Comentarios de Caras de Tocoa

Tocoa was "My Town" during the years 1961 to 1966 when I lived in that area with Servico Voluntario Mennonita.

Those were the best 5 years of the 70 I have lived, and many times I desired to return, but have not returned since my 1966 departure.

Hector replies:
Thursday, September 15, 2011, 9:54:13 PMI was born in 1963 one block from the Menonita building going toward the river; right across from "la casa de los Gringos" (the house of the "Gringos") across from "El Terraplen"

I always admired that place! What do you remember? Any names? Any buildings?

Thanks for your post.

Hector

Guest replies:
Friday, September 16, 2011, 6:36:38 PM
Hello Hector

I remember lots and lots about Tocoa. Tocoa, the place on earth I most remember, of any place I ever lived, my favorite place AND PEOPLE. Mi Amorcita. La Amour de me vida todavia vivi en Tocoa.

I will write in English because I never was good at writing Spanish, and it has been so long since I have done much of it, that I find it more difficult than ever.

Who I knew in Tocoa? LOTS of people! I knew/know the Carlos Polanco that is mentioned in one page of your site. Francisco Flores, Antonio Martinez, Carlos Basha, Jesus Martinez, Jesus Polanco, Don Arturo (forgot his last name) who had the store a block or two down the street from Carlos Polanco, Then there were the Castro's who had their store a block or so farther down the street from Carlos Basha's store, Maunual Medena, and many many others.

I would get my hair cut under the thached roof "Barber Shop" on the next street up from the "main Street" in town. I do not recall that the streets had names back in the '60's when I lived there.

David.

Hector replies:
Saturday, September 17, 2011, 6:40:12 AM
David,

You remember a lot! (Don Arturo Nuila) Remember the old school in the opposite corner on the Menonita building? Remember el Cabildo? There is a lot to remember but our small and beautiful town has changed a lot. I wish it stayed that way for ever. I went there last year and there are a lot of new faces. It is now a big city.

Anyway, I hope you can remember more and share it with us.

Hector

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Guest replies:
Sunday, September 18, 2011, 2:10:15 PM
Arturo Nuila... si, si, el es. At the time I lived in Tocoa, El Servico Voluntario rented our house from him. Buen Hombre! Todavia vivi?

Yes, I remember the mission school , the clincia, la Comandancia. The Geological Survey tower across form the Comandancia.

I had a little house of my own. Mud walls and thached roof at the end of the street up from Don Carlos Basha....pegado al Terraplen. One block up the side street from the tienda de Don Carlos Polanco.

Yes, I well remember the beautiful small pueblo that Tocoa WAS... Can you imigine the shock I had a few years ago when I looked up Tocoa on Google Earth! I could not believe my eyes. In a way it hurt me, but at the same time I was very glad to see the progress!

I knew when I lived there that it would become an important center whenever a highway went thru, but never imagined it would become what it has become! Tocoa virtually went from the 19th century direct into the 21 century in 40 years time.

Now if only they could get the civil unrest under control! Too bad for the town, for the entire Bajo Aguan, that one or a few people think they have to own all the fertle lands. The world needs Palm Oil, but food & crops for the local people are far more important! Enough politics.

I have lots of photos from 1961 to 1966, but most all are 35mm slides, and I need to get some way to scan them and ditigitize them so I can post some of them. I got a new computer, and have not even learned how to link the scanner on my printer to it, so I cannot even scan the few photo prints I do have.

I would love to return for a visit, but not sure that I should after all these years. People would not understand why I have not returned before, and return now that I am viejo.

I remember when there were only 2 vehicules in town. The Jeep of Don Carlos Basha, and the Menonita Jeep, and than in '62 the mission got a new Green Chevy 4 X 4 pick-up. Now look at the town! So many vehicles that they are running over the people!

Hasta Luego

David

dabange@yahoo.com

Hector replies:
Sunday, September 18, 2011, 9:25:48 PM
Hi David,

I left Tocoa back in 1982 when I was 19 years old. It hurts me so bad to have left my town and my people but you know how tough life was there. I became fascinated with America when I was only 10 years old and I knew I was going to come to this country some day.

I love the life style here in the US but I am still home sick (that’s the reason I created MiPueboNatal.com) I hurt sometimes when I want to go back to those times and I can’t.

I wish I had met you there too but I was born in 1963 to the Zuniga and Rivera families. I was only 2 years old when you left.

The Zuniga’s lived next to La Comandancia. Picture yourself standing next to la Comandancia facing the mountains. My house was on the right. In the corner property there was a wooden house that belonged to Doña Melia. I think she was related to the Aviles family who lived next to Don Carlos Bascha. Now, take a little walk toward the river going toward Zamora. The second property has a mud house with a thatched roof. That’s my house. In front of us lived the Barralaga family and next to them the Padillas (they still live there).

See if you remember this house. This was La Casa De Don Pancho Erazo) https://www.mipueblonatal.com/images/calles-de-tocoa7.jpg

I have been looking for old pictures of that time and when I hear you say you have some I get chills with excitement. I will appreciate them if you are able to share some of them. I am sure people will appreciate them.

If you want, we can create a whole section about it and you can even write in English in that that section and I will create another section translated in Spanish!

Pictures of that time are difficult to obtain because not everyone (like these days) owned a camera.

Anyway, if you post them somewhere else, I would like to see them! I can’t wait!!!

If you can email me some pictures you can send them to harzt03@yahoo.com and I will have a lot of fun creating those pages.

Take care,

Hector

David Bange replies:
Sunday, September 25, 2011, 4:10:34 PM
Hector:

I do understand your "hurt" about leaving Tocoa. It often pains me extensively for having left when I did in 1966.

You have the consolation that most likely you have done as many others, and helped support your family back in Tocoa. When I left in '66 and was unable to resolve the problem I suffered there via mail, I did not return nor did I help support anyone there, nor help with their education.

To this day it frequently "cuts to the heart", for having left, and that was nearly 50 years ago. I think, had I stayed another 6 months or a year, things would have been resolved.

As to the house you mention, it does look familiar, but things have changed so much...WIDE paved streets, and all. It does look similar to what I recall of the Padillas house, however I do not recall if their house had one or two front doors.

I do have lots of photos but most are on 35MM slides that I have not looked at in years, and have no way to scan to digital format. I got a new computer sometime back, and the scanner on my printer has not been linked to my 'puter, so right now I cannot even scan what photo prints I do have.

Hasta Luego

David Bange PICTURES

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Hector says:
Friday, November 05, 2010, 8:32:15 PM
Hola Iris,

Ve a esta pagina y has click en los links porque alli hay bastantes fotos. Todavia estoy en el proceso de agregar mas. https://www.mipueblonatal.com/tocoa.html

Gracias,

Hector

erlyn palacios says:
Thursday, September 30, 2010, 6:10:03 PM

hola!! me da mucho gusto volver a ver estas caras, les recuerdo con cariño, no se si me recuerdan yo vivi en la casita q esta al lado ahi en su propiedad uds nos la alkilaban, soy hijo de doña carmen ahora vivo en españa, recuerdo cuando iva al cerro a cojer nances con fredi, recuerdo la vez q susi gano un festival de la cancion con la cancion o carol,q tiempos akellos, un honor saludarles a la distancia, q el todopoderoso los guarde siempre.

Hector replies:
Thursday, September 30, 2010, 9:12:04 PM

Hola Erlyn,

My nombre es Hector conocido como Teto en Tocoa. No se si tu me conoses pero todo lo que dices me haces recordar de muchas cosas. El nance principalmente. Yo tambien iva a recoger nances al cerro y lo hizimos por muchos años. Tengo una enorme cantidad de memorias de esas actividades.

No me acuerdo de Doña carmen en estos momentos. Talvez ustedes vivieron allí despues de mi tiempo. No lo se pero voy a tratar de recordar.

Te invito a que participes en nuestra red social donde vas a ver aún mucho mas fotos.

Me da mucho gusto que ayas encontrado a MiPuebloNatal.com

Mucho gusto y gracias por participar.

Hector

rony alvarado says:
Sunday, April 25, 2010, 11:02:04 AM

Hola, solo queria agradecerle por la labor que esta haciendo al mostrarnos un poco de nuestra bella ciudad Tocoa no sabe como me senti al ver a mis vecinos y amigos en ese momento senti un nudo en mi garganta, espero muy pronto poder ver toda esa gente y poder disfrutar de mi publo querido, otra vez gracias.

Hector replies:
Sunday, April 25, 2010, 2:03:11 PM

Hola Rony,

Voy para Tocoa en estos dias y pienso tomar muchas fotos y ponerlas aqui en MiPuebloNatal. Si usted tiene fotos y desea compartirlas con los demas puede hacerlo en nuestra red social donde puede subir las fotos que usted quiera. El link esta en la pagina principal.

El proposito de MiPuebloNatal.com es hacerle sentir a nuestros visitantes lo que usted ha experimentado al visitar este sitio.

Muchas gracias por su comentario,

Hector

Megan says:
Thursday, December 10, 2009, 11:55:51 AMHola, mucho gusto poder conocer su ciudad, se ve gente bella, pronto ire a conocer asi que espero traerme muchas sorpresas mas... saludos

Guest replies:
Thursday, December 10, 2009, 12:31:58 PM

Hola Megan,

Hojala la pase bien y espero que pueda conocer algunas de estas personas. Yo tambien espero ir por alla en Marzo o en Abril porque estoy deseparado por ver a mi familia.

Gracias por su comentario.

Hector

Visita nuestra red social.

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