|
The Almost Twice Weekly Newspaper for the Jaltemba Coast
Francisco and wife Marie Chihuahua state
Francisco Aldana: Gentleman, Businessman, Neighbor By Tara Spears Living in the Riviera Nayarit offers breathtaking natural beauty and friendly people. It is neighbors like Francisco (Paco) Aldana that make the newcomer feel welcome. Always available to lend a hand or translate, it is an understatement to describe Paco as a good guy. He is a true Mexican: chivalrous, courteous and intelligent. Mi casa su casa is not a cliché when Paco is around; this gracious host always has wonderful Mexican cuisine to share. Growing up in the northern desert state of Chihuahua, Francisco dreamed of ocean vacations. After graduating university with a chemical engineering degree, he accepted a position with CELANESE Mexican that brought him to central Jalisco. The company grew, becoming international conglomerate when it was acquired by HOECHST chemicals and renamed HOECHT CELANESE CORP. Paco advanced to manager and the ocean vacations became a reality. In 1989, Paco was able to obtain waterfront property in (then) tiny La Peñita; he and his family have been living here part-time ever since. “This remote coastal area was very different from where I grew up,” he chuckles. “My children were young at the time we started coming to La Peñita. I have so many good memories of them playing in the ocean. It is a safe area for bringing children.” As Paco’s business acumen grew, he decided to start a production company in Guadalajara. This factory, Ultraplast, manufactures engineered resins (plastics). “We sell chiefly to the automobile market. My son Carlos handles the daily business now.” Although Paco has retired from HOECHT and Ultraplast, he isn’t ready for a rocking chair yet. Going into another area for this phase of Francisco’s career has led him into government as an Ocotlán city manager (councilman).
Ocotlan, population 155,000, is a suburb of Guadalajara, located about 60 miles
south, near the northeast shore of Lake Chapala. Founded around 1530, the city
name means "land of ocote", or pitch pine. Having lived in this city for over 30
years, Paco wants to give back to his community. In his role as a councilman,
Francisco is able to meld his business talents and expertise to make a positive
impact.
Ocotlan Governor’s Palace (City Hall) Ocotlan town square Family is very important to Francisco. He has been married to the beautiful and gracious Marie Luisa Betancourt for 34 years. Marie hails from Tepic, moving to Ocotlan after she finished her medical tech training. After falling in love with Paco and getting married, Marie focused on creating a home and being a mother. The Aldanas have three talented and charming adult children: Paco Jr., Carolina, and Carlos. Paco Jr. is a licensed architect in Guadalajara, where he lives with his wife, Melinda, and daughter Valentina. Carolina manages a large beef ranch with her husband Jorge; she is following in her mother’s example by leaving a career in publicity to be a fulltime mom to son Jorge Jr. The youngest son, Carlos, has the entrepreneur’s love of business and is managing the Ultraplast facility. A close knit family, they all take time from their hectic schedules to meet at the La Peñita house and relax. The third generation is also enjoying the sun, sand and ocean
Francisco with son Paco, and grandchildren Francisco with Jorge Jr. Another long time passion of Francisco’s is horseback riding. Thirty five years ago he began a small breeding horse farm in rural Jalisco. All of the family rides. This beautiful bucolic horse farm is home to four registered Quarter Horses: three stallions and one brood mare. One of the stallion’s lineage traces back to an American champion; another is a Spanish purebred. “I just ride for pleasure, I leave the competitive showing to my sons,” said Francisco. The cozy Spanish style farm house boasts years’ of equine achievements recorded in photographs that are proudly displayed. What impressive animals these are! When Mexican President Vincente Calderon was running for office, he made a campaign stop at Ocotlan. He wanted to show respect for the caballero heritage by riding into the city. Calderon rode into Ocotlan on Francisco’s stallion accompanied by Paco Jr. and Carlos on the other Aldana stallions. What a stirring, historical gesture.
American Texas stallion Spanish stallion
Son Paco Jr. and granddaughter Tina Stable dogs Another fascinating family tradition is to participate in a yearly trail ride to visit the shrine of the Virgin of San Juan de los Lagos. This mounted cavalcade consists of some 200 riders that travel overland for three hard days, sleeping on the ground wherever they stop for the night. San Juan de los Lagos is located 148 kms (91 mi.) northeast of Guadalajara. Once in San Juan, the riders participate in the spiritual Candelaria festivities held at the historic basilica before riding three days back to home. The Basilica San Juan de los Lagos was built in the 1700s and is an outstanding example of Mexican colonial architecture. The majestic Basilica shelters the ancient handmade image, originally called the "Virgin of the Conception", to which the faithful attribute miracles. For three centuries after her creation, millions who had heard of her many miracles venerated her, making the journey from all over the country to pray. In1904 Pope Pius X approved her coronation. Ever since, millions of the faithful have venerated this holy image, making her the honor and pride of Mexican Catholics. The miraculous image of the Virgin, constructed of corn stalks was created by Tarascan Indian artisans from Michoacán State in the 16th century. This tiny image depicts the Holy Virgin standing over a half moon with her hands across her breast, attired in a starry blue mantle. Her oval face, slightly inclined, has almond-shaped dark eyes, a perfect aquiline nose and a small bow mouth. To the rear and over the Virgin’s head, two naked winged angels support a semicircular band bearing a Latin inscription. At the end of January and through the beginning of February each year this mass pilgrimage brings millions to the shrine. The Aldana family has made this annual trip for over 20 years. Carlos explains, “During the week of festivities there are hundreds of temporary stalls selling pilgrimage icons, multiple bands of musicians playing around the great basilica, fire-works demonstrations in the evenings, and a palpable feeling of spiritual joy throughout the town. It is very important to my family.”
Shrine Basilica colonial architecture Virgin of San Juan de los Lagos Whenever the family gathers, there is an abundance of lively conversation, music and delicious traditional Mexican food. It is delightful to see Marie dancing to her favorite mariachi music as she prepares savory caldrons of beans, seafood, and salsas. Step, step, twirl, as she flourishes a heaping plate of steaming food. “Sit! Enjoy!” Francisco is master of roasted corn and smoked meats: it is absolutely the best meat I have ever eaten in my life! He has a special outdoor oven at the horse farm that he uses to slow cook lamb and turkey to juicy, tender perfection. “The meat is wrapped in leaves of maguey so that it will not burn when it is put into the oven. For the turkey, I wrap them in young banana leaves. I heat the oven with mesquite firewood. It is not flaming, but hot, slow burning coals and smoke that I require for the two-three days of cooking, depending on the size of the meat I am preparing.” says Francisco as he shows me the interior of the oven. The wondrous smell has my stomach growling. I rate all the family meals as 5 star for ambiance and culinary excellence.
Maguey plant smoking oven with mesquite firewood to the side It is a sincere love of country, family and community that define this gentleman’s life view. Francisco’s broad accomplishments and varied interests weave their way into many fascinating stories of Mexico’s past and present. The Aldana family are more than good people; they are the real people that make the Riviera Nayarit feel welcoming. Thanks, neighbor
U.S. CONSULAR AGENCY PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT The Ferretaria Man by Adam Caddell Along Emiliano Zapata known by locals as THE Avenida stands a hardware store that has stood the test of time. Ferretaria Gomez, also known as Ferretaria Jaltemba, is the oldest hardware store in Jaltemba Bay. Located beside the CMQ, Ferretaria Gomez has been supplying carpenters, mechanics, developers and common day folk with the tools they need to get the job done. “My father opened the store before I was born. That’s how old it is!” Enrique Gomes Piña was born and raised in La Penita, working in his father’s hardware store ever since he could walk. While growing up the only time Enrique wasn’t working was when he was attending Prepa in Compostela. “That was all I left town for….school!” Enrique’s father; Enrique Sr., opened “Ferretaria Gomez” in 1968 and people often came to his store to get advice on how to fix this and that. It was one of the first major stores along the Avenida that showed signs that La Penita was a growing community. Enrique Jr. now runs his father’s hardware business, and after almost 40 years of working in the family business, he still enjoys coming to work everyday. “I grew up in this hardware store. It’s my life,” laughs Enrique. Enrique speaks decent English and
his longtime employee and friend Edmund recently returned from a stint working
in the United States.
“We were friends growing up, and we both worked here when we were little,” says Edmund. Enrique, now a family man and has a wife named Maggy and two children, Paulina and Enrique Jr. Like his father before him, Enrique will pass it on to his kids when he is too old to run the store. Ferretaria Gomez restocks daily and if they don’t have what you need, chances are that it will appear the next day. “I just write a list at the end of the day of what I need and it comes in the morning.” Enrique is passionate about his family’s business and wants to make sure every reader of Jaltemba Sol know about his 10% discount on Thursdays for all Truper Items. The future looks bright for Enrique and his family’s hardware store. “We are going to be renovating soon, and restocking fully to get ready for the heavy tourist season. Muy Bueno,” he says.
The Spirit of Mariachi Music
The only thing more Mexican than tequila is mariachi and it seems a shame
to have one without the other.
Throughout the country, strolling musicians are commonly seen in restaurants or
on the streets, decked out in matching silver studded (Charro) outfits playing a
variety of instruments that include violins, guitars, vihuelas (5 string
guitars) and trumpets. They sing
about machismo, love, betrayal, death, politics, revolutionary heroes and even
animals (one famous song is “La Cucuaracha”-the cockroach).
Mariachi goes beyond entertainment, it
is the sum of a cultural revolution that began in the southern part of Jalisco
state in the 19th century. This
popular grassroots music encompasses the essence of Mexico and its people.
Mariachi music embodies the culture, spirit and traditions that are unique to
this country, an experience not to be missed This enchanting music style is celebrated each September throughout Jalisco, with Guadalajara hosting several mariachi festivals and offering weekend performances (every Thursday through Sunday) during the month of September. Besides the free mariachi performances held at various city parks, all of the large theaters and auditoriums present excellent folklore ballet and mariachi events, ranging in cost from $400 to $3000 pesos per ticket. (Check out the events on line for the Municipal Center, City Hall auditorium, Teatro Degollado, and Auditorio Telmex for particulars.) These world class mariachi galas are well worth the expense! What a good excuse to take a two day trip to Guadalajara.
Guitarron, left, and vihuela, right Mexican hat dance
'
Learn Spanish Today - Learn Spanish on-line for
free, using interactive audio/visual lessons
REAL ESTATE FEATURE
Jaltemba Sol Realty Phone:
327-274-3356
Properties are moving very quickly in the Jaltemba Bay Area.
If you wish to be on a list that receives new listing and
changes as they occur rather than wait for the Jaltemba Sol
to publish, write us co
editor@jaltembasol.com Please include Sol Realty Update
in the subject line.
Hotel California Condos
|
Jaltemba Sol
writer Adam Caddell is the son of Bill and Dot Bell
