Guadalajara, Chapala, Ajijic and Nuevo Vallarta

Another packed week!  Took a guided tour of Chapala and Ajijic, wandered around Guadaljara some more, saw the Ballet Folklorico, returned to Nuevo Vallarta and celebrated Carol's birthday with another amazing dinner.

This is tuna (prickly pear) on the cactus.

We bought some red and green tuna at the market and had some for breakfast.

We had a guided tour up to Lake Chapala with a lovely couple who lived there.

The train station that put Chapala on the map was built in 1920.

It is now a museum that contains many interesting artifacts

and documents the local history.

The cathedral in downtown Chapala

Our guides discussing an early building in Chapala

The original hotel in Chapala

On the lakefront

Chapala:  Little Corner of Love

 

Local artist.  Not bad for using an ordinary pencil!

The view of Lake Chapala from our guides' family estate

We enjoyed being able to see their lovely home!

Quite an impressive estate!

This 10- foot pet crocodile is one of the few remnants of the old family zoo.

Typical Ajijic steet.

One of the churches in Ajijic

The town plaza

Lots of interesting art in Ajijic.  This was in the plaza.

A wall of ceramic skulls outside a school.

It's a bit disconcerting to find one with your name on it.

All that lives will die.
All the good and the bad will end.
All the strong and the weak will have an end.
All that breaths will have to expire.
All that is famous will be forgotten.
All that is thought to be indispensable will perish.
All who create, who sing, who dance, who admire or criticize will cease to exist.
So, if you are lucky, someone will put your name on a wall and a little more might be remembered.
So people will sing, they will dance, they will underestimate and criticize, and finally, later, along with the wall, they will cease to exist.

Eat, drink, sing, dance, love.
Create a work of art for which you will be remembered.
Do it now; you don't have much time.
Say what you have to say even if you must scream to be heard, even if you must fight to defend yourself.
If necessary, seek or grant forgiveness in order to be able to continue.
Live.  Live.

Efren Gonzalez, the skull wall artist.
(Lousy translation is my doing.)

This is the artist's studio.

Street art

Weaver in a fabric gallery in Ajijic

Restaurant on the lake in Ajijic where we stopped for lunch.

Back in Guadalajara on Avenida Chapultepec

A market is set up on the median on Avenida Chapultepec and

it's filled with the young and hip from the university.

Dinner at Allium

A huge video wall is the background for the atm's at a major bank

Nothing gets wasted!

Finally found it just before we left!

Carol always likes to see art, so.....

Wall mural

Street art

Talented street musicians

Casa Jose Guadalupe Zuno was built in 1923 from native volcanic stone.

It now houses the archives for the University of Guadalajara.

There are many interesting vintage buildings around the old American Zone.

This one is now a waffle restaurant!

The American Consulate is not so hospitable looking.

Some things are totally unexpected!

The Arches of Guadalajara, built in 1942 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the city's founding .

Orozco's home and studio when he worked in Guadalajara

El Teatro Degollado

A European style concert hall

We saw a performance of the University of Guadalajara's Ballet Folklorico

 

A great show in a great venue for about $10 each!

Well, the vacation has to end sometime.  Back to suffering away in Paradise Village!

Just wasting away in Margaritaville!

Showing off my best feature.

Taking out my aggressions

Carol suffering away too....

I took Carol on a jungle canal tour to see the birds and iguanas.

I think she liked the elegant gourmet dinner at Café des Artistes better...

...at least until the birthday fireworks and violin serenade.  Oh the embarrassment!

Enjoying a sunset at the end of the harbor jetty