One of the precautions one has to take when traveling by car in Mexico is to start looking for lodgings late in the afternoon because we need to keep in mind the distance between towns, we don't drive at night and you also need to find a hotel that also has "estacinamiento" parking in its' grounds. For obvious reasons we don't leave our car on the street at night.
The third day of our trek began gently, the sun was out and the whole town of San Ixtlan del Rio was busy the everyone seemed to be in a busy, you could see the "policias de transito" traffic cops stationed at every corner directing traffic and helping pedestrians, students of all ages on their way to school all in uniforms of various colors, I noticed that the traffic cops escorted the elderly across the intersections holding some of them by the hand. I have never seen so many police officers this busy in any town or city.
Finally we were on our way out of town, in our way to Guadalajara, but we had to return to the hotel it seems Javier left his favorite pillow, which he carries with him always because his wife made it for him, fortunately he found it. No sooner had we left the town when I realized that my voice recorder was missing so... we returned again to the hotel more about this later. but it seemed to us that this town didn't want us to leave.
As you are aware by now, my "compadre" my sons' godfather, Javier likes to make friends with people in every town. He is very sociable and friendly he enjoys talking about the towns history, folklore, culture and "carreteras" the roads. Last night a local citizen told him that the free road to Guadalajara was pretty good he said that he drove it on a regular basis and he recommends it. So we were on our way via the free road, I must confess to you that I was pretty skeptical but reluctantly agreed to try this road. Big mistake! Javier wanted to drive this morning another big mistake! I usually drive the morning portion. After about twenty kilometers of white knuckle driving, dangerous curves, a narrow road, Mexican trucks, pot holes my seat belt tighten and a few Hail Marys we saw an entrance to the toll road I noticed that Javier was wide awake, he too must have been talking to his maker because as we came up on a sign "carretera de quota" we headed straight for the on ramp to the toll road. We were so happy to get our "quota" ready and pay the toll. We no longer consider them pirates but your friends in a foreign land. They are necessary in a land with poor roads and no infrastructure. Javier faults that poor soul who recommended the road for our unforgettable experience on the free road. But I said, "eso nos pasa por pendejos" which means we are all responsible for our actions right?
After a few hrs. we were approaching Guadalajara, Jalisco, I thought we should visit Zapopan a municipality in the outskirts of Guadalajara, told him I had to pay a "manda" a debt to the "Vigen de Zapopan" at the church of our Lady of Zapopan. This church is the second most visited church in all of Mexico second only to the "Basilica De Guadalupe" in Mexico City.
Because I had been a student at university of Guadalajara for one summer ages ago, I thought I could drive straight to the church, was I wrong. When I was here it was a small town, not is sprawling city. It took us two hrs to find the church after asking directions of at least ten person including "policias de transito" the problems were the street repairs which close many avenues and you end up driving on narrow streets that never run perpendicular to anything, but we did find the church in the middle of a new "Centro Historico" somehow it seemed smaller in the old days you could see the towers for miles. Refusing to fight anymore traffic congestion's we decided to bypass Guadalajara and head on to Tequisquiapan.
Basilica of our lady of Zapopan Javier informed me that, being a good trip planner, he had made arrangements to stay a his sister and brother in laws' vacation residence in 'Tequis' as it is locally called. "Tequis" is a blissful, picturesque, colonial town known for it fine cheese and wine as well as its thermal waters. The original citizens of long ago were the "Nahua" and "Chichimeca indians", now it is a playground and week-end retreat for the well to do from Mexico City. They drive up in two and a half hrs. searching for tranquility, solitude, peace of mind. Some come to play a few rounds of golf, others in search for the fountain of youth or to decompress from the ills and stress of the city. The only problem I see is that on weekends, specially long week-end this small town balloons to a few thousand people and cars and they are back to the stresses of a the city, well we were just fine here, it was the middle of the week and we had the town to ourselves if only for a short stay. Once we settled in a beautiful and comfortable condominium by the 16th hole, we easily found an outstanding taco grill they had a wide range of taco selections and quesadillas. I settled for their specialty "tacos de borrego" lamb tacos and " y una negra modelo" Mexicos' finest dark beer. My "compadre" had the same still filling hungry he ordered a "consome de borrego" lamb broth with garbanzo beans on the spicy side, naturally I had to try it also "estaba padre!" that's what they say around here when they really like something, a loose translation would be "it's daddy oh!", well after a fine meal Javier started chatting with the waiter asking his usual questions after a while we retired to a restful night.
stay tuned for Mexico City
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