Tequila in Tequila

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This weekend's trip to Guadalajara was a fun break from school. I left Morelia with Katie, and two other girls (Erika and Lindsay) from UCSD on Thursday after class. The four hour bus ride to Guad. was nice than I thought. I was expecting crammed buses with no AC but we took a straight route there on a delux bus (since it is safest) and so it was very comfy. The first night in Guad we decided to go find a disco, where we met another American, and her two Mexican friends. They turned out to be a sketchy trio and so we left early (2am is early in Mexico) however, while waiting for a taxi we met some Mexican students and ended up hanging out with them the rest of the evening. Its really cool how people are so friendly and inviting. Plus is it much better for me to hang out with Mexicans to practice my spanish. On Friday the four of us bought tickets for a double decker bus and toured the city. It is the second largest city in Mexico and has been refered to as the San Francisco of Mexico. Lots of cool architecture in Guad. The most fun thing we did on Friday though, was a trip to el Mercado de San Juan de Dios, the largest market in Latin America! There were more than four levels in a huge structure, jamb-packed with stalls selling eveything from knock off purses, fruit and cactus, live birds, clothes or electronics. I bought a mini sombrero for Schmoo and was able to barter down from 15 pesos (a buck fifty) to only 10. Yay me! On Friday night we tried to go to a different club but in Guad the dress code is a little more upscale and we were all wearing flip flops so the bouncer (whose job it is to scan the crowd for the prettiiest people and only let them in) left us out in the rain, literally! It was better to rest up that night anyway because on Saturday we took a bus out to the town of Tequila. The hour bus ride through bright blue fields of agave was stunning! When we arrived in the small touristy town we took a tour of the Jose Cuervo factory (Cuervo means Raven) and learned that it takes 8-10 years for an agave plant to ripen enought to harvest it for tequila. We tasted tequila in all stages of the process (and it doesn't taste good to me in any of them). After we got back to Gaud, Erika and Lindsay went back to Morelia but Katie had a friend from the US studying in Guad and she invited us to go to a Cuban restaurant for dinner and dancing. We met up with some of her Mexican friends who tried to teach me and Katie how salsa dance. It was so fun! I am going to take free salsa lessons on Wednesday because I had such a great time. Now its Monday and back to school for me...I miss everyone at home and hope all is peaceful.

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Photos

Views From the Double Decker Bus
Our tour started at this rotunda honoring famous Mexican heros

Plaza de Tres Fuentes
Me and the Ladies in the Guadalajara

Founder of Guadalajara
Yes, she is a woman! Cool, right?

Mercado de San Juan de Dios
Blurry but you can get an idea of what a labrynth this place was

Tequila
Millions of agave hearts make the drink we all love to hate.

Makin' tequila
Before we had hi tech machines tequila was made by hand (I am taking the place of a bull...people didn't really pull these things)

Drinkin' tequila
Two for one margaritas after the tour at Jose Cuervo

Church in Tequila
It was cool to see a Mexican, rather than Colonial church like I had seen in Morelia and Guadalajara.

Schmoo Stylin
Schmoo's loot: tequila (both gov't approved and illegal), shot glasses from my fav telenovela (taped in Tequila) and his new SOMBRERO!!!!

Comments

[Heather]

HOT!
Hey Chels! So happy to hear you are having a great time and seeing awesome things. Who is Schmoo? He is cute and seems to tag along with you everywhere you go, but why? I miss you! I love you! Keep having fun!

[Momster]

Schmoo-illa Sunrise
Guad. sounds like a blast (except for the stupid bouncers-what were they thinking!) Schmoo looks oh so fine in his new sombrero! Probably won't want to come back to the states at all. Do you're best to convince him we have high fashion in California too! Staying up late to make traditional Turkey Mole for the Mexican themed 4th of July Ellen is having. Miss you!