Birthday week in Guadalajara and Beyond

Way too much activity this week to write about at length.  In short: finished my Spanish classes, enjoyed more of Tlaquepaque, did recon tours of Tonala and Guadalajara, got myself checked in to the hotel where I met Carol, took her on tours of Tlaquepaque and Guadalajara, saw some new things and had a good time.  Long blog=tired now.  Look at the pictures....

Class photo on the last day.  Teacher is the woman in the middle.

At one of the churches in Tlaquepaque.  I guess this is how it's

done when you work with your faith in God.

On the street

Beautiful peaceful morning in the plaza in Tlaquepaque

But it changes dramatically on a Saturday evening!

Part of the reason was a performance by some indigenous

dancers/musicians.

Same spot, 6 hours earlier.

Their exciting performance earned a large audience.

Same view in the morning

With the large crowds, venders were out in force.

But some folks just wanted to relax with friends and family.

Next day I jumped on one of the Tapatio tour buses to visit Tonala

Red kiosk on the right is where you buy tickets.

Tonala is known for it's artisans and associated stores and galleries.

This is a furniture-maker on the highway approaching town.

Ceramics workshop

Metal working skills were brought by the Spanish.

Recognize these two?

Metal work gallery in town

The main boulevard in Tonala features broad lanes on each side

that are restricted to loading and unloading only, encouraging lots

of pedestrian traffic.

It works:  the town was filled with shoppers,virtually all Mexicans.

I met these two cuties on a corner.  A bit thin for my taste,

but obviously strong!

Furniture outlet for a manufacturer

Ceramics shop

Hand-blown glassware

Lots of color everywhere.  Want a unique dining set?

Artificial flower shop. (See cemetery photos below.)

Preserved fruits and veggies

Even the shoes were colorful!

To the right in this photo I came across the biggest weekly

outdoor market yet.

Gotta have sustenance to make it through:  fresh coconut

water, pomegranate, or other fresh fruit available at

the entrance.

Be sure to check out the weekly specials!

There were several rows of vendors, each about a quarter mile long.

How about a bird in a cage?

Look carefully and you'll see dad breaking out the cash

to buy a bird for his kids.

Where else can you get Star Wars masks for less than $3?

I'm sure they are properly licensed....

But, if your conscience is bothering you, we can deal with that too!

Many vendors worked on their crafts when there were no customers.

My only purchase.  One of the advantages of shopping

where all the customers are locals is good prices.

I paid slightly more than $2 for this.

The next day I took a different Tapatio bus into

Guadalajara to do some more scouting prior to

Carol's visit.

Back at la rotunda, I bought a city map at a nearby bookstore.

The horse and buggy tours add a romantic touch to the city.

Originally the government building, it is now also a museum. 

The famous façade was actually designed by a French architect. 

Dating back to the 17th century, it has a lot of history.

Slavery was abolished here, and Juarez was almost murdered here.

The inner courtyard

One of the Orozco murals in the stairwell.

 Another in the chamber of congress

Looking toward the central cathedral from upstairs

Looking at the plaza behind the old government

headquarters through a gunport in the thick wall.

Plaza between the old government headquarters museum and

the Teatro Degollado

The Teatro Degollado, home of the Guadalajara Philharmonic and

the Ballet Folklorico

The Templo de Nuestra Senora de Aranzazu was

built in 1750 as part of a convent.  The convent

was lost in a fire and only the church remains.

Walls 270 years old

Looks like he's praying right?  Actually he's working on

his mobile device.

In the Plaza de Armas, looking toward the

Cathedral of Guadalajara

Iron gazebo designed by a Frenchman

Looking toward the government palace

Villa Ganz Hotel in Guadalajara where I would be meeting Carol

Enjoying coffee in the garden right outside our room

Relaxing before I took Carol on a tour of Tlaquepaque

We went to both ceramics museums in Tlaquepaque.

This is a nagual

This too

Puppet

A family history in clay

Hell

Many works showed a sense of humor

No Photoshop tricks; it's really that big!

Hope they don't light a fire!

While this is nice, you can't appreciate the artistry until....

....you look up close.

One of the cool modern pieces.

Really quite impressive clay work.

Next:  checking out thecolorful shops and galleries.

           
 Quilt

 Embroidery

 Gallery of religious iconography

 The Bustamante Gallery

 Just an oddly decorated building

 Time for a nieve break at the most popular place in town.

Maybe it's the variety of freshly made flavors....

Last stop in Tlaquepaque:  the local cemetery.

It was a Monday and pretty dead.   Maybe that's'

why some folks left early.

After the big tour it was time for a special birthday diner at Lula Bistro.

We had an amazing 8-course dinner.  Foodies:  check out

chef Darren Walsh.

Being the birthday boy, I got a second dessert!

The next morning we walked down to the University

of Guadalajara's contemporary art museum.

While the exhibit spaces are dedicated to contemporary work...

...the building has two Orozco murals.

Had to show Carol the Cathedral of Guadalajara!

This time I went inside.

The Templo Expiatorio del Santisimo Sacramento,

a Gothic style Cathedral.

Construction started in 1897 and did not finish until 1972.

You can see why when you go inside.

The Templo de San Augustin dates from the 17th century.

Baroque style.

Some people go for baroque.

The Regional Museum opened in 1758, also baroque.

Nice courtyard.

Many dramatic large painting are on display.

An original manuscript of the Mexican constitution.

Several old carriages were also on display.

Indigenous art, including Huichol beadwork showing the

influence of peyote.

Surprise!  A wooly mammoth!  The real tusks

couldn't be mounted on the skeleton because of

the weight.  They are resting on the base.  Tsk, tsk.

The Degollado Theater where we bought tickets to see the

Ballet Folklorico in a few days.

A street musician in the square playing native flute.

He was good, so I bought a CD.

This kid was having a great time playing in a fountain

in the square.

Originally built in the 19th century as a complex for orphans,

the Cabanas complex is now a museum and cultural center.

It is a large complex with 23 courtyards of different sizes.

In 1937, the state of Jalisco invited Orozco to

paint the inside of the main chapel.

The work is considered to be his masterpiece.

Time for a lunch break in the plaza.  Turns out,

happy hour started at 1 pm and drinks were 2-for-1.

Happy, happy!!

Next stop, the Mercado San Juan de Dios

It is the biggest indoor market in Latin America:  40,000 square meters!

All 40,000 square meters are crammed with merchandise of all sorts.

Need a dog collar or a leash?

A custom saddle?

Maybe a chair is more your style?

After getting over-stimulated by more than 40,000

square meters of market, we called it quits.

Suffered through dinner at La Maresca, a restaurant

a few blocks from the hotel.