Nuevo Laredo, Mexico

The giant of the eastern border towns, NUEVO LAREDO is alive with the imagery and commercialism of the frontier. It doubles as the transport hub for the whole area, with dozens of departures to Mexico City and all major towns in the north. Cross-border traffic, legal and illegal, is king here, and both bridges from the Texan town of Laredo are crowded with pedestrians and vehicles 24 hours a day. The Mexican side greets you with insurance offices and sleazy cantinas, while tired horses hitched to buggies wait dispiritedly for their next load of pasty, overweight tourists.