Friday, November 20, 2009

Where and what is Tapalpa?

Where is Tapalpa?

Well, mostly this is a post for my friend Fawn to show her how wonderful and beautiful Tapalpa is. First off let’s start with a map:

Map picture

Ok, you might be asking yourself where is that?! Tapalpa is in the state of Jalisco:

Map picture

Jalisco is one of the south western states of Mexico. One of it’s famous beaches is Puerto Vallarta. Tapalpa is near that small city that says “Ciudad Guzman”.

If you don’t know where Mexico is, go back to school people shame on you! SHAME!!

“…Any where like Such As…” –Miss South Carolina

What is Tapalpa?

Tapalpa is a small rural town that was a Spanish Colony. What does Tapalpa mean? Well, the locals say it’s a nahuatl word meaning “Land of Colors”. It has the typical Mexican small town areas: Plaza, Church and Farmer’s market. Tapalpa is mostly famous because it’s a completely different world from Guadalajara  and surrounding areas. Climate and flora that surrounds Tapalpa is a pine forest and there’s a lot of nature. I mean like overflowing! So here are some pictures with descriptions:

Image060This is the view from my house to the plaza in the morning. 

Image065 This is the view from my house to the plaza in the afternoon.

Image071 This is the view from the Country Club terrace.

Image073

The terrace Country Club

Image091 Cow I took a picture of while hiking.

Image092

Goat drinking water from a small river.

Image093“The Giant Rocks” from far away.

 Image105 Going through the mountain to “El Salto del Nogal”

Image106

Image107  “El Salto del Nogal”

Image114

Field with flowers

So that’s it ladies and gentlemen hope you like it!

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Well, I’m doin’ it again…

Well, as some of you know I just moved to Tapalpa, Jal. Mexico. It’s a small rural town but it has great nature-ish views and well the type of living is very ‘GREEN’.

Here they make a three day long hike to this place called Talpa. It’s a religious of-sort of hike where they make ‘mandas’ or sacrifices so that God will give them what they want. I saw this as a chance to get involved with the community and well also to have a goal that I would like to accomplish.

I’m going to do this hike and well I’m training with Arnel Ricafranca’s 16 weeks to six pack abs: http://www.iwantsixpackabs.com/ and doing a hike a day goal for some weeks as follows:

  • Week 1 – 4 miles
  • Week 2 – 4 miles + 10 pounds total
  • Week 3 – 4 miles + 20 pounds total
  • Week 4 – 4 miles + 30 pounds total
  • Week 5 – 6 miles
  • Week 6 – 6 miles + 10 pounds total
  • Week 7 – 6 miles + 20 pounds total
  • Week 8 – 6 miles + 30 pounds total
  • Week 9 – 8 miles
  • Week 10 – 8 miles +10 pounds total
  • Week 11 – 8 miles + 20 pounds total
  • Week 12 – 8 miles + 30 pounds total

Weeks 13 to 16 I will be doing the same 8 mile hike with 30 pounds. Let’s see how this goes. Over and out!