Pleasanton residents visit sister city of Tulancingo

Pleasanton recently sent a delegation of 25 representatives to spend a week in the Mexican state of Hidalgo to commemorate the 36th anniversary of the Pleasanton-Tulancingo Sister City Association.

Upon arriving in Mexico at the end of April, the Pleasanton delegates browsed historic downtown Mexico City before traveling to Tulancingo.

To greet their friends from Pleasanton at the Hotel Colonial, residents in Tulancingo held a wine-bread-cheese reception, complete with a performance by the local symphony orchestra.

The Pleasanton delegation also attended a Day of the Dead offering party. The party was a colorful showcase of Mexican culture, as people wore costumes and face paint and mariachis provided musical entertainment, according to PTSCA publicity director Margo Tarver.

Each representative from Pleasanton met with a host family for multiple meals during the visit. Carrying on with tradition, the people from Pleasanton also visited a girls’ shelter, Asilo de San Jose.

After visiting the city hall and attending a farewell party, most of the Pleasanton representatives returned home. Seven people went on an extended trip to Chiapas.

The Tulancingo delegation will be visiting Pleasanton in April 2020, and the PTSCA has begun making preparations for the continuation of the cultural exchange.

“After all these years, deep life-long friendships have formed and we are family,” Tarver said. “It is our hope that other Tri-Valley residents will join us during this visit to understand why the Pleasanton-Tulancingo Sister City Association is so near and dear to our hearts and how we have all benefited from this cultural exchange.”