Guadalajara's Top 20, Number 17: Parque Agua Azul

This afternoon I made my second visit to Parque Agua Azul, a vibrant city park with a tiny splash of zoo life thrown in for good measure. 


Accompanying me today was my friend Osvaldo, who I had not seen in quite a while.  We arrived shortly before 5:00 and made our way over to the aviary...which had just closed.  I thought this was going to turn into yet another complaint about the Top 20, but Osvaldo turned on the charm and begged the attendant to let us in, because his friend had just travelled allllll the way from the United States and wanted to see the birds.  It wasn't exactly precisely true, but it did the trick and we got to spend a few minutes amongst the parrots and ducks.

We then headed over to the Butterfly House which had also just closed.  This particular attendant didn't need a sob story; he just told us to make it quick.  And quick we were, because there were no butterflies...in...the...Butterfly...House?  I wasn't disappointed, but rather expecting it:  A previous visit to the park had only provided two butterflies, one of which was outside the house.  I still like it because it looks like EPCOT.

Making our way over to the large pond Osvaldo was surprised to find that it had been drained.  I, however, was not shocked; it's how these blogs tend to go lately.  It's okay, though.  I will never be able to erase the memory of my last trip to the park, in which I saw diaper-clad toddlers splashing around in, and sometimes drinking, the murky duck-poop infested waters of the pond as their parents smiled and watched from the bank and TJ and I stood slack-jawed and horrified.  I imagine some of them have since died form mysterious ailments.  I would like to think that the lack of water today indicates a good scrubbing is in progress.

There's not a whole lot to say about the place.  A park's just a park, after all.  But families crowd the place on weekends and toss frisbees around while noshing on picnic lunches.  Teenagers come here to make out.  Supposedly, there is live music on Sundays.  A trolley is available for tours of the park.


There's also beautiful cactus garden.  See?

After a long jaunt through the park in which we talked about tv shows and relationships and family and careers, we stopped at a neighborhood coffee shop and talked some more about the very same.  He then remembered that he had forgotten to do a project for his internship and we walked over to a jogging trail and I watched as he futilely begged women to film a mock Asics sock commercial with him.  We then parted ways, with him giving me a hug and a friendship bracelet and me inviting him to come visit in Wasington, D.C.  

With only five days left in beautiful Guadalajara, these are the moments I want to remember.  Not ticking off items on an arbitrary list, but rather appreciating the moments spent with the people I would never have met if not for TJ's chosen career path.  As much fun as the park was, it was the company that made the day.