I think that visiting Tlaquepaque goes pretty much hand in hand with visiting Guadalajara, and in this post I’m about to share how we usually spend a day in this lovely Magic Town and what makes it so special.
Located 10 km southeast of Guadalajara, Tlaquepaque - which means the “place above clay land” - is a very popular day trip destination for tourists and locals alike, especially on the weekends; so if you are not a fan of crowds, I recommend to visit on a weekday instead.
Tlaquepaque is famous for its art galleries, ceramics, blown glass and mariachi culture. One of my favorite things to do here is stroll along Calle Independencia and the adjacent streets colorfully decorated with umbrellas or papel picado, check out the artisan vendors, buy souvenirs and visit the art galleries. One I consider you shouldn’t miss is the Sergio Bustamante Gallery; this famous Mexican artist and sculptor has its art displayed in many museums across the country and the world, and wherever I see them I do my best to visit.
Another thing I enjoy doing in Tlaquepaque is sit in the Hidalgo Garden with a nieve de garrafa or plate of fried anchovies in hand, watching the kids run around, people having their snacks and the birds flying in circles around the kiosk surrounded by palms and beautiful flower bushes. It’s a very relaxing view to take in and to appreciate for its beauty.
Now of course no place is truly complete without the FOOD element! Aside from the delicious street vendor snacks, there is a place I always like to return to for lunch; it’s called La Mata Tinta and it has a secret, tucked away vibe to it because it’s not directly open to the street but more hidden away, accessible through a little store lined alley. The food here is always delicious and we always follow lunch with drinks to hang out a little longer and enjoy the music and ambiance.
Oh - and there is actually another restaurant recommendation I just have to share with you, this one is for dinner and it's called Casa Luna. This place is designed by a Paris educated designer and it’s not only a feast for the belly, but also an absolute feast for the eyes. It’s an excellent place to bring someone on a romantic date for example, so if you have someone you’d like to impress, think no further. It also has these beautiful wood wings installed right outside where you can take, like me, the cheesy Insta photos.
Ok friends, that would pretty much conclude my reporting on Tlaquepaque. I hope you enjoyed this short post and that you get to see Tlaquepaque for yourself if you haven’t already. Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel if you enjoy our content and consider joining the Patreon community for exclusive, one of a kind perks. Until next time, stay adventurous, have fun and keep chasing colors!
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]]>If you love seafood tacos, you clicked on the right link because I’m about to share my favorite seafood taco spot in Guadalajara!
This is a place we’ve been to multiple times and we tried different things on their menu, so I’m very confident recommending this restaurant based on our experience.
I love their open space concept and we usually get a table on the second floor for the view. The service is super fast; their fresh waters are the bomb - we tried the Jamaica, Maracuya and Guanabana flavors so far. They’re always just the right amount of sweet, super tasty and full of flavor!
The taco variety is amazing! They have fish, shrimp, lobster, octopus, marlin and more. The price is insane: 25-30 Mexican pesos, which is about $1.50 or so. Oh and speaking of, make sure you bring cash because it’s a cash only restaurant, so no card payments.
The toppings and salsa bar is also on point; a lot of cool stuff to enhance your tacos and give them that extra flavor boost. My favorites are the spicy onion mix and the chipotle salsa. You absolutely have to try them if you like the extra kick.
They do sell desserts too, but we actually haven’t tried their menu desserts yet, however at checkout, I always make sure to grab a few Argentinian Alfajores to go. They have them pre-packaged at the cash register. If you haven’t tried them before, please do; this dessert literally melts in your mouth - it’s soft cookies with a fresh caramel filling and a little bit of coconut flakes. So delicious!
So let’s just call it by its name: TACO FISH LA PAZ! That’s right, my friends! Taco Fish La Paz is officially my favorite spot for seafood tacos in Guadalajara. They have more than one location in the city, so just Google it to find the closest one to you. The one we showcased in our YouTube video that we always go to is in Zapopan - Av. Rafael Sanzio 286.
I hope you enjoyed this post! Don’t forget to like and subscribe to our YouTube channel if you’d like to see more. Until next time, stay adventurous, eat good food and keep chasing colors!
*If you'd like to support my work, visit my Patreon page, or use the button below:
]]>At a first glance, El Santuario de los Martires de Cristo Rey stroke me as a very intriguing marvel of modern architecture with mega futuristic vibes. Located in Tlaquepaque, Jalisco, on top of Cerro del Tesoro, the sanctuary is the largest religious center in the Americas and the 3rd largest in Mexico; the other two are La Basilica de Santa Maria de Guadalupe in Mexico City and the Cristo Rey Sanctuary in Cerro del Cubilete, Silao.
The center was designed by a 100% Mexican team of engineers, designers and architects and it’s dedicated to all Mexican saints, missionaries and martyrs who fought religious persecution and even lost their lives practicing and defending Christianity during the Cristero War of 1926-1929. In addition to being a place of prayer, reflection and pilgrimage, it will also serve as a charity and social assistance center once it will be completed.
The project was approved in 2001, but due to financing issues construction work didn’t start until 2007. An exact completion date has not been established, but we do know that so far approximately 70% of the work has been completed. The budget was initially estimated at 1 billion Mexican pesos but the total kept being adjusted over the years as construction went on to almost double the initial amount.
The funds came in majority in the form of contributions from local businesses and individuals, as cash donations, construction materials and workforce; in 2008, the Governor of Jalisco, Emilio Gonzalez Marquez approved a highly substantial donation to the ongoing project that ended up being returned due to criticism over the fact that it belonged to the state. In recent months, the current Governor of Jalisco, Enrique Alfaro, recognized the importance of the sanctuary to the future of religious tourism in the area of Guadalajara and highlighted the state’s support of the project via the infrastructure initiatives in the surrounding areas like the Macro Periferico or Line 4 of the light rail going to Tlajomulco.
Spearheaded by the Engineer Hector Castellanos Frank, the center’s total capacity will be 40,000 people; aside from the church itself, the plans include a parking lot for 2,000 cars and 100 buses, an auditorium, a conference dedicated space, a hospital for low income individuals, a nursing school and a martyr museum. The painted glass wall of 44 by 53 meters height, designed by the Benedictine monk Fray Gabriel Chavez de la Mora and executed by a local family business in Tepatitlan, displays an array of colors symbolizing the ultimate sacrifice of the Son of God but also hope, light and the celebration of the Resurrection.
Even though the project is not 100% completed, the church is open for Sunday mass service and a few other religious events, based on availability. I believe the best way to connect with them at the moment is via their Facebook page as I wasn’t able to locate an official website.
I hope you enjoyed today’s video! Don’t forget to like and subscribe to our YouTube channel if you’d like to see more. Until next time, stay adventurous, have fun and keep chasing colors!
*If you'd like to support my work, visit my Patreon page, or use the button below:
]]>There are nine small towns in the Mexican state of Jalisco that were appointed pueblos magicos or magic towns and we are on a mission to see every single one of them and share the experience with you so that we hopefully inspire you to visit them as well.
In today’s YouTube video (linked above), I’m super happy to share some footage from our recent day trip to Mazamitla, a beautiful and quiet mountain town located less than 2 hours away from the busy metropolitan area of Guadalajara. Hidden between the pine forests of the Sierra del Tigre at more than 2,000 meters elevation, Mazamitla is the magic town where tourists and locals alike choose to escape to when they wanna leave behind the hustle and bustle of the city in search of a weekend of fresh air, good food and nature activities. My personal recommendation is if you find yourself in Guadalajara, to definitely plan to checkout Mazamitla even if it’s just for a day trip, like we did; it’s absolutely worth it! The town central plaza is truly magical and there are a lot of good restaurants where you can enjoy a delicious breakfast/lunch while overlooking the park and the gorgeous red and white towers of the San Cristobal Church, a very unique structure, and a rare example of Christian architecture with Asian influence in Mexico.
We arrived early on a Saturday morning and decided to get breakfast at Mestizo, where we were very lucky to score the best table available, on the second floor. The place wasn’t very busy when we arrived, but I swear it filled up as soon as we sat down, so we felt that we got in at the perfect moment. Their Chilaquiles con Carne and the Chicken Torta in Salsa Verde were to die for, so we definitely recommend this place not only for the amazing food, but also for the great service and the incredible views.
We ended our meal with a perfect cup of Cafe de Olla and took a few Instagram worthy photos with the church in the background. After breakfast, we took a stroll down the cobblestone streets, checked out the artisan stores, flew our drone for the aerial shots and grabbed a sweet, refreshing nieve in a cone. There was a joyful, peaceful vibe all around that we really enjoyed a lot and I can definitely see ourselves returning to Mazamitla in the future. But enough about our trip. Now it’s your turn to share! What magic towns have you visited in the state of Jalisco? And which one was your favorite? Let us know below and don’t forget to like and subscribe to our YouTube channel if you’d like to see more. Until next time, stay adventurous, have fun and keep chasing colors!
*If you'd like to support my work, visit my Patreon page, or use the button below:
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