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| Planes at Army and Air Force Museum |
Friday morning we started our free tour of Guadalajara at the Museo del Ejercito y Fuerza (Army and Air Force Museum) (Full information here). As we arrived, the museum guide asked us to form two lines. Then, we stood at attention while the military men walked out the Mexican flag and hoisted it atop the flag pole. Finally we sang the Mexican National Anthem. What a great, respectful way to begin our tour of this museum!
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| Mexican flags. Oldest on the left |
Our first stop was the room of Mexican flags over the years. There are quite a variety of flags that have flown over Mexican soil, all the way back to Spanish conquistador times in the 16th century. The earliest flags are those to the left in the photo above. The tour guide quickly recited something about each of the 30 flags that surround this room.
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| Military outfits for indigenous people, pre-Spainish conquist |
There was so much to see in this museum; and, our guide quickly whisked us through each of the exhibition rooms. Some highlights include replicas of warrior uniforms worn by the indigenous people who lived here before the Spanish arrived, a flag captured from rebel Texans in 1836, a room of weaponry from around the world collected by Porfirio Diaz and a plane that was built and flown by a 3rd grade educated Michoacan man in 1936 (after his epic flight, he became a pilot in the Mexican Air Force).
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| Flag taken from rebel Texans. It says "Liberty or Death" |
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| Helmets from around the world from Porfirio Diaz's collection |
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| Pinocho, a plane built by a Michoacan from plans in the magazine Popular Mechanics Built 1934-1935 Flown 1936 |
Behind the main building, there are several different planes, including one that was used during WWII in the Pacific Theater.
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| WWII plane used in Pacific Theater |
The next stop on our tour today was Jalisco Stadium. Our tour guide warned us that may not be able to get in, as the stadium doesn't give public tours. We anxiously waited in the bus while our tour guide ventured into the stadium. A few minutes later she was jogging out to the bus saying that she had been told "let me see". We eagerly eyed the door. A few minutes later, a gentleman walked out to talk to our guide and welcomed us inside!
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| Jalisco Stadium |
For those Americans not familiar the world wide popularity of soccer, think of American football. However, soccer isn't confined to just one country. It's a global phenomenon with a World Cup match every four years (alternating even years with the summer Olympics). We were about to get a tour of the stadium used by four different soccer teams in Guadalajara. We started by sitting in the stands of the most exclusive section of the stadium, through Gate 1. But, we didn't stop there.
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| Chapel under Jalisco Stadium |
Next, our stadium guide led us under the stadium to the small chapel where mass is held before each of the games. Few people outside of players and coaches ever see this intimate space.
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| Jalisco Stadium locker rooms |
Then, our guide told us we would be going to the home team locker rooms and the field seats. Previously rowdy boys quieted in awe at the chance to see such wonders. They became well behaved in seconds. The locker rooms are used by four different teams; and, therefore, there are no names assigned to each locker. Yet, this is the space used by countless soccer players since it was built in 1960. It was used during the 1968 Olympics as well as for two World Cups (1970 and 1986).
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| Sitting in the players' seats on the field |
We exited the locker room and took the stairs down and then up to come out on the field at the seats for the home team. With repeated exhortations "Don't step on the grass" from our guide and the grounds crew, we posed for photos on the edge of the field. What a once in a lifetime chance to visit the inside of Jalisco Stadium!
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