Guadalajara, Mexico Trip Report 7/06
Due to work/time restrictions and high airfare costs over the July 4th weekend I decided to take a much needed break and explore new venues closer to home. My main criteria were direct flights, monger friendly, non- tourist, historic, and Latin. Flights to Costa Rica were outrageous AND unavailable so I checked Aeromexico for direct flights into either Mexico City or Guadalajara. Both Cities have intrigued me for years. I had heard that Guadalajara was less congested and more authentic so I booked the 1 ½ hour Red Eye and set my sights on the birthplace of Tequila and Mariachis.
I have visited many of the Mexican costal and border towns like Cancun, Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, Tijuana, Nogales, and Laredo. Guadalajara is not renowned for its mongering scene but makes up for it with outstanding architecture, great music, mariachis and fun loving people. July is the rainy season in Central Mexico but after spending the last few months in 110 Degree Arizona heat it felt great to exit the plane at Miguel Hidalgo International Airport and feel the cool breeze and embrace the excitement of a new venue.
Guadalajara, the capital of the state of Jalisco and the second- largest City in Mexico, is also one of the most serene and pleasant urban centers in which to live. “The Pearl of the West”, as it is known, is a modern city that maintains much of its colonial charm. Its rich heritage dates back to the mid 1500’s and can be seen in the beauty of its buildings, such as the grand residences, courtyards, plazas, fountains, and old churches. Geographically, GDL is in the center of Mexico, about a 3 hour drive to Acapulco, sits at 5,000 ft. above sea level and is on the same latitude as the Hawaiian Islands.
After taking a taxi to the Centro Historico I checked into the Hotel de Mendoza, a 4 Star converted monastery located next to the renowned Teatro Delgado (replica of the Pantheon in Rome) and Plaza Liberacion. Guadalajara is best seen by foot or Carriage and this location provided me with easy access to the cities most popular Plaza’s, Historic buildings, and shopping districts. It was pouring the first night I arrived so I spent time in the lobby bar of my hotel chatting with a group of Chica’s that had just arrived from Los Angeles. I found out that the next day (Sunday) was the Presidential election and there was a ban on liquor sales the entire weekend. Wow!! NO DRINKING for the first day and a half of my Mexican sojourn???
The next morning I woke to Church Bells ringing at the central cathedral. I had a quick breakfast and chatted with the Concierge about what was going on in the City. He told me that due to the elections the center of GDL may be a little low key. I decided to take a ½ day tour of the surrounding areas and spent time in Chapala and Ajajiic. Both of these small towns are located about 45 minutes north of GDL and are havens for artists and retiree’s from around the globe. Lake Chapala is the largest fresh water lake in Mexico and during the weekends and tourist seasons are quite busy. It was nice to see the Mexican countryside but I was anxious to get back to the city. I spent the evening walking around the various plazas surrounding the main Cathedral and noticed a very interesting vibe due to the political situation that was brewing, and still is to this very day!
I spent the next two days walking from plaza to plaza, Mercado’s to liquor stores, sipping various different kinds of Agave tequila, drinking Negro Modella, Estrella, and enjoying the various cafés, restaurants, hotels, and courtyards. I must have seen over 100 fountains in just the Centro!
I did break down and decided to visit a Estancia Masculina called Rape. I had done some research into the mongering scene on the WSG and decided to give this place a try. I had to take a taxi (60 Pesos) from the center of town and enjoyed winding thru the various neighborhoods and non-tourist districts of GDL. Upon arrival, you are greeted by a guy that asks if you want a massage, then followed by the question “do you want full service” This was in broken English but I understand enough Spanish to get me into trouble. I asked how much and he quoted what was equivalent to about $100 USD. As some of you may know, I am not much on grinding down on the price and was quite content with the selection of girls that I saw parading around the entrance. We agreed to 45 minutes and he brought me to a typical massage room, table, mirror, fans, shower, etc.. I do not recall the name of the girl I picked but she had that butterscotch, Carmen Electra look that I really like. Streaked brownish, blond hair, nice petite figure, broken English and good “oral skills” Ha ha The session started with a short massage, then she went right into the BJ. She wanted to go right into the sexo but I had her change positions on the table so I could enjoy some of the sweet trimmed “taco” between her legs. She arched and squirmed, moaned and twitched until I decided it was time to do some spinning. All in all, a pretty decent session. She asked how long I was going to be in town and unfortunately I had to tell her I was leaving the following day. Her demeanor changed drastically (as I predicted) so I bid her farewell and headed back out to the streets. It took me a while to flag down a taxi but within 10 minutes I was back in the Centro, enjoying tequila, cerveza, and the wonderful local scene downtown.
I spent the next day wandering around Tlaquepaque, Mercado’s, Plaza’s, and ended up sitting outside the Teatro Delgado drinking some of Mexico’s finest tequila, Negro Modelo, and enjoying the city vibe.
In conclusion, I would rate Guadalajara very close to Barcelona, without the ocean!
Buenos Dias!!
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Pura Vida
Last edited by 420 on 2006-08-06, 1:09 am, edited 3 times in total.
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