Tlaquepaque and the Death March

I'm almost done with my two-week stint studying Spanish.  I got booted up a couple of levels along the way and went from the top of the class to the bottom.  But that's okay:  I'm learning more, learning more of the things I wanted to learn and getting more practice trying to understand native speakers talking fast.  It's been more work of course, so I've been staying pretty busy.
One afternoon I joined a group of younger guys who are friends of the school's director for a hike down to some hotsprings at the bottom of the Barranca de Oblatos, a park outside of Tonala.  We went down a steep rocky trail that would be known only to locals familiar with it.  It was not an official park trail and the trailhead was off a field in an obscure semi-rural area.  The trail itself was very steep, very rocky and muddy.   The heat, humidity, elevation and fast pace nearly did me in.  But I made it.  The guys, who spoke virtually no English, were great:  patient, generous, fun and solicitous of the old man.  And I got a lot of practice trying to converse with native speakers.  They got a kick out of my jokes cursing the rocks and repeating time after time that the end would be only ten more minutes. 
When I wasn't in class or studying, I enjoyed wandering around Tlaquepaque and appreciating some of the little things.

Daily feedback from the teachers to the school director led to

my being put in more advanced classes, allowing me to rise to

my level of incompetence.

Armando drove a group of us to the field/village where the trail to the bottom

of the Barranca de Oblatos began.

Although we were strangers, we didn't draw much attention.

Ready to take the plunge

A gorgeous gorge

I barely had time to snap a quick shot of the river at the bottom

The trail was steep, rocky and muddy

The reward at the bottom:  cold beer, hot mineral springs and snacks

I was so tired I could hardly lift the ice-cold beer.

But I did.  Repeatedly.  Note the sweat stains.

The hotspring had several cascading pools;

the highest was the hottest.

Armando

Victor

The five amigos

Heading back up.  At least the first quarter mile was an

easy walk up the road.

But it didn't stay that way.

Catching a break near the top

Back in Tlaquepaque, the plaza becomes a vibrant hub on

Sunday after mass.  Most of the signs declare the love of

couples.

The crowded plaza is surrounded by vendors.

Buying a balloon

 

A bilingual pun

 

Making and selling baskets

I stopped for a mocha frappucino at this very cool place on the plaza

Nearby calle Independencia was also full of people

This building houses a large antiques and crafts gallery.

This quiet courtyard right off Indepencia is the Regional Ceramics Museum

The Museum is housed in an old hacienda.

This 19th century carriage is among the non-ceramic historic

artifacts at the museum.

These figures are nahuales, in a style referred to as 'ceramica fantastica,'

ceramic images that come from dreams.

Large ceramic jars like these are made in two or three parts

that are then put together.

These jars are made from a special cinnamon clay

that imparts its flavor and scent to the water stored in

the jar.

A pottery workshop in town.

A quiet arcade

Traffic on a main thoroughfare near the mall

The Forum, the local mega-mall

Three shopping levels

This is how you pick up the garbage when the streets are too narrow

for big trucks.

Tree outside the cemetery

My guess is that these ornately carved doors were made in

neighboring Tonala, which is known for its craftsmen.