Lake Chapala & Guadalajara

Lake Chapala & Guadalajara February 2019

Lake Chapala reportedly has the best weather in the Western Hemisphere. The lake is at the same latitude as Hawaii but at 5000 feet above sea level and with the temperatures moderated by Mexico’s largest fresh water lake makes a great combination.

We started the week with massages at Monte Coxala, a spa with incredible views.

And 90 minutes later we were ready for the week.

Followed up by lunch on the grounds

Then we walked down to the San Juan Cosalá malecón

Ajijic

We stayed 5 days in the colorful town of Ajijic (Ah-hee-heek) which is home to a great many expats enjoying the roughly 130 restaurants and beautiful weather. From here we explored the neighboring villages.

We then took a hike up into the mountains to see what we could see.

We stayed at the Donaire Boutique Hotel while in Ajijic. It was as high as one could go above Centro so we had many a workout walking up and down.

And it had a nice breakfast view.

We learned that the white objects covering many parts of the South side of the lake were covering the blueberry and raspberry fields that supply much of the US market.

This accounted for how fresh the fruit looked.

The church in Ajijic was built about 270 years ago; this area has a great deal of history.

Did not learn the story of these wall decorations across the street from the church

Coffee

Amy was very much in search of the perfect cup of coffee and she found it at Cafe Grano.

The tables were full of coffee beans and the chairs were upholstered in canvas coffee bags.

While walking to the neighboring village of San Antonio Tlayacapan we saw this street, Camino Real, that had a large dirt median down the middle...

Though you would see horses all over the regular streets also

San Antonio Tlayacapan

Chapala

Then we took a bus down to the city of Chapala which also has a great malecón.

And a living carousel.

And there we caught pre-sunset.

Sunset

... and post-sunset

Other unique sights in Chapala

Festival de Febrero

And in the month of February each year there is a large chamber music festival in Ajijic so we went to see the Manhattan Chamber Players at a “house” concert. Due to an unforeseen page turner emergency, Amy ended up on stage turning pages for James Parker.

And with that we left Lakeside and went North to Guadalajara.

Guadalajara

We stayed at Villa Ganz Boutique Hotel

Part of lunch on Valentine’s Day. Cajete crème brûlée is the best thing ever.

Hospicio Cabañas

Formerly an orphanage, this grand space was painted in 1938-39 by Jose Clemente Orozco, one of the three main muralists of Mexico.

The main dome is 4 meters high and uses a forced perspective that makes the mural (shown below) truly unique.

When you look straight up at the dome all of the characters have an equal visual weight.

The Fire character’s knee is actually at the top of the dome and that same character’s foot and head are painted much further down on either side but at the same height on the dome.

As you view the same painting from different angles the other characters, Earth, Wind and Water all receive a different emphasis based on the part of the dome that you are facing. It’s an amazing effect.

4 different views of the same curved mural

More amazing is that the painter, Jose Clemente Orozco, was legally blind and lost his hand in his youth in a fireworks accident.

Other Orozco murals in the interior

The exterior of the building with the Orozco murals

The Teatro Degollado where the Jalisco Philharmonic performs

The Guadalajara Cathedral

Tlaquepaque

The Centro area of Tlaquepaque is walkable, colorful and full of vendors

Tequila

We took a day trip to the Pueblo Mágico city of Tequilla and returned by the Jose Cuervo Express train. This trip involved a lot of, uh, tequila.

Pre-trip show and sights

Didn’t understand how this worked.

Tequila sippy cups

Agave field tour

Distillery tour

Class on proper tequila drinking technique. The difference was surprising.

Danza de los Valadores: yes he is playing a flute and drum while spinning upside down.

Information On This Ceremony

Pausing for actual food

Back to Guadalajara at sunset and another tequila drinking class. We’re now experts.

Last Day

We made it to a park called Bosque los Colomos.

This park also has a nice Japanese garden that was very well attended by Guadalajarans

And a final stop at Plaza Andares, a very nice mall in Zapopan

Appreciate