Jalisco, Mexico (Day 3)

2008, April 26 (Jalisco, Mexico day three)


This was our last full day in Jalisco. The plan was to check out the town of Tlaquepaque, home of some of the best “arte popular” in the area. Once again Luis was our guide. Today the Zapopan hosts had arranged for one of their group to drive us.





I’m by no means big on shopping (unless it’s for music) but I was interested to check out the local crafts. My plan was to scout out any potential accents that I could use for my own works. The skeleton I used last October in my coffin piece was on loan from a friend. I was looking to find a permanent replacement in case I decide to use it in my Milwaukee show in December. José was looking to find stuff for his home and family. Tlaquepaque is the place to look. Shop after shop of crafts, art, and clothing line the main street area. Huichol artisans lay out their colorful beaded crafts on the sidewalks, kids walk around offering shoe shines, food sellers peddle their stuff and blind singers intone beautiful songs about love gone bad.

We visited a few galleries and a museum dedicated to the ceramic arts of the region. For a small museum they had an impressive collection of the various ceramics methods and styles created in the region and the rest of Mexico. My favorite here was a room dedicated to miniature dioramas depicting various historical and mythological events.

After hours of shopping my head was about to implode. I didn’t manage to find a skeleton but I did find some stamped tin pieces and some gifts for the family. We were also a bit famished so we stopped into Casa Fuerte for lunch and libations. This was a beautiful choice. The entry way was littered with juniper needles. The effect of the scent being released as you walked over the needles was a clever touch. Inside we were really outside. A big courtyard covered in hanging banners and umbrellas let the cool breeze through as a piano player serenaded us with huapangos and even John Lennon tunes. The first prize of the day goes to the tamarind margaritas! I’m not a big fan of margaritas. I prefer my tequila neat. However, Luis and José coaxed me into trying these out. I’m glad I did. The mixed was finely blended ice in a glass rimmed with sea salt and red pepper flakes. The pepper wasn’t hot but did give a fine accent to the whole mixture. Needless to say we polished off a few of these tasty treats.

Once our delicious lunch was polished off we continued on to Casa de las Flores a B&B that Luis’ friend José G. owns. Mr. G. is also an art lover and gallery owner. There we met up with Luis’ friend, Leti, and saw some of her work as well as Luis’. During our conversations in the beautiful back garden enclosure our host asked me a question I didn’t quite hear. What I thought he was asking was “Have you had a margarita?” I answered “Yes” thinking he was referring to us eating at Casa Fuerte. What he really had asked was “Do you want a margarita?” Soon we were on our way to some more drinking. I’ll have to say after the tamarind margaritas these regular lime ones really didn’t compare.

We checked our watches and noticed that we would have to rush back to the hotel to meet Ricardo. He had made arrangements for us to catch the Ballet Folklorico in Guadalajara that night. We took leave of Luis and friends and beat a hasty exit to our parked vehicle. On the way out we ran into a group decked out in Aztec feathers and guaraches practicing it’s dance moves on the street. We watched for a few minutes before moving on. Our companion driver sped us back to our hotel in questionable circuitous path. We arrived just in time to splash some water over us, change into something a bit more formal, and greet Ricardo.

The Ballet Folklorico gets the second prize of the day. It was like nothing I’d ever seen before. I’ve grown up seeing and even performing (once) in some traditional dances when I was a kid. The set production, costuming and live music of the B.F. in Mexico was something to behold. The dance troupe had about 20 dancers on the stage at times. The simple set design and creative use of light gels really kept the attention on the dancers and singers. The program was designed to highlight the diverse regions of Mexico song and dance. My favorite was the women dancing to the “son” of Veracruz. The stage backdrop was a moonlit tropical beach. The dancers wore light green dresses and danced with lit candles balanced on their heads. The movements created by the women gripping their dress skirts in their hands and undulating forward and backward gave the ghostly effect of moths dancing in the light. I found it all quite moving. Of course the state of Jalisco was saved for last. The crowd roared with enthusiasm as the mariachi came out in full force singing “Jalisco no te rajes…” It was a great ending to an amazing show, day, and the topper for our stay in Mexico.

The next morning we caught an early flight back to the States. While in flight I played over the events of our visit. I’ve been to Mexico many times. This trip was my first in eighteen years. It would be hard to compare the contrast encountered now. When I visited as a kid it was always to see family out in the “ranchos”. Way out in the middle of nowhere where the people were poor, affectionate and willing to give you their all. This time around in a huge metropolis that is Guadalajara I saw the breadth of the economic situation people endure. The culture is rich from it’s varied roots and influx of international industry and money. Mexico is a complicated country with a lot of beauty and problems but always a wonder to experience.

I’m looking forward to seeing the selected pieces arrive in the states. Raul Anguiano’s prints and mixed media pieces by Luis Macias will grace the walls of the old GRAM in July.