Guadalajara, México

We left from Cuarnavaca the earliest ever (6:30am) on a bus bound for the airport in Mexico City.  Our one-hour flight left from Mexico City for Guadalajara, Jalisco at 10:30am (they were actually serving free alcohol on the flight, I was tempted but didn't partake...).  Guadalajara is the second largest city in Mexico (1.6 million) so the taxi ride from the airport to our hotel in the center of town seemed very long!  We were able to look at a couple of rooms in two hotels before we decided to stay in the second hotel.  It was about 4 blocks from the Zocalo and from most of the picturesque colonial buildings in the center of the city.  These buildings are in and around a pedestrian mall area that is free of cars and includes many plazas and fountains where people hang out all hours of the day and night.  

The state of Jalisco, of which Guadalajara is the capital, is the birthplace of tequila.  On Saturday, after we went to the International Fair of Books at the Expo, we went looking for a tequila distillery to have a "tasting".  Unfortunately our two maps that we had couldn't get us there!  What we did find was an Artisan's Market that had incredible hand-made items from all around the region.  We spent about 2 hours wandering around looking at everything and buying some things.  It was a real treat, the talent was amazing!

Guadalajara is also the birthplace of Mariachi music.  We went to the Plaza of the Mariachi's where bands of Mariachi's 'hang out' and wait for someone to hire them to play at a table, a fountain or for fun.  Unfortunately, at that moment, not many people were in the area or paying to hear them play.  However, we were able to hear Mariachi music throughout the city as we walked to various places.

Other places we visited were The Museum of the City, the Tiangis (very large), another Artisan's market at the Glorieta Chapalita (far from the center of town) and a couple of local bars, which were fun!

On a side note:  I know that I may not get much sympathy for saying this but...my mind and body have been thrown off with the weather here.  It is Sunday, December 14 and outside it is sunny and 75-80 degrees!  I can't even think about shopping for Christmas, it just seems too weird!

For pictures, click on this link:

http://picasaweb.google.com/regnor11/Guadalajara#

Coming next:  Some thoughts...