The Guadalajara Reporter

City Living - January 17, 2014

The U.S. Consulate General in Guadalajara will be closed on Monday, January 20 in celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. King was born on January 15, 1929 and shot to death on April 4, 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee.

Danzon

Enjoy classes of the Cuban dance genre, danzon, in the Plaza de las Americas in Zapopan each Sunday at 6 p.m. 

The classes are taught by Benjamin Bautista and free of charge courtesy of Cultura Zapopan. 

The huge plaza is in the heart of Zapopan’s centro, in front of the Basilica, home to the revered statue of the Virgin of Zapopan.

Puppet Show

The creative puppet show “Emiliano y el Tren al Inframundo”  tells the story of an 11-year-old boy who has lost his father but cannot accept it.  In Spanish at the Teatro Degollado  on January 18, 19, 25, 26, 6 p.m.

Jewelry

An exhibit featuring creative works by local silversmiths can been seen at the Casa Museo Lopez Portillo through February.  You can also see a fine permanent exhibit of antique furniture. Liceo 177, Guadalajara Centro. Open Tuesday to Sunday.

Cineforo

Two independent British films showing in the current international series at the Cineforo are well worth a view.  “The Look of Love,” directed by Michael Winterbottom,  follows the career of British erotica magnate Paul Raymond, referred to in the 1970s as “the King of Soho.”  Although slow-paced, “Berberian Sound Studio,” directed by Peter Strickland and featuring Toby Jones, takes a fascinating look behind the scenes of sound making, when a sound engineer’s work for an Italian horror studio becomes a terrifying case of life imitating art.

“The Look of Love” plays Saturday, January 25 and Sunday, January 26, at 4, 6, 8 and 10 p.m. “Berberian Sound Studio” plays Wednesday, January 29 and Thursday, January 30, at 4, 6, 8 and 10 p.m.  Admission 45 pesos; Wednesdays 30 pesos.  The Cineforo is located in the lower part of the Universidad de Guadalajara administrative building on Avenida Juarez, corner of Enrique Diaz de Leon.

Half marathon

Runners may now sign up for the 28th Guadalajara International Half Marathon, scheduled for Sunday, February 23, starting at 8 a.m. The cost is 110 pesos.

In addition to the “elite” event, there are eight age categories in the men’s section, including 55-59 years, 60-69 years and over 70 years of age, as well as a wheelchair race.  Categories for women include 50 to 59 and above 60.  

Prizes in all the categories are on offer, ranging from 2,000 pesos to 53,000 pesos (for first place in the men’s elite event).

Sign-up can be made at any office of the Consejo Municipal del Deporte de Guadalajara or online at www.marcate.com.mx. For more information and for the location of the offices call (in Spanish) (33) 3883-4000 or consult http://medio.maratonguadalajara.org or www.comudeguadalajara.gob.mx.

Public works

Repaving and resurfacing work on Avenida Chapultepec in Guadalajara’s Pink Zone is causing some traffic delays and inconvenience but city officials say the long-term benefits of the 25-million-peso project will be many.

The work is taking place between Niños Heroes and Lopez Cotilla and should be finished within three months.

Rollercoaster fun

Rollercoaster enthusiasts should check out the new “Bullet” ride at the Guadalajara Zoo’s Selva Magica, which runs at a speed of 80 kilometers an hour. The exhilarating ride uses high-tech German technology and was installed last year in honor of the zoo’s 25th anniversary. The ride runs at a maximum height of 45 meters, uses 360-degree turns on a forward/reverse trajectory of 300 meters. Selva Magica’s operators, Grupo Entreteparq, say they invested four million dollars in the theme park’s rides last year. Different price packages are available for 37, 34, 31 and 20 rides in the park, costing from 90 to 300 pesos. Individual rides are 25 pesos.

Of course, you can always leave such thrills to the young and young-at-heart and simply enjoy the spacious zoo’s many animals. The Guadalajara Zoo is located at Calzada Independencia and Periferico.