México family Trip: The Series First Stop: Guadalajara!
On my third time in Mexico I decided to join 10 members of my family and take a trip to Mexico City and Guadalajara. This time around, it was very interesting to experience traveling with so many loved ones. Our guide will be influenced by the amount of people I traveled with. Traveling with a lot of people can be challenging. It is hard to keep up with everyone's pace, needs and wants. However a trip is best enjoyed when you share it with people you love! Friendships and family bonds can become greater and it is an experience you will forever cherish. There are so many factors to 'consider when traveling with a big group and the amount of people factor does influence your experience.
So here it is, the first city we are covering in the series, Guadalajara.
Travel Guide: Guadalajara
Guadalajara is a city in the state of Jalisco. The city is one of 4 major cities in Mexico and the technology hub of the country. Many tech companies have offices in Guadalajara! Jalisco is known to be the birthplace of Mariachi music and culture and the town of Tequila in Jalisco is where the famous liquor was originated. I traveled with Luis my husband and Stella my 4 year old daughter and we stayed a total of 3 days, although we sworn to go back for more exploration.
Everyone who knows me personally, is aware of my #mexicanobsession with all things related to beautiful Mexico. I think Mexico City is one of the most interesting cities in Latin America and the world and I hold a great connection with it, however I was even more impressed with Guadalajara. To start, there is definitely less traffic, and it has countless restaurants with delicious and top mexican menus.
Guide
Arrival
Upon arrival- The city counts with Uber service. Need I say more? We stayed at a small hotel in front of the Guadalajara Expo, however I will recommend to stay closer to the historical part of the city. The traffic is not as annoying as Mexico City’s traffic, however, I personally feel that staying closer to main attractions when visiting a new place is best.
Food
Fruit from Street vendors
Do yourself a favor a get some Mangoes/ Fruit from fruit stands. This tradition which is also popular in some NYC neighborhoods like Brooklyn & Soho is everywhere in the historic part of Guadalajara near the Guadalajara Cathedral.
Favorite seasonings are lime juice and “Tajin” with Tamarind Syrup. It is delicious, however please "know thyself"! Many stomachs cannot withstand spicy, sweet and sour.
"Nieves" which is the name for shaved ice cream Mexican style!
Fondas
Fondas are traditional mexican eateries. They are usually extremely inexpensive, and simple by mexican standards however they have survived to remain the go to for great mexican “soul food”.
My friend Elsa took me to “ La Fonda de Doña Gabina Escolástica” on a Tuesday night. It is located in the middle of Zapopan, blocks away to the famous Basilica “Nuestra Señora de Zapopan”, fun fact there are supposed to be only to basílicas in all of Mexico ( this is for any one interested in Catholic/historical tourism) . The place is famous and we were glad to go on a slow night. There was a line to get in and this is not an RSVP type of place so just imagine how good was the food! Everything is made from scratch and with traditional methods and tools. The tortillas are handmade and this was actually the only place so far I had the opportunity to find these and it is absolutely worth finding spots were corn tortillas are handmade.
At a fonda the usual dishes include tacos and enchiladas, so what you will find in the menu are a “guisado” list which are typically the fillings your taco is going to be featuring.
What I ordered:
Main:
Guisado de Costilla
Drink:
Horchata
Followed by a Victoria beer
So that is it for the first travel guide, I hope you enjoyed it! Make sure to come back to see the next travel guide in the México familiy trip series, I'll cover the town of TEQUILA!