MEXICO: Tlaquepaque

Tlaquepaque is another cute little town, just southeast of Guadalajara.

Tlaquepaque was founded in the 16th century during the early colonial period of New Spain.

Its name comes from Nahuatl and roughly means “place above clay land,” reflecting the area’s rich soil for pottery and ceramics.

It is famous for its artisans, galleries, and traditional Mexican culture.

Today, Tlaquepaque has been amalgamated as a suburb of Guadalajara.

It is a hub for handicrafts, including glass, textiles, and painted ceramics.

The town has a cute historic center with cobblestone streets, colorful colonial buildings and plazas.

By the 19th and 20th centuries, it became a hub for artists, musicians, and craftsmen, attracting visitors for its handmade goods and festive atmosphere. 

Interesting sculptures line the streets. 

Tlaquepaque’s main market is a vibrant center for traditional crafts and focuses on handmade items.

The market also has local foods and snacks, from tamales and sweets to fresh juices. We have no room to buy anything, so, we enjoyed the food stalls and food vendors.

White corn, which we had not seen before.

The chickens were really yellow. 

A lady wanted to practice her English and explain why it is so yellow. We think she told us its the yellow corn. But, her English wasn't totally proficient, and our Spanish is sadly lacking, to say the least, so she might have actually been telling us something totally different.

John enjoyed one of the local desserts.

People were friendly, so I asked if I could take their photos.

This guy very generously offered me a taste, emphasizing it was “FREE”. Free ALWAYS catches my attention, BUT, also puts up my guards.

It was very good, so we asked for another one, so that we could pay for it. He insisted it was free again. So we made sure we left a generous tip in the tip jar.

Sometimes there is a language barrier, but, sometimes it just doesn’t matter. 

Kindness should always win.