The City
Any tour of Guadalajara starts almost inevitably at the Cathedral . With the Sagrario, or sacristy, next door, it takes up an entire block at the very heart of the colonial centre , which is bordered by four plazas. At weekends and on warm evenings the plazas are packed, the crowds entertained by an array of street performers and wandering musicians; there are frequently bands playing during the day, too. All around is the traffic, noise and bustle of the busiest commercial areas of downtown Guadalajara: to the east the crowds spill over into Plaza Tapatia and its upmarket shops, beyond which is the complete contrast of the old market; unmodernized shopping streets to the west are no less busy. Venture a little further and the atmosphere changes again. Guadalajara's rapid expansion has swallowed up numerous communities that were once distinct villages but are now barely distinguishable from the suburbs around them. Heading west the university area blends into chic suburbia and some of the city's most expensive real estate. East , Tlaquepaque and Tonala are the source of some of the area's finest handicrafts. And finally to the north , Zapopan has a huge, much revered church and a museum of indigenous traditions, while the Barranca de Oblatos offers stunning canyon views and weekend picnic spots.
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