Feeling Secure in Guadalajara

Aloha Everyone,

Our friends who have lived or travelled in Mexico have shared with us their personal experiences and reminders not to go out at night.

Even when traveling with Honu, J.J. and I hardly go out at night on our own. We settle in an RV Park by 4:00 pm or before the sky darkens. So do we feel safe and secure in the colonial highlands of México? Yes, we feel secure though always remain in a state of mindfulness.

There are local and national police, private security guards, in front of and inside nearly all establishments. What we concern ourselves is that a person with a gun runs amok. But then, we can’t worry about everything. Crossing a street, even you have the right of way, is risky as some drivers completely disregard changing signal lights and traffic signs.

Concert of Tchaikovsky’s program is on at the Teatro Degollado in the Centro tonight. Unfortunately, it starts at 8:30 and this violates our rule of being out at night.

We stepped out to purchase drinking water and witnessed demonstrators marching for women’s rights. It was a peaceful and well organized group of about 1,000 women. We spoke with a gentleman visiting from Honduras whose English was excellent. He told us that such demonstrations are common in Latin America as women are still often abused and discriminated at workplaces, as well as by society in general.

Aloha -- Cathi

Day Trip to Tlaquepaque

Aloha Everyone,

Tlaquepaque is a wealthy neighborhood adjacent to Guadalajara. Our taxi on the way was metered and the fare was 70 peso. But on our return, there were no metered taxi and one driver wanted 150 pesos. J.J. declined then another driver approached us and we agreed on 100!

Tlaquepaque reminded us of San Miguel Allende — charming cobblestone streets, a large plaza flanked by columned arcades and yes, churches. The main difference was that the streets we walked were all high end commercial establishments consisting of art galleries, shops, restaurants and bars.  

Chuck, Kim, Kathy and Roger (from l-r) were touring Guadalajara and its environs on the red tour bus. Good natured, friendly group from Arizona, we struck up a conversation when I stopped to take a photo of a skeleton sculpture. They travel as a group and told us that their upcoming trip is to the Adriatic Sea where they have hired a sailboat for 18 passengers. The plan is to visit several of the former Eastern block countries.

Aloha -- Cathi

Sculptures and Street Art

Aloha Everyone,

Sculptures are “part of the philosophy of the park as a dynamic public space” according to a press release from Guadalajara city hall.  

Among these sculptures, the “Arbol Adentro” located on the pedestrian walkway on Avenida Alcalde by Artist Jose Fors is unique and eye-catching. It is supposed to be a half-human bronze head out of which a tree will sprout. No tree yet but we had to wait for children to climb down before J.J. could take my photo.

Street art is everywhere. They differ from Graffiti as these enormous canvases are signed and left alone by other graffiti artists.

J.J. and I finally found the restaurant we’ve been wanting to try but could not find the entrance. It turned out that the restaurant is part of a department store. The access to the restaurant is via the cosmetic department. The food and the service were excellent, so we might make a return visit.

Aloha -- Cathi

Guadalajara Centro

Aloha Everyone,

Architecturally impressive landmarks seems to be concentrated in the Centro Histórico district of Guadalajara. From our hotel, it’s an easy 15 minutes walk. The weather has been in the low 50’s to mid-80’s. Early in the morning and by sunset, it gets breezy and very pleasant for a stroll.

Our lunch stop was at La Rinconada Plaza Tapatía. So elegant and beautiful, this late 19th Century French-Style mansión was once a private home of a prominent citizen. J.J.’s pasta was “al dente” (firm) just like in Italy. My salad tasted fresh and better than its appearance. We enjoyed having lunch in a place with wonderful ambiance. The music playing was Julio Iglesias, one of my all time favorite Spanish singer.

La Rotonda de Los Jaliscienses Ilustres is one of the main plazas in Centro Histórico. The busts of important individuals are displayed, attracting students and visitors who are interested in history.

Aloha -- Cathi

Lake Chapala

Aloha Everyone,

Lake Chapala is the largest freshwater lake in México. Located on the border between the states of Jalisco and Michoacán, the area is 5,000 ft above sea level. This is a shallow lake with a median depth of 15 feet and a maximum of 34 feet. Lake Chapala is fed by four rivers and flows northwest into the Pacific Ocean vis the Rio Grande De Santiago.

J.J. and I also read and heard a great deal about Ajijic, a small town near Lake Chapala that is popular among American and Canadian retirees. We were curious as Ajijic is often compared to San Miguel de Allende.

There were delays and last minute changes with the tour schedule. Ajijic became a drive by. The reason given to us was “atrasado debido a las personas” (behind schedule because of people). Despite standing in a line at the gate which did not open, to access the first attraction of our tour, J.J. and I had a wonderful day. The reason, Dave and Dorothy from Alberta, Canada who were among the 50 or so passengers on the bus.

With his dry sense of humor, Dave kept us laughing and entertained. We had a great meal at a touristic restaurant located on the edge of Lake Chapala. My red snapper and J.J.’s grilled shrimps made up for some of the challenges of the morning. Prices were 30% higher, but the food was good.

A boat ride on Lake Chapala was more like floating on the unclear aquatic surface. We noted some immense hill side mansions around the lake.

Our final stop was at Chapala City, also located alongside the lake. The Sunday crowd was so thick that the four of us encountered difficulty securing a table.

Expected delays and changes are more of a norm here than back home. Our tour guide Ramón, ever gracious and patient tried so hard to speak to the four of us in his labored English.

In summary, it was a fun-filled day and we extend our “gracias” to Dave and Dorothy!

Aloha -- Cathi