Sipping and Zipping Through Jalisco Mexico

by Rick Butler

Ismael, the jimador, swings his machete and slices through the spiny agave tentacles, one of 3000 plants he will prune today.  Cecilia, our guide explains, “It takes 10 years for the agave to be ready for harvesting and must be pruned regularly before going to the distillery.” So began my quest to learn how this soothing caramel coloured elixir that provokes taste buds into doing the ‘Mexican Hat Dance’ is made. <

My wife Irene and I are at the Jose Cuervo agave plantation just outside the siesta town of Tequila Mexico. Ismael demonstrates his abilities, honed over 38 years on this very plantation. He picks up a long handled tool resembling a turf edger which he sharpens to a razor’s edge and shows us how an agave plant is harvested. With just a few masterful swipes and swings the plant has lost all its tentacles, is out of the ground and resembles a huge pineapple. “He can harvest 400 plants a day”, Cecilia states. “These ‘pineapples’ are sent to the distillery in Tequila where we make our national drink.”

Irene shakes hands as she bids farewell to Ismael and comments on their smoothness especially since he has been doing manual labour all his life. He shows her a bottle of agave hand cream which he makes himself; obviously she was sold and bought a few bottles.

Jose Cuervo has been distilling this concoction in Tequila for over two centuries. As Cecilia explains the distillation, aging, then the bottling process during our tour of the distillery, I can wait no longer and blurt out, “Why do they put a worm in the bottle?” Cecilia gives me a curious look and states matter-of-factly, “A worm is not put in tequila amigo, you are confusing this with Mezcal which is a different agave based spirits.” My faux pas reveals to everyone that I do not imbibe tequila on a regular basis.

In the tasting room we sample mmm-margaritas that are so white, cool, and delectable that just one leaves us yearning for another on this hot day. We kick back two differently aged tequilas, the first being the least aged and clear which would be great for starting your barbecue, the next aged 3 years is much tastier and smoother. Then comes the best quality tequila produced by Jose Cuervo. “Our Reserva de la Familia was first introduced to the market in 1995 to commemorate our 200 year anniversary,” Cecilia explains, “until then it was a closely guarded secret, enjoyed only by the Cuervo family.” We learn that only the finest agaves are chosen for the Reserva which is a blend of tequilas aged up to 30 years. Each bottle is individually numbered and topped with red wax. A Mexican artist is commissioned to produce a uniquely designed box for each year’s blend. You can imagine by now we are all quite anxious for a taste so we convince Cecelia it is time.

“Take a sip and hold the tequila in your mouth while breathing over it,” she instructs, “as this allows your taste buds to experience the full flavour.” The essence explodes in my mouth delivering a delectable array of tastes followed by a warm soooothing sensation over my palette and down to the tip of my toes. We leave Tequila with warmth in our hearts and our tummies.

A one hour drive from Tequila brings us to Teuchitlan and the archaeological ruins of Guachimontones. The state is investing huge sums of Pesos to further develop the exposure and significance of this religious ceremonial site dating back 2300 years. Miguel, our guide informs us, “They have discovered 10 burial tombs here, and over there is the playing field for a ball game that is played by bouncing a hard, heavy ball off ones hip to the opponents end. The captain of the winning team is then ceremoniously decapitated in reward for his victory. The circular pyramids were used to practice their ancient rituals.” Each Solstice the locals of Teuchitlan dance at the site to celebrate earth, water, wind and fire. A museum is currently under construction to house the site’s artefacts.

It was then on to Guadalajara, the state capitol, which boasts the largest Exposition/Convention Centre in Latin America. We were swept into an explosion of commerce, culture and architectural wonders.

Highlights of downtown include the Government Palace, and the Metropolitan Cathedral which is the home of the relic of Santa Inocencia. Nearby is the Cultural Institute Cabañas, a UNESCO site since 1997 and is considered one of the most important neo-classical architectural pieces in Mexico. Once an orphanage housing 450 children, and at times military barracks, it now displays the largest collection of amazingly vibrant frescos from the great Jose Clemente Orozco (1883-1949).  Irene and I spend hours in the serenity of this great hall absorbing the beauty of this artist’s magic, wizardry, and deception. Horse’s heads follow us, door frames widen and wheels seem to turn in the frescos as we move around this beguiling display of artistry.

It is now decision time, do we take a 5 hour picturesque bus trip due west from Guadalajara over the mountains to Puerto Vallarta or do we take the 30 minute plane ride?

Thirty minutes later we arrive at the renowned Marriott Resort and Spa on the shores of Puerto Vallarta. As we sip our tequila (ok, so we have a new found love), we attempt to figure out what we want to do other than that which we are now doing, sipping and resting. Downtown P.V. is always exciting with its truly Mexican flavour and multitude of restaurants. So off we go to Café Des Artistes for a well deserved supper. As we are lost in the splendour of our after dinner tequila Irene suggests we should not go one more day without a zip-lining.

The next morning we take the half hour bus ride up the coast to Chico Paradise Canopy Zip Lines where we are introduced to Miguel and Ivan, our assistants on the 10 lines that we were about to ZZZZZZIP.  Ivan shows us our “Mexican Harley” as he called it, this is to be our rollers and brakes during our ride. “When we wave our arms from right to left you must brake by twisting your ‘harley’ from right to left, but do not break too much or you will be stuck out on the line, understood? Stop breaking when we do this (a crossing of his arms). Never, never put your feet down when coming into the platform, understood? ” We were told each line gets progressively higher until we’ll be 50 metres above the gorge. Our speed will reach a breathtaking 45 km/per/hr.

I leave my stomach on the platform as I am catapulted over the gorge which is just a blur far below. An exhilarating feeling flows through me as my adrenalin is pumped. While relishing this euphoria I look ahead to the platform where Ivan seems to be having difficulty removing Irene from the zip-line. I begin to break. Suddenly remembering Ivan’s words of wisdom “do not break too much” I ease off. The distance rapidly diminishes. Ivan for some reason turns to face me. What could I do? I elect to ‘put my feet down’. As I arrive safely on the platform Ivan admonishes, “I told you to NEVER put your feet down.” I respond with a smile, “Ivan, it was either that or driving my ‘harley’ and my size 11’s into your nether region and I suspect you have plans for that area of your anatomy.”

As we sit sipping our tequila by the pool of the Marriott Resort gazing out over the setting sun on the ocean’s horizon, we lazily decide that it is time to pamper ourselves in the luxuries of the resort’s Ohtli spa before retiring early on this our last night of Sipping and Zipping in Jalisco Mexico.

For more information on the Jalisco area please visit www.visitmexico.com