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February 12, 2010

Mexico Travel – A Guided Tour of Tlaquepaque

My second last day at the Guadalajara Language Centre had begun. During my two hours of instruction we had a great discussion about cultural differences between the United States (or Canada) and Mexico. As we were all at an intermediate or advanced level, it was great to be able to conduct conversations about interesting topics like these in the Spanish language. Active conversations in the company of a native speaker who can correct the students’ mistakes is one of the best ways of learning a language.


My co-students George and Michael with our teacher Miguel

My co-student George, a retired university professor from Oregon, shared his language learning experiences in class: he had studied Spanish in La Antigua (Guatemala), Medellín (Colombia), and different parts of Central America before studying Spanish here at the Guadalajara Language Center. We all admired his language learning experience and I for myself resolved that I would try to visit many more Spanish-speaking cities and countries to improve my own Spanish language skills. Fortunately, Spanish offers great opportunities for language learning and travel.


2nd floor study area at the Guadalajara Language Center

Miguel, our local teacher, had spent some time in the United States and confessed that he had a hard time adjusting to some things that were different from what he was used to. For example, he had a hard time getting used to the concept of bathtubs. Most people in Mexico only have a shower, so he felt that filling the bathtub with water was a real waste, especially considering that Mexico often experiences water shortages.


Classroom at the Guadalajara Language Center

He also needed some time to get used to different social structures. Mexicans are very outgoing and socialize a lot with family and friends. When he came to the United States, people came across as cold, unapproachable and reserved. He found it difficult to make friends with people, especially at the beginning. George, on the other hand, also contributed some more practical comments: he was having a hard time getting used to the dim lights in the Mexican bathrooms which made it hard for him to shave himself. We also ended up talking about Cuba, a country where I had studied Spanish and done some traveling. Cuba is always a fascinating topic that is full of contradictions.


One of Tlaquepaque's most popular sights: the cultural centre El Refugio

This Thursday was the last evening for many of the students at the Guadalajara Language Center since many of them were leaving on Friday. So a few of us decided that we were going to meet for a drink in the evening and celebrate our time together in Mexico. That’s one thing I really like about language study travel: you meet so many cool, like-minded people who love traveling and learning languages. The language schools that I have studied at have always provided me with a social network and a safety net, particularly since I travel by myself as a female. It’s always great to have a trustworthy network of local contacts when you are traveling by yourself in all sorts of foreign destinations.


Mural inside of El Refugio

After a brief snack I went to the Casa del Artesano which displays a wide range of traditional crafts of Tlaquepaque, from ceramics to blown glass, wrought iron, woodwork, painting, and other local artistic disciplines. The local tourism office is located in this building, and they were going to set me up with a guide for a personal tour of Tlaquepaque.


Jonatan, the tourist police offer - my official guide of Tlaquepaque

So they sent me Jonatan, a local tourism police offer, who was even equipped with a gun! Jonatan was very friendly and spoke a bit of English, and together with my Spanish we ended up communicating fairly well. He first took me to the most important church of Tlaquepaque, called “La Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Soledad”.


The Cathedral of Tlaquepaque

This imposing church is located on the west side of the zocalo, Tlaquepaque’s main square which is officially called “Jardín Hidalgo”. We entered through the wooden portals on the north side and admired the lavish architectural details. Construction began in the seventeenth century and in the late 1800s a large dome with sixteen windows was added. This was the church for the rich people of town. The façade is characterized by several architectural styles including Baroque and Neoclassical.


The magnificent dome of the Cathedral in Tlaquepaque

Across the street from this imposing cathedral is the Parish Church of San Pedro, the church that was built for the poor residents of Tlaquepaque. At the entrance to the churchyard is a statue of Pope John Paul II who watches over this Neoclassical Romanesque building. My guide Jonatan had a real surprise for me: he was planning to take me up into the spire and on to the roof of San Pedro.


The main square of Tlaquepaque with the Church of San Pedro on the right

He obtained the key from the parish clerk and soon we were ascending the narrow circular stairs of the church steeple of San Pedro. The pigeons had left many noticeable marks of their presence in this narrow passageway. Finally we had reached the top of the tower and I could breathe freely again. We were looking right at the church bells and enjoyed a 360 degree view of Tlaquepaque and Guadalajara.


Jonatan in the clock tower of the Church of San Pedro

Jonatan pointed out all the different landmarks of Guadalajara to me, the Hotel Tapatío, the Jalisco Stadium, the Cultural Centre El Refugio in Tlaquepaque and many other buildings. From the church tower we walked over onto the church’s roof from where we had a fabulous view of the Municipal Market of Tlaquepaque and the main square. Sometimes I am really fortunate to get to see places that the average tourist does not get to see, and the rooftop of the San Pedro Parish Church was one of these examples.


Me on the roof of San Pedro

Back down on the Jardín Hidalgo we admired the statue to Miguel Hidalgo, the “Father of Mexican Independence”, and a memorial to all the important artists of Tlaquepaque who have passed away. The bandstand (quiosco) in the centre of the square regularly features musical and stage performances. Jonatan loves to come here with his family and enjoy the cultural offerings in Tlaquepaque.


My guide on the main square of Tlaquepaque with the Cathedral in the background

From here we started our walk along the Calle Independencia, Tlaquepaque’s cobble-stoned pedestrian main street which is flanked by many restaurants and art shops. We walked into one of the larger shops called Galería Rodo Padilla which features a wide range of local arts, but is most well-known for its rotund sculptures of human beings. Rodo Padilla is a famous local artist who has taken ceramics courses in Japan, Argentina and Faenza, Italy.


Some of Rodo Padilla's famous artwork

Our next stop was at “El Parián”, a square building with a large interior courtyard that holds 18 restaurants. Tourists love this place because from the afternoon onwards, mariachi bands walk around the outdoor tables and serenade the patrons. A few steps north are the municipal offices of Tlaquepaque which are housed in a colonial building. Also equipped with a fabulous interior courtyard, the staircase and the upper level walls are adorned by striking murals. This location is a bit tucked away but a must for any art lover who comes to Tlaquepaque.


Detail of mural on the walls of Tlaquepaque's City Hall

Then we snaked our way through the narrow streets of Tlaquepaque to see an artist in action: we visited the workshop of Paco Padilla (Rodo Padilla’s brother), who is a famous local ceramics artist and “cantautor” (singer / songwriter). We watched one of his employees produce several pieces on a potter’s wheel, all of which will be fired and painted with colours that have been specifically custom-formulated for this workshop.


Pottery production inside Paco Padilla's ceramics workshop

Paco explained that the clay is from Monterrey and that the finished pieces are shipped all over the world. His employee produces about 100 cups a day and three or four large pots, all of which are fired at 1200 degrees Celsius. At Jonatan’s request, Paco, a famous local singer, pulled out his guitar and sang two of his own songs for me, both tributes to his homeland and his native Tlaquepaque.


Paco Padilla, the famous singer-songwriter, with me in his ceramics workshop

Our last visit on the local tour was to the workshop of Señor Carlos Perez Castellanos who produces gorgeous hand-blown glassware. The glass is intensely coloured and comes in shades of red, blue, yellow, green and many more; in total he offers 17 colours. He explained that cobalt oxide produces the blue hues, while copper oxide results in red, ferrous oxide produces the green colour. Red is the most expensive and most difficult to produce.



Exquisite blown glass from Tlaquepaque

My tour had come to an end and I thanked Jonatan for such a comprehensive and informative overview of Tlaquepaque. It was now after 3 pm and time for a late lunch. I strolled back to Calle Independencia to look for a nice restaurant to sit down in. So many Mexican buildings have gorgeous interior courtyards which provide a phenomenal atmosphere for any kind of hospitality establishment.


Sergio Bustamante shop in Tlaquepaque

I found one: aptly named “El Patio” restaurant, it is one of the most popular eateries in Tlaquepaque. From the traditional Mexican menu I chose a “sopa de flor de calabaza” (a pumpkin flower soup) and guacamole, a favourite of Mexican cuisine. A female mariachi band was serenading the patrons and playing several songs at certain tables and then moving on to other tables.


Female mariachi players in El Patio restaurant

This group of female musicians fascinated me, in their colourful outfits and their long floor-length skirts. I had a feeling this must be one of the few female mariachi bands in Mexico. I ended up purchasing a CD with their songs (Mujer Latina - Mariachi Femenil) while I enjoyed my meal in this romantic courtyard.


Female mariachi selling her CDs

After a brief rest back in my room at my host family’s house I ventured back out to meet my fellow students from the Guadalajara Language Center at a local bar called Café San Pedro which was located just opposite the Parián. My Canadian friends Turney, Bonnie and Joyce had already arrived, and my classmates Mike and George arrived shortly later. Spencer, a young financial analyst from Chicago, also joined us and soon enough all of us passionate travelers were talking about our favourite travel stories and destinations.


Guadalajara Language Center Students and I (far right) on our last night in Tlaquepaque

All of us were leaving tomorrow but we had all enjoyed our time in Guadalajara. We said goodbye at about 8:30 pm and I headed off for a night cap with the Canadian ladies to another restaurant. All of us exchanged email addresses so we would have a way of staying in touch after our return to Canada. How time was flying – my week in Guadalajara was rapidly coming to an end now I had one more weekend left in the colonial city of Morelia.


Useful Books:

     


Useful Links:

The Guadalajara Language Center: Study Spanish in Guadalajara


Related Articles:

Mexico Travel: Studying Spanish in Guadalajara
Mexico Travel: Discoveries in Tlaquepaque and Tonalá
Mexico Travel: A First Look at Guanajuato, the La Valenciana Mine and El Pípila
Mexico Travel: Downtown Guanajuato & the luxurious Quinta Las Acacias Hotel
Mexico Travel: Admiring ceramic art and exploring Guanajuato's history at La Alhóndiga
Mexico Travel: Guanajuato's famous and eerie Mummy Museum
Mexico Travel: Bicycling adventures in the mountains of Guanajuato
Mexico Travel: The Diego Rivera Museum in Guanajuato
Mexico Travel: A sightseeing tour of Guadalajara
Mexico Travel: The Cultural Centre El Refugio in Tlaquepaque
Mexico Travel: A Driving Tour of Lake Chapala: Mexcala Island, Chapala Town, Ajijic
Mexico Travel: Retiring on Lake Chapala - Meeting someone who did it
Mexico Travel: The Guadalajara Language Center and the Tlaquepaque Municipal Market
Mexico Travel: A driving tour to Tequila: Seeing how Tequila is made
Mexico Travel: A walking tour of Tlaquepaque with a tourist police officer
Mexico Travel: Exploring the colonial city of Morelia and cathedral fireworks
Mexico Travel: The rural market town of Quiroga, home of the famous "carnitas"
Mexico Travel: Exploring Lake Patzcuaro - Tzintzuntzan, Janitzio and the town of Patzcuaro
Mexico Travel: The Magical Village of Cuitzeo and the Monastery of Santa Maria Magdalena
My language study adventure in Mexico 2006 in Cuernavaca (23 articles)


Related Videos:

 


Jonatan takes me into the Iglesia Nuestra Señora de la Soledad in Tlaquepaque

 


Jonatan explains the interior of the Iglesia Nuestra Señora de la Soledad

 

 
The memorial to the important artists of Tlaquepaque on the main square

 


Exploring the interior of the parish church of San Pedro

 


Jonatan takes me to the Parroquia San Pedro, the church for the poor people

 

 
Reaching the top of the church steeple of the Parroquia San Pedro

 

 
Walking on the rooftop of the parish church of San Pedro, great view of Tlaquepaque

 

 
Jonatan takes me inside El Parián, the beautiful historic complex with 18 restaurants

 

 
Cool marimba music on the main square of Tlaquepaque

 

 
Gigantic modern mural at the Municipal Building in Tlaquepaque

 


Another gorgeous mural inside the Tlaquepaque Municipal Building

 


Jonatan explains the municipal coat of arms of Tlaquepaque on the main square

 


Pottery demonstration at the Paco Padilla ceramic workshop

 


A private concert with Paco Padilla, the famous singer-songwriter of Tlaquepaque

 


Paco Padilla sings another locally inspired song

 

 
An interiew with Paco Padilla about his stoneware workshop

 


A tour through the blown-glass workshop Vitro Diseños Artesanales

 

 
A look at the different colourful hand-blown glass objects at Vitro Diseños Artesanales

 


The first time ever I saw a female mariachi band

 

 
A female mariachi band plays at El Patio restaurant

 

 
The female mariachi band continues their concert at El Patio

 

 
Female mariachi band moves to another table and starts another song

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