Last Week In Tlaquepaque and Surrounds

The first week we were here we went down to Lake Chapala, Mexico's biggest lake. It has a perfect climate and for many years has been populated with North American ex pats. On the street we met a couple from Detroit, who had pulled up stakes in America and moved here permently. We visited for a time and most enjoyed them, so last week we made arrangments to meet them again, in Chapala. The trip is about an hour from here and pretty easy. This time we got much more time to enjoy them, visited there new home in Chapala and got a bit of tour around the very small town.

This is the upper patio of their home of which they are very proud and they are so happy to live here. He is a techie, does most of his work here but has to go back a few times a year for work reasons.
They had purchased the lot beside their house and Paula has if filled with plants. There is also a shop and a garden shed and a place to park their car.

Back in Tlaquepaque, Olivia, our landlady, and her husband also have a horse and carriage in which they give rides around Tlaqupaque.

Christmas day was not only a day for presents and family gatherings but was also first communion for many young people in Tlaquepaque. Oliva's young son and daughter were receiving their first communion and Juan Carlos (Olivia's husband) was taking the kids to the cathedral in horse and buggy. His horse was not doing what it was suppose to be doing and he was struggling to get it going in the right direction and also using some words that more than likely young first communicants should not have been hearing. It was all quite funny but finally he got going in the right direction and on their way to the church.

And here are the first communicants. They are 11 and 12 years old which I think is a bit older than children in North America when they make their first communion

And after the service there was a big party in the restaurant part of Olivia's holdings. We were invited but declined as it would have been so difficult to talk. But there were many, many of the extended family and this photo is just a few.

Guadaljara is to Mariachi music as New Orleans is to Jazz. It is everywhere and here in Tlaquepaque is one of the most famous venues for Mariachi music and dance. It is called the Parian. It is a fortress like building, one block square with many restaurants forming the outside perimeter. In the inside is stage and on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, starting at 3:30PM there is 30 mnutes of Folk dancing and then 1 hour of very good Mariachi music, all for free.

This photo is of three dancers, watching other dancers and waiting for their turn.

And a very beautiful singer who is being accompanied by the Maiachi band. We like here a lot and have listened to her often. Her name is Maria Madero and has a deep and very powerful voice.

And here is Juan Pablo Garcia, very young, very handsome, with a smile every dentist would be proud of. He is our favorite of the male singers. If you make the picture large you can see a gun and holster he wears on his right hand side.

And one more Mariachi singer. They call her Dulce Maria (Sweet Maria).

That day there was more than one party for the first communicants and this one we happened upon while walking up the street in the evening. A small hall had been rented for a dance with a juke box and besides pop for the younsters, alcohol for the parents. Great fun was had by all.

When we were in Chapala visiting with Paula and Dave, they told us to try and get there on the weekend as the population of the town multiplied many times with visiters from the city. So yesterday (Sunday) we went out again.

This photo is the manger scene in front of the church in Chapala, made also with corn husks and straw.

And finally to the lake and the boardwalk and yes it was true that the population increased significantly. There were 1000's and more coming all the time. The lake is not good for swimming but the weather was beautiful, it was Christmas time and families were out for picnics and street food.

This particular street food is called cameron diablo (the devils shrimp). And many were enjoying it.

And this is the devils brew that makes it hot and spicy.

Christmas is over and the New Year is coming and who knows what new adventures that will bring but hopefully next week we can let you know.

Christmas time in Tlaquepaque

Feliz Navidad to all. It is the week before Christmas and the city is very active with shoppers and gawkers ,with many new instant stores on the streets in the center, and in the evening are very busy. We are among the gawkers and most enjoy just watching.

We think they ran out of red material for Santa Claus suits. First blue one we have ever seen.

Two very pretty Mariachi girls who were taking a break from their music.

A most beautiful scarf, too pricy for Nancy to buy. It was $80 Canadian.

We often buy empanadas at a small store up the street from where we live and they are yummy but not so good for us so Nancy will not let me buy as many as I would like. This is the daughter of the people who run the store. Her parents are nice looking also.

Last week we took a bus to another suburb of Guadalajara, Zopapan, and this is the manger scene in the plaza in front of the cathedral. It is made entirely of straw and corn husks. Most amazing.

And this is that said cathedral. If you make the picture big you can see clearly the man in front, beginning the long crawl on his knees to the altar. Right after him was a woman with her 8 year old son on her back.

And the inside of the cathedral.

From our balcony viewing area I see many interesting things happening. Their car quit, right in the middle of this very narrow street. They pushed it to the side, then got out the jumper cables, hooked them to the battery, strung them out on the street and waited for a good samaraton to come by and give them a boost. And sure enough, it all worked according to their plan.

Another car in a different part of town. Don't know where he had been or where he had come from but must have been following a herd of cattle somewhere. We wondered if he was as covered as the car.

This is the busiest corner in all of Tlaquepaque and there are no cars. Just people and street sellers and lots of benches for people to sit on.

Last Friday was an exceptional busy night on the streets in Tlaquepaque. There were dancers and mariachi bands, street entertainmnet, and thousands of people out to enjoy. There was also free tequila as one of the distillers was passing it out quite freely and people were taking advantage of their good will. The next 7 photos tell a bit of a story of last Friday night.

Beside great entertainment, there is also great food as the next three photos attest to.

There is corn on the cob or off the cob, served with hot sauce and lime. No butter or salt.

And a donut like treat served with strawberry jam or brown sugar sauce and dipped in sugar. They are yummy if you can get them right out of the boiling grease.

And last but not least are deep fried french fries and weiner pieces. You get a huge bowl for about $2.00 and they are also served with hot sauce and lime. And no salt or ketchup.

There are still 5 days till Christmas and hope all the activity continues. The weather remains perfect except it was a bit chilly the last couple of mornings but once the sun comes out, presto, warmth. And then you need to walk on the shady side of the street.

Alone in Tlaquepaque

And it is a bit of downer and sort of lonesome. John Paul left last Thursday and Dennis left Friday and here we are, just enjoying each others company and the great weather. We so enjoyed the time with our boys/men and they kept us pretty busy and active.

Also, you will see a bit of improvement in the quality of the photos. John Paul brought us a very nice Canon camera, just like the one that malfunctioned on us. We think we will take the one we bought at the pawn shop back and see what we can get for it.

And here is John Paul, freshly from Chicago, via Seattle and a bit tired. He and Dennis both make their living as techies so spent much time talking about things that Nancy and I had no idea about.

John Pauls first day here was just getting to know Tlaquepague so we just walked and walked and walked and enjoyed and enjoyed and enjoyed.

The part of Tlaqupaque that is west of the central park is pretty uptown with many upscale stores and very beautiful homes. The east side of the park, the side we live on is not so upscale, very middle class but wonderful and friendly people. This photo is the front yard from one of the homes on the west side of the park in Tlaquepaque.

When we hear the word Mariachi we think men but that is not always true. This is a mariachi band, of all women. They play in a very expensive restaurant so we really have not listened to them much, but this day they were playing and we sort of sneaked in, listened for a bit, and took some photos.

Last week there was lots of music and dance in the park in conjunction with a used book fair. The next three photos show folk dancing from this part of Mexico.

It seems on every one of our journeys, Nancy makes a very special friend. And this is her friend in this city. He has a most interesting job of which there are many here in Tlaquepaque. The streets are very narrow and all parking is parralel parking. He guides drivers into a spot that is one the street where he does his work. He also carries a cloth and will wipe the dust off the car if the driver so wishes. He works entirely for tips.

There was a water leak on our street and it was sort of messy getting in and our of our apartment with water runnng down the street and cars splashing it up on the sidewalk. We thought it might be like that for the rest of the time we were here but one day a big truck and many workers arrived and in a few hours the leak was fixed. The guy in the hole was up to his middle in water and still sweating. It was a hot day.

This photo is of Oliva, our most beautiful and wonderful landlady. She is having a street sale, that when on for two days, out on the street right across from our apartment and directly in front of her house and restaurant. Nancy bought some earrings and a necklace.

This is just a small part of Olivia's extended, and multi layered family. Just in her home and one of her apartments are 3 generations, the mom, 5 children and some grandchildren. She comes from a family of 10 so we also see many nieces and nephews and the man in the photo is her husband, Juan Carlos, who is always around to help out with the many tasks of renting apartments and running a restaurant. We love him dearly as well.

In our apartment in one of the cupboards was a hat. A very nice Panamanian hat and it fit Dennis perfectly and he liked a lot and he wanted so bad. So off to Olivia to purchase the hat and here he and she are, contemplating this purchase.

As you can see, he wants it badly and he came back so dejected. He was informed that the hat belonged to a previous renter and he was returning real soon so the hat had to stay.

The sign indicates that this is a doctors office and a consaltation with said doctor is 20 pesos, not 20 dollars. That 20 pesos is about $1.85 Canadian. This is the reason we never buy extra health insurance when we travel any place in the world except the US.

A girl, becoming 15 years of age, is a huge family event all over Latin America, and Mexico is no exception. The celebrations are very costly but of utmost importance. Today is this girls 15th birthday and she is showing off her dress that she will wear for the celebration that will happen this evening.

More folk dancing but on a different night. There is so much that happens in this city and every night that we walk to the center there is new and different events, especially on the weekend. We certainly do like this part of Guadaljara. We met folks this night who came out from Guadalajara, just to watch all the free entertainment.

And this is it for another week. We have nothing great planned for next week, maybe some journeys to some other barrios of Guadalajara.

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