Tlaquepaque is a well-known artsy town on the edge of Guadalajara. It has the same ring to it as “Laffy Taffy,” at least in my head (pronounced Tlah-kay-pah-kay). So for our visit to the lovely town I had one of the worst songs ever stuck in my head, Laffy Taffy by D4L.
It’s a popular tourist destination, which means it’s charming but a little too refined for my tastes. The architecture is beautiful. The stores and restaurants are modern and swanky, at least in the pedestrian-only artsy tourist zone. I gravitate more toward the hole-in-the-wall joints that are predominant in most of Mexico, but I’ll admit it was fun to feel fancy for a day. Carrie’s goal was to find Mexican jumping beans. Unfortunately El Niño weather patterns ruin all the fun. A street vendor explained that last year it rained earlier than it would have, which means the “beans” (actually moth larva in seed pods) had a shortened lifespan. So no jumping beans, but it was a gorgeous day for walking around and seeing the unique town.
We did find parts of the town that were more of the “dusty” Mexico I’ve come to love.
-Ryan
eachweekunique.com 