Photo by Dennis Goza
With a population of about 1.5 million, Juarez is the largest city in the Mexican state of Chihuahua. But even though there are plenty of attractions such as one would expect to find in a major city, parts of Juarez also have the look and feel of much smaller border towns. Juarez, in fact, is a hub of Mexican cowboy culture. The dining and shopping are superb, but be sure to bargain with vendors. That's the custom, and they'll think you're a sucker if you pay the first price asked. One unique point of interest is La Equis, a 200-foot red x-shaped sculpture symbolizing the union of Aztec and Spanish cultures.
If you go:
Address given is the Juarez Convention and Visitors Bureau. It's easy, and in fact preferable, to park in El Paso and walk into Juarez. You may have heard about the city's reputation from a few years ago as the most violent city in the world, but it has very much changed for the better since then. As with any major city, there is still crime, and you should exercise all due caution. But if you do your homework and take reasonable precautions, there should be nothing to worry about.
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