Why? I've lived there all my life. People travelling from Mexico to the US nearly always stop off in Tijuana, so you get a tremendous mix of people from all over the country. Growing up between two such strong and different cultures, you get the best of both worlds: innovation from the US and tradition from Mexico.

What's the best thing? Tijuana is a pretty ugly city, but people who live there love it. It has a real energy and a young, modern atmosphere. At the same time, though, it can be wonderfully calm. I live on the outskirts, practically in the countryside. I get woken by roosters in the morning, and if I go for a stroll I can see horses and trees, even though I'm just 15 minutes away from the centre of a big, noisy city.

Getting there: Journey Latin America (020-8747 3108, www.journeylatinamerica.co.uk) sells return flights from London to Tijuana, via Mexico City, from around £550.

Panoptica by Panoptica is out now on Certificate 18 records