With full credit to Daytimer.

There is a large group of characters who roam the streets of La Zona Norte. One group of roamers call themselves "tour guides". In some cases they are nothing but cleaver bums finding different ways of getting handouts.

This is a list of the "tour guides" that I have run across and my comments about each one.

Texas Mike: He is American and is a veteran. He sometimes looks really bad when he has been on a drunk and has been down on his luck. He is friendly and seems sincere about his chosen profession. He has a habit of always hitting me up for money every time he sees me. That gets old after awhile.

Ramona: This is another American who has landed in TJ. She claims to be taking care of 8 orphan boys. She asks for money so she can feed them. As most stories in this area, they are not to be believed. Ramona is trying to survive and is doing so by telling stories. She is like Texas Mike and seems sincere about what she does and always hits me up for money.

KB: KB is a husky young black American who claims he was a Marine. He talks in a very intelligent way. He offers advice about TJ to mongers. He hits people up for two and a half-dollars so he can buy a bottle of boos. At least he is honest about that. He says he has some mental problems and is on medication.

Franco: Franco seems to be the most honest of the "guides". He has never told me big stories about himself or has said any BS to me. He has accepted money from me, but he has never asked. He now works to promote the Tropical Bar. He is a good person to talk to if you want the real story on something. He knows a lot of the girls so he can lead you in the right direction if you can not find a girl you want.

Ramona has trouble with the cops too. I got stopped once simply because she was trailing after me trying to get my attention. Cops let me go and took her away. If you walk or chat with her, you are just begging to get hassled by the cops.

Franco has asked me for money in the past, and he flat lied to me about a chica I was interested in once. He's translated for me in the past too, and seems somewhat respectable.

I've never met the other two.

-Superman-

Ramona is the biggest chronic liar of the bunch. I agree she should be avoided. She once offered to set me up with some underaged girls in a hotel room. I smelled a scam on that one. I would never get involved with such a thing anyway. That is really asking for trouble.

There is an interview with Franco under the "downloadable files" section. I find him to be interesting. BUT, of course he is no angel. In the interview he says that he is no angel, and says just look where he is now. I don't think for a moment that Franco is not capable of scams. Almost everyone working the streets are into some kind of a scam.

I enjoy talking to Franco and always get some laughs. For that, I give him a couple of bucks. I would never trust him, or any other street person, for anything more than a couple of dollars worth of a deal.

Don’t forget Juan, somewhere between Franco and Ramona, alphabetically, at least.

I don't know Juan.

The tour guides were out in full force last night. I was hit up by three of them. Texas Mike, Ramona, and a new tour guide all hit me up. The new one is a young kid who used to shine shoes in front of AB. I did not see Franco, though I was told he was around.

I saw Ramona both in the Zona and on Revolucion. She sure does get around.

I probably should not give the TG's any money, but I am a sucker. I spend a lot of time on the streets, so I can not help but run into the characters of the Zone. I don't mind giving Franco money because he never asks me, but the others always ask and that irritates me. I think I should stop giving them any. I will tell them I only give money to people who don't ask. That would surprise them.

Maybe he meant Juan aka Lakers....

-Superman-

ooooh....I get it now.

I understand that Franco is staying at the Cascadas. I have called there because I would like to get ahold of him, but the lobby person won't transfer the call to his room (I don't know the room number, but they do). What's up with these people at the Cascadas, anyone know????

In June and July, I spent quite a lot of time at The Rizo de Oro, connected to the Tropical bar. Franco was living in room #140. I was told in mid september that he is there again. give that a try.
I'm not sure how to dial from u.s., but when in TJ, the number there is 685-65-03 or 685-25-95 or
685-39-41. If you get nowhere, have someone who speaks spanish ask for Ramiro, the guy during the daytime at the front desk. I have seen him put people through to franco many times.

Thanks for the info, but he has moved to the Cascasdas.

You can try his email

franco@rocketinyourpocket.com

I don't know how often he checks it though.

-Superman-

Franco is staying in one of the flop rooms on the first floor...behind the Miami recepcion desk...Number 33 I believe...

YoungBrig

YB,

Franco was in #33 about 3 weeks ago and kept complaining he didn't like the room cuz it didn't have a phone. (which could explain why the staff at Cascadas didn't wanna call him for Sayhey). I know he was pushing for a new one (the rent for the room is part of his pay) but not sure if he moved out yet...I did see him Sunday night but didn't get a chance to talk to him.

Thanks, guys for the info.

Sayhey

Saw Franco yesterday at his post on the NW corner of Coahilla y Constitution. He still works for Tropical, but he no longer lives at the Rizo de Oro because they took away his private room with a phone and made him bunk with another male employee. He gave me his new card and asked me to let spread his Cell phone number across the internet as he does not have access to e-mail right now. He is working mostly days.
From USA: 011 52 664 503 7609
From TJ: 044 664 503 7609

The last time I talked to Franco, about three weeks ago, he said he no longer worked for Tropical. He switched to Las Chavelas.

He switches around quite a bit, so it is difficult to keep track of him.

Daytimer, I talked with Franco 2 or 3 nights ago. He is no longer with Las Chavales and was going to try to get back with Tropical or La Tropa.
Also, no longer at Casacadas since that room was comp from LC Bar.

I recently ran into a shady character named "Marques" standing on the corner of Coahuila & Constitucion. He was passing out flyers for Tropical, speaks good English and has his hair tied back in a ponytail.

He tried to hustle a young girl on me - nothing new there, right? - but in this case the young girl was standing right next to him ... she literally looked 12 or 13 years old. "She'll suck and fuck, anything you want" he said ... I was stunned. I asked him how old she was ... "she's 13 years old," he said. Fuck. I asked him "what about the cops?" and he tells me he pays the cops off .... I said "no thanks, that's way too young for me" and I cruised over to CC to watch the dancers for awhile.

When I came back out of CC, I saw the girl roaming around ... I stopped her and asked her how old she was ... "trece anos ... hotel?" I said "no bueno, no bueno" and went into Tropical for a second. Trop sucked, and as I was coming back out I saw the girl going into Cascadas with a monger ... unbelievable. I did not stick around to see if it was a police sting or not ...

As I started my walk to Rev, I pass right by this Marques character, and he says "how about a tip?" I say "for what?" He says "So I don't tell the cops you fuck young girls." I told him to fuck off and kept walking ... I really wanted to rip his throat open. Be wary of this guy ...

I also searched the girls name on Juanasses site, and there are three guys who have fucked her ...

-Superman-

Yeah, I saw that last night too. The girl was with her b/f and this pony haired ass was trying to pawn this girl off to everyone. She was cute but I don't know if she was really 13. She looked like she could pass for 17 or 18.

Superman:

Is she listed as a club girl or as an SG on the Juans board?...

And was Marques outright pimping her or was he working the corner for Tropical and she happened to be hanging around?...

YoungBrig

SG ... I got the feeling he was pimping her, but I did see her roaming around without him ... I also saw her playing with his ponytail.

-Superman-

I have talked to Marques a few times now. I have not used his services. The problem I have with him is that he seems to be too good to be true. He seems to be pretty sharp. He speaks good English and seems to know everyone and everything. There is not a thing he can not do. He claims he can get any woman I want for less than I can on my own. He also claims if I am ever ripped off by a girl he will get the money back from her(I did not ask him how he does that).

Marques goes in the catagory of all the street guides, and that is to be very careful.

I have seen cops shaking down these winners before

and at the same time i have seen them laughing and shooting the shit for a while with them too.

I guess some cops put up with them when they give them money and when they do not come up with doughnuts, they give these winners a hard time.

I am starting to see a lot of younger street girls out now.

I am pretty rude to these street hustlers if they do not accept no for an answer.

only texas mike will back off after the first no.

I have never met the husky tour guide yet.

Maybe I should be on the corner and hustle Milkies free pussy tours.

take care
milkman

A guy named "Eric" was trying to play guide last week as he handed out flyers for Tropical.. Seemed like an OK guy but ya never know..