patronage is baseball: East of the town center, it’s hard to miss the stadium where the Cerveceros (the Brewers) baseball team plays its home games.
Annually, 175 million gallons of beer and lagers are produced by the cerveceria, including Tecate, Tecate Light, Superior, Carta Blanca, Sol, Indio, Bohemia, Dos Equis, and a special beer created only for the Christmas season, Noche Buena, that features a poinsettia on its label.
The Cuauhtémoc-Moctezuma brewery can be visited Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tours are available free of charge and are offered in both English and Spanish. Following the tour, guests are escorted to the beer garden for a free glass of Bohemia, Dos Equis or Carta Blanca. The garden, which is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, features old brewery machines and a century-old beer truck.
For more information, visit www.ccm.com.mx
Submitted by adambehar on Tue, 06/16/2009 - 08:18.
By: Carla White
I first visited Tecate in the 1980s, with my husband-to-be. I remember driving into town through a sleepy border crossing, in early December. Icy sleet – unusual but not unheard of — did not dim our enthusiasm as we strolled, arm-in-arm, through the quiet zocalo (town square) that is just as lovely today as it was then. That day, more than 20 years ago, Tecate evoked the Mexico of a bygone era—friendly townsfolk, delicious pastries and coffee, colorful fabrics and flags hanging in windows, and the alluring smell of hot corn tortillas and grilling taco meats (Tecate is famous for its delicious tacos) lacing the brisk winter air.
In September, 2008, my husband and I returned to Tecate. You know what they say about going back…that you’ll be disappointed. Don’t believe it. If anything, this charming town is more appealing, with more to offer, than ever before. The zocalo is even lovelier in the warmth of the sun and, while the charm of Tecate seems untouched, the town has added high-end restaurants, accommodations and increased recreation options.
The once-sleepy border crossing has been spruced up, but it is still pretty darned quiet (don’t tell anyone) and very user-friendly. All in all, this little community – the gateway to Mexico’s wine country – offers amazing possibilities for everything from spa and ecology trips, to brewery tours, to fine dining and shopping. Proof? I am returning there with my book group soon to meet with author Daniel Reveles who is profiled in this issue of the magazine, to raise a glass of Tecate beer and to consume copious amounts of carbs at the famous Asao restaurant!
Sometimes referred to as the ‘Heart of Baja’, Tecate is located along the northern Mexico border between the ocean and the desert. Only 35 minutes from Tijuana , 45 minutes from San Diego and 90 minutes from Mexicali, the town that was founded in 1892 exudes the character of a small, quaint Mexican town certainly more than any other place in northern Baja. With an elevation of 1700 feet, the region enjoys an estimated 340 days-a-year of sunshine and a generally mild climate. Ringed by hills that often become snow-tipped in winter, to the delight of outdoor enthusiasts, Tecate enjoys clear starry nights almost year-round. The symbol that best represents Tecate is the Chuchuma mountain, also known locally as the “holy mountain.” The place is great for nature lovers. The mountain is lush with greenery and wildflowers, as well as dramatic landscapes – perfect for hiking or just viewing. Perhaps it is the town’s strategic location that makes it an excellent gateway to so many of Baja’s sights and wonders.
TECATE PLAZA
If you go nowhere else, make sure that you spend some time enjoying Tecate’s main plaza (Sundays are best, with music and the traditional strolling of young couples around the square) at Hidalgo Park. It requires nothing more active than plunking yourself in a chair under an umbrella at a café table and observing life as it passes by.
From your plastic throne, you can spy on the comings and goings at the Bar Turistico Diana (the hub of all things and home to a rather awesome painting of the goddess in her natural state); watch the Balloon Man bounce by with his colorful wares and the Doughnut Man selling out his quota of cinnamon-sugar-covered churros; perhaps engage in a boisterous game of dominoes, and always listen to strolling mariachis.
The plaza is a direct shot south from the border crossing…it’s hard to miss, so don’t.
SHOPPING
Shopping really isn’t the main activity in Tecate but, nonetheless, it can be rewarding. Scout out the “paver’s yard," where inventory is sent north across the border every day. Here, you can purchase outdoor fireplaces, pottery, tiles and other items at bargain prices. Two blocks from the tourist office on the main plaza, you’ll find Rositas Curios and Artesania Salazaar, where you can purchase arts and crafts of the region, including handwoven items, jewelry, onyx bowls and more. About two miles west of the plaza, Los Azulejos offers up spectacular tiles, both talavera and other traditional styles, for indoor and outdoor décor.
PANADERIA EL MEJOR PAN
On Avenue Juarez, just a little bit east of the main square, is this famous bakery with its distinctive sign. It doesn’t take a brain
surgeon to figure out the main activity here: buying and eating incredibly rich and often unusual pastries. The bread is its
specialty—many say the the bakery’s bolillos are the best in Baja.
Other not-to-miss items? The elephant ears, bread pudding squares and the pastries made to look like watermelons.
CERVECERIA CUAUHTÉMOC-MOCTEZUMA
Perhaps no place is as emblematic of Tecate as Cerveceria Cuauhtémoc-Moctezuma, the internationally renowned brewery, home to Tecate beer. With 500 employees, the operations of this Femsa-owned company, under the directorship of Francisco Garza Hernandez, are vital to the town’s well-being. And, according to Raul Peña Hernandez, director of sales, the brewery takes a deep interest in partnering with the community on many projects, including recycling grey water for use in parks and recreation areas, and supporting events. Although much of the company’s sponsorship helps nonprofit causes, one of the most popular activities that benefits from the cerveceria’s patronage is baseball: East of the town center, it’s hard to miss the stadium where the Cerveceros (the Brewers) baseball team plays its home games.
Annually, 175 million gallons of beer and lagers are produced by the cerveceria, including Tecate, Tecate Light, Superior, Carta Blanca, Sol, Indio, Bohemia, Dos Equis, and a special beer created only for the Christmas season, Noche Buena, that features a poinsettia on its label.
The Cuauhtémoc-Moctezuma brewery can be visited Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tours are available free of charge and are offered in both English and Spanish. Following the tour, guests are escorted to the beer garden for a free glass of Bohemia, Dos Equis or Carta Blanca. The garden, which is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, features old brewery machines and a century-old beer truck.
For more information, visit www.ccm.com.mx