Day 1 - Saturday - Arrive Guadalajara airport. Time to get acquainted & acclimated in our wonderful B & B (www.estrellitasinnajijic.com). Walking tour of Ajijic, to the plaza and down to the lake. Then, cocktails & pizza party and portfolio reviews.
Day 2 - Sunday - Guadalajara, all day, starting with the Jalisco Museum, exhibiting the many different arts & crafts in this area (some for sale). Then, in the historic downtown, we visit the famous Cabañas Institute, an architectural wonder, world renown for the Jose Orozco murals on the upper walls and ceilings of the chapel. Stop at the Mercado Libertad, an immense indoor/outdoor market chock full of everything imaginable. Stroll down the Plaza Tapatio past the historic Teatro Degollado, up to the magnificent Cathedral of Guadalajara. A late lunch at the famous La Chata restaurant nearby. We cap the day off with a drive around the Zona Rosa, the Guadalajara equivalent of Beverly Hills.
Day 3 - Monday - Optional early morning Spanish class. All day tour around the lake. We head west through Jocotepec and stop at the small village of San Cristobal where the women specialize in intricately crafted dolls & flowers made from corn husks. We continue to San Luis Soyatlan to shoot the lake from the opposite shore. Lunch at Tizapan el Alto with its lovely church. Finally, on to Petatan, a very small fishing village, jutting out into the lake. From November thru March, thousands of pelicans flock to Petatan, and it is an unusual and fascinating sight for photos. Dinner in Jocotepec.
Day 4 - Tuesday - Half day in the bustling town of Chapala, walking along the Malecon (boardwalk) and pier. Then over to the local indoor market and the Plaza for a lunch of real Mexican food. Boat ride to Scorpion Island. Drive up the hills surrounding the lake to typical Mexican villages, with stops on the way to shoot the magnificent lakefront & mountain vistas. Dinner in Chapala.
Day 5 - Wednesday - Free Day - Walk the Ajijic local market (called a Tianguis). Three blocks long of jewelry, Huichol Indian crafts, jewelry, housewares, native clothes & textiles, food and veggies. Stroll down the main street towards the pier and visit all the fantastic boutiques & galleries, which sell so much wonderful art of both native artists, as well as from the large community of foreign artists. Check out the local Jalisco Museum. Wander through the gardens of the Lake Chapala Society or walk a bit further to the colorful cemetary. Salsa dancing in the evening.
Day 6 - Thursday - We leave early for Market Day at Tonala. The market at Tonala (a suburb of Guadalajara) goes for blocks and blocks and encompasses anything you could want to buy. See also the glass blowing factory and the interesting old square with its historic churches. Lunch at Los Burritos. Afternoon workshops on manipulation of digital images & hand tinting.
Day 7 - Friday - See fabulous Tlaquepaque, with its "high end" arts & crafts, jewelry and furniture stores (and exquisite Plaza). Lunch in Tlaquepaque and then we'll wander through typical Mexican towns (La Calera and Ixtlahuacan), their interesting plazas, churches and cemetaries. Dinner at La Tasca with Roberto Cerda, playing flamenco guitar and singing traditional Mexican songs.
Day 8 - Saturday - Airport drop offs and free day for those who leave later in the day. Time to wander, see places there wasn't time for on Wednesday
Scheduled Workshop Dates for 2008 & 2009
All workshops will follow the same basic itinerary (above), with the inclusion of the noted special fiestas and events. Schedules will be adjusted for these events.
August 16 - 23rd - Feria Expo Chapala Artesanal. Expo of true Chapala artisans in clay and ceramics; museum-quality reproductions of pre-hispanic art.
September 6 - 13th - Special low, low, season rates (regular itinerary applies) **
October 26th - November 2nd - Halloween & Day of the Dead. See the Ajijic Plaza on Halloween Eve, filled with people, music, firework displays and the famous burning of the Castillo. The Castillo is a 3 story wood tower with fabulous fireworks attached to its outstretched arms. The Castillo is lit at 11 p.m. and as the fire progress downwards, more and more fireworks are set off. Follow the procession the next day (Day of the Dead) to the cemetary in Ajijic and shoot the magnificent graveyard displays of flowers and altars in both Ajijic and Chapala and other villages.
November 7 - 14th. - 7th Annual Feria Maestros del Arte (the 7th, 8th, & 9th)- all the great artists, artisans & folk artists from all over Mexico come to Ajijic to sell their work at this three day fiesta. Bring plenty of dineros for famous mask makers, wood sculptures, papier mache art, ceramics, silver jewelry, clay figurines and more! Check out their website!
November 22 - 29th. - Days of fiestas in Ajijic - honoring San Andreas, the patron saint. The main Plaza and surrounding streets are packed with stalls for food and drink and housewares and CD's and crafts. The streets are closed for carnival rides and a stage is set up for music & dancing in the evening. A huge Castillo is lit every nite (see description of Castillos for Halloween/Day of the Dead)
December 6- 13th - First annual Fireworks Fiesta - in Chapala from the 10th to the 14th, at the Chapala Lakefront, along with other festivities (more information at a later date).
December 20-27th - Christmas time - See the wonderful festivities in the small village of Mezcala on Christmas Day (more information on Christmas festivities at a later date).
December 27 - January 3rd, 2009 - New Year's in Mexico!! Dio de los Santos Reyes (Three Kings Day) - (more information on festivities at a later date).
February - 2009 - Carnaval Mexicano - Mardi Gras. Go to Chapala for the wonderful Mardi Gras parades & celebrations. Date & specific festivities to be posted later.
February 28th - March 7th, 2009. - Chili Cook Off. National Competition with winner going to the U.S. for the finals. Three fabulous days of fiestas, chili tastings, dancing horses, continuous stage shows, salsa dancing, and a myriad of arts & crafts booths.
April- 4-11th, 2009 - special low, low, season rates (regular itinerary applies) **
May 2-9th, 2009 - special low, low season rates (regular itinerary applies) **
June 6 - 13th, 2009 - Fiestas Patronales in San Antonio. Festival for the patron saint of San Antonio Tlayacapan (town adjacent to Ajijic and Chapala). Carnival rides for children, booths, restaurant stands, music and more!
July 18 - July 25th, 2009 - Fiestas Patronales - Fiestas Patronales for the patron saint of Ixtlahuacan (town adjacent to Chapala). See the fabulous Castillos set off every evening. (see description of Castillos above for Halloween/Day of the Dead).
August 9 - 16th, 2009 - Traditional fiestas in the village of Mezcala. Music on the Plaza and a flaming Castillo each night. Special folkloric dances.
** Low Season rates = $1439 per person, double occupancy
** Also, any group of 4 to 8 can contact us to schedule a different date, subject to availability of personnel and hotel rooms. Ask for our group discount
For further information on enrollment, payment directions for various workshop dates contact us
