http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Calamari/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Calamari en-us Sat, 19 Dec 2009 11:29:40 +0000 Sat, 19 Dec 2009 11:29:40 +0000 Coyoacan is a district in Mexico City. It is quiet and quaint...Dr. Fernandez took a group of us out to this to see the Frida Kahlo museum. We took the metro for 10 stops to reach Coyoacan and walked a mile to the area we wanted to visit. Some members of the group were complaining about the walk but I say what better way to get to know a city than to walk itMy friends like to joke that I tr http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Distrito-Federal/Mexico-City/blog-421767.html I wish I could upload my 250 pictures but it will take hours on a slow internet connection. I am actually leaching internet from the Starbucks down the street from my hotel room. The last three days have gone by like a whirlwind...I have to admit I've done a good bit of sleeping while in Mexico City...This hotel room is just so nice and there are big fluffy blankets and air conditioning...it's http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Distrito-Federal/Mexico-City/blog-421578.html Mexico City in 20 words or less An incredibly large absurdly dense booming metropolis of unbelievable proportion with a history dating back to the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan. La Ciudad de Mexico was built upon the former Aztec capital Tenochtitlan Tehnohcheetlahn'. Tenochtitlan was originally composed of manmade islands in the middle of a lake. See After a sad goodbye to our host pare http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Distrito-Federal/Mexico-City/blog-420460.html So the stress is over We had exams yesterday Thursday...not sure what my notas are but I will soon find out. We are trying to live it up our last couple of days in Guadalajara...after exams we took a long siesta and then headed out to the clubs The scene last night was similar to east Atlanta...alternativeish...lots of music lovers etc. We went to Wingston's a place that only sell http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Jalisco/Guadalajara/blog-419610.html Another adventure awaited us in Puerto Vallarta pwehrtoh vayahr'tah. A girl in our group's mother works for a travel agency and found us a great deal.... US 34 per nightday in an allinclusive resort on a southern beach in Puerto Vallarta. Meals drinks room towels entertainment etc. were all included in the price. Most allinclusive hotels in PV cost around US 200300 per night.We http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Jalisco/Puerto-Vallarta/blog-418272.html I'd say the best part about going to Mexico has been besides the sights and attractions besides the new experiences besides learning Spanish....has been simply hanging out with the people I'm rooming with and the other GSU students that are living down the street. Yesterday after classes ended we decided to go to the San Juan de Dios market near downtown Guadalajara. I had heard that it was http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Jalisco/Guadalajara/blog-416626.html This past weekend we had a blast in Sayulita Mexico A group of 16 of us from the University of Colorado and Georgia State University rented a house called Casa Agave in the mountains of Sayulita. The 5000 sq. ft. house was completely covered in tile and adobe...and the bedrooms had AC Ah the luxuries of air conditioning. We decided to go to Sayulita because we heard that it wasn't as t http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Jalisco/Puerto-Vallarta/blog-415826.html This past weekend we traveled four hours via bus to Guanajuato Guanajuato state. Guanajuato pronounced gwahnahua'toh is known for being one of the most beautiful cities in Mexico. Cobblestone streets outdoor markets and mariachi make this small mountain city unique. The history of the city dates back to the 1500s with the Spanish conquest of Mexico. The name means hill of frogs in t http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Guanajuato/Guanajuato/blog-413553.html Photos from our tour of downtown Guadalajara http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Jalisco/Guadalajara/blog-412964.html So I have noticed that my blog is lacking in cultural observations...so here are a few that we've found so far1. If people are being jerks on the bus when there's standing room only it's okay to physically force people to move.2. You must always look both ways when crossing a oneway street.3. Instead of slowing down when there's a pedestrian many people will literally speed up.4. Money wil http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Jalisco/Guadalajara/blog-412035.html This past weekend we went on two different excursions...Saturday to a city c. 45 min away from Guadalajara called Tlaquepaque. When we got there I noticed that it looked exactly like the movie with Brad Pitt called The Mexican... in the middle of what I can only describe as a tropical desert. We took a tour of the city and visited a very modern art museum. Tlaquepaque is full of tourists b http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Jalisco/Guadalajara/blog-412015.html So last night I went with 9 other girls from GSU and CEPE to a club called CHESS. I am amazed with the strength of the American dollar here including 2 cab fares and drinks I spent a grand total of 6.15 80 pesos. We heard that the club was rather chic so we all dressed up in our little black dresses and skirtsheels. When we got there there were about 100 people lined up to get in. Bu http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Jalisco/Guadalajara/blog-409987.html Our host mom led a group of us to a very swank internet cafe right down the street. We're all sitting around chatting using the internet it's free here as long as you purchase food or coffee...It looks like we're the only tourists here surprisingly. In fact I haven't seen any other foreigners besides our group and the 80 or so others at CEPE. I'm glad we're getting the real Mexican exper http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Jalisco/Guadalajara/blog-409615.html Today was the first day of classes at CEPE. I have two grammar classes with two profesores quien son muy seriosos.Trying to speak and listen to Spanish all day long is exhausing. I'm sure it will get easier but even this Mexican keyboard on the computer is confusing. Everything from purchasing a bottle of water to listening in class takes every ounce of energy in your body. Honestly I feel l http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Jalisco/Guadalajara/blog-409195.html After a 13 hour journey to Guadalajara we are finally here. Our plane yesterday was scheduled to leave from Atlanta at 640p but did not leave until 800p.m. It was not a two and a half hour flight as I anticipated it was a four hour flight. But it took us from 200 in the afternoon until almost 300a.m. Atlanta time to get to our host families' homes. While on the plane Crystal one of my http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/blog-408820.html The time is upon us we will leave Atlanta tomorrow on an evening flight to Guadalajara Mexico The flight should only last around three hours. Guadalajara is two hours behind Atlanta time so we should arrive in Mexico around 700p.m. I am supposed to take two language courses while in Guadalajara for five weeks helping me complete a minor in Spanish. After Mexico I should only have two mo http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Jalisco/Guadalajara/blog-408134.html