¡Guadalajara, Guadalajara!

A photo walk through Guadalajara, Mexico.

Friends,

Tapatíos¹ have a swagger to them, the kind that exudes a "I don't care who you are and don't give a damn about you" attitude. And nor should they — Guadalajara is a damn cool city. On a walk through Guadalajara, you find swarming markets that lure you in with the scent of birria and tortas ahogadas. You stop by a cafe to grab an espresso tonic to refresh yourself and keep walking. Eventually, that brutal midday sun takes its toll, and a small cantina beckons you in with shade and an ice cold beer. You walk on until you're face to face with the rich and tender tacos de suadero. Finally, you find another cantina to wash the food, and the day, down with some raicilla or mezcal.

I might be smitten. There's an undeniable energy in Guadalajara right now. But it's the same energy that, if not careful, will put the city on far too many "best of" travel lists, if it isn't already. It's the same energy that, in my experience, tends to be a harbinger of mass gentrification.

More to say on Guadalajara later, but I'm still on the road for another week. So for now, below is a rough cut of some photos of the city. There are quite a few photos here, so they might be best viewed in a browser.

Skylar

“He who does not move does not feel the chains”

1. Tapitio/tapitia refers to those who are from Guadalajara, Mexico