Trip to Guadalajara (July 2003)

Final Notes

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Another view of the public entertainment available in Guadalajara.
This was a municipal band that plays every week.
There seems to be several bands that do this, plus local entertainers
frequently take the stage after the big bands, and put on their own shows.
So, this kind of entertainment is available several days a week.

A tour bus, and a happy tour guide.
Overall, Panoramex tours were reliable, comfortable, and fun.

My taxi driver on the way back to the airport.
Nearly all the taxis were yellow Nissan Sentras, and you typically ride in the front seat.

(Note to myself: If you move to Guadalajara, do -not- buy a yellow Sentra.)

For Next Time: Things I Did Not Do

Visit the Guadalajara Zoo

Virgin of Zapopan: From June through October 12, the Virgin spends each night in a different church.
There is a procession that takes her from church to church.
Each year, the virgin is given a brand-new car, but the car is never started.
It is pulled through the streets by men using ropes.

Go hiking in the mountains: This would require a car, and perhaps a knowledgeable local person.

Visit the town of Tonala, "famous for pots".

A Final Thought

When I think back on everything I saw around Guadalajara, this kind of scene
comes back to me, over and over.  Large public squares, with free public entertainment,
and everybody having a grand time.

I'm not sure what the Mexican equivalent of "motherhood and apple pie" is,
but this scene captures a bit of the truly heartwarming family goodness and happiness I saw.
With the community band playing in the background, this little girl was rolling this ball back and forth
between herself and her mother and father (seated beside me), and just having the time of her life.
All this in a city of 6 million - between Dallas and Atlanta in size -
and whose annual income is certainly far less.

If you have a chance to visit Guadalajara, please do.
Practice socially responsible travel ('ecotourism'), like staying in local-style accommodations,
and eating local food.  Your goal should be to learn about the local culture, not to use your
dollars to coerce the local folks into making their town more like the U.S.
Take some organized tours, but be sure and leave time to just walk around the city and look.

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