Texas Beaches~a love affair with the Gulf of Mexico

Texas the beautiful...my state of mind, relaxed~~~~~


Kicking back with family in Texas~perfection indeed.



Few things are a certainty in life. While we moved several times as I was growing up there were a few constants other than family, faith & friends. The Gulf of Mexico was always there somehow. My visits to the Texas Gulf coast might have been punctuated with long absence but my heart was always there somewhere between the sand & the surf. As an adult we've lived other places close to beaches but there is something kind & gentile about the Texas beach towns. Galveston & South Padre are quite past "touristy" these days. (Believe me, I still enjoy a trip to Galveston now & again!) While condos & rapid expansion have gobbled up many coastal communities Port Aransas Texas has stayed much the same. I can only say that; growth hasn't changed the overall character & feel of the town. I like the sight of surf fishing in the early hours, bonfires on the beach in the evening & the noises of countless sea birds at the edge of the sand rushing in for the morning's salty pickings!




Nothing feels so nice on the toes as the soft sand of the misty mornings there.



















Everything old is new again in a beach town~I remember these little beach cottages from my childhood. I was glad to see that some landmarks are still just as I remember...well almost! Mermaid's & cute paint jobs not withstanding, these are exactly the same. My love affair with the Texas Gulf Coast? Not over yet, not in this lifetime~

Great visit & back to Torreon!

Semana Santa~Beautiful time to travel in Mexico!



Mexico is a winding road...full of history & modern day parallels!

When on a vacation in Mexico it is easy to forget where you are & slip into the "South of the Border" frame of mind. Great trip, awesome visit with our family!





...
Get used to beans, chili paste
And you learn to live and love
Life in the slow lane
And thats why God made Mexico
A place where we can lay low
Maybe Monterey or Acapulco
Anywhere the warm winds blow
Dont you know
Thats why God made
Made Mexico~Tim McGraw

Zacatecas the Road back to Torreon

Pancho Villa was here!




















"Don't let it end like this. Tell them I said something." Pancho Villa

We arrived in Zacatecas on Easter Sunday. Zacatecas was on the last day of Festival Cultural 2007 a grand event which brought many tourist like ourselves to the historical city. Zacatecas was founded in 1546 & the historical center of town still retains the charm & beauty which drew explorers & early settlers to the area. Zacatecas more currently has several monuments & historical markers commemorating a famous battle fought during the Mexican Revolution (1910-1920) In June 1914, the City of Zacatecas was taken by Pancho Villa and his Dorados in a battle known as La Toma de Zacatecas (The Taking of Zacatecas). The City of Zacatecas witnessed a large & bloody battle that took place in the fighting against General Victoriano Huerta. When the battle ended, some 7,000 soldiers lay dead. In addition 5000 civilians killed. While there are Fiestas and parties going on many days out of the year in Zacatecas they still remember the past & Pancho Villa is a lingering ghost!

























"One fiesta was hardly ended when another began."
John L. Stephens, American writer and explorer, in his Incidents of Travel in Central America, Chiapas, and Yucatán (1841),

Exploding Judas, Fireworks & Flying Debris

And the Winner of the Contest for the best Judas figure is...a greedy politician! Strange Easter tradition at Plaza Fundadores San Luis Potosi.
Be certain to click on the video link below to see my UTube Video! It is almost like being there, minus the burning embers & flying particles!


Elaboracion Y Quema De Judas! Video Link, click on X in box to view























Saturday before Easter el carnaval chiquito (the small carnival) takes place during which people dance in the streets & music plays while rather bizarre looking Judas figures explode with fireworks. A strange custom I admit but very wild & crazy. There is a contest in which people build elaborate "Judas" figures made of paper mache'. The figures are not always "Judas" as we know him but often times demonic or mistrusted greedy politicians which are greatly disliked the world over!!! (hardly a surprise considering the wildly contested Mexican presidential race last year) The figures are exploded to symbolically "vanquish the demons" before the glory of Easter Sunday. We were amazed by the size, style & over all humor of the Judas figures. The key to a good Judas figure exploding is to have the figure spin in the air being rigged with fireworks to give a good shower of sparks before completely exploding! The man standing in front of us had a piece of Judas debris hit him square in the eye but that didn't seem to stop him from staying for the entire Elaboracion y Quema De Judas!!! A wild time with the fireworks, nonstop music & somehow everyone gets whipped into the action! We noticed no American safety standards that would have accompanied the same sort of celebration involving fireworks at home in the USA. We did enjoy it though & before the night was over even John was hit in the neck by a hot piece of Exploding Judas! All said & done a great time was had by all! And, wow were our ears ringing!!! Good times, good times!

Procession of Silence & Hooded Garments

We were invited to see the Procesion Del Silencio while in San Luis Potosi & were lucky enough to be given spectacular seats with an awesome view to watch the spectacular parade. A staggering 3 hour parade none the less!! Our friends Rodolfo & Coco had a sister with connections to the judicial system & we were able to watch from a Balcony on the Procession route. The crowds were humming along by dusk & we really had no idea what to expect. John & Lauren milled around in the crowds & in the Plaza checking out the sights prior to the 8pm start time. What a night!




Procesion del Silencio (Procession of Silence) in San Luis Potosi has origins dating back to the 16th century in Spain. The procession in San Luis is typical of the same procession in Seville Spain. The Procession takes place every Good Friday in Holy Week, at 8:00 p.m. sharp. For a lot of people, this is the most touching procession of the whole country; it is performed by the different congregations called Confradias of the region, such as: monaguillos, nazarenitos and macarenas, charros and adelitas; all of them using their typical costumes and proudly holding up images of the church they represent. Some of the penitents were even walking in bare feet & some of the nazarenitos were walking with chains on their feet to represent Christ's suffering. The procession is always performed in absolute silence carrying torches...well almost silent. The procession has drummers drumming in cadence~quite a serious drum line they are & there are cornets played as well by the marchers. I found a site with an excellent video link that show the actual parade, sound & all.
http://www.vimeo.com/clip:2070



The regional costumes & Charro clothing were beautiful.




We were stunned by the amount of people participating in the procession, as well the size of the Religious alters which were heavy & wooden & were sometimes carried by more than 20 men. The Parade had very dramatic elements but very slow by American standards & towards the end Chris was propping himself up & actually sleeping! That boy certainly likes more action packed activities!!


Natalia seemed quite happy with her little foam Ratones John bought her & hanging with the older girls!

Real de Catorce~Altitude 9000 feet!

We met Molly's south of the border cousin!!!




















Our first stop on the way to San Luis was the town of Real de Catorce it is an altitude of more than 9,000 feet. Recently, Real de Catorce has become popular with tourist & artists since it was the setting for several Hollywood films, namely "The Mexican" starring Julia Roberts & Brad Pitt which featured the Cemetery Church which sits perched at the edge of town overlooking the Catorce Mountain range.




Real de Catorce open air markets were a riot for the senses with the colorful religious items, candy & regional tourist items. The streets are all "paved" with stones taken from the mountain & make walking at that altitude quite a workout. Of course we were offered rides from the locals by both horseback & donkey. For lunch we ate at a wonderful restaurant, El Minero & were served a local specialty: pickled blossoms of the biznaga cactus. These Cabuches were served on a platter with cheese & chips & looked very much like the head of an asparagus. We were all pleasantly surprised...well, almost all of us. The flavor is most likely an acquired taste.





With the only way out being through the 1500 meter tunnel we slowly made our way from Real de Catorce down the mountain with our jars of Cabuches in hand & drove onto San Luis Potosi.












Cabuches Cactus Flower Salad

6 cups mixed lettuces, roughly chopped
1/4 cup cabuches, pickled Cactus Blossoms
1/2 cup chopped hearts of palm
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup cooked corn kernels, cut off the cob
1 cup squash blossoms
1/2 cup chopped radishes
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup asparagus tips blanched and chopped
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 cup chopped grilled Nopal
1/2 cup *Vinaigrette Dressing
Toss with Pepitas before serving
*Vinaigrette: 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, 1/3 cup Extra Virgen Olive Oil, 1 Tbsp. H2O, salt & pepper to taste
Find Pepitas, squash blossoms & Cabuches at a Mexican grocery store.