“As a child, I would demand that visitors to our house tell me a story. I was intensely interested in everything – still am.” Kerry Greenwood
This week we had our third NOB mule delivery by our friend, Cyndi: a supply of Crispix cereal for David, Nonni biscotti from Costco for me, and other assorted goodies that we miss from home and aren’t available locally.
The first day … a tour of Ajijic village and it being the Tianguis/market day, the fun stops to all my special vendors: flowers, bread & donuts, chocolates, vegetables, avocados, cheese ‘n beans and seafood (oh, my!). Of course, I’ve discovered the best purveyors so if you need to get connected, well then I’m your guy. Dinner was homemade that night from all today’s goodies purchased.
Thursday was a short 1 1/2 hour drive to Los Guachimontones, a prehispanic, ceremonial, archaeological site near the town of Teuchitlán (outside Guadalajara). It was a society that existed from as early as 300 BCE until perhaps 900 CE. The word Teuchitlán is derived from Teotzitlán or Teutzitlán as interpreted as “place dedicated to the divine,” “place of the God Tenoch,” or “place dedicated to the revered God.” The site had already been located, visited, and described in the book, “Enchanted Vagabonds” in 1938 and was re-discovered in 1970. An extensive unearthing would get underway only recently in 1996. Until then the area had been farmed by the locals.
The dominant features at Los Guachimontones are circular, stepped pyramids in the middle of a circular building complex. The 60-foot (18 m) tall pyramid has 13 high steps leading to an upper level, which was then topped with another 4 high steps. A post hole was located at the very highest level, most likely for Volador ceremonies (flying men). The pyramids may also have supported small temples.
As with any other ruins sites in Latin America, appropriation of structural stones has occurred. Guachimontones has not been the exception, stones from the site were reused in the construction of the nearby St. Francis of Assisi church; some of them containing petroglyphs. A sacrificial stone is located in the atrium of said church.
Lunch followed at the nearby Hacienda El Carmen which dates back to the 17th century. It’s been extensively renovated and converted into a boutique spa hotel. We had a delicious and relaxing lunch on the patio shaded by hundred-year-old trees filled with songbirds.
Friday … and we were ready to tear up the city, but the entire town’s electricity went out in the middle of the night and didn’t return back on till almost 10 am. By the time we were ready to leave the house, it was past 1:00. We visited Tlaquepaque, a pedestrian-friendly shopping/dining area of east Guadalajara. We dined at one of our favorites, Casa Luna, and enjoyed glasses of white sangria with floating berries and topped with 🌸 🌺 – a tasty sipping work of art and again, enjoyed another great meal.
Saturday was another “unforGOATable” day (David’s TripAdvisor headline); our third tour of the Galo de Allende 🐐 farm. For this visit, they had been blessed with 14 new babies – the oldest just 6 weeks old. We got to hold and feed them ~ they are so freaking adorable! Of course, owners, Juan Diego and Laura, love sharing their passions with their guests We got to sample again their wonderful all-natural and sustainable goat products, which we’re total devotees.
