Guadalajara adventure - Grupo Mayan
Guadalajara is Mexico’s second major city and is often labeled as “the Pearls of the West”. It is also recognized as the birthplace of the mariachi. Grupo Mayan guests are quick to point out that close to Guadalajara is the area known as tequila country. When it comes to traditional Mexican culture Guadalajara is a definite place you would want to visit.
Guadalajara is centrally located in the center of Mexico. Grupo Mayan guests can reach it by traveling 350 miles to the west of Mexico City. Should you desire to combine a visit to Guadalajara with one near the beach then you may decide to make a side excursion to Puerto Vallarta also.
Actually, the word Guadalajara is derived from the Arabian word “Wad-al-hidjara” that translates to “Rivers that run between rocks”. It derived its name from the famous Spanish city of the same name, which was the hometown for Nuño Beltrán de Guzmán. Of note is that Guadalajara is an older city that was founded 1542.
One of the interesting places Grupo Mayan visitors like to see when they visit Guadalajara includes the Government Palace, which was primarily occupied by governors of New Galicia throughout the colonial time period. Later the palace served as home for Miguel Hidalgo who in 1810, from the palace enacted a law that abolishing slavery in Mexico. Additional points of interest in the city would include the Jalisco Handicrafts Institute, the Archaeology Museum of Western Mexico, the Museum of Jose Clemente Orozco, the Huichol Indian Handicrafts museum and the Journalism and Graphic Arts Museum.
There is a train which leaves Guadalajara in the early morning and returns in the late evening, and this particular train visits the nearby town of Tequila with its various tequila producing plants. It should come as no surprise that this train has received the appropriate name of Tequila Express. Needless to say, there is a lot of tequila for the Grupo Mayan passengers to taste as well as mariachi music to listen to as they take the journey.
Shopping anywhere in Mexico is always a treat and it is especially so in Guadalajara so make sure that you leave room in the suitcase for those special handicrafts you are certain to pick up. The craftsmen in the area make some very beautiful pieces of handicraft that you simply cannot leave behind. Guadalajara is distinguished for its hand blown glass workshops, the colorful ceramics and its tooled leather works. Tlaquepaque is a village located within the same area as Guadalajara which has an abundance of fine crafts studios and unique shops. Of particular concern for Grupo Mayan guests would be Mercado Libertad which is considered Latin America’s prevalent enclosed market.
The fun at Guadalajara doesn’t stop when the sun goes down as they have a great nightlife also. An excellent way for the Grupo Mayan tourist to begin their evening would be by way of the Nocturno walking tour which departs on Saturdays around 7 pm from the Plaza Guadalajara tourist information booth.