I LOVE my country!

[GerardoG]

Well my friends; work has taken me to another corner of my beautiful Mexico: Guadalajara!

After a long day at airports and a good sleep; it is time to visit Tonala; where glass work is found in every corner




...and where the sky has a 'special' blue....something just beautiful....



After walking and shopping; dinner in Guadalajara has to include tortas ahogadas, mariachi and TEQUILA!


Next day, the road trip I was looking for....on my way there, I pass through agave fields


where we were able to see a jimador working on agave plants


which are sent to this factory...


the place: TEQUILA JALISCO!!!!!

some shots of production process.....



..and some of ther products..


After a tour at the factory, time for some tasting...white, reposado and añejo....1800 Cuervo


and a visit to the Reserva cellar.....WHAT A PLACE!!!


Well, after some shots of tequila (the good stuff), some walking around in the plaza


and back to Guadalajara, where Tlaquepaque was a must. Visiting Rodo Padilla's boutique was special.....


...yup, some of his art came home with me.

Well my friends, hope you enjoyed this 'quick tour' as much as I did.

VIVA MEXICO!!!!

[Robb]

Sweet pics Gerardo!!!! I will be in Cancun in 2 weeks!

[SPACE-DWELLER]

Nice pics, Gerardo!

Somehow, I feel like smoking a cigar while enjoying those pics again

[GerardoG]

Originally Posted by Spacedweller

Nice pics, Gerardo!

Somehow, I feel like smoking a cigar while enjoying those pics again

I did while I was there! Romeo y Julieta short churchill. It is amazing how, after a tequila tasting by the master staff at Cuervo; you really enjoy the product and learn how to drink it. We had 4 tequilas that afternoon, no one was drunk or had a hangover next day....I am impressed!

[GerardoG]

Originally Posted by Robb

Sweet pics Gerardo!!!! I will be in Cancun in 2 weeks!

See you here!

[Tools]

Great travelogue.

I'll be on the Yucatan Peninsula next month..

[GerardoG]

Originally Posted by Tools

Great travelogue.

I'll be on the Yucatan Peninsula next month..

Bienvenido!

[Dan Pierce]

Gerardo,
Great pictorial. Thanks for sharing.
dP

[Jocke]

I´m really shocked.

I din´t know mexicans work.



Great pics my friend.

Jocke

[Carolina]

Fascinating pictures, Gerardo!

[USMCsilver]

Most excellent, amigo!

Which reminds me, I gotta get my Punta Cana pics posted up sometime soon.

[Downing]

Fantastic photos, amigo!

I love Mexico. The heat, the dust, the smells, the colors. Ah, I wish I were there right now. !Viva la Mexico!

[kcmo]

Great pics Gerardo! Who says 'work' can't be fun

[GerardoG]

ahhh....MEXICO

[Gaijin]

Nice pics!! Thanks!

[JJ Irani]

Great shots, Gerardo.

If I could have afforded it, I would have spent the 3 months in Mexico while my home was being fixed with that bloody "leaky building" problem!!

[GerardoG]

Originally Posted by JJ Irani

Great shots, Gerardo.

If I could have afforded it, I would have spent the 3 months in Mexico while my home was being fixed with that bloody "leaky building" problem!!

...this is such a beautiful country......LOVE IT!

[GerardoG]

Some tequila facts....

-It can take up to 10 liters of primary product to obtain 1 liter of 100% pure agave tequila
-70% of tequila production is exported, only 30% is sold in Mexico
-A Jimador can process 10-12 TONS of agave per day, and is paid per ton
-A Jimador will 'prepare' agave plants at a rate of 3,000/day
-Elder people in Mexico consider 'white' tequila the real deal; they claim añejo and reposado (yellow colored) to be 'girl's stuff'
-Tequila should be sipped, leaving a delicate scent in the drinker's mouth; it should not sting or be rough
-Extra añejo tequilas run over $100 us/750 ml bottle
-For a distilled blue agave liquor to be considered Tequila, it can ONLY be produced in certain parts of Mexico
-Average factories in Tequila, Jalisco process over 1,000 tons of agave DAILY
-It takes 8-10 years for agave to be ready for harvesting & production

[Bama]

Fantastic pictures, Gerardo. Thanks for sharing. I really enjoyed those.

[Earl]

Great pictures Gerardo Thanks for sharing!

[Ed Rooney]

Originally Posted by GerardoG

Some tequila facts....

-It can take up to 10 liters of primary product to obtain 1 liter of 100% pure agave tequila
-70% of tequila production is exported, only 30% is sold in Mexico
-A Jimador can process 10-12 TONS of agave per day, and is paid per ton
-A Jimador will 'prepare' agave plants at a rate of 3,000/day
-Elder people in Mexico consider 'white' tequila the real deal; they claim añejo and reposado (yellow colored) to be 'girl's stuff'
-Tequila should be sipped, leaving a delicate scent in the drinker's mouth; it should not sting or be rough
-Extra añejo tequilas run over $100 us/750 ml bottle
-For a distilled blue agave liquor to be considered Tequila, it can ONLY be produced in certain parts of Mexico
-Average factories in Tequila, Jalisco process over 1,000 tons of agave DAILY
-It takes 8-10 years for agave to be ready for harvesting & production

Some more tequila facts:

-Tequila does not work as well if you snort it.
-Beauty is in the eye of the beholder....but sometimes the beholder is encouraged by an outside agent
-I can't emphasize enough that you should not snort tequila, clear or whatever.
-Eat one enchilada for each shot of tequila you plan to consume, or snort, or drink from the navel of a young lady.
-The underside of a shot glass holds just enough tequila to draw tears if you snort it.
-There's a baby in every bottle!

[Robb]

Originally Posted by Ed Rooney

Some more tequila facts:

-Tequila does not work as well if you snort it.
-Beauty is in the eye of the beholder....but sometimes the beholder is encouraged by an outside agent
-I can't emphasize enough that you should not snort tequila, clear or whatever.
-Eat one enchilada for each shot of tequila you plan to consume, or snort, or drink from the navel of a young lady.
-The underside of a shot glass holds just enough tequila to draw tears if you snort it.
-There's a baby in every bottle!

: clap:

[GerardoG]

Originally Posted by Ed Rooney

Some more tequila facts:

-Tequila does not work as well if you snort it.
-Beauty is in the eye of the beholder....but sometimes the beholder is encouraged by an outside agent
-I can't emphasize enough that you should not snort tequila, clear or whatever.
-Eat one enchilada for each shot of tequila you plan to consume, or snort, or drink from the navel of a young lady.
-The underside of a shot glass holds just enough tequila to draw tears if you snort it.
-There's a baby in every bottle!

.....soooooo TRUE!

[Lloyd]

My favourite drink Olmeca Silver Made in Mexico, very popular in South Africa, for once I can say Ive been there, went to TJ and Ensanada in 1998, travelled on a old mexican bus and drank plenty tequila's Interesting info about the tequila thanks Jonathan

[chris_nor_cal]

outstanding pictures amigo. pero, usted vive en la tierra del agave. porque usted bebe jose cuervo. lo quieres actual? yo amo el tequila 100% del aquave como el patron, pero no quiero jose cuervo. los americanos piensan que el mexicano detesta cuervo. que paso con esto?

[GerardoG]

Originally Posted by chris_nor_cal

outstanding pictures amigo. pero, usted vive en la tierra del agave. porque usted bebe jose cuervo. lo quieres actual? yo amo el tequila 100% del aquave como el patron, pero no quiero jose cuervo. los americanos piensan que el mexicano detesta cuervo. que paso con esto?

Well, Cuervo produces over 15 different tequilas; the most known in the US is Cuervo blanco, which is intended for mixes (ie margaritas), but they drink it 'straight up' . One of the latest products is the Reserva de la Familia, a tequila that was only produced for the owners of Jose Cuervo, they decided to sell it; it is hand bottled and the price roams around $100us (vs less than $25us for Cuervo blanco). Reserva is a BIG difference, I have tried many brands and I always come back to this.

When I was in Tequila (the town), I asked several jimadores what was the best tequila; all of them answered: the one YOU like the most. To me, it is Reserva, to another, it is 1800, to someone else, Patron or Don Julio; it is like wine, cigars and watches; we all have different tastes.

[chris_nor_cal]

cool thanks for the info