Guadalajara Daily Photo
Friday, June 30, 2006
Defenders of Veracruz Memorial.
This monument celebrates the defenders of the city of Veracruz in 1914. Of course they (we) lost the battle.
Why is important Veracruz, despite is so far from Guadalajara, well:
1. The first city in mainland America founded by Europeans. 1519.
2. The gate to conquest Mexico by Hernan Cortes. The road that he took starting from Veracruz to Mexico-Tenochtitaln is called "Ruta de Cortes". 1521
3. The last city to become independent after the Spaniards stood there (1821 - 1825) as a last land during the Mexican Independence wars (1810-1821). The city was bombed in 1823.
4. A city under siege by the French army in 1838-1839. We called "La Guerra de los Pasteles"
5. A city took by U.S. Army and following the same "Ruta de Cortez", and getting into Mexico City in 1847.
6. A city took by the French army and the starting of the "Intervencion Francesa". The Austrian born Maximiliano de Hamsburgo is the Emperor of Mexico, arriving to Veracruz into his way to Mexico City in 1864.
7. A city bombed and took by the U.S Navy in 1914.
The city has been declared 4 times heroic by the goverment. Do you thing it deserves the title?
Thursday, June 29, 2006
Picking a pic
Just a glance of nature, some human work and the blue sky of Guadalajara… we won’t get to see so much of this blue as rain season just started bringing us the flow problems that every year happen on the principal avenues. This is the tower of Saint Francis Church at 16 de Septiembre Avenue and Prisciliano Sanchez Street, it used to be the main centre for Franciscans at western Mexico.
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Escuela Brutalista
This is an example of the Brutalist architecture, a movement from the 70s that was all over the world, and Guadalajara was not the exception.
The building, named "Edificio Mexico" is located in the junction of Mexico Avenue and Francisco Rojas Gonzalez street. It was designed by Félix Aceves, a Mexican Architecture. Today is empty but it will be the new administration building for the system of TV and Radio for the Goverment of Jalisco, the state where Guadalajara is the capital.
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Confusing?
I like this street sign... even if gets confusing the first time you pass here. At left you can sneak a peak ok Los Arcos del Milenio (the Millenium Archs), which by now I'll only say we are on 2006 and they aren't done yet.
Monday, June 26, 2006
This is not a squatter building
Actually nobody lives in that building and it's a shame. I am sure that if some squatters take it they would make an interesting place rather than todays completed abandom.
Ah, by the way, it is on sale.
Sunday, June 25, 2006
Tianguis, I love you!!
As you have seen, street markets are a very recurrent sight here... I hope yu all understand that these are very important ever since commerce was done in Mexico (that lead us to cambalache era, when product used to be trade byeother products, not money). Well, another pics form a tianguis, an overview (will talk later about how wired some areas are).
Saturday, June 24, 2006
Sin Dios ni Gobierno
The man with the shades is Dario. He is a Philosopher, and I'm being literal because his degree is a bachelors in Philosophy. He has taught in the university and also he played in a pioneer hardcore-punk band from Guadalajara called Atheos. Now he is more oriented to the experimental noise kind of music (think in No Wave scene).More important is that he has every saturday a stand of CD's and DVD's in the Tianguis cultural, there you can find everything from A to Z of experimental and no conventional music. Baybe if some day you are in Guadalajara looking for this music, it worths to visit his stand.
Friday, June 23, 2006
All at the same place
As you can see Mexican street commerce is about one thing: everything, right where you need it, even when those are thing that usually aren’t put up for sale together, like these magazine seller with a side of action figures and candy supplies (just look at the face of this cute kid). This is at downtown.
Thursday, June 22, 2006
Nopales
The cactus in Mexico are everywhere. We have highest diversity of cactus. We ate some of their fruits: tunas and pitayas, we have it in our flag, we hate the "cactus leafs" called here Nopales. People collect them and you can find them almost in every street market. Also there is a store that sells cactus in a nice package to gave them as a gift. Usually a boyfriend gave it to his girlfriend or viceversa.
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
The City of Roses
As you know Guadalajara is nicknamed the Tapatian Pearl, the Pearl of the West but also the City of Roses. As far as I know this is because formerly you were able to find roses everywhere, but as the city grew up, it become impossible to maintain. Yesterday I saw this flower seller right in the middle of the street, and took a picture of the pot he keeps the flowers, and I wonder if GDL's roses had become now just for selling them.Well at least there are still some flowers spread around. Of course we have huge parks and gardens, but there's a need of color on the streets.
Monday, June 19, 2006
Street Marketing
If you want to buy auto parts, don't worry, he has everything you need for it, we are specialists!!.
Another horse, anothe feather
On a previous post we saw how calandrias still do for the tourist one of the most used attractions. Well this pic is of one of them, only that I think this is a multitask horse, a cleaning horse or someone knows why the dust cleaner on its head… lol, an easy way to get it dressed up with feathers and all. This is at one of the famous NINE CORNERS.
Sunday, June 18, 2006
Las Caricaturas y los cuentos
This is a picture of some of the old mexican comics such as Chanoc, the adventures of a guy who lives in the jungle and the sea. The comic was so popular that there are also movies about him. From the 30s to the 60s the mexican industry of comics (we called cuentos -tales - or books of caricaturas, for the comic books), was so big that Mexico was among the countries with highs production o comics. Mexican stories such as Chanoc, La Familia Burron, Memin Pinguin, Kaliman, El Payo, Los Supersabios, Rolando el rabioso, etc were edited togueder with usual names such as Blondie or Archie. From the 70s and specially the 80s, most of them dissapeared, and today is hard that a mexican comic book survive.
The picture was taked from Tianguis cultural, were you can find some of this old comics.
Saturday, June 17, 2006
Football Fever
Yesterday Mexico's Soccer Team played its second World Cup game againts Angola. It was at 2pm (local time) THE rush hour... at this time usually is almost impossible to drive. Weel everyone was watching the game anywhere they could... like for instance people that was shopping on a street market found the way to connect a TV in order to see the game.
Friday, June 16, 2006
Electronic Music
As in many countries, here also the development of technology has made possible to produce music with the help of computers and electronic. Here is a picture of a party for the aniversary of Pocilgabeat, a two DJ combo specialist to turn a party into a PARTY. The guy with the bass plays in a band called "Los Inolvidables" or "The Unforgetables" as the name in english.
Thursday, June 15, 2006
Hiyo Silver, Away!!!
This realistic sculpture is located at Niños Héroes Avenue, crossing with Lopez Mateos Avenue, at gloriette "Las Jícamas". It is made in bronze by Jorge de la Peña. I really like the way they look, almost like real. In Guadalajara most people called it La Glorieta De Los Caballos (the horses's gloriette)
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Busy day
.This is the crossroad between Mexico avenue and Americas avenue, two of the most important streets in Guadalajara. If you take Americas Avenue you will find the financial area of the city. The crystal building in the middle was abandoned for some years because the investors ran out of money. It was the first "intelligent Building" of the city. Now is operating and there is a cool coffe shop there.
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Cat's new bed
Rain season has just begun. I really like it, the olny thing is that I alwas feel sorry about all those homeless cats & dogs; last night some cat found a new bed in my car, and he left some tracks.. really cute ones. I'm gonna put some food tonight, even when I know propably by next week I'll become the lady of the cats.
Monday, June 12, 2006
Our Lady of Guadalupe
Mexico, as a free nation, was born in the 19 century, the date: September 27, 1821. By that time the official religion was Catholic. Our Independence started 10 years before, with a priest having a image of our lady of Guadalupe as a flag, as a symbol of Mexicans. As the time goes, we are now a moderm society, or trying to be, and in 1857 freedom of beliefs were decreted. Despite the changes today you can see the image of our lady of Guadalupe in every catholic church together with the Mexican flag. Anyway the image and concept of our Lady of Guadalupe, as the "Mother of Mexicans" has prevailed until now, it is a mixture of old ancient prehispanic cult to Tonatzin, a goddest of live, and Virgin Mary, the mother of Christ.
This picture was taken close to my house, were a image made of stone and placed in a tree is worshiped by the neighborhood.
Sunday, June 11, 2006
Just great
I think sunsets on the beach are one of the greatest sights you could ever have. But why keep so tight the beach factor, just take a look at this beautiful landscape over a rooftop, with tinacos and stuff (anyone knows the name of these water containers in English?)
Street Fruits
Mexico is among the countries with highest variety and consumption of fruits. Here is a street vendor of fruits, he was preparing his stand for sell mangos, pinaples,watermellons and jicamas. Fresh fruits for the hot summer. Usually we ate the fruits with chilli powder and lemon, but specially with chilli, sweet and hot is a unique mix of flavors.
People says that after you visit Mexico, then always you will add chilli and lemon to your food, and sometimes to your beverages.
Friday, June 09, 2006
Buy-n-go
For those who said that e-shopping was on style, the newest way to buy… on the go. This seller offers you nothing but quality on the newest trends without adding extra price of the store costs. And you can also by some fresh fruit just aside. Way to buy!!!
La neveria
This is an old ice cream parlor, as you can see is now abandoned. The house is probably from the earlies 1900s. It is located in the ancient zone of Guadalajara. The ornaments called "yeseria", made or plaster and all around the facade, are not usual nowdays and it is hard to find a "maestro yesero" if you want to have this kind of architecture today. Only students and graduates from conservation and restoration school are available, and believe me, they charge you high.
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
Another from Analco
This beautiful church venerates San Sebastian de Analco. Is so beautiful, it has three different chapels, all belonging to the same church. This photo shows the one for The Calvario and the principal, for San Sebastian.
It is rare, because is located a little too far from the touristy area, but its architecture is magnificent that is really valuable visiting it.
More photos here.
Due to technical problems BLOGGER didn’t allow us to post yesterday, we offer you an apology, and hope you can leave your comments about both pictures of the day.
Monday, June 05, 2006
Having a final test
Despite mexican law says that goverment must give free public education, the quantity of students having a university degree is lower than in the developed countries, because there are not enough space in public universities for the students, and the good private universities are expensive.
Here are some of my students having their final test. In Guadalajara we have the second largest public university in the country, Universidad de Guadalajara, but also at least other 7 private universities with good standards, and a bunch not so good. A lot of students from other states, and even from other countries, come to Guadalajara to have their studies, so it is usual to see a lot of young people in the city.
There is only two weeks for the end of spring semester, so a lot of them are in their finals papers and exams.
Sunday, June 04, 2006
Mexican Rockers
Since 11 years ago every saturday in Guadalajara there is a special tianguis -(the mexican name for street market)- called tianguis cultural.
All kind of young people and urban tribes (like this two guys in the picture) meet here peacefully to find stuffs to buy: punks, rastafarians, headbangers, old and young hippies, goths, and even japanese comic's collectors.
The idea started a little bit from another that exists in Mexico city since more than 20 years ago, the tianguis del chopo. The difference between tianguis cultural and tianguis del chopo is that the second and oldest one has more stands selling records, cds, and cassetes, basically oriented to rock and its differents types of rhythms. Famous rock stars have been there looking for unique recordings.
Our version in Guadalajara, despite having less stands selling music, has more selling books, comics, paintings, handcrafts and people drawing tattoos and putting piercings. Anyway you can find real treasures here, like a record signed by Roxy Music for only 1.5 Dollars.
Saturday, June 03, 2006
Virgin of Zapopan
In Mexico 89% of the population is Roman Catholic. So the images of this religion are really appreciated. One of this is the “Virgin of Zapopan”, that every year does a tour among all the churches in Guadalajara in order to prevent inundations (that refers the tradition) during rain season. But as you can imagine there are so many that she spends most of the year doing this. Her “house” is this magnificent basilica, which was considered a minor cathedral of Guadalajara in 1940. When the image is not here they have an identical that takes its place.
Friday, June 02, 2006
Monsters and Mexico
Before the Spaniards arrived to Mexico, the ancient cultures had not a concept for the devil as the Christians have. There were only gods for rain, for forest, for tress, etc. related with the acts of nature. They have to be happy, so a lot of ceremonies were performed in order to keep the ancient gods content, such as take off the bleeding hearts from the virgins and prisioners (it is not a joke).
Anyway, with the arrival of the Spaniards and the Christians beliefs, a mixture of ideas and ceremonies were born in Mexico together with the ancient beliefs. Today you can see children playing with figures of devils, skulls, monsters and witches. There are small towns famous for their handcrafst and pottery, such as Ocumicho, Michoacan, where the women of the town made figures of devils playing guitars, playing futbol, cooking, etc, made of clay.
In Jalisco, the state where Guadalajara is located, also there are several dances with devils fighing against angels, or moors vs. catolic heroes, despite here there were not muslims, all of them using masks.
Thursday, June 01, 2006
Glorieta del Charro
Charreria is definitely the most Mexican of all sports, even when is one of the sports less played by Mexicans. The thing is that this monument celebrates the meaning that charros represent for Mexico’s inhabitants.I took this on a very sunny day, so it looked too exposed, hence the sepia treatment. But I think now has this ancient look that old tradition gives.
As you may have seen, Mr. Cabeza de Vaca has joined GDP providing some pics and wise words.
We want to show you Guadalajara as it is, so with both points of view would be easier... and richer.
