This prosperous city was founded in northeastern Baja California, on a fertile valley that nowadays gets thousands of visitors per year. What keeps people coming here lies somewhere between amusement and business, since Mexicali has it all: wild dance clubs, bohemian bars, outdoor activities, a tasty regional cuisine, and major industries that take advantage of the short distance between Mexicali and the US to produce and export all sorts of goods, from modern clothes to the ultimate DVD player.
Description
Mexicali proudly bares a name derived from a mixture of the words "Mexico" and "California". The same can be said about the U.S border city Calexico, considered the sister of Mexicali. Culture, architecture, cuisine and economic activities are shared by them both, despite being divided by the border.
In the past, the Colorado River flowed through this land, helping Mexicali transform into an important cotton producing city, attracting workers from all over the world. Americans, Mexicans and even people from Asia all worked together to further the agricultural development of Mexicali. Little by little, due to its economic and population growth, Mexicali became the capital city of Baja. Over the last few years, and due to changes in market demand, Mexicali's industrial sector has become as important as its crops.
Mexicali's inhabitants work in several industries, ranging from electrical assembly plants and clothing manufacturing, to auto parts factories and juice and cereal processing plants.
Because of its desert location, weather in this beautiful city tends to be really hot during the day and cool or cold at night. The strength and endurance to overcome these extremes in temperature, the ability to prosper in this unforgiving environment, as well as Mexicali's intense blue sky are just some of the reasons that make the locals proud.
A lot to offer
Hundreds of people arrive in Mexicali every year for many different reasons; to start a new family business, work for one of the factories, on business, or just to have fun and relax.
Mexicali has exquisite cuisine, a fusion resulting from the culinary traditions of the multi-ethnic founders of the city. Mexican and Chinese flavors are combined to create delicious interesting dishes. Something similar has happened to the traditional music and dance, which can be seen during festivals in the public squares and also in the museums, throughout the year. Sporting events and Mexicali's vibrant nightlife are some of the extra attractions of the city and an excellent opportunity to go people watching.