A visit to Tlaquepaque and Guadalajara
Last month, a friend and I decided to spend a couple of days in Tlaquepaque at La Villa del Ensueño. We arrived about 2 p.m. It was even more charming than the photographs on the site. The owner greeted us at the gate, gave us a tour of the facilities and showed us to our room. A bowl of fresh fruit and a carafe of purified water, covered with a crocheted doily, awaited our arrival. The spacious room with two double beds had closets enough for a very long stay, a fan in the bedroom, and a large shower in the bathroom.
A comfortable lounge offered television, recent newspapers and magazines in both English and Spanish. Fountains and plants abounded. Old hacienda style brickwork and arches provided a charming backdrop to the clean blue swimming pool.
Many stores in Mexico close from 2 to 4 p.m., so we decided to spend a couple of hours by the pool. We were offered complimentary welcome drinks. Both of us agreed the Bloody Marys were the best we'd ever tasted. We soaked up a few rays, cleaned up, and then headed into Tlaquepaque for some shopping. Because I had my car, we drove to the center, which is about eight blocks from the B&B.
At the suggestion of our host, we dined at the La Casa Viejo, one block from El Refugio. I ordered pollo en camisa (chicken in a tee-shirt!) Garlic mashed potatoes and veggies accompanied a tender chicken breast, wrapped with bacon and smothered in a red wine and mushroom sauce. Linda ordered camarones en ajo (shrimps in garlic sauce) with mushrooms, salad and rice.
We ordered a bottle of Chilean wine and settled down to a gourmet feast. The restaurant had been restored from what we surmised was once a grand hacienda.
A free serenade made the evening memorable. An older gentleman with a guitar began singing. They usually do, upon request of the diners for a small fee. Not this night. Besides Linda and me, there was only one other couple in the lounge part of the restaurant where we chose to eat. They were obviously in love and fairly oblivious to everything around them.
Mario, a young man, maybe twenty, sat at the table next to us. He started singing with Pepe, the old guitarist. Mario's voice was golden, the best I've heard in Mexico. He didn't know all the words, so Pepe would feed him line by line, and Mario would belt out the words in his deep, resonant voice. The two of them sang all the Mexican songs we know and then many more. What a delightful evening.
Upon returning to the B&B, we rang the bell. Thousands of little white Christmas lights lit up the walkway and the trees, creating a magical evening wonderland. We joined other guests in the small bar for a nightcap, then disappeared into our room for a couple games of cards and a little reading before retiring.
Quiet descended upon us. No roosters, no dogs, no traffic noises. Tinkling sounds from the water fountain outside our room lulled us to sleep. My only two complaints were that the beds were a little hard for me, and the lights weren't bright enough for comfortable reading. Some travel books suggest bringing along 100-watt bulbs. Maybe I'll store some in my car for future use.
In the morning, the chirping of parakeets awakened us. We breakfasted in the dining room. Cloth napkins and tablecloths, fresh flowers and fine brewed coffee waited for us, along with a buffet of meats, cheeses, breads, fresh fruits, cereal, juice, and yogurt. As we departed, we were offered a small nosegay of flowers attached to a thank you card.
Linda and I thoroughly enjoyed our stay. The staff was courteous, friendly and mostly bi-lingual. I highly recommend La Villa del Ensueño.
Guadalajara Junket
Two friends and I decided to spend a night in Guadalajara, so we could shop, play, eat and drink without having to drive back in the night. We found a very reasonable hotel in the center of town on Avenido Ramon Carona. The lobby and restaurant area were nice and the simple rooms were adequate. Clean, with phone and TV. We chose interior rooms to avoid the sounds of the Guadalajara traffic.
On foot, we headed to La Feria, several blocks from our hotel on the same street. We ordered drinks and they served us a platter of sliced carrots, cucumbers and celery, sprinkled with salt and chili pepper. A bowl of gumdrops was at the reception counter, and when the receptionist was busy, I'd sneak up and grab a few. Yum.
Starting at 3:30, a mariachi band positioned themselves along the curved staircase and atop the balcony. I often wonder if they have to lie on the bed to zip up those pants like we gals do with tight jeans. This was a very good band. During the next couple of hours, beautiful dancers, singers, and even a Mexican cowboy with dazzling rope tricks entertained us.
I noticed with some pleasure that we weren't the only table of women, although we were the only table of foreigners. Several groups of professional looking women had gathered there to celebrate birthdays and enjoy the music. It's a difference between the big city and the village. I never see young Mexican women here, unaccompanied by men.
In the afternoon, we shopped till we dropped, stuffing our bags with new shoes (both for me and my dolls), fabric, and books. I picked up Carl Franz's book, The People's Guide to Mexico. He lives in Ajijic and a mutual friend said he wanted to meet me, so I wanted to get his book. It s a very easy read and a worthwhile investment.
Later that night, we ventured out to the Hotel Francés. A small mariachi band was singing and playing to a full house. There were no available tables, but three local men invited us to join them at their table. After a minute's hesitation, we said, Why not? Between the loud music and the language barrier, communication was difficult. We had a nightcap and walked to our hotel in the rain. All the taxis were busy.
Later that night, a horrific thunderstorm crashed down upon us, depriving the hotel and the surrounding neighborhood of electricity for a couple of hours. No generator, no TV, no candles, no reading. Ah well, talking in the dark was enjoyable. In the morning the sun shone, and we had another story to tell.
On the next day, we ate breakfast at Sandy's in El Centro. After breakfast, I bought a new sewing machine, while the other gals tried to spend more money on shoes and Huichol Indian jewelry.
Okay, so we're not tourists any more. We've done the museums, churches, Ballet Folklorico, and other attractions, until we're blue in the face. Yes, we shop and eat. Shop and eat.
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