23 September 2007

MERCADO DE PULGAS (OR THE FLEA MARKET)

About a month ago, S and I wanted to explore one of the local flea markets. Where we come from, out west in California, we call them swap meets. We picked the one on East Highway 290 - we had been informed it was one of the largest flea markets in the area. It sure was.

If I had to imagine the layout of the flea market from an aerial view, it would be like an octopus. The halls stemming from the entry way seemed to go on forever and loop back unto themselves, so after miles and miles of walking, we seemed to be right back where we started but from one of three or four different perspectives.

Mostly, we found discount (= tacky) clothing and shoes, used hardware/tools/electronics, gaudy home decor, Tejano music and DVDs, fried food, spicy Mexican candy, old-style kitchenware for making salsas and tamales, fresh produce, curandera curios, and a few authentically antique item booths. Among our favorite finds were the following...


Moving pictures featuring waterfalls, underwater sea life, night-time city skylines, and beach paradises:



Tawdry lingerie such as sequined, butterfly-crotch panties:

The confederate guy selling racist antiques such as "White Colored Folks Only" plaques and mamie figurines:




But we did not go home with any of these items. Instead, we walked away with a sleeping lawn Mexican, a Mexican flag bandanna, and a framed picture of a saint to ward off bad spirits. I had really wanted to find a DVD - or even a videotape - of young Pedrito Fernandez movies.



For those of you who do know who he is, Pedro Fernandez was born on September 28 in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico in 1969. His birth name was Jose Martin Cuevas Cobos. He made his film debut in 1979 when producer Ruben Galindo gave him his first oportunity in the production "La Nina de la Mochila Azul" where he started his career. He changed his name to Vicente Fernandez, because of his music idols Pedro Infante and Vicente Fernandez. He is also a singer with more than 25 LPs in a 20 year music career. (NOTE: Although he changed his name to Vicente Fernandez, he is NOT to be confused with the original Vicente Fernandez.)

Well, not a single Mexican running the DVD booths knew who Pedrito Fernandez was. I mean, come on. He was a legendary teen star in the 1980s in Mexico.

Pedrito Fernandez revolutionized sexy for young Mexican teens. No other 12-year-old boy could pull it off better than him.



But, lest I forget. He was an icon in MEXICO. Not in TEJAS. And thus continues the saga of Undercover Mexican Girl...

Go see for yourself. The Flea Market, that is.
9500 E Hwy 290Austin, TX78724-2316
Phone: (512) 928-2795
Hours: Sat-Sun 10am-6pm

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1 comment:

  1. Pedro Fernandez was totally an icon in texas... but not as big as Selena

    ReplyDelete