Shane and I have experienced Mexico many times in our 33 years of marriage; with tours ranging from driving down the coast of Baja California to cruise stops in the Mexican Riviera. We have never had a trip to Mexico quite like this one.

Brenda Sedano is one of the fabulous team of legal assistants at Bangerter Law, P.A. She and April Pogue keep the ship sailing smoothly and keep Shane firmly at the helm. Brenda’s husband, Esteban, is from the state of Jalisco, Mexico, a place that spawns great things from Carlos Santana to tequila. Shane has been craving an immersion experience to practice his ever-growing Spanish-speaking skills, and Esteban knew just what to do: Take us to Jalisco for Carnaval.

After minimal arm-twisting, we purchased tickets and made plans. April agreed to keep things running at the office and we made sure to have phone service so we could continue to serve our clients. We packed too much and were on our way as of March 2. Nothing says “Mexico” like a rancho, and Esteban is from a particularly quaint one named Atengo. After a nutty day of airline fiascos, customs, and a white-knuckle four-hour drive through the mountains, we arrived to a chile-relleno feast laid out by Esteban’s sweet mother, Eva. This was the beginning of nine days of gluttonous consumption, but the food in Jalisco is just too perfect to resist. Fresh mango and pineapple with lime, salt and Tajin; chilaquilles (tortillas cooked in sauce), birria (stewed beef in sauce), tamales, eggs cooked with ham, cantaritos (not the soda – these are drinks made with crushed fruits and tequila), steamy tortillas and countless glasses of fresh-squeezed orange juice; carne asada (steak) tacos, churros (doughnut sticks), the famous Jalisco enchiladas with crema (Mexican-style sour cream)…I want to meet the person who can say no to any of that.

Carnaval was a family-friendly event in Atengo, with the whole town (really!) at the Plaza to listen to the bandas, dance, drink, eat, and visit. Neighboring communities come in for the bullfights and to see the glorious dancing horses of Jalisco, but Shane and I were the only gringos (white people) around. As such, we attracted some attention, but we were amazed at the kindness, helpfulness, and generosity of the people. We never met one rude person or merchant; instead, we were treated like royalty. Esteban did his best to force us to use our Spanish, which is necessary to understand and be understood in the ranchos of Mexico. Shane milked cows with Esteban, met the visiting toreros (bullfighters), schmoozed with ganaderos (bull providers) and made friends with everyone he met. We enjoyed Esteban’s beautiful, fun-loving family, and feasted with them at Esteban’s abuela’s (grandmother’s) home.

Esteban loves his home state, and proved to be an incomparable tour guide; we are impressed by all Jalisco has given the world. We spent a day experiencing Carnaval in Autlan, a larger town that swells to the seams during Carnaval. Here we strolled the Carnaval markets buying hats and gifts, trying new foods, learning how to dance, getting crushed by peaceful and happy crowds, enjoying a different band every six feet (not exaggerating), and seeing our first real bullfight. Shane and I decided that bullfights are beautiful, mesmerizing, and grotesque. We understand why so few countries still practice this ancient art and entertainment medium; yet, we could not take our eyes away from the glorious ring. A bullfight is a performance involving highly-trained participants and centuries of tradition. There is a deep respect for the animals involved, even while death is expected. We are glad to have seen it; the jury is still out on whether we would repeat it.

We left Atengo and the surrounding towns to experience life on the coast. This included the little village of Sayulita, an indigenous pueblo with shops and charm. We did some wandering, shopping, and eating of fish tacos and made our way to the more touristy area of Puerto Vallarta, where we enjoyed a glorious evening at a beach party called Fiesta Mexicana, a celebration of each Mexican state’s food and dancing. Esteban was chosen to participate in a Mr. Mexico Machismo contest. Note: Esteban should have won, but the announcer chose a huge Canadian man for his hilarious antics onstage. #rigged The following morning we hiked thousands of steps up to the Mirador to look out over P.V. That view was worth the climb. We learned a little too late that we had chosen the most challenging route, but we did get to take the “easy” way down.

For water-loving Brenda and me, we enjoyed the ocean next, relaxing on the beach and then renting a boat and captain for a day. What a day! We were blessed with gorgeous sunshine, whales, dolphins, sea turtles and huge iguanas, hidden beaches, fresh seafood, and fantastic music and friendly people everywhere. Our boat captain, Jaime, had crystal blue eyes the color of the sky. Have you ever seen a Mexican with blue eyes? It’s a stunning sight. Shane and I are so grateful for the opportunity to experience such a display of culture just south of the border. We are more in love with Mexico and her people than ever before, and cannot wait to return. Many thanks to the Sedanos and the Pogues for making this dream come true for us! We are incredibly blessed with our supportive, adventurous, and fun Bangerter Law family. Que bueno! Que suerte!

-Kirstin Bangerter