Fri 14 Oct - Guadalajara Centro, PanAmerican Games

Friday, we drove downtown, just Justin, the boys and myself.   We set out to visit the Museo Regional, where my cousin Patricia's husband Paco is a director.  Driving in Mexico has been quite an adventure - Justin says he thinks cars here don't start until someone has a phone in one hand and has likely had a drink.  Believe me, you need the drink in order to force yourself into the relentless flow of cars!  It didn't help that many key roads are blocked off because of the Pan American games here this week.  But we made it.  Eventually.


Guadalajara Centro, the heart of everything historical or important in the city, was in festive form... banners, murals and statues everywhere marked the arrival of the PanAmerican games.  We walked past the main theatre and headed through the plazas where there are skeleton statues in fancy dress everywhere - marking both the Day of the Dead coming up soon and the PanAmerican games.  I never used to think skeletons were cute or funny, but they definitely are here.


The boys got carried away playing with the pigeons in the next plaza - reminded me of similar experiences in St Marks square in Venice.  Girls came up in a group and asked to have their photos taken with our 3 boys - they aren't used to seeing the redheads.  We had lots of people come up through  the day to remark on the 'pelirojos' and say how handsome they are.  Must be good for their self-esteem, will have to bring them back when they're teenagers and can really take advantage of this.


We saw a horse and carriage tour operator and decided to take the hour long ride around the town centre.  JuanJose, our driver, was very informative pointing out all the sights - I managed to undertand about half of what he said.  Although the carriage was decorated white with purple velvet and heart shaped cut-outs, we managed to shake off the feeling we were on a romantic honeymoon ride after a few minutes  (mind you, Sam did keep huggling and kissing me relentlessly, but our double-date Andy and Justin were not playing their part).  Changito, the horse, was a beautiful brunette with soft brown eyes.  She let us pet her a bit afterwards, but drew the line at getting manhandled by Sam.


When we arrived at the Museo Regional, my cousin's husband Paco had already left for the day.  We walked through the museum on our own and enjoyed seeing the Indian artefacts from 700 D.C. and the woolly mammoth bones.  The boys grew a bit bored when it came to wandering through the rooms of religious paintings upstairs, so we went on out to the plaza there.  I figure the collection of religious art must compete with the vatican's own.


We had to go through the Palacio Gobierno, government palace, to view the 2 famous murals by Orozco.  They were fabulous.  I need to read a bit to interpret the message, but the message seems to be a bloody and tense protrayal of the revolucion, religious struggles and communist influences.  Unfortunately, we missed Orozco's biggest venue .. the old orphanage, Hospicio Cabañas,  which houses his mural entitled Man of Fire, a hellish depiction in blood red and mute greys.  Not too cheerful perhaps, but worth a look in so we need to return at some point.


We had lunch on the front steps of the main cathedral and watched some entertainment set up for the PanAm games.  Although the boys haven't been too adventurous with their food, choosing hamburgers when available, Justin and I had some proper local cuisine.  I had a torta ahogada, a birrote bread sandwich stuffed with pork with a bowl of salsa to dip it in, and Justin had a Chorizo and Cheese sandwich that was a local specialty.  These were great with Margaritas - what isn't?


Walking back to car, we watched some very good mariachi performing in honour of the XXII Mexican Festival of Culture ...  this was also also flagged as part of Oktoberfest.   Can't beat the free entertainment right now, Guadalajara is in full swing.

In the evening, we watched the opening ceremony of the PanAmerican games.  It is always uplifting to see the flow of contestants by country parade proudly through the opening ceremonies of a big event.  Even so, by the time all 41 visiting countries walked past I thought I was losing interest, then Mexico came into the arena with elegant native outfits, including sombreros and black skirts and trousers - I was again left emotional and very proud.  The entertainment was superb, Dad and I agreed it looked like choreography must have been outsourced to Cirque du Soleil, it had the unmistakeable hallmarks.  The flying dancers and wonderful lighting accompanied to the mexican music perfectly.