Talk:Guadalajara
From Wikitravel
The original article seems to have been written by a very good but not native english speaker. So please forgive a few changes to make the English a bit more colloquially american.
I've also tried to add a few more details to somewhat decenter the centro-historico emphasis of the original. It's not that the centro isn't important. Rather as a frequent visitor to GDL I've found that the most common complaint is that the centro is dusty, crowded and ultimatley pretty dull, and that there is nothing else so see excpet tequila factories and pottery shops. This is simply not true, and if tourists would simply take the time to wander a mile or so off the beaten track they would discover that GDL is much more interesting than most cities in the USA. Name one US city that has historical sites dating back to the 17th century, a natural feature like the Barranca, a lively cultural tradition like the mariachi, and all the conveniences of a vibrant modern capital.
Oh, and I've added a bit of character to the article too. The tourist should realize that there is a sort of Jalisco and TapatÃo attitude. I'd summarize this No te Rajes philosophy with a few simple propositions: 1) we are who we are and we do not need to explain it, especially to someone from el norte 2) tolerance is important and a sign of personal strength not weakness 3) old buildings are mostly dusty and dangerous, but if you must see them I will take you there, for a fee (or more charitably - life is to be lived, and the past to be respected, but not idolized).
