The Foreign Service Journal, October 2007

festival traces its roots back to 1898, during the Spanish-American War, when a group of Texans sought to demonstrate Laredo’s deep com- mitment to the United States. Rather than fading away, it has become larger and more diverse every year. In fact, the Washington Birthday Celebration Association, which organizes the event, is so busy that it maintains a year-round staff housed in a replica of Mount Vernon. Who would have guessed that the original George W. had such strong ties to Texas? Among the many featured events are a Princess Pocahontas Pageant, a Comedy Jam for George, and a Jalapeño Festival, which includes a jalapeño-eating con- test (the record is 152 in 15 minutes) and a jalapeño-spit- ting contest. For sophisticates, Laredo’s Society of Martha Washington sponsors an elaborate re-enactment of a ball held at the Mount Vernon estate in 1790. The ball features 12 debutantes in extravagant handmade gowns that can take two years of labor each to create, costing up to $30,000 dollars. Each dress weighs between 70 and 100 pounds — almost as heavy as the young ladies beneath them— and can inflict grisly bruis- es on their hips and shoulders. But participants consid- er all that a small price to pay for a coveted spot in the festival’s most prestigious event. As a symbol of the close relationship that the sister cities of Laredo and Nuevo Laredo have always shared, the international highlight of the GW celebration is the abrazo (hug) exchanged between children and officials of the neighboring countries. One of the bridges span- ning the Rio Grande between the two cities is closed off to vehicle traffic while groups walk from their respective sides of the river and exchange pleasantries and speech- es. Following tradition, the U.S. consulate’s principal officer in Nuevo Laredo gives a warm abrazo to the Mexican consul in Laredo. All this international love is not limited to that one particular day, however. One of the four bridges con- necting the two cities is also a symbol of union for hun- dreds of couples each year. (Marriage is, after all, about meeting each other halfway.) Typically, one spouse is a Mexican national who, usu- ally because of a visa ineligibility, cannot be physically present in the United States to get married. Once the logistics are arranged, the wedding party and the judge meet on the demarcation line where the U.S. and Mexico meet, while the cou- ple joins hands across the interna- tional boundary. After a brief cer- emony — voilá — the couple are officially esposo and esposa. But according to the laws of which jurisdiction? Mexico? The United States? Texas? No, no and you betcha, partner! A justice of the peace from Laredo says the legitimacy of these marriages has never been challenged under the laws of the great state of Texas. Whatever the true validity of such unions, the practice continues in full swing and adds a touch of romance to otherwise routine bridge traffic. Thank Heaven for … Servicar! Before hitting the bridge on a characteristically steamy day, someone might stop off at one of the three drive-thru Starbucks in Laredo and order an iced frap- puchino from the comfort of an air-conditioned vehicle. But to really spice things up, locals enjoy Nuevo Laredo’s version of drive-through refreshment: chilled tequila shots. Not only can you drive, quite literally, into one of the many bar/mini-marts called “Servicars,” but you can enjoy happy hour right at the wheel. Or if it’s a whiskey or a Corona you prefer to drink while you drive, no hay problema: the Servicars cater to every open-container dream. Just pull into the store, roll down the window and order your margarita in a to-go cup. Make sure you buy an extra bag of chile and limon chips to fend off the munchies, though — and hope that your insurance cov- ers any damage to Servicar walls that may be grazed while exiting. In fact, most residents of Nuevo Laredo drive as if they’ve made far too many trips to their neighborhood Servicar. Vehicles resurrected from the junk yard com- pete with flashy Suburbans to overtake each other down one-way streets, undeterred by the numerous speed bumps that sprout up like concrete weeds. Those who are fortunate enough to have a visa may be in a hurry to cross the bridge and engage in the border’s most beloved pastime: shopping! Strip malls line Interstate 35, the spine of Laredo, like proud soldiers of American commercialism. The service economy of Laredo is highly dependent on the crowds of F O C U S 24 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / O C T O B E R 2 0 0 7 The sister cities of Laredo, Texas and Nuevo Laredo, Mexico take pride in superlatives.