Everyone who visits Guadalajara is encouraged to do two things: eat tacos and drink Tequila. Since arriving in Guadalajara, we have been enjoying many, many tacos made with pork, beef, and fish. In fact, tacos are a staple in our diet. However, drinking Tequila is another story. Even though we’re not big Tequila drinkers, we knew we wanted to take a Tequila tour. So, last week we took a tour with 8 others to learn all about Tequila. Of course,…
We left the United States on October 4th, 2018 to begin our adventure in South America, but the trip didn’t start out as planned. We missed our flight out of Minneapolis reminding us that for the next year we would need to be flexible and go with the flow. Now with a year of travel under our belts and a year of new travel possibilities that we are considering, it’s time to reflect on the lessons we have learned. We…
Before we started traveling a year ago, we took Spanish classes from private instructors and a private language school. One of our instructors was Zuri and we chatted with her every week on Skype. Through our classes and our Spanish conversations, we got to know Zuri and she got to know us. When we arrived in Guadalajara, Mexico we contacted Zuri and arranged to finally meet her in person. Zuri was excited about our visit and so we took a…
Every year, just before Mexico’s Independence Day, Guadalajara celebrates El Dia de Charro (Charro Day). Charros are Mexican horsemen and women (also called vaqueros) and El Dia de Charro is a day to recognize and celebrate charros and all those who participate in Charreadas (rodeos). This nationwide celebration began in 1934. It was added to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list in 2016. In Guadalajara, the Charro Day parade consists of mariachi music, riding skill demonstrations and the…
Viva La Independencia! Viva Mexico! We heard thousands of people shout this chant over and over again last weekend as part of Mexico’s Independence Day celebration on September 16th. Every year, at 11 pm on the eve of Independence Day (September 15th), thousands gather at Plaza de Armas in Guadalajara to celebrate and to reenact the famous “EL Grito de Dolores” (The Cry from Dolores). History In the early nineteenth century, Mexico began planning a revolt against Spain. Father Miguel…
Scattered throughout eastern Mexico are the famous Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza, Tulum, and Palenque. Mexico City and the area surrounding it has Aztec ruins. However, in western Mexico, near Guadalajara, there are remnants of a lost civilization that dates well before the Spanish arrived in the western world. Thirty miles west of Guadalajara is the town of Teuchitlán (A Place for The Devine). It’s a picturesque and tranquil locale with beautiful views of Lake La Vega. Just outside the…
Last week we ventured outside of Guadalajara to the city of Querétaro-a city of 750,000 people and a major industrial, agricultural and commercial center of Mexico; sometimes referred to as Little Mexico City. In its early years, Querétaro played an important role in Mexico’s fight for independence. The city has over a thousand monuments throughout the historic center, most from the 1700s, and is recognized as one of Mexico’s 35 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Our Journey to Querétaro Querétaro is…
This week Guadalajara hosted the 26th annual International Mariachi and Charrería Festival. This festival draws mariachi groups from all over the world including the United States. Over the course of ten days, there are mariachi concerts throughout the city in parks, squares, and theaters. Thousands of locals turn out for the free events, singing and clapping along with the musicians, singers, and dancers. Background Mariachi is a type of musical group, originally from Mexico, consisting of violins, trumpets, Spanish guitars,…
Over the years, we have been to many cities in Mexico. We have traveled to Cancun, Cozumel, Puerto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas, several border towns and twice to Mexico City. It’s hard to choose our favorite food city in Mexico because, in a country with such a rich food culture, there’s a lot of good food to be had. Although Guadalajara is not a foodie destination like Mexico City or Lima, Peru, the food here is some of the best…
Why are we in Guadalajara, Mexico (after Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru)? The city was never on our bucket list, but mostly we wanted to continue practicing our Spanish in a big Spanish-speaking city (4 million) with a perfect climate. Plus, we have visited Mexico City several times, which we enjoyed but is much bigger (8 million), and we wanted to try another Mexican city. In GDL (as it is abbreviated by locals) the days are sunny, often with rain in…