An Afternoon in downtown Laredo

My job has been keeping me busier than usual. I'm not making excuses, I love my day jobs, but  they do drain the life out of me. Not that I'm complaining, for my jobs pay the mortgage, keep the Schlitz flowing freely and make the wife/s happy. Still, it leaves zero-free time to myself.

That is why when I finally had an afternoon off from work, several weeks ago, I jumped at the chance to once again cruise the crazy streets of Downtown Laredo, where drug deals, rancherismo-dancing, prostitution, panhandlers and cheap, electronic knockoffs keep my blogging back for more. 

Perfect afternoons away from the work are a rarity for me, so I decided to unwind by sipping on a Ziggy-sixer and stumbling down the streets of my beloved hometown. Below you will find of few of the things I encountered on this particular occasion. 

Who says we have no culture in Laredo? Modern art is everywhere.

Downtown, they take their patriotic duties very seriously. Shops get closed for God and Country.

I was surprised at the amount of shops closed on this particular day. Is it El Guapo's birthday or something?

You can stand in the middle of the street on Salinas Ave at 4:30pm and not worry about a thing.
(except maybe the meter maids) #LackOfParking

Wow! Downtown landlords don't mess around. If you dont pay your rent you get shut down
and go the way of Munden's or the Playmore. #GoneButNotForgotten

So my day off was not a total waste. I was able to get my cheap electronics fix, buy an elote, gaze at the lovely Senoritas before calling it a day by wandering into one of several downtown cantinas. All in days blog. You see how I sacrifice myself for you readers. Keep blogging back for more Laredo downtown afternoon delights. 

Chalu Burgers

No one will ever confuse me with a Laredo historian. I can't seem to recall anything pre-Betty Flores days.

One thing I get asked often by friends and relatives is, "Hey DeLaredo, you 'member the Playmore right? That place was awesome?".

To which I snap my reply, "I have no bugging clue about the Playmore, or Roxy's, or Wimpys or the freaking Royal. So leave me alone!" That usually  drives them off and they stop asking me questions.

Soooo..it's no great surprise that I have never heard of Chalu's Burgers. You see, I was doing some gift shopping over at the pulga when I came across a neat coffee mug.

CHALU Burger? Chale, I've never heard of that. Maybe some of you out there can enlighten me as to when and where this place existed. Perhaps preeminent historian Keyrose can use his keen insight and tell us more about this local burger shrine that is no more.

How can a place exist in Laredo for 30 years and I not heard of it at all? It goes to show you once again what a bad Laredoan I am.

Burgers from the past

Play-More (and other Urban Legends)

I have a friend who swears on his 1988 Fleer baseball card set, that way back, sometime in the mid 80s, there existed something called the Play-more. According to his vivid imagination, the Playmore was a cross between Putt-Putt golf and Disney's Epcott Center. Every time he starts to rant about how good things were in the 80s in Laredo (minus the unpaved streets), his eyes light up and a goofy smile fills his face (a goofier smile than usual).

Go carts, arcades, a skating rink, a movie theater, according to my buddy, this place was Laredo's version of Astroworld. However, apparently, you have to be over 33 to remember this lost haven of yesteryear. I only arrived in 1992 to Laredo, years after this place apparently vanished. So if anyone out there remembers this place, drop by and leave some comments. Pictures of this lost city would be great appreciated. I think its just a crazy sugar induced illusion that my buddy concocted in between his imaginary friends.

Someone out there prove me wrong. Did the Playmore really exist? Was it really one of the wonders of the world? Why did it disappear? Where was it located? Whatever happen to Jimmy Hoffa? So many questions, so little answers. Drop me a line if you got some info!