Only in South Texas 5

It is Christmas Day 2011. Merry Christmas!


The pictures for this post were taken in my fair city of Weslaco.

The Valley-Ho Motel always brings on a laugh, a smile, or a chuckle. It is a city landmark. It has been here as long as I can remember. I don't know how they came up with the name. It is a nice family-owned business. I have had family members stay there and can attest to it being clean and upstanding. Forget the Holiday Inn or the Best Western close by. Next time you are in Weslaco, stay with the Valley-Ho.

Other elementary schools have signs that mention "student drop-off" points.  This one is for dropping off those nagging parents. However, I did not see a parent pick-up entrance.

Apparently the dyslexic sign painter got a job. This one is at a large strip mall in town. I saw this back in October and it is still there for all to admire and photograph. You should know that not all of the "stop" signs were done this way.  Maybe it was toward the end of the day.

I saw this truck in the high school parking lot. What can I say.

Matehuala Part 2

My trip to Matehuala, SLP was good in many ways. I found my grandmother's grave site, my uncle's picture at city hall, and it was an adventure.

Matehuala is a 4 hour bus ride from Monterrey and Monterrey is a 4 hour bus ride from home. I got to Matehuala without a hotel reservation and without a city map. I knew the streets I was searching, but could not tell north from south. It turns out that the location of the city bus station, based on Google Earth, was incorrect. The new one was built on the other side of town.

I asked someone at the bus terminal to recommend a hotel and she said, "Hotel del Parque." She did not suggest another in the center of town. After the 33 peso cab ride, I got to the hotel. It was perfect. There was an elevator and they accepted credit cards.

Hotel del Parque (Hotel by the Park)
     The hotel is across the street from a park. The hotel is modern in every way. There was a computer with Internet access in the lobby for guests. There was a nice restaurant, and the rooms were spacious. The $55 a night were worth it.
     The central location was a plus. It was 3 blocks from the church and the market place, "El Mercado." One of the streets on my list of things to find was a block away, and the cemetery was two blocks away.

 The clerk at check-in said, "Your room is 109, on the first floor." I asked for directions from the desk and she said, "Well you can take the elevator or the stairs to the first floor and then follow the signs." I was there three nights and I still had trouble remembering that the ground floor was not the first floor.

The park was quiet in the morning with only a few walkers. By 5 pm there were many people out and about - walking, sitting, hugging and kissing. In Mexico, parks are a good place to meet up with your boyfriends/girlfriends on your way to school or home from school. All the parks in the city, that I aw, had an old fashion bandstand in the center - wrought iron and tin roof.

The mercado is in the center of town. It is the place to go for vegetables, meats, fish, etc. Surrounding the mercado are many other shops. The three pictures below are examples.


This one sold pretty much what was in the mercado. This facade was more appealing. Inside the shop was crammed with the same items. Keep in mind that these items are not necessarily tourist souvenirs. The pottery and bird cages are kitchen/ household items.

The FarWest shop repaired and sold hats. I wish I knew where they came up with the name.

This shop sold fake flowers, candy, and more. Are you getting a better deal at the 3 and 10 than at the 5 and 10?

You see street lamps like this throughout the city. Not all were as nicely painted as this one outside the cathedral. Others were rusty, but functional. I liked them.

Another city park. There were many green spaces in the city. I spoke with one of the park sweepers and found out how much he values his job. He said that he had been working for the city for about 10 years and had no thoughts of quiting or looking for another job. He said that the average job pays 60 pesos/ week. His city job, as a park sweeper, pays 110 pesos/ week.

 City Streets

The Othon Theater
     I liked the looks of the building and did not look for information on it. The city also has a 3-screen movie theater.

This hotel dates to the early days of the city. Although pretty to look at, I don't think it had the amenities of my hotel. Maybe on my next trip.

This is San Salvador de Horta Temple. It started out as a chapel in the 1600s as part of an hacienda. In 1742 it became a real church and in 1799 it was a parish. I continue to be amazed at what was going on the world when the US was an infant country, and my schools never mentioned it.

This church is across the street from the city offices, Presidencia Muncipal. Also across the street is the park with the topless angel.

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In the bus station, I noticed the fire extinguisher. It caught my eye because of the name, "Chong."
I believe the company owner is Juan Macias Chong. Although there is a diversity of peoples in Mexico, it is not common to see a Chinese name so prominently displayed.

Finally, the ubiquitous sign, "Do Not Step on Grass." You can see that the sign did not help. This was in front of the cathedral.

I will return to Matehuala early next year.

Matehuala, SLP, Mexico

The city of Matehuala is in the Mexican state of San Luis Potosi (SLP). There is also a city named San Luis Potosi. This is the general area in Mexico where the DEA agent was abushed and killed by the drug people. The highway that leads to SLP is on the US State Dept's "do not travel" list. So why did I go?

When I began my genealogical journey, I had no idea that I would travel to this part of Mexico in search of family roots. As I discovered this fact and that one, a picture began to develop that had some missing pieces. It soon became evident that a trip to Matehuala might help me find the missing pieces of the puzzle. I told myself that this would probably my first trip there. I was right. I will have to go back.

MATEHUALA
Matehuala was founded in 1590. The name comes from the Chichimeca Indian dialect that translates to "Don't come here." This was their chant to the Spanish invaders. The city is at an elevation of about 5000 feet above sea level.

The population, as far as I was able to determine from the locals, is between 100,000 and 150,000. The number seems high when you consider the city's commercial base and the land area. I conclude that there are lots of people in a small area.

Most of the businesses are small, maybe family-owned. I did not see any fast food chains such as McD, pizza, or BurgerK. This means that the food is authentic Mexican fare. The servings are generous and the prices very affordable. The only retail giant invader was the WalMart as you enter the city from the south.

When I was there, the temperature was perfect from 55-75 degrees. I read that the average temp is about 67, although the heat in May can be in the 100s.

IMMACULATE CONCEPTION CHURCH
 Actually the church changed names when it went from a parish and a church to a cathedral. It is now called La Catedral El Santuario( This church was started in the mid-1700s). This was my first stop since my grandparents were married here and my father and aunts were baptized here.  I go there early in the morning, hoping to meet with someone about church records. The morning mass had started and I thought of waiting outside, but it was too cold to sit so I sat through the mass. No there was no lightening strike while I was in there.

There was a small group of parishioners, but they were dedicated. I wanted to take pictures but they would not leave. After the mass they started praying the rosary and then something else. The colors on the columns are from the stained glass.

I had to take a picture of the confessional. It brought back many memories of when I was in parochial school and we had to go to confession every Friday. I don't think I would confess here. There is no privacy. The benches on either side is where people wait their turn. I need a sound-proof booth like they use at the Miss America Pageant.

There were many saints in the church. Some in glass cases with a kneeling place and a donation box. The people I saw, prayed, kissed the glass, and dropped their coins in the box. There were no wipees for the glass cases.








It turned out that the church records were kept at an office a block away from the church. I was looking for death records for an uncle that my aunt said had died as a boy. I was also looking for information on an aunt that I did not know about, that was born a year before my grandmother died. The record keeper said that they did not keep death records. That I would have to go to the Presidencia Municipal - city hall.

Presidencia Municipal
     This building is in the typical Mexican design. It is two stories, but open in the middle. There is a kind of courtyard in the middle, surrounded by offices. Of course my destination was on the second floor. I am always wondering how people with disabilities get to the second floor of a public/government building to conduct business.

I had learned from my newly discovered relatives in Monterrey that a cousin of my father's had been "Presidente Municipal,"  something like the mayor or city leader. I had been told that his picture was on display. I asked about it and was given permission to take a picture. The former "presidentes" are displayed in a large conference room.

The man in the center photo was Roberto Vidales, President from 1941- 1943.












Panteon Hidalgo (Hidalgo Cemetery)
    One of the key figures in my search was my grandmother, Estefana Villanueva. I did not know much about her other than she died young, when my father was about 3 and my aunt was 9. When I found her death record, I found out that she died in 1925 at the age of 30 years and that she had died on an "internal tumor," a cancer is assumed. However, the death record states that she did not die at her address, but at someone else's house. Who, what, where, when, how?
    There are two cemeteries in Matehuala. This one was two blocks away from the hotel. I learned that this cemetery is 200 years old. I came to the cemetery and asked to see her burial record. She was buried on November 17th, 1925. She died at 8 p.m. on November 16th. I thought it odd that she was buried the next day. I have since learned that this practice is not uncommon. Apparently not all bodies are embalmed, especially not back in 1925. The cemetery man told me that she was buried in section 2 and that he would show me where.

The cemetery covers one large city block and is bordered by walls on all sides. I expected to see neat rows of dead people. Instead I saw that Section 2 encompassed a strip of about 30 yards from wall to wall. I got the cemetery image below from Google Earth and drew lines to give you an idea. He said that the records did not indicate if she was buried in Section 2 North or South. The only clear path was the one down the middle from the entrance  to the back wall.

The Cemetery man verl calmly told me to just look for the name on the markers. I did not know if there was a marker, let alone a name still on it.

 I was stunned. How do I do this? He calmly told me to just go through or over the tombs. This is how people do it every day. The tombs were facing every which way facing north, south, east, and west. I always thought that there was a cemetery rule about facing east. It seemed to me that some of the dead had their legs over those of their neighbor's.

 Some of the tombs were is very bad shape, with cave-ins. Luckily there was no one visible.

 I was hoping that my grandmother was not a dirt plot or a nameless marker. I had no idea if she had any kind of marker.

 Luckily, after about 45 minutes of tomb-climbing, I found her tomb.

I took pictures of the site at 360 degrees and copious notes to be able to locate the tomb easily next time.  





ESTEFANA VILLANUEVA



The Rest of the Story
The addition of "de Vidales" was an afterthought. I don't know who bought the marker or who decided on the lettering. But, as I piece my story together, I decide on the following
     My grandmother gave birth to a little girl in 1924, a year before her death. That same year, my grandfather fathered a male child with another woman. When my grandmother died she did not die at home, but at the house of her aunt, on Altamirano street. My Monterrey relatives confirmed who lived on that street. I am thinking that my grandmother knew about the affair and moved out of the house. She may or may not have been ill at the time. When my grandmother died, the new woman moved in with her little boy. I knew this man as my father's half-brother. They were close as they grew up together. My aunts were sent to live with relatives, as the new woman did not want them in the house, and were a source of conflict between my grandfather and her - no Brady Bunch here. My father and his sisters, disowned my grandfather and one point my father did not use the name "Vidales." He went by his mother's maiden name "Villanueva" and his grandmother's name "Argueta." Later he went back to using "Vidales." I am guessing that this accounts for the tomb marker's alteration. Until I learn something to the contrary, this is my story.

My next entry will show more of the city - the tourist's view.

Only in South Texas 4

 In case you haven't heard of it, this truck sells corn in a cup. The corn is whole kernels in a cup - hot. They add cheese, red chili, and mayo. This concoction may not sound appetizing but you will love it. This truck was on the beach at South Padre Island doing brisk business.

 Lotto continues to be big in Texas. This vendor tries to lure you into the store with the promise that if you win the jackpot prize, you will get a new car from them. Of course while you are in there, you will probably buy the coke and chips and beer, etc. This owner has several of these "big Lotto Stores."

 Did I mention that this area is bi-lingual? The hamburger joint offers the double cheeseburger "with everything."

I don't know how many Drive-In theaters there are in the country, but be sure to count this one between Weslaco and Mercedes. The owner of this place has been in the business all his life. His grandfather had a Spanish movies theater in downtown Weslaco in the mid-1940s. Then they acquired the drive-in. The father took over the business and the grandson is left with the drive-in business. The other theaters went the way of the 8-track cassettes. The WesMer charges $10 on weekends (carload) for two movies.  It is cheaper during the week. The first show starts at sundown. The sound boxes are long gone. Now you tune your radio to their frequency.

Project Runway

I was in New York August 31, 2011. If this was to be my last trip, I wanted to pay homage to PR and search out the sites familar to those that watch the show.

Fashion District of New York
      This section of the city is all about clothes and fashion. If there is a center, I would say it was the "big button."

The side streets in this area are all about clothes. There are shops that sell only purses, only necklaces, only hats, and others that sell only things to make purses, necklaces, and hats. Of course there are clothings stores in abundance. Many have $5 and $10 racks on the sidewalk. Next time I hear Michael Kors say, "You can buy a dress like that anywhere in the city," I will better understand it.












Next to the big button is a bronze sculpture honoring the Jewish garment workers from the turn of the last century .

I saw that the man of today has the same focus, in the same posture, but may not be producing anything.

Across the street from the big button is
Parson's New School for Design

I wanted to go in and run through the halls, screaming for Tim and Heidi, but I thought all it would get me would be a trip to the Psych Ward at Bellvue Hospital.






Mood Designer Fabrics
Two blocks away and to the left you may find Mood Designer Fabrics. I say, "may" because there is nothing distinctive about the building. The logo we see on the show, is on the third floor of the building.

The building has an old-fashion elevator with an elevator operator. One gets out on the third floor and the doors open unto the store. No outside packages are allowed and neither are cameras.  You enter the store and face a wall of buttons and things.

The store is just as you see it on TV. It is overwhelming. You have to know fabric to be able to shop here.The picture above is from the the stores web site. Although the store is neat and orderly, it is not this neat.

I had seen a fabric online and I knew it was cotton and I remembered the print. There are many workers eager to help. For the most part, they all seem to be knowledgable, some more than others. I am led to a section of cotton prints. "Is it 100% or blended? Is it light, medium, or heavy cotton?" My answer was, "The only cotton I know is on a plant in the middle of a very hot field."

Someone takes me behind the checkout counter and suggests that I look for the fabric online. They would then be able to find it quickly. Although i did not find the fabric that I had originally seen, I was happy with my purchase and the Mood experience.

Bryant Park
On 5th Avenue, at 41st St. is the New York Public Library, in all its grandeur. It is certainly a place to visit. However, if you are a Project Runway fan, you have to walk around to the back side of the library to enjoy Bryant Park.

 It is a common misconception of New York City that it is a place devoid of gardens and trees. ON the contrary, there are many green spots in the city and the city is creating more of these oasis.

 I was in Bryant Park around the noon/ lunch hour. The place was full of follks taking a break from their offices spaces. There is a fancy restaurant at the back side of the library, if you want. There are also a number of vendors in the perimeter offering salads, hot dogs, pizza, coffees, etc. There were many folks who seemed to have brought their own lunch.

 The umbrellas and the chairs are on a first come first serve basis. You could also opt to sit or lay on the lawn. Yes, there were folks trying to get some tanning in the 80 degree weather.

The tents for the fashion shows are set up on the center lawn and on the concrete areas at either end of the park.  I find these tranquil places and am moved to linger a while longer. However, I know that my stay in New York is brief and there is much more to see.

Fashion District Related

     As I walked around the Fashion District and along 5th Avenue, with all its fancy stores, I sometimes see things that make me stop and say, "Huh???

One of those are the Orthodox Jewish men and the Muslim women in their traditional garb. I don't have anything against them, but I wonder what they are doing here, window shopping. The Jewish men always wear the same outfit. I don't think they stand in front of their closets and ask, "Which black suit will I wear today? What hat?"

The Muslim women were window shopping in the Fashion District. I wondered if they were thinking, "If only ..." and "what if."

I did not dare ask. I walked away and wondered.

I hope you enjoyed a trip through Project Runway Land