Papersky #12 Texas Mexico
Diaries of the Tex Mex Borderland
We check out the Texas-Mexico border at International Bridge #1 in the town of Laredo, the most heavily trafficked point of entry along the border. Stopping along bordertowns, arguably the heart of the Lone Star State, we follow some of San Antonio’s Spanish Missions with stops at The Alamo, San Jose y San Miguel de Aguayo, San Juan Capistrano, Mission Nuestra Senora de La Concepcion de Acuna, San Francisco de La Espada. A look at life along the border reveals compelling stories of cultural struggle, enterprise as well as exuberant expressions of individuality all the way down. The first Tejanos, Texans of Mexican heritage, help fill pages on Border Music and our 8 road trip maps highlight nearly everything under the Texas sun. We also get lost in Japan’s largest virgin beech forest in Akita Prefecture as well as climb Japan’s second highest peak, Mount Chokai while making time to taste some kiritanpo (a pipe-shaped rice food) and sip some jizake (a sake produced from spring to winter). We also checked out the Korakukan (est. 1910), the stunning scenery along the Shibukurogawa along Route 341 and the Tamagawa Onsen, with water renownded for healthy acidity and source water temperature of 98 degrees Celcius. There are also reports from Seattle, Kanazawa and Salt Springs, BC, Canada in addition to Swedish photographer Aia Judes’ portraits of the Sami, Northern Europe’s Indigenous people and an A to B trip from Auckland to Trounson in New Zealand. This issue also takes a nostalgic look at Showa-era as we search for Japan’s lost beaches via rare beach imagery. There’s also an interview with North Pole explorer, Mitsuro Ohba, an interview with sake maker Toichi Takahashi as well as an interview with film maker Richard Linklater and a quick chat with renowned street artist, Futura.
