Las Cruces - Visiting El Paso

I had to visit El Paso to travel for work as it had the closest airport, but I also wanted to visit El Paso because of its geographical proximity to the Mexican border. You hear about the rate of crime there, and its featured in Breaking Bad, so why the heck not! Plus Las Cruces didn't have a Costco, and I was very much addicted to buying vegetables in bulk.

Located only an hour from my place in Las Cruces, El Paso seemed like a good day trip. I decided to head out early and first stop at the Murchison Rogers Park that promised a fantastic view of two countries.  When I arrived there, the gate to the road leading to the view point was closed. Apparently, on some weekends they do that to allow the locals to walk on the road without having to deal with cars. That was a great idea, so I parked in the lot next to the gate and walked to the scenic spot. 

Indeed, it was rather scenic. I guess I didn't expect El Paso to have any spots like this at all.

After about an hour walking the road I headed to another spot of interest Chamizal National Memorial, a place that beautifully bridges the gap between history and natural beauty. It's not your typical national park; instead, it's a symbol of peaceful cooperation between the United States and Mexico. The park's main attraction is the Chamizal Cultural Center, which hosts exhibitions and events that showcase the rich cultural heritage of this border region. The visitor center goes deeper in details of the symbolic nature of the monument. Chamizal National Monument is historically significant for its role in resolving a longstanding and contentious border dispute between the United States and Mexico. The Chamizal dispute, which had its roots in the shifting Rio Grande riverbed, led to tensions and occasional conflicts between the two countries over the boundary. The disagreement persisted for over a century, but the landmark Chamizal Treaty of 1963 finally settled the matter.

The treaty ensured that the border would be redefined according to the river's current course, granting a portion of the disputed land to Mexico and providing compensation to individuals on both sides who were affected by the border shift. The monument commemorates this diplomatic triumph, symbolizing peaceful conflict resolution and international cooperation. It serves as a reminder of the importance of diplomacy in addressing complex border issues and stands as a symbol of unity and goodwill between the United States and Mexico. The Chamizal National Monument not only preserves this historical legacy but also educates visitors about the significance of diplomacy in resolving international disputes and maintaining peaceful relations between neighboring nations.

Mexico is right across the fence

At the visitor center

After visiting the monument, I was going to walk around downtown El Paso. I parked and grabbed a coffee, but decided against actually spending time there. The homelessness was very visible there. I had two places in mind where I wanted to grab lunch but the first one seemed to be gone and the second one didn't look very inviting. While I like to experience the authentic restaurants, Jalisco Cafe looked from both inside and outside a bit like a dump. Food poisoning was not on my agenda.

I ended up spending just half a day in El Paso and then headed home. What struck me the most is how unkept the city was outside downtown. I have never seen as much broken glass as I saw on the streets of El Paso. Regular trash was on every street. It was kind of sad to verify that the stereotypes have reasons to exist.