Guadalajara (capital city)
“The Birthplace of Mariachi Music”
Location: Jalisco State, southwest
Mexico
Distance from Mexico City: 350 miles west
City’s population:3,600,000 million
Closest major airport: Don Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla
Intl. aka Guadalajara International Airport (GDL)
Time Zone: Central Standard Time
| |
| Click
on the image for larger version |
| Photo
by Carlos Sanchez |
|
Nestled in the lush Atemajac Valley in the foothills
of the Sierra Madre Occidental mountain range, Guadalajara embodies
the essence of traditional Mexican culture. The city—Mexico’s
second-largest and one of Latin America’s wealthiest—is
an impressive metropolis whose manufacturing industry has earned
it the nickname of Mexico’s Silicon Valley.
Guadalajara offers everything from historic sites
and remarkable museums (more than 20) to traditional architecture
and elegant monuments which attest to its nearly 500 years of history.
Its vibrant cultural and intellectual life has made it a magnet
for foreign students. Last but not least, the city takes pride in
being the birthplace of Mariachi music.
| |
| Click
on the image for larger version |
| Photo
by Carlos Sanchez |
|
Interesting places to visit include the Government
Palace, first occupied by the governors of New Galicia during the
colonial period. The palace later served as a residence for Miguel
Hidalgo, who, from that very palace passed a law abolishing slavery
in 1810. Other must-see attractions include the Institute of Jalisco
Handicrafts, the Museum of Archaeology of Western Mexico, the Jose
Clemente Orozco Museum, the Museum of Huichol Indian Handicrafts
and the Museum of Journalism and Graphic Arts.
For outdoor recreation, Guadalajara offers two large
parks ideal for hiking and extreme sports. Barranca de Huentitan
is a favorite for adventure sports, and the Tequila Volcano, a 9,580-foot-high
peak near the town of Tequila, is most frequented by hang-gliders.
Tlaquepaque, a quaint craftsman’s
village near Guadalajara, is where travelers can find prestigious
and skilled potters molding clay into amazing forms. The colorful
Village of Tonala, is Jalisco State’s pottery center, where
ceramics are produced using eleven different techniques.
Guadalajara is also home to the largest enclosed
market in Latin America: the Liberty Market. More than 1,000 vendors
sell local blown glass, leather goods and other handicrafts the
city and its surroundings are famous for.
Guadalajara’s varied cuisine includes spicy
tortas ahogadas (sandwiches “drowned” in spicy tomato
sauce) and birria, a hearty goat stew. |
