Its been a while – Guadalajara again
Its been a while since I last posted: Now it’s time to resume with more observations, reactions, places and wonderful opportunities for the traveler to enjoy experiences off the beaten track of travel. We have just returned from a jaunt to Guadalajara, Mexico. Our purpose was to design and have made a few pieces for our home. The town of Tonala is adjacent to Guadalajara as is Tlaquepaque and Zapopan, but the art manufacturing center of the area is Tonala, where as the antiques and beautiful grand old furniture of the Mexican aristocracy is found in the shops of Tlaquepaque.
Our first stop; Tonala. The street market is every week on Sunday and Thursday and the main streets of the town become the market place in addition to the shops that line both sides of the streets. It’s a real walkathon, especially when the weather is warm, but it’s a real hoot to walk the market looking at everything, enjoying the market atmosphere and the culture. There is everything from small food booths to art objects for the home, artificial floral shops and more.
We stay at Hotel “Casa de Las Palomas” which is sparkling clean, bright, accommodating and relatively inexpensive. The restaurant is a worthwhile easy five block walk from the hotel. ”El Rincon del Sol“, very Mexican in its ambience, a typical menu with a wonderful array of choice. My favorite is “Chile en Nogada” = Stuffed Chile in walnut cream sauce and pomegranate seeds. , which as it turns out can be a real heart stopper. The dish has a 200 year old history; the presentation the colors of the Mexican flag and a taste sensation — if you enjoy the flavor of walnuts — delicious. ( you can find all kinds of recipes for them Online – some simple some very complicated – your choice) ; Evelyne’s is the “Super Burrito” and the “Molcajete” which is basically in an unrefined translation a kind of meat and vegetable stew. It gets its name from the dish in which it is served — “The Molcajete” which is really a mortar & pestle, and comes to the table so hot you can’t touch it — is anything from seafood, to beef or chicken as a base, vegetables and cheese. It too is delicious. The Super Burrito is just that; huge, full of meat or chicken, rice, spices, beans, lettuce, cheese, and sometimes avacado — what ever the kitchen will allow. { try this link for the “Aztec restaurant” recipe as published on the “net” — http://www.food.com/recipe/mexican-style-meat-and-vegetable-stew-aztecas-molcajete-114910 }
The food is excellent and because we ride the bus to Tonala, walk till we drop the market and its such a short and inexpensive distance to Guadalajara centro, [its fun to shop the largest wholesale market under roof in Latin America, which happens to be right next door to the "jewelry market as well...] and Tlaquepaque we use taxi’s rather than trying to figure out the tangle of streets, thus on the bus ride home we have El Rincon make wonderful sandwiches made with some of the best bollilos in the whole world…at least we think so..
If you travel Mexico and are within a stones throw of Guadalajara its worthwhile stopping to smell the roses here. The craftsmanship is wonderful, the people are outstanding in their hospitality and friendly smiles. Try the recipes — enjoy the tastes and flavors of Mexican cuisine..
Next stop: Restaurants in Tlaquepaque
