The Streets of Laredo

by Paris Permenter & John Bigley

Editors' note: Before your trip, check with the State Department for security warnings regarding travel into Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. Nuevo Laredo has been undergoing drug cartel-related violence.

Laredo--for many couples it's the perfect weekend gateway to Mexico for both travel and trade. This Texas city on the Rio Grande holds the key to a good economy and a good time. Historic homes and churches provide a backdrop to bustling commerce where shoppers are tempted to shop 'til they drop. It's all easy to enjoy in a city that boasts 320 days of sunshine a year and an average temperature of 74 degrees!

The city is forging a bond between its past and its future and there's no better place to witness that connection than the new $24 million terminal at the Laredo International Airport. Designed to resemble an aircraft wing, the stainless steel, glass, and marble airport may greet the high-tech age with open arms but it holds out a hand to its past as well. The entrance to the facility is marked by seven flags--one for each of the six that flew over Texas as well as one recalling the city's days as the short-lived Republic of the Rio Grande.

Although today Laredo sports an array of new and exciting attractions, much of its appeal is also its rich history. Originally, only a single city--Laredo--occupied the north bank of the Rio Grande. Founded by an officer of the Spanish army in 1755, it was one of the first settlements in the region. Following the Mexican War in the early 1840s, some families who wished to protect their divided land holdings made the decision to leave. Some family members remained in Laredo and others headed across the newly drawn border to found Nuevo Laredo, literally New Laredo.

Today, the Republic of the Rio Grande Museum traces the history of this movement. This unique museum, a must for history buffs, utilizes a historic structure. Constructed in the 1830s as a home, the building later served as the Capitol of the Republic of the Rio Grande, a country formed when Northern Mexico briefly seceded from Mexico in 1840. Today the museum contains guns, saddles, and household belongings from that brief period.

The museum stands adjacent to La Posada Hotel, another piece of Laredo history. The hotel is a favorite with shoppers because of its proximity to the border but it is also filled with history. The 19th-Century convent now serves as the convention and meeting center for La Posada Hotel, and the old Laredo Telephone Exchange today buzzes with the sound of couples enjoying steaks and Gulf seafood at the hotel's Tack Room Restaurant, one of Laredo's most romantic eateries.

La Posada, like much of Laredo's historic district, is located on narrow, one-way Zaragoza Street, lined with historic buildings and stately palms. Facing La Posada across the plaza is the San Agustín Church, the oldest landmark in the city. Here visitors come to admire the beautiful stained glass windows of the historic structure.

If you have an interest in the background of this historic city, one of the best ways for the two of you to see the city is aboard a Heritage Tour. For two hours via a turn-of-the-century trolley, travelers tour some of the city's oldest sites. You'll see the Old Mercado, the Victorian era St. Peter's district, the restoration of Ft. McIntosh, the San Agustín Cathedral, and more. Tours begin and end at the Rio Grande Museum at 1005 Zaragoza on San Agustín Plaza and are offered Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9 am and Saturdays at 10 am. For reservations, call the Webb County Heritage Foundation (956-727-0977).

History also plays a role in Laredo's -- and South Texas's -- largest festival. The George Washington Birthday celebration dates back to 1898 when a Laredo men's organization, the Red Men and the White Men, devised the festival as a way to spread international goodwill. The group held a mock battle representing a fight for possession of the city, one that culminated in an unconditional surrender when the Mayor gave the key to the city to "Great Chief Sachem."

And just where does George Washington fit into this picture? Coincidentally, Washington was code named "Sachem" during his freedom fighting days when the Sons of Liberty disguised themselves as Indians. Because of this, the Laredo organization picked the first president's birthday as the occasion for this event.

This annual February celebration features sporting events, a children's carnival, dances, the peppery Jalapeño festival, and parades. For all its fun, food, and fireworks, the event is also noted for its elegant balls. The Princess Pocahontas Pageant and Ball features Laredo debutantes wearing Native American regalia, with some gowns taking as long as two years to research and prepare.

Those extravagant gowns are the centerpiece of the new George Washington's Birthday Celebration Museum, located at San Agustín and Zaragoza streets. Here travelers can view the gowns and costumes of this spectacular event along with historic photos of the long-running festivities. The museum is open daily during the festival and at other times by appointment.

George Washington's Birthday Celebration still highlights the international goodwill between the two cities on each side of the border at the Abrazo ceremony. At the International Bridge Ceremony, two Laredo children embrace two Nuevo Laredo youths as leaders from the two cities follow suit. The event continues with the playing of both national anthems and the remembrance of the friendship between the two nations. The ceremony is followed by a spectacular parade.

No matter what time of year you visit, you'll find that Laredo and Nuevo Laredo are a shopper's dream. Since Laredo was divided into two cities, trade between the communities has been non-stop. In Laredo, numerous shops have grown up along the San Agustín and Mercado Historic Districts to serve the needs of Mexican shoppers. You, too, will find good bargains in this area that's been called America's largest urban outlet mall. Near the international bridge, wholesalers along Zaragoza Street entice shoppers with goods ranging from electronics to clothing and shoes to Italian gold jewelry. Linger in perfume shops where you can purchase the world's famous fragrances at prices far lower than you might expect.

But, as enticing as the Laredo stores can be, the charms of its sister city eventually act as a magnet for the dedicated shopper. Nuevo Laredo boasts an amazing procession of shops along its avenues. Here the air fills with the scent of roasted ears of corn sold from steaming carts, the sunlight glints off a jumble of silver-plated necklaces on a vendor's arm, a tablecloth salesman flaunts his wares like a bullfighter's cape.

The main shopping district is along Avenida Guerrero, located just steps across the International Bridge. Along with inexpensive crafts, shoppers also find top-quality merchandise in many longtime Nuevo Laredo shops such as Marti's, sometimes nicknamed "the Neiman Marcus of Mexico." Fine clothing, jewelry, and furniture fill the shop.

Nearby, the Nuevo Mercado, or the New Market, is the most popular spot in town. The block-long, open-air market fills with shoppers daily as they come to search through the 100-plus small shops that explode with colors and textures. Be prepared to bargain at all the market shops. Negociacion is a friendly game here, and both merchant and shopper usually come away happy.
Whether you're in search of historic sites, exuberant festivals or non-stop shopping, one thing's for certain: Laredo is the place to make a little history of your own.

Contact the Laredo Convention and Visitors Bureau, 800-361-3360 or see the official website, http://www.visitlaredo.com, for information on hotels, shopping and dining.