¡Guadalajara!

When we lived in the DC metro area (now called the DMV, for reasons I will never fathom, but this is the same place after all that named its football team the “Commanders”), it was common to not visit the famous memorial sites. One might drive by the monuments, but fight the traffic to find a parking place and visit them? Of course not, that’s for the tourists.

We live just 48 kilometers (30 miles) south of Guadalajara, Mexico’s second largest city, and we drive up every Sunday to a parish that hosts an English-language Mass. At various times we go shopping, or plan a night out to a fancy restaurant (with a driver and van back-and-forth). But this week we decided to stay a few days and check out our nearest big city.

Jalisco is Mexico, as the tourist slogan goes. And Guadalajara is the Capital of Jalisco, home to mariachi music, tequila, and the famous (all-Mexican) Club Deportivo de Guadalajara, aka Chivas! Most tourists know the cosmopolitan mega Ciudad de Mexico, or the various Atlantic or Pacific tourist resorts. But Guadalajara has much to offer, too, with less cost, fewer crowds, and much friendliness.

Guadalajara was founded in 1542, and gradually grew to incorporate many small towns which surrounded it: Zapopan (za-POE-pan), Tlaquepaque (tuh-LOCK-ee-pock-ee), Tonala (toe-na-LA). The city itself has a population of 1.5 million, but the Zona Metropolitano Guadalajara (ZMG) has over 5 million.

On Sunday we visited a few major religious sites and then wandered about the Centro area. Jalisco fashions itself the Catholic soul of Mexico, and it is home to several distinct shrines. First and foremost is the Guadalajara Cathedral, built in 1618 in a Spanish Renaissance style with two Gothic spires whose outline is synonymous with the city.

A second site of immense regional importance is the Basilica de Nuestra Senora de Zapopan, completed in 1689 in the Spanish colonial baroque style. This church houses a small doll of the Virgin Mary which was made by indigenous peoples in the seventeenth century and later became famous for several miracles: inducing peace among warring groups, ending plagues, and protecting from natural disasters. The figure visits the surrounding towns of Jalisco and is welcomed with parades, fiestas, and great fanfare. Her annual movement –called the Romeria–from the Cathedral back to the Basilica is a major municipal event. Over two million people join in the eight kilometer procession every October 12th. The Romeria is even recognized as a world cultural artifact by UNESCO.

The final site is unfinished: the great Santuario de los Martires, which sits upon a high hill just south of the city center. This Church commemorates the twenty-five priests and laypeople martyred during the Cristero war, 1926-29. The design is futuristic, sometimes compared to a giant band shell. It is massive, and commands an amazing view of the city.

We didn’t eat at any of the fancy (although inexpensive) restaurants this trip, but we did hit favorites like La Chata. Among our delicious plates:

Guadalajara has a full range of shopping opportunities. There are several high-end/fashion malls, but we don’t even visit such when we go to the States, so no we didn’t go there this time. Both Tlaquepaque and Tonala have excellent market areas with both artisanal shops and tourist junk: you have to be your own discerning consumer to ensure you’re shopping the former, not the latter. This trip we made it back into San Juan de Dios, aka Mercado Libertad, the largest indoor market in Latin America. The sprawling, three story complex is intimidating, with little organization and another mix of real, knock-off, and junk. But it’s also fun. Here’s a tip: the ground floor is mostly fruits, vegetables, meats, and flowers. The middle level is the grandest food court you’ve ever seen! The top level has stalls for everything else, from clothes to shoes to jerseys to electronics to leather goods to you-name-it!

We missed out on some of the cultural sites we wanted to visit, like the Palacio Gobierno (with its murals) and the State regional museum. Both were supposed to be open, but remained closed, possibly due to International Women’s Day (although we don’t know for sure). In the past this event has included protests and vandalism of memorials and buildings. We did witness the defacing of the Rotunda of Jalisco’s Illustrious Persons by these marchers.

It was a great trip and we only scratched the surface. Among other things we plan to do in the future: a Chivas match, Lucha Libre, and a visit to La Barranca de Huentitán (canyon). We’ve already visited the zoo, which is excellent (and well-shaded), and it also has views of the canyon.

One of the more famous Mexican renditions of the song Guadalajara was by Vincente Fernández, who just passed away last December. If you didn’t play the first version I provided, play this one, and get two Mexican classics in one!