Mexico 2026 - Guadalajara - The Tide Turns

 When the driver arrived he became our knight in shining armor. We were trying to get to the area of town known as Tlaquepaque. He informed us that it was both an area of the city and a county. He, understanding our true destination, ignored the GPS directions and drove us through the streets of Guadalajara towards the shop and art gallery laden area. We thanked him effusively. He told us what a pleasure it was for him to help us as it gave him a chance to practice his seldom used English skills, which, by the way, were excellent. We all but dropped to our knees and kissed his ring as we exited the car. 

Across the street was an ATM, I was still peso penniless. Hoping for the best we walked up to a machine.We asked the gentleman at the next machine if he spoke English. He did. We asked him if he would help us out after he was finished with his business. He would. His business consisted of making multiple withdrawals and putting the cash from each one into a different pocket. I wondered what on earth he could be doing but as he was going to help us get much needed pesos I thought it best not to ask. Finishing what ever it was that he was doing he came over. I inserted my card expecting to see the same Spanish instructions I had been seeing. But lo, this machine gave me an English translation option. We thanked him for his kindness, and I proceeded to make my self flush with the native currency. 

The trip was beginning to turn around.





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