We started by looking for nature at Bosque Los Colomos to see the Japanese gardens. The gardens themselves are pretty but small—more of a gesture toward Japanese design than a fully realized space. The park surrounding them, though, is genuinely beautiful. Trees creating deep shade, paths winding through groves, and birds everywhere.
Then the squirrels appeared.
Fat, aggressive squirrels that have learned to beg from park visitors. They swarm around benches and tables, standing on their hind legs, moving with a kind of rat-like desperation that made my skin crawl. We stopped at Coyote Café in the park. The squirrels were walking up to our table and jumping on other people’s tables! The waiter forgot a spray bottle on my table so I seized it and squirted every fucking squirrel that got near me. I didn’t finish my coffee.
That was enough nature for one day, so we took an uber to MUSA—Museo de las Artes Universidad de Guadalajara. It’s free, which seems impossible given the quality. Standout pieces included Rufino Tamayo’s “Hombre y su sombra” (Man and His Shadow) from 1971 and Carlos Guerra’s “Árbol” (Tree) from 1970. There was an Orozco mural as well, reminding you of Wednesday’s experience at Hospicio Cabañas. MUSA is essential. Don’t skip it.
Guadalajara is known for the Tortas Ahogadas. Coming from Philadelphia I know that a local famous sandwich can be a bit of a tourist trap. I have about one cheesesteak a year, and I often feel like shit afterwards. A Tortas Ahogada is a sandwich with a very thin tomato sauce poured over it. I was not expecting to like it. Wet bread is not my thing. We stopped at a food cart called Tortas Ahogadas “Reina Eterna.” Against all odds the bread holds up, the sauce is complex and I added the second spicy sauce. The pork is tender and I added raw onions to it.
It’s genuinely delicious.
That evening we arranged to return to Taller Industria Grafica to buy Oscar Basulto’s “CONSTELACIONES”. Alexandra was very helpful in helping us figure all of this out. We spent a little more on the art than we anticipated, but neither of us wanted to haggle with an artist. We treated it as a holiday gift to each other and left with it in hand.
We went to Mezonte for a mezcal tasting. Our guide was Zule, who walked us through their mission: preserving traditional agave spirits, supporting small producers in remote communities, documenting methods that might otherwise disappear. This isn’t boutique capitalism dressed up as cultural preservation. They’re serious about the work, about maintaining relationships with producers, about ensuring that people get paid fairly. The mezcal itself was excellent and Zule told us they work with the owner of Tequilas in Philadelphia.
We were invited to return to LA EXTENSIÓN for a gallery show. Oscar Basulto, the artist who created the piece we just bought was there. We talked for a while about his work, about printmaking, about the Guadalajara scene. He does a lot to get as many youth into art as possible and has workshops all over Jalisco. Meeting the person who made the art you can’t get out of your head changes the relationship to it. It’s no longer just an object but a connection to a moment, a conversation, a person working through ideas.
Ended the night trying to experience Guadalajara’s gay scene. I read people called it GAYdalajara so we checked out California’s Bar and then Voltio. Bars and clubs in GDL start a lot later than we are used to, so we were both ready to hit the bed before anything really started to happen.
Next: Guadalajara – Day 4