Week Eight in Mexico - Goodbye, Guadalajara

I don’t handle goodbyes too well and I knew this one was going to be a doozy.

I made sure to make my final week in Guadalajara count. That meant spending quality time with those I’ve grown closest to over the last few weeks, often over a shared meal.

I spent a day at the Guadalajara zoo with a couple of the people I’ve bonded closest with, but not before fueling up with some quality birria tacos. The restaurant, which wasn’t much more than a gigantic grill and a few tables, was out near the zoo, which meant we were far from the typical tourist areas I admittedly had gotten used to. In fact, I’m certain we were the only foreigners there that morning dipping tacos in consomé for breakfast.

The zoo itself is worth visiting but make sure you purchase the upgrade that at least includes the safari. It raised the cost from about $5 USD to $15 but gets you entry to certain exhibits, including the ride through the safari area where giraffes, zebras, and other animals are roaming around. It made the visit that much more memorable.

Another food and activity pairing I would recommend is Taco Fish La Paz and Puente de las Damas. They sit just around the corner from each other and are both worth a visit. The first, a seafood restaurant, serves up some fried options, including the shrimp tacos I got. I also gave marlin a try for the first, choosing to get it in quesadilla form.

The marlin was smoky, almost bacon-like in taste and texture. The shrimp were plump and perfect with a heavy drizzle of chipotle and a smattering of pickled onions. I mean, just look at how fat those shrimp are.

Once you’ve had your fill, walk across the street to the Puente de las Damas, a historic site which sits just below the pavement. You’ll see a tiny building at the further end where you can check in for one of the guided tours. The building, though referred to as a museum, is really more of a starting point and entrance to the structure of the puente (bridge) which is all underground now that a road has been paved over all of it. The guide walks you though and explains the history and excavation process.

Our guide gave an excellent presentation, albeit in Spanish, but I gathered that the name of the bridge either comes from a reference to damas (ladies) who would swim nude under the bridge or to the ladies of the night who worked on either end. The likeliest of explanations is that the damas were nuns who would cross the river when it was dry enough to get to a nearby church until finally a bridge was built to make the trip easier and to connect the new city with the indigenous community to the south.

If you couldn’t tell, I am by no means much of a history buff but the bridge was still cool to look at regardless—not to mention a cool escape from the heat above ground.

My final weekend in Guadalajara was made complete with two excellent dinners—one simple and home cooked and the other a return to Bruna and it’s high end cuisine.

I was thrilled when John the Irishman and fixture at the hostel invited a few of us for a roast chicken dinner. I knew immediately it would be a treat. When you’re on the road for long enough, you eventually want nothing more than a good home-cooked meal, and John’s roast chicken, along with mashed potatoes and veggies, truly felt like supper with family. That’s about all I can say about that without getting too emotional.

For my final dinner in Guadalajara, I knew I wanted to return to Bruna, the restaurant I wrote about extensively in my Week 5 update. I won’t rehash the details except to say it was as excellent as I remember. It also gave me the chance for a re-do on dessert and this I time opted for the chocolate dessert I had been so envious of previously.

And then came the final day yesterday. I kept myself distracted with busywork, updating my budget, getting the final details on my flight and hostel, and generally trying not to think about saying goodbye.

The moment finally came, and as I waited for an Uber to whisk me away, I found myself joined by friends for my farewell.

I’ll take this opportunity to give a shoutout to Leveli Coliving, my home for the last month. I can’t recommend Leveli enough, both for the comfortable and practical accommodations, but also for all the work the owners put in to making a welcoming space that fosters friendships indistinguishable from family.

Thank you to owners Lev and Liz and to every single friend I made here. I will miss you all deeply!

Now, on to new adventures in a new city: Mérida, the capital of Yucatán!

Hasta pronto!

Eric