November 25, 2005
XHUAN, Tijuana
Relaxing at the W San Diego, me on the blog and Shawn soaking in the bathtub. We're listening to Tijuana's eclectic radio station, XHUAN at 102.5 fm. It's only 8,000 watts, so it's not all that easy to get in. But when the waves make it to your radio, it's a little slice of Mexican musical heaven, playing a broad range of classics, from Freedom of Choice to Arráncame la vida.
After a sweet Mexican ballad accompanied by a jarana chaquiste, Louis Prima belts out a raucous number. This station is all over the map. It's kind of like Tijuana itself: a hodgepodge of many different elements. They play a lot of Brazilian music, jazz and old Mexican standards, and of course, el himno nacionál signals midnight, every night.
Our friend Brian likes it, but doesn't really listen to it that much. He gets easily frustrated by all the charlar they have on there, but that's mostly during the daytime and evenings. We tend to be listening late at night, while the clouds settle in as a lush blanket of fog enveloping the city and the last of the after-hours rush at La Posta is staggering homeward, or maybe just onward. At that time of night, it gives the city of San Diego a sensual exotic quality that it lacks during the daytime, making you want to lay in bed naked feeling the cool, moist breeze coming through an open window, thinking about how beautiful life is.
It's one of my favorite things about San Diego, right up there with Balboa Park.
Posted by crispy at November 25, 2005 04:34 AM