000083 Visit since
We were completely disconnected from
the rest of the world. Most ships that anchored at the bay were only to bring
in corn, coconut oil, beans and tobacco to supply the local stores. On some occasions
they would bring back passengers on their return trip. We
dreaded going to the city. Other than the ships, the only means of transportation
were impassable roads that were closed during the rainy season. It took from six
to seven days to get to Guadalajara on horseback. Mail
delivery came via dirt roads. It took up to eight days to receive mail from the
city. The mail was carried on mules called convoys. We
could never dream of newspaper or magazine deliveries. Señor José
García Bernal, the orchestra director, also managed the Post Office Agency.
As shown in the below picture, the Post Office space was located at the corner
of Juárez and Mina Streets, where the Bank of Commerce is at present. We
never ate vegetables because of the lack of local produce. No one grew anything
but fruit. Our main diet was based on eating purely meats such as beef, fish,
chicken and eggs. Beef tenderloin was only 60 centavos for the kilo (2.2 pounds);
eggs were sold at 5 centavos and the liter of milk was 10 centavos. Little
by little, people started importing vegetables from Mascota and Talpa. In particular,
Juan Curiel, a handsome young man from Mascota, brought vegetables on mule back
from Mascota to sell at the market. I thought it was funny
that people started calling the produce sellers the "machingûeros"(no
translation). The y would sell a variety of fruits, piloncillo (rock brown sugar)
and chickpeas. Produce was displayed on on a sheet or blanket by the sidewalk. Housewives
would not go to the market by themselves, but would send their servants instead.
My experience was, more often than not, servants would not know where to find
good food products and would come home empty handed. From the moment I arrived,
I went to the market myself with basket on arm. I walked all over town until I
found products and would come home empty handed. From the moment I arrived, I
went to the market myself with basket on arm. I walked all over town until I found
products to my satisfaction. My neighbors started noticing this routine and criticized
me on many occasions. Felipe Guzmán said once to my friends, - "Catalina
brought us the fashion of going to the market and of leaving her house with bare
shoulders"- Felipe was referring to the customary tradition of women not
being allowed to leave their homes without rebozos (Mexican shawls) covering their
shoulders. The rebozos were beautifully made in poplin of bright colors and handmade
macramé tassels. I found it more comfortable to leave the rebozo at home.
Shortly after I started setting the trend, all the housewives followed by going
to the market, basket on arm and without rebozos on their shoulders. In
1920, Señor Diego Betancourt from Tomatlán arrived at the Port.
He was a hard working, land-loving, caring man, who immediately became a successful
businessman, when he initated a trend of agriculture in this town. We were so
happy to finally be able to buy our own local produce! I always admired this man.
He worked very hard on his land. He experimented with new things to make the land
produce more productive, and better. He hybrid mango trees from Vallarta and had
the first apiary. He was also a professional office clerk and studied Law. Catalina
Montes de Oca Aguilar
Read Doña
Catalina Montes de Oca Aguilar Autobiography
Archives
by date Note: The segments from
the book "Puerto Vallarta en mis Recuerdos" -both versions- are published
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partial or total, in any medium is prohibited. Note:
Distinguished reader, if you know of any story, anecdote, biography or event,
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