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VALLARTA MEMORIES

In 1938. I left my dear surroundings on Libertad Street to move to our new house in downtown Vallarta.

I was saddened to leave behind my dear neighbors who had welcomed my arrival back in 1918. among them were the Ruelas, Uribe, Ibarria, Fregoso, Landeros, Lepe, Macedo Chavez and Sanchez families. I would never forget the tight friendship that united us. Their children and mine had grown up together.

I could tell so many stories about my past life on Libertad Street! It was a myriad of unforgettable memories.

Doña Delfina, mother of Pancho Lepe and grandmother of famous native artist Manuel Lepe, used to display beautiful Nativity scenes at Christmas time. she display her Nativity in a full size room and was an artist herself.

Everyone in the neighborhood admired the Nativity display every year. I also remember Lupita de Ibarria, my other neighbor. She was the sister of Salvador and Toño Gonzalez. She was a sweet girl with fair skin and beautiful blue eyes. Her children Ramon and El prieto (for dark complexion) and the Uribe brothers, Alfonso, Jose and Clementina, played with my children merry games such as The circus. They loved dressing up in costumes to play the circus game.

My son, Roberto. Or El Güero (nickname for blond hair, Fair-skinned people), used to dress as a clown, and would invite our friends to the Circus on pony back. The children's games were so innocent at that times!

Mariquita, my neighbor, was a petite old lady with long blondish-gray peppered hair. When she wore her hair down, it looked like a waterfall of snow. Her niece, Julia, a dark girl with black hair, wore her hair, braided beautifully every day. She earned her living sewing pants as a tailor. Julia worked long hours on the sewing machine each day and night. My older daughters became Julia's best friends. They often went to ask Mariquita permission for Julia to go out with them. My daughters were Julia's only distraction from work. After the permission was granted, the girls would run down the river shore fir a walk. Of course, this was also to meet with the young men who courted them and to exchange love letters with them.

For a long time I missed my old home and my dear friends terribly! I missed the time we spent together sitting by my front porch, as it was customary to do during summer. We enjoyed watching people passing by. Everyone who would pass by our front porch would say hello. This included the prostitutes who worked for Güera Demetria. Demetria was a Madame nicknamed "La vaca Mora" (the purple cow). She was the Madame of a Non Santa house often on their way to the whorehouse. They would wear bright long gowns made of chermesse, and would raise eyebrows along with a wave of criticism from the locals who saw them walk down the streets. All local people, especially church ladies, would turn their backs on them and made the sigh of the cross, or they would discreetly close their doors when they passed near their homes. Although Demetria was harshly criticized for being a Madame, deep inside she was a good-hearted woman who liked helping the needy anonymously. I had the opportunity to know her, because she was a customer of our pharmacy. There were rumors that she anonymously helped charitable organizations and I believe it! After Demetria retired from her Madame profession, she became very religious. She was in Church often and enrolled as a member of a Catholic Organization. Later in life, she married a young musician many years her junior. I never knew long she was married to him. All know is that she lived alone in her senior years, a and became tired and ill. She died of old age.

Another unforgettable person was our loyal nanny, Herlinda, or - Lindita as we fondly called her. When Lindita started working for us, she brought along her little daughter Esperanza who was the same age of my youngest daughter, Yolanda Herlinda was a fine and humble woman. She taught my children etiquette rules she learned from living with an English family when she was a teenager. She said she met a family from the Reyes Mineral area when she was young, and that they took her to live in England for over ten years. She told us stories about First World War, and also about her adventures traveling across country in Europe. Her stories were interesting and funny. she said she was bewildered in Europe. She sat down surrounded by my children , told them stories motioning with her hands, and kept them in awe with their mouths wide open. My children liked Lindita to speak English to them. Everyone in my family soon loved her. At that time, I could never imagine that many years later, she would also be the nanny of my grandchildren.

In remembering old times at my home on Libertad Street, I must mention our daily family gatherings to pray the rosary after supper. This was customary in every Mexican household. Every evening, our children and servants surrounded us to pray the rosary. It was a great opportunity to have quality family time! the children laughed at everything in sight and it was hard to keep them quiet. The rosary was prayed solemnly in the dark to the dim lights of candles. In particular, I remember a cute anecdote that happened when we prayed the rosary one night. I used to get annoyed when the servants were later for the Rosary. This particular night, I didn't notice that Pancho the houseman, was later for praying. Suddenly, he came stumping into the room, panting and breathless. He kneeled down immediately to join us. His abrupt entrance distracted me from my praying and I said loudly. "Qué rezo yo" (What am I praying?)- Which sounded to the children and Pancho's.

Lupe Diaz, María Partida & Luz Contreras, 1937

Ears like "¿Quien resorro?" (Meaning who is breathing hard?) When Pancho heard this, he stood up in a flash and ran spooked out of the room followed by the children. Everyone thought I heard a ghost breathing hard!

I must mention that at that time people believed very much in ghosts. The poor houseman and the grave, breathing hard in the room. When I finally got everybody to come back, I explained what I said abd we all started roaring in loud laughs.

I remember local, picturesque people from Vallarta who were popular because they represented folk people from a Mexican province. Among these people was Severo, who peddled limes from an old feedbag hanging from his shoulder. He wore a frayed hat made from palm fronds with the chinstrap to the back. He was tall, skinny dark and hairless. He had only three long hairs as a beard. He walked, limping, peddling the streets. The children were cruel and made fun of his appearance. They sang to him in verse:- "Severo has a stiff leg! Look at the way he walks!" They aped the way he walked. Far from being mad, Severo laughed with them.

Another particular person was Pancho Tenazas . He made oil lamps from empty food cans. He was invited it participate in the Christmas plays every year. He would play the role of shepherd "Bartolito" to perfection. Another local person was a man nicknamed "Mamá Chencha". He became popular for announcing upcoming events with hand speakers on every corner. A man nicknamed "El mula" was a heavy drinker. Who drove the dump wagon. He always nagged people for money to buy a drink. He dressed without a shirt and wore cut up pants. Don Justiniano, another local man, was popular for being the town medicine man and also a dentist. Doña Maria "La partera" (the midwife), was the only woman who offered midwife service in Vallarta.

Grupo de jóvenes locales en playa de Los Muertos, 1937 / Group of young local people at Los Muertos beach

I left behind a dear part of my life to face a new start at my new home. Soon I got acquainted with my new neighbors the Fernandez sisters. I was also introduced to Maria Elena Carranza and other newcomers who moved to Vallarta. Of the group, I remember chelo and Miguel Carrillo from Mazatlan. Miguel managed a ship agency. I also met the Castro family; Don Salvador, Gela, his wife, and children Rafael,

Enrique and Guillermo. Their children were young. Don Agustin Flores hired Don Salvador who we used to call fondly, Don Salva, as his general administrator. The Castros were our neighbors and lived in the same building where Don Salva worked. I also remember Fernando and Lupita Romero from Guadalajara. They were a nice couple. Fernando came to Vallarta in 1934 to open a clothing and shoe business. Although Lupita was from the big city, she adapted easily to the small town life.

Those were great times! We had fun with our new friends. My house was the place for gatherings.

We had a group of friends who were our same age and hung out together at all times. My friends called me fondly La Catona , a nickname for Catalina. We took walks by the Malecon every evening breaking the silence of the night with our laughs. We had great times together! We invented festivities just to have an excuse to celebrate. One could see food containers filled with delicious specialty dishes, passing from house to house. It became a tradition to eat at Chelo and Miguel Carrillo's house each year after the New Year's Every party. The Carrillo's maid, Maria, or la "Barbona" anticipated our arrival with a delicious big pot of menudo that she herself made. I have great memories of those times! Many of our friends left Vallarta over the years leaving a big hole in my heart. I keep in touch with the ones who are still alive. Some others, embarked on a trip with no return, but their memories will never perish in my heart. Good friendships last forever!

Catalina Montes de Oca Aguilar
Read Doña Catalina Montes de Oca Aguilar Autobiography

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Note: The segments from the book "Puerto Vallarta en mis Recuerdos" -both versions- are published in PVMirror.com with the express authorization of Sra. Yolanda Contreras de Garduño, co-author of the work and owner of the copyrights thereto. Any reproduction thereof, partial or total, in any medium is prohibited.

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