Three Days in the District of Guadalajara - last post of 2013

Surfing the web before we left for our usual trip down south to sunny Mexico it was noticed that a tour to Guadalajara was available from Superior Tours in PV. Signing up was easy by email and paying by Paypal was easier. So on the second weekend of our stay we found ourselves outside, in the dark, at the Walmart parking lot waiting for a tour bus. Introducing ourselves to other obvious Canadians we discovered out travelmates. Clarence and Jean, from Calgary, and Brian and his partner, never did catch her name. It turned out that Brian was a restauranteur with franchises in Calgary but had just opened a place in the Marina area. Also with us at Walmart were three French Canadians, who true to form didn’t speak to anybody other than themselves. Getting on the bus we discovered another couple - Robbie and Sandy from Oshawa and we were off to Bucerias for the next pickup and then another on at Sayulita - nineteen people in all.

The first stop in our five hour journey was at Compestela, an agricultural place set in one of the valleys between the mountain ranges. A pee break at one of the tolls places on the main highway. Ten minutes here and then off heading East. Passing through the fields of corn, cows and old tobacco patches. One strange feature was the abundance of lava rock, asking the guide where was the volcano he answered vaguely “Over there” pointing to the Southeast. This area of Mexico is prone to active volcanoes and the last one was in the 90s - very recently. I figure the rocks had been excavated when the road went through as there was no apparent lava trail. With road repairs forcing us into one lane sometimes the trip dragged but entering tequila country the landscape changed from scrub to well tended fields of agave, this stuff will grow anywhere and takes seven years to mature, hence the abundance.

Coming into Guadalajara (GDL) one noticed the traffic - heavy but not crazy, like Rome or Lima. What was noticed was the total lack of local zoning laws, one stretch of Town showed the Airport, a feedlot and an industrial metal fabrication plant all in a row. We never did see the proverbial chemical plant next to the luxury home but I am sure it exists.

First stop was to see the sights of Tlaquepaque ( I still can’t pronounce it), a district of GDL famous for its concentration of artisans and markets and cafes. The guide warned us,    "This area is safe but if you have anything shiny don't wear it! We will meet back here in two hours" and we were on our own. Strolling past much public art, some we had seen on the Malecon in PV, was very inspiring and shopping was cheap - mainly ceramics and leather. We did stop in a big restaurant for nachos and salsa - very tasty.

Back on the bus we went back into GDL, as the Hotel Cervantes was downtown. This three star hotel has everything we needed including the cheapest food in the area. The room was clean, full of hot water and the TV had over a hundred channels. Quickly dumping our stuff we came back downstairs to assemble for the ninety minute walking tour. It turns out the hector the guide liked to talk and show sights so the tour ended up in the darkness some two hours later. We saw the colonial centre of Town, the Cathedral and other Government buildings. The architecture was Colonial as GDL is over four hundred years old, and it showed. But after touring the Governors building, it contained huge murals done by Jose Clemente Orozco, the most famous Mexican muralist in the last hundred years we moved onto the modern squares where blocks of Colonial buildings had been demolished to construct plazas and shops. To this day the project is controversial. Finishing back at the hotel we sat down in the bar, watching a soccer game and Doreen sipped wine and I guzzled beer. Robbie and Sandy appeared holding a bottle purchased at the nearby supermarket and joined us. Their bottle cost as much as Doreen's glass - sixty pesos ($5.00).

So endeth the first night.




Day 2
Breakfast at 8am and off in the bus at 9. The buffet b'fast was full of the usual fare including Mexican pulled pork for the chilequilles - I love this stuff. We were off to the Lake Chapala region today. This area has interested me as there are reported to be over 50,000 "Norteamericanos" living in this region, I wanted to see where and how they lived. But first getting out of GDL proved to be a long process due to its sprawl. This heavily industrialised City appeared to be the transportation hub of Mexico. Truck repair shops, depots and maintenance places of all kinds seemed to dominate. Driving past a new Walmart distribution centre the size of which was impressive - 350 loading doors long, probably 700 doors in all - huge.

 

Climbing out of the valley we approached Lake Chapala slowly and parked in the Main St., the Malecon. This beachfront contained a Pier in the middle of the stretch and the choice was: which way to walk first. But to get here we saw the layout of Lake Chapala. A busy highway lined with service industry shops and the entrances to 'gated communities' where the 'gringos' lived. It is easy to see how the lifestyle here is so Americanised and exists because of the temperate climate. One that remains constant whatever season of the year. Given the cheap cost of living here it is very attractive for an 'expat' to choose this place to retire to. First walking on the pier to see what the Bay looks like and to gaze back on the Malecon, Hector filled us in on the geography and the local history of the place and then we walked the distance of the North Malecon to the "best coffee in Town". We were now on our own for ninety minutes after being shown yet another Civic Building, this time to appreciate more public art in the Town Hall. The South side of the Malecon beckoned - it was all 'market' and the stalls were just opening. The locals must be drinkers as we did notice the stalls selling "Mechiladas" a bloody mary mix of tomato juice and beer - a reputed hangover cure sold in one litre mugs. But back to the stalls and their cheaper prices. I bought a shirt for 140 pesos a price that would have been double back in PV.

Back on the bus it was off to Ajijic, another place 'expats' have adopted as their home. This time we could see why, fewer gated communities and an established Town revolving around the Square. "Be back in two hours." said Hector as we rushed to the Beach, we could see from the Square. This place bristled with Art Galleries and restaurants, very entertaining. Not just ceramics, jewelry or paintings either, those painted steely things like suns and roosters were here too. Finding a cosy restaurant - La Uno, with an inside patio, we settled down to a lunch of BLTs on a croissant. mighty tasty and cheap. Whilst lunching we struck up a conversation with two other diners, one was there for a couple of months one lives year-round - both loved the place. Continuing the walk we checked out two local churches and the bottom end of the square, settled on a park bench and waited for the others. In a bit of research to find out where the fifty thousand gringos lived I spoke to Diane Pearl, the owner of a snazzy ceramic art store. She told me that the fifty thousand were spread out from the top to the bottom of the large bay and into the mountains that ringed the bay, Asked if she thought that the expats could integrate with the Mexicans in their communities she shocked me with the vehemence of her response. "You must be fucking nuts if you think you can integrate, the Mexicans want to be separate!" Hence the ability of the gated communities to flourish.

Back in GDL by five thirty the rest of the night was ours. A meal in the Hotel, still the cheapest place for good value, and an early night. Tomorrow would be much of the same and a long bus ride home.



Day 3

On the bus at 8am we travelled through GDL to the market of Tonala. Passing through yet more urban sprawl GDL's industrialisation showed itself. Small metal working plants , truck repair shops and other signs of "real work' not just service industry sales-shops.  Passing the new WalMart distribution centre again, the size of it amazed - this behemoth had three hundred and fifteen loading docks on one side, probably over seven hundred in total.

The market in Tanola is located on a large parking lot and accompanied on two sides by the streets. Probably ten acres in total, just rows of vendor's stalls and miles of lanes and alleys. The one street that became a market on side of it ran for approximately two kms. A wonder for customers and vendors alike. The runs on Thursdays and Sundays and attracts professional 'pickers' as well as locals looking for bargains. The bus next to ours was filled with buyers from the Texas border area, there wasn't a cubic inch of spare space left in the cargo hold of that bus as they left, the seats were probably filled too!

We walked around and in the ninety minutes, at a fast pace and buying little, we saw much stuff we wanted to buy but couldn't, how could we get it back? This pig bbq really enchanted and at four hundred pesos ($37usd) who could resist. Finally Doreen broke down and bought two leather cushions, the stuffing will be left behind, for ninety five pesos for the pair ($8.00usd). One impression will always remain with us about this part of the tour - "what a place for bargains"

Another aspect of the tour appeared here  - the professionalism of the guide. After waiting about twenty minutes all were back  on the bus except the two French ladies - they had become lost in the maze. Hector quietly phoned the local Police and they found them and escorted them back to the bus - very efficiently handled.

The final stop on the tour was to the Town of Tequila, a world heritage sight and it didn't disappoint. The town located in a valley was the epitome of small town Central Mexico. The square with the church, the street lined with stores and the weather was fantastic - little oppressive heat and no humidity. We were here to look at, and maybe buy Tequila, the national drink. However as novices we were overwhelmed by the variety of tastes and the shapes of the bottle, would it be 'blanco', 'reposado' or 'anejo' so may choices. But we did change some money, at the best exchange rate of the holiday so

not all choices were confusing. Being a bit rushed, because of the delay in getting away from Tonala the time for the lunch was rushed so the meal was not fully appreciated but good. Another sight seen but not sampled was the 'tequila bus' I guess the driver would be the only non-drinker!

Back on the bus heading back to PV, one pee break and then let off at the Plaza Marina - thank you Hector for arranging that, and thanks to Superior Tours for the good value and introduction to a part of Mexico few tourists get to see, if they stay in the resorts.