Saturday, October 5, 2013

Hidalgo Valley, the Other Texas, the Other Border


I had never been to McAllen, Texas, Hiladgo County, or Starr County, but I knew about it from all the book and writers that come from there.









I was happy to have the opportunity to visit when I invited by South Texas College to read from my new book Hotel Juárez, Stories, Rooms, and Loops.
During my free time, my hosts showed me around, Juan Ochoa, Joseph Daniel Haske, Esther Garcia, and Maritza Taylor.




Mary seems to be missing her face.

This is in an old mission, empty, quiet. The door is kind of creepy.




This is Juan Ochoa, in front of a church hundreds of years old. His new book has just come out, Mariguano, about a family in the drug trade. Good stuff.



A Mexican. presumably Pepe, sleeping against a cactus. Is this how Maggie and Jeff see Mexicans?

Police everywhere, even overlooking the Walgreen's parking lot with their fancy machines.



Under the bloody feel of Jesus someone left a note for his love.


On one street, most of the shops were Yerbarías