Tlaquepaque

Tlaquepaque is its own municipality, yet geographically located in Guadalajara. It’s sort of like what Burnaby is to Vancouver. Here, you’re in Guadalajara, and the next block, you’re in Tlaquepaque. 

My Spanish language school took us to their Tlaquepaque branch and we met with Mexican students for a language exchange. The two girls I was assigned to were lovely. They definitely spoke better English than I did Spanish. 

We walked as a group through the pedestrian zone and every 10 minutes, we were instructed to switch language. 

We started at the Plaza Parián, which is like a courtyard with its own gazebo in the middle, surrounded by restaurants with patio seating in the courtyard. We were there in the morning, and there was no-one except for us students. But I am told that it is usually very busy with people and music. It was pretty, and I could imagine having a good time there. 

Next, we passed by street vendors with mostly arts & crafts. The instruction was to ask the vendors for prices of 5 items, in Spanish of course. So I did, and I ended up buying a wristband with malachite beads…well, I liked it. 

The next block revealed again a plaza with gazebo (kiosko), a water fountain and an old church on one side. It seems that every Mexican town has this constellation, and the Mexican girls confirmed that yes, every town has at least one, often more than one. These plazas are the center of life for locals. There are fiestas, and often wedding photos are shot in the gazebos. 

We peeked into the church, of course catholic as most are here. To be honest, I don’t feel comfortable in churches – I instantly feel repressed when I walk in. So, we moved on fast. 

As we walked into and through the pedestrian zone of the town, I noticed a lot of sculptures and little galleries. Tlaquepaque is known for its arts and crafts, and I could see that everywhere.

We ended our tour at the Tlaquepaque sign, and had to say goodbye to our new Mexican friends. It was a nice and worthwhile excursion.