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.