Ron and Nancy in Tlaquepaque Jalisco Mexico: A Great Meal, A new Town and Valentines Day

Last Sunday Juan Carlos and Olvia took us to a special restaurant for a special meal called Birria. Birria is actually a consume made from the steamed meat juices of either pork or beef or lamb or chicken or goat. Many spices are added and the steamed meat melts in your mouth. You put the meat, along with beans or anything else that might be on the table, on a tortilla, dunk the filled tortilla in the consume and eat it up. You also eat the consume with a spoon. We chose goat meat, called Chivo de Birria and Nancy and I both think it would rank in the top 5 meals that we have ever eaten. It was absolutely delicious and Nancy has been trying to copy the tastes since then. She is getting pretty close. The worst is, is that we can't seem to find goat meat and have to use pork and it does not seem to be as tender as the goat.

Just getting started.

We needed a waiter to take this one.

And being it is close to Valentines day we decided to show off a bit.

The new town we went to is called Cajatitilan. It is near Lake Chapala and has it's own lake that is not part of Lake Chapala. It was a poor town and no Gringos had settled there as in Lake Chapala. Last year they built a new Malacon (a walkway along a lake or the ocean) and the tourists are coming in droves. Not North American tourists but Mexican tourists and mostly they come on Sunday as it is a family day and the familes were out in droves. What a lovely and interesting place. Nancy and I were the only Gringos in town.

One of the many busy streets in Cajatitilan

Nancy and Olivia doing some shopping. The streets were lined with stalls selling most everything.

And another busy street.

Making tortillas.

Part of the new Malacon with the lake in the background.

Besides the new Malacon there is a big square that is part of the Malacon the houses the central market and some government buildings. Thats me, hanging on to a flagpole.

Olivia and Juan Carlos wanted to go for a boat ride but Nancy and I just wanted to sit on the Malecon and people watch. This photo shows them on their way but Nancy and I had a most enjoyable time waiting for them and watching folks. So many things are so very different in Mexico.

This church and, for that matter, the whole town are dedicated to the three Wise Men. There presence in statues and paintings and reliefs are all over.

And inside the church, the place that is usually set aside for the cross has the three Wise Men.

And then there is Valentines day. It is a big deal in Mexico. Here in Tlaquepaque, there are three nights of entertainment in the park and the Parian has an extra day for Mariachi music. Plus the street vendors are out in force as this phot