Pueblo Nuevo

I’m recounting my two-week trip to Mexico (Mar.20 – Apr.3). This seems a good time to mention that besides my usual propensity to get the odd detail wrong here and there in any normal post, you can now multiply that exponentially due to my somewhat flimsy grasp of Spanish.

It takes two buses to get from the city of Guanajuato to the little town of Pueblo Nuevo where Maddy’s friend Beatriz lives (map here). Beatriz made the trip (about an hour and a half) to meet us for dinner Monday evening, our one full day in Guanajuato, and returned home that night. On Tuesday morning, Maddy and I reluctantly checked out of our hotel and took a taxi to the bus station, caught a bus to Irapuato and then another to Pueblo Nuevo. On the way, we passed by rough dry fields with scrub trees and cactus, people sitting in the small circle of shade under roadside trees, and the occasional closed cantina or salon de fiestas. A man led a goat along on a rope. We drove through a town where I had a bird’s eye view of storefront after storefront wide open to the sidewalk – fruit market, clothing store, hair salon, liquor store. A young man got on our bus selling churros – long sugared sticks that tasted like overly sweet greasy donuts. Beyond town, we passed rows of unattractive houses along a roadside ditch filled with dirty water and tons of garbage strewn on the banks. Then fields again where I saw a skinny dog with its ribs protruding beneath recently suckled teats. Then there were houses with small fenced-in yards and in one I saw a woman washing clothes in a metal tub.

When we got to town, the bus parked in a dirt driveway, and we hauled our luggage off and dragged them across the street to a tiny storefront with benches in it that serves as the bus station in Pueblo Nuevo. Maddy went off to buy a tarjeta de telefono so she could call Beatriz on the pay phone outside. After several tries, she figured out which of the umpteen numbers were needed to reach Beatriz, and within 15 minutes Beatriz arrived in a taxi pickup truck. It took less than five minutes to get to her mother’s house where we’d be staying (it would take all of 10 minutes to drive from one end of the town to the other), but given our suitcases the taxi was deemed necessary.

[Front door of Beatriz's mother's house]

Beatriz lives a block away in her grandmother’s house. Her grandmother is 103 years old, had 17 children and has some 75 grandchildren. The great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren are too numerous to count. During our stay in town we walked around and met various people, most of whom seemed to be related to her family in some way. I believe Beatriz said the town’s population is around 7000. There are two churches and two jardins, an old one and new one. Beatriz explained that every town has a jardin, which is the center of all activity, although she didn’t explain how it happened that Pueblo Nuevo has two of them a block apart.

Beatriz was trained as a psychologist, but came back home to care for her mother who has diabetes and to look after her grandmother, so she’s been unable to practice her training. People don’t go in much for psychoanalysis in Pueblo Nuevo. So she works part time at the local school and runs her storefront travel agency she set up for which she refuses to use a computer. Her sister Jiorgina is a gynecologist and has a clinic located across the alley behind her mother’s house. The clinic has several rooms, a couple of beds for overnight stays and a room used for surgery – Beatriz mentioned caesarians and post-abortion care, but hastened to add that Jiorgina doesn’t perform abortions. Another sister, Irma, is a pediatrician with a practice somewhere else in town. Silvia has a law degree but is working across the street in her uncle’s liquor store. Lucia is the only one of the five daughters (there are also two sons) who married, and she has two small children; she was trained as an accountant. [Update: Actually I believe there are six daughters - there is one I didn't meet who lives in Querétero.]

We had comida in the early afternoon in the kitchen at the house. Irma was stirring mole sauce on the stove, but apparently none of the daughters cooks. Beatriz’s mother – or aunt, I wasn’t quite sure which – had made the mole sauce (delicious) and Beatriz served it to us over delectable tender chicken breasts, along with chicken caldo (broth with vegetables), rice, beans, tortillas, and fresh lemonade. After comida, Jiorgina, whose patient hadn’t shown up and was therefore free, drove Beatriz, Maddy and I in her car out of town by the family ranch and out to see the recently excavated ruins in nearby Abasolo. None of them had ever been out to see them before.

To be continued…

---

When Maddy last saw Beatriz in San Miguel five years ago, they found a stray cat that Beatriz took home. Maddy always thought they named her Mirasol. But we found out on this trip that she is called, inexplicably, "Chester."

Comments

[Jean]

So vivid and sensitive, it's like waiting for daily instalments of a telenovela. You know, almost as much as I envy you the trip to Mexico, I'm envying you being able to blog it afterwards (worrying!).

[lupita]

hi,,,,
first of all im from pueblo nuevo, guanajuato...
i go every year......of wat i read in this blog... i see you like it....let me tell you that if you go on january 25th trough 4th of feb. you will love it

[Silvia Jimenez]

I randomly googled Pueblo Nuevo and saw your blog. Beatriz is related to me!! Her grandmother is my great grandmother (Angrea). Actually I should say her mother is my grandfather's (Ignacio) sister...how amazing is this world!
My maiden name is Silvia Gonzalez Ramos, daughter to Jaime Gonzalez Saldaña and Silvia Ramos Sandoval.

[Silvia Jimenez]

Ahhh...the wonders of the internet! It so happens that Beatriz is my aunt! Her mother, Anita, y my grandfathers (Ignacio) sister!

[leslee]

¡Hola, Silvia! I'll email you...

[javier gallardo]

hello my name is javier i live in chicago, this is a nice web site,i like the picture you took from the inside of the house, got me thinking about the house infront, in what street is it located? i've gone to pueblo nuevo so many times that i don't remember seen it.

[Annette Guevara]

hi! you dont know me but, i go pueblo nuevo every year and it is the best place to go relax. my parents are from there and i still have a lot of family there too! my cousin has a carneceria there and another of my cousins is a dentist there too! this is so crazy i was just browsing the web and i found this.. i hope you enjoyed your trip to the pueblo. i just got back about a month ago. i hope to go again in march, if not i can only wait for december to roll around again!

[Juan Carlos Gonzalez]

Hola, mi nombre es Juan Carlos Gonzalez, mi papa es de panales y mi mama de la soledad a pocos kilometros de pueblo nuevo, en plueblo nuevo tambien tengo familia ase 2 years que fui de visita todos me desian primo, lol. It will be cool if we get input from more people. y mas la jente que vive actualmente en pueblo nuevo. uvieramos de formar un chat, con las persona que vivimos en USA y Pueblo nuevo.

[Robert Hernandez]

It is interesting to see Pueblo Nuevo on the web. Not being a large city many people don't know of it. I for one live in the U.S. but do try to go back to where my parents were born. I was just recently in Pueblo Nuevo. I was there from the 24th of january till the 4th of Feb. I'd like to say hello to all those Neopoblanos either born there or have family and therefore are Neopoblanos as well.

[leslee]

Okay, that's it. I'm introducing you all to each other! I will send you all an email...

[Silvia Jimenez]

Great idea Roberto Hernandez!

:)

[MANUEL MARTINEZ RUIZ]

HOLA ME DA GUSTO SABER DE LA GENTE DE MI MISMO PUEBLO PUEBLO NUEVO GUANAJUATO

[Elizabeth]

Hola!!

Mi nombre es Elizabeth, yo estudie en la Preparatoria Pueblo Nuevo y me encantaria saber si alguien conoce a algun alumno o profesores de las generaciones '95 al 2002...

[Nayely]

Saludos gente!!!

I am so exited about this website!!! I studied at Sec. Ignacio Manuel Altamirano. Me encantaría tener contacto con ex-estudiantes de esta institución que hayan cursado en los anos 1998 al 2001, también me encantaría saber sobre el profesor Juan José Luna (mi hermana también!!) asi que si alguien sabe de alguien por fa’ let me know!!.

Nayely

[leslee]

Nayley - I tried to email you, but it came back. There's an MSN group for Pueblo Nuevo that Silvia Jimenez set up (see her comment above). If you want to join, click on her name above and email her.

¡Bienevenidos!

[Nayely]

Hey!! I'm sorry my email adress was wrong :P, la correcta es [email protected]
Thanks and I'll email Silvia.

Nayely

[Alejandra AGUILAR]

Mi novio es de Pueblo Nuevo. Lei un comentario que hizo alguien aqui sobre reunirse todo los de Pueblo Nuevo aqui en Los Estados Unidos.

Cada año, en los primeros dias de Septiembre, viene un padrecito y hacen kermes. La verdad yo nunca eh ido, pero segun se, se reune mucha gente de ahi. Tratare de buscar el nombre del parque y tal vez gusten ir.

[Jose "Agudo" Guevara]

Me alegro de poder contactar gente de Mi pueblo, hacia muchos anos que no tenia contacto alguno con alguien de Pueblonuevo aparte de mi familia. y aprovechando que encontre este site, me gustaria entablar comunicaciones con Los Amigos que deje y perdi el contacto, Mi nombre es Jose Guevara, pero soy mejor conocido como Agudo, Pepe, o Pepillo, Si alguno de ustedes o sus familiares me recuerda, les agradeceria que por favor me escribieran unas lineas. Me pueden encontrar @ [email protected]

[Maria Guevara]

Hey everybody!! My family is from Pueblo Nuevo too! I was very surprised to see this posted. Mis tias son las maestras Guillermina y Hortencia Alfaro...some of you might have had them as your own teachers! Anyhow, I just wanted to say that I think the essay on Pueblo Nuevo was very well written, I could picture all of the scenes mentioned in my head. Partially because I've seen them all myself but most importantly because the imagery was right on point. If any of you guys are intrested la gente de Pueblo Nuevo have a reunion every year the first Sunday in September at Polk park in Sylmar Ca. Nice hearing from yall : )

[gloria medina]

hi my husband is from pueblo nuevo , haciendita de alonso his name is jesus medina, brothers enrique,noe,juan,isaihas, sisters luz maria, gloria, irma mother san juana enriquez mosqueda, how nice to find people from the same town my husband was born in

[Carmen Mendoza Guevara]

Hola a todos mis paisanos, yo no vivo en estados unidos pero si en Pueblo Nuevo y estoy a sus ordenes para lo que gusten de informacion de Pueblo Nuevo, soy la hija de Pachin de la tortilleria enfrente del Templo Nuevo.....

[Araceli]

mi nombre es Araceli Aguilera y tambien soy de Pueblo Nuevo me dio mucho gusto saber de la gente de el pueblo,yo soy la nieta de Raul Aguilera.

[Esther Rivera]

It's true waht they say if you went during Jan 24 to Feb 10 you will enjoy the fiestas over their that go on every single day. I'm from a small town from their about five minutes from Pueblo nuevo, is called San Jose de peralta. The experience of being in Mexico is unforgettable.

[Esther Rivera]

It's true waht they say if you went during Jan 24 to Feb 10 you will enjoy the fiestas over their that go on every single day. I'm from a small town from their about five minutes from Pueblo nuevo, is called San Jose de peralta. The experience of being in Mexico is unforgettable.

[Silvia]

Ok, here's the website/group so you can all join. Hope to see you all there!!!

Silvia Gonzalez Ramos

[Silvia]

http://groups.msn.com/pueblonuevogto

[Noemi Hernandez]

Hey! My dad is actually from pueblo nuevo! It does take a really looong time to get there! and it's just this obscure little place that I thought no one had heard of.

[Noemi Hernandez]

ps: my dad says he recognizes Beatriz :)

[Mario S.]

Hola Soy de peralta mpio Abasolo GTO vivo en Los Angeles CA Quisiera Saludar A toda la Jente de Pueblo Nuevo Y de Peralta.

[Silvia Jimenez]

Hi Leslee, tried to email you but your messages were returned. Anywho, just wanted to let you know grandma Andrea died today. I thought you'd like to know in case you wanted to call Beatriz. Hope all is well.
Silvia

[David Sanchez]

Hello, my name is David Sanchez. My great grandfather was Guadalupe Gallardo from Pueblo Nuevo, who left in the early 1900s. His wife was Ambrocia Fernandez, from Salamanca. I feel so fortunate to have stumbled upon this essay and the follow up posts! From what I've been able to tell, there seem to have been many Gallardos in this area of Mexico for the last few hundred years. Anyone out there know any "Gallardo" history they'd like to share?

[Graciela Bernal]

Hello David,
My name is Graciela, I am grandaughter of Eligio Gallardo and Maria Ortiz. My mother's name is Josefina Gallardo, my father's name was J. Socorro Bernal and we are from Pueblo Nuevo, Gtu. We have been trying to put together a family tree in order to shared it with current and future generations. I do have a draft of the family tree but once we finish it I can e-mail it to you. My Mom tells us many stories about our family and the pueblo and it would be very exciting to exchange stories with you. Our family has a yearly family reunion to which we invite as many people as possible specially family. It is a lot of fun, it is a time for us to caught up and see people we have not seen in a long time. We share many great moments in this yearly event. I should mention we live in Chicago and if you are ever in the Windy City please do let us know.
In terms of the names that are referenced in the vacation story, I know Lucy. She went to school with one of my cousins. Small world we live in! I beleive Araceli Aguilera is some how related to me. Araceli if your grandmother was Raquel Aguilera we are family!

Javier Gallardo who also posted a message is my cousin as well. Hola Javy! Saludos desde mi casa nene!

One last thing the padrecito's name is Padre Tony (bueno Antonio) but he goes by Tony.

Saludos,
Graciela

[juan luis castro]

me da gusto oir de toda esta gente de pueblo nuevo y municipios de alrededor saludos desde chicago IL. Yo soye el mentado "hanz".

[maria elena gonzalez]

Mi Tio Mauro se murio ahora por la manana. Vendia las carnitas enfrente del jardin. Los appelidos de mis abuelos fueron Arroyo y Barreto. La familia Gonzalez ya tiene muchos anos ahi en el Pueblo. Mi mama tambien viene de ahi.

[David Galvan]

Hola my nombre es David Galvan, Hijo de Saul Galvan, y tere < Hermanos Saul-Gustavo-Tere-Vianney-Marco, es bonito encontrar tanta Gente de Pueblo Nuevo donde tenemos nuestras raizes y muchos recuerdos. My mas sentido peasme a la familia Gonzalez, epecialmente a mi amigo Adan Gonzalez

[Graciela Saldaña Manriquez]

Hola,

Mi familia es de Pueblo Nuevo Guanajuato. Yo estoy en Chicago, IL. Mi Mama y Papa se retiran de Chicago cada invierno y se regresan a su Pueblo,y yo voy a Pueblo Nuevo cada año. Tengo demasiada familia, amigos y amigas en Pueblo Nuevo que nunca acabaria de nombrar a todos Y a todas. LOL..
Nadamas le mando saludos a todos y a todas.
(:)
Mi primo se casa en Diciembre, espero que le salga todo bien a el y a su Fiance...

XOXO
Muchos Saludos a Todos de Pueblo Nuevo GTO><
Adios.

Graciela Saldaña Mariquez
"La Cheli"
Much Love Peeps

[leslee]

Hola a todos!

Gracias por visitar mi blog. Pero si quieren conocer otras con familia o amigos en Pueble Nuevo, deben enrolar en un grupo de internet que Silvia Jimenez hizo aqui: http://groups.msn.com/PuebloNuevoGTO

Mi blog-sitio solo es un recuerdo or historia de mi visita en Pueblo Nuevo para dos dias en 2004. Me gustaria regresar alla un dia otra vez pero es muy lejos de Boston!

Que tengan suerte y espero que van a conocer Silvia y sus amigos en su sitio.

[Macrina Saldana De Matrinez]

Hola ha todos ,
Que gusto me dio ver que conosi varias persona Most los Saldana Gonzales Because I am your Relitve form Chicago. I am Jaimes Gonzalez Cuz. I have been I Mi Tia Irenes House A thousand times. My Mom live almost acorss the steet form Your grandmother> If by any chance about my Dad ( Luis Saldana ) He passed away about 9 years ago but mom still live lether and my brother and I still visit with our family's. well it's realy nice to see that the younger people still love going there I know I do !!!
Macrina Saldana also known as " Maky"

[leslee]

Hello friends! This is not a forum for leaving messages for each other about Pueblo Nuevo, it's my just my weblog. But!...there is a great site for connecting with neopoblanos. Please go here: Pueblo Nuevo grupo to talk to each other. Thank you for visiting!

Hola amigos! Por favor haz click aqui para conocer otras que quieren hablar de Pueblo Nuevo. Gracias!