Guadalajara...

We decided to take a road trip and do some inland travel. Our friends on Hooligan (Tim & Paula) suggested going to Guadalajara for a few days, so we all decided that that sounded good. Santiago/Manzanillo has good bus travel, plus we have a good anchorage and plenty of friends to watch the boats and the cat/dog. Mexico has extensive bus lines ranging from city busses to luxury coaches, lots to choose from. We selected to go with ETN one of the more expensive which was about $30 for a 4.5 hour drive.
This was the nicest bus I have ever been on! Only three seats across, reclining seats, foot rest, movies, and a snack! This is a nice way to travel, nothing like it in the states. The bus station in Guadalajara was bigger than some airports I have been through!
We took a local bus into the historical district and found our hotel. The Posada Regis is in a building well over a hundred years old, a nice central courtyard and rooms around the edges. Very pleasant and right downtown. Guadalajara is a colonial city founded by the Spanish in the 1500's. There is a Cathedral that was started soon after and many other stone building built up through the 1800's, including the theatre, Governor's Palace, Seminary, and many churches. The town has a very European feel
to it, gothic buildings, plaza's and pedestrian areas. We spent several days exploring, taking tours and visiting museums and such. Checking out the restaurants including a Toreador bar (complete with Bull heads, photos, and authentic outfits), and a restaurant in a converted convent. We had a very nice time enjoying the city, a bed that does not move, and a shower I can stand up in with plenty of fresh water. Too soon we had to head back home, we could have easily spent a few more days. It was nice
to get away from the boat for a while, as we had not been further than a few miles inland for nearly a year, or above sea level for that matter(Guadalajara is around 5000ft in altitude). I should have some pictures up on the website soon.
We are still enjoying Santiago, the water has warmed up again so swimming is comfortable again. We should be here another 2 weeks or so then we will start heading northward.