Me in MY Mexican Galloon Hat
My mothers dad was Alfonso Vencer Balleza married to Estefania Demit Barrido. So Alfonso and Estefania are my grand parents, I do not know much about them except that they are landowers with real estate( rice, coconut and fish ponds) not only in Barotac Viejo, but also in the neighboring towns of Banate and Ajuy, Iloilo.
Alfonso's father was Pedro Balleza AND HIS MOTHER WAS Maria Vencer. These two then are my great grand parents. My Mother mentioned once that Pedro or his Dad were Spanish soldiers( warriors) stationed in Barotac Viejo during the Spanish colonization of the Philippines(1521-1898). They both married local natives, my great and great, great grand mothers. Here's the Balleza Coat of arms showing the warriors emblem.
Alfonso's father was Pedro Balleza AND HIS MOTHER WAS Maria Vencer. These two then are my great grand parents. My Mother mentioned once that Pedro or his Dad were Spanish soldiers( warriors) stationed in Barotac Viejo during the Spanish colonization of the Philippines(1521-1898). They both married local natives, my great and great, great grand mothers. Here's the Balleza Coat of arms showing the warriors emblem.
There is also small town in Mexico province of Chihuahua called Balleza. It was founded by a priest from Spain, so I feel that my Mother's surname Balleza originally was from Spain came to the Philippines via Mexico. So my ancestral roots on my Mother's side has indeed a Mexican connection.
Several years ago, I started a genealogy of my mother's last name- “Balleza”. I was able to trace it back to the 15th century. The name originated from Bilbao, Spain. I then traced it to Mexico, then to US in Texas and then to the Philippines. I was able to locate a town in Mexico named Balleza, in the state of Chihuahua. The town was founded in 1640 and named after Fr. Mariano Balleza ,a Spanish friar. I was able also to communicate with a radio/TV announcer in Houston, Texas whose family name is also Balleza( Bill). I also found several Balleza families in Googles and recently in Face Book. Note that the name is similar to another name in the Philippines “Belleza”, a Spanish word which means beautiful. But “Balleza” and “Belleza” are two different names in the Philippines. I am happy and satisfied with the origin of my mother's last name. When my mother was still alive, she told me that her great grandfather was a Spanish soldier that participated in the Spanish colonization of the Philippines (1565-1898).
My Reel of the Day
Lastly, Did you know there's a restaurant in the Philippines where you eat with your feet in a waterfall?
At the Labasin Waterfall Restaurant in Villa Escudero, Quezon, diners enjoy traditional Filipino dishes while seated at bamboo tables placed directly in the shallow waters beneath a small man-made waterfall. Guests dine barefoot as cool spring water flows around them, making it one of the country's most unique dining experiences and a favorite destination for both local and international travelers.
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