Hotel Aranzazu Catedral

Web Access...

by Alcond

Starbucks is at the Airport, on the ground floor... north end. They are a, "Hot-Spot," everywhere. The trick is you have to join "Prodigy" which costs 10 dollars a month for the service. Other than that it's free, though, so worth it in North and South America. You can gain access, using your laptop, etc., and sign up with your credit card at any Starbucks. You can cancel your account when you are done traveling... I currently live in Kunming, China. The first Starbucks opened in china in 2004 within two years, China had more Starbucks shops than America....

dont miss the argentinian steaks

by patricia1.nunez about LA MATERA

this aregentinian place is really cozy, they have pasta, wood oven pizza, appetizzers and big, huge and juicy steaks cuts...great lighting, wide wine menu and nice waiters.. always packed,, please make reservations... MEAT OH IT´S SO GOOD

Tonala marketplace

by anagrettel

A visit to Guadalajara is never complete without a trip to Tonala, at least for me!.

Tonala is not the typical touristic place, is more a suburb area with the biggest marketplace for Mexican art crafts in Guadalajara, specially furniture, Pottery and glass art work, and the best prices. On Thrusday and Sunday there's a Tianguis (street market) with better prices but more crowded, so if you go this days better go between 9:00a-11:00am, with the hours you will find more difficult to walk.

Mariachi

by Ramonq

"Second Largest City"

click: Mariachi music

Playing second fiddle in importance to Mexico City must be frustrating to Guadalajarans. In fact, many Mexicans outside the Distrito Federal complain that they do not get a fair share of the National budget allocation. But that's because DF Mexico is vote rich and too big to be ignored. Yet, Guadalajara, Mexico's second largest city, has so much to be proud of. A Guadalajaran told me that while Mexico City is the "cojones" (balls) of Mexico, Guadalajara is the "alma" (soul), which means that the almighty Distrito Federal derives its awesome power from testosterone, full of bravado and machismo, while Guadalajara epitomises the enchanting sentiment of Mexico. An unusual analogy, but I can see some truth in it.

The city of Guadalajara is a lot easier to handle than Mexico City. Most of the tourist spots are in the Centro Historico. Navigating around the Centro Historico section is simple because the streets are in a grid pattern and they are named after famous Guadalajarans. There is an expansive pedestrianised area on both sides of Calzada Independencia, where travellers can delightfully explore Gaudalajara's main sites. To best way to get there is via the new Metro and you can spend the whole day exploring the place and dine near Mecado Livertad which has some of the fabulous Mexican restaurants that have stereotypically Mexican ambience.

"Catedral Metropolitana"

The most famous Guadalajaran landmark is the Catedral Metropolitana in the heart of Centro Historico. Surrounded by four plazas, the massive Catedral's tall spires ovelooks the historic city. The cornerstones were laid in the late 16th century but it was built over a 60 year period until the mid 17th century. Catedral Metropolitana has very decorative and its 11 altars were donated by the Spanish King, Fernando VII. Guadalajara is a very Catholic city and this cathedral is where the Jalisciences's church hierarchy resides. In front of this cathedral lies a great looking rotunda, the Rotonda del los Homres Ilustres.

"Historical Background"

As a Spanish colonial outpost in Mexico's west, Guadalajara was a safe haven from the rebellious indigenous population. So impressed was King Carlos I of Spain, he designated the outpost as a city in 1560 that was eventually named after the Spanish town where a brave Spanish conquistador lived. Around Centro Historico, the city grew around where Teatro Degollado now stands. Cathedrals, theatres and government buildings were built in Hispanic colonial styles. Guadalajara grew into a big town and became the capital of the state of Jalisco. This state was a hotbed of independence stirrings from Spain. It was also the stage for the reforms in Mexican society, where there was an awakening of Mexican identity and culture in the 19th century and Guadalajara was right in the thick of it.

"Mariachi and the City"

Guadalajara's main contribution to Mexican culture is music, particularly mariachi music. Lively and rhytmic, Mariachi uses trumpets, violins and guitars and has become the archetypal Mexican sound. Around Guadalajara's entertainment districts, Mariachi bands wander around the plazas to serenade willing patrons on songs about machismo, love, betrayal, death and even politics. They're not there just for foreign tourists, the Mexicans themselves enjoy being serenaded by the Mariachi bands especially when courting a partner or during wedding receptions. The charro suit, boots and the sombrero are part of the costumes worn by the Mariachi musicians, and the outfit has become another Jalisco contribution to Mexican folklore

Guadalajara doesn't have the same magnitude of problems as Mexico City. It's population of around 3 million is still manageable compared to Mexico City's 22 million, and the city does not appear to be swarming with poor homeless people. It has expanded to further west to include one of the wealthiest municipalities in the state of Jalisco, the Zapopan district, which has an interesting historical district. I also roamed around Linguas, which is located between Guadalajara and Zapopan, and found it very pleasant and safe. Overall, my visit to Guadalajara was very positive and I recommend it to anyone who wants to experience the real Mexico.