Friday, February 16th - Tijuana Dental Visit

This morning, we left our camp at 8:00am and drove south to Tijuana, Baja, Mexico, just across the border from San Ysidro and San Diego. I had made an 11:00am appointment with Dr. Willian Bartell, a dentist recommended by friends, Todd and Carole Mitchell who had been treated by Dr. Bartell last year.

We chose to drive across the border, rather than walk and taxi, and we found Dr. Bartell's office after just one wrong turn. His offices are very clean with modern equipment and two specialists. I went for a cleaning, examination and to have a filling replaced. However, the tooth that lost the filling needed a root canal, a procedure I had avoided for 63 years. We had to come back in 90 minutes so we walked around and were hustled by hundreds of street hawkers and store personnel. "One of a kind, only $1.00, mister": "my turn, you can't miss seeing this"; "mister, let me introduce you to my sister".

We did stop for "2 for 1 margaritas". The waiter brought SIX margaritas (not good, very weak). Plus, a strange man in a red hat patted me on the back and began pouring "tequila" down my throat. I stopped him after a second or so but then he tried to do the same to MA. I stopped him and said that she had to drive. Then he wanted $2. I told him I was not going to pay for something I did not order and did not want. He persisted and so I paid him 1$ to leave. Then the waiter tried to charge me $17 for the drinks (plus tip). I gave him $12 and we left.

Back to the dentist, one of the specialists did the root canal. It was not bad, at all. Then the regular dentist finished up. I need to return twice, for impressions and for fittings. We will get that done next Tuesday and Saturday.