on tour O
marty de souto, ctc
Say “Si Si” To Mexico IN THE LAST ISSUE we discussed the
years ago was one to the states of
importance of planning trips closer to
Jalisco and Michoacan, on which we
In these villages we had opportunities
streets and connecting tunnels.
home in these times when our travelers
flew into Guadalajara and stayed for
to walk cobblestone streets and sit in the
are facing economic belt-tightening, fear
five nights in the nearby suburban arti-
plaza to hear the local band play. We
of the future and an unwillingness to ap-
san town of Tlaquepáque (pronounced
could poke our nose into lovely homes
pear to be Big Spenders. Both our neigh-
“tla-kuh-pahk-eh”) rather than in
with their hidden inner patios with tiled
bors – Canada and Mexico – are good
downtown Guadalajara. Our home
fountains and bougainvillea in bright or-
value, close to home and appealing. In
was a small bed-and-breakfast-style
anges, pinks and purples. We shopped
this issue, let’s take a look at Mexico.
posada rather than a big-city high-rise.
for pottery, glassware, embroidered
Many North Americans head south
From there we were able to visit the
linens, copperware and straw goods. In
of the border for a warm weather break-
sights of Guadalajara (the Orozco mu-
one town the visitors bureau set up a
away from blustery northern U.S. climes
rals, Cathedral, plazas and Libertad
day-long tour to artists’ studios.
in winter, looking for beaches, beauty
Discover the “real” Mexico in colonial towns far from the beach resorts.
and booze. And, bless their hearts, if this is all they want out of a vacation, so be it. But Mexico is so much more: historic Mexico, cultural Mexico and a Mexico of rich traditions not to be found in her superficial beach resorts, but rather in the interior of the country. Tours of her
Market) and attend the University’s Bal-
Another approach would be to fly
Spanish Colonial cities or perhaps of
let Folklórico. But many of us preferred
into Cancún or Mérida and enjoy visits
areas such as the Yucatán Peninsula
spending time in Tlaquepáque to browse
to Mayan archaeological sites such as
with its pre-Spanish cultures can be an
the artisan shops and lunch at El Patio
Chichen Itzá or Uxmal. There are colo-
eye-opener to our travelers.
Restaurant with its all-woman mariachi
nial-style inns nearby. At these sites your
band to serenade you over a mid-day
group can see the ball courts (where it’s
margarita.
said the captain of the losing team not
Best of all, Mexico is currently one of the “best buys” with the dollar now buying more than 14 pesos compared to
From Guadalajara, we then spent the
only lost the game, but lost his head as
a mere 10 a short time ago. The country
next five days staying in smaller colonial
well). They can also see the well where
and its people are accustomed to North
towns like San Miguel de Allende, so
the guides will tell you they threw the
American tourists and eager to have us.
popular with American residents and
beautiful virgins to appease the gods.
And, while emphasis still seems to be on
noted for its fine Art Institute. We vis-
the beach resorts like Cancún, Aca-
ited Dolores Hidalgo, birthplace of the
prove a satisfying and unforgettable travel experience.
pulco, Puerto Vallarta and others, there
War of Independence from Spain, and
are operators who are once again offer-
lunched in Morelia, an
ing colonial cities routes or Indian cul-
aristocratic and elegant
tural experiences. Some operators will
university city. Another
custom-design group itineraries to show
interesting stop was
your travelers the best of these areas.
Pátzcuaro, and finally Guanajuato, a former
SMALL-TOWN BASE
mining town built in a
An itinerary that worked for me several
system of crazy zigzag
12 April 2009
All in all, the “real” Mexico can
Marty is founder and chair of the travel industry training program at Berkeley City College in Berkeley, California, where she teaches all aspects of group travel. You can reach her by e-mail at josemarty@yahoo.com. For information on her latest book, How To Plan, Operate and Lead Successful Group Trips, click on Premier Tourism Marketing’s educational web site, groupuniversity.com. LeisureGroupTravel.com