Although it promotes itself as a city for tourists, Jalapa really has a long way to go before it grows into that distinction. It seems, to me, to be a city without a clear identity: it is neither colonial nor modern. As I take walks into different areas of the city I can see why this dilemma arises. Jalapa grew too quickly during an era that favored modern over historic. One can see where lovely old buildings with their wrought iron balconies overlooking the main streets have given way to the cold concrete, closed in square blocks that house modern offices and shop. In the 1990’s when the big auto makers decided to push car loans it seemed that every resident of this Capital city had to have a private auto with the result that now Jalapa has the highest per capita car ratio in all of Mexico. The town is built on hills with narrow streets which are now clogged with the noise and ever present danger of cars. It is a shame really since the streets are made for walking and Jalapa is best enjoyed on foot at a leisurely pace. However, these days that is almost impossible and is one of the main factors that makes this such an unfriendly city for tourists. I always imagine how wonderful it would be for the streets around the main park to be closed to traffic and given over to pedestrians, even if only on the weekends. There are other areas in the city that offer beautiful tree covered parks that cry out to become pleasant centers for tourists and citizens alike with open air cafes and interesting shops but instead these areas, too, are clogged with cars, buses and taxis.

In spite of these drawbacks the city still offers warm experiences for an individual who takes the time to poke into hidden corners. One such outing last week took me into the large two story (modern) indoor market in the city center. This is not the traditional market of colorful fruits and vegetables and meat hanging from the stalls, this is the “Woolworth” of markets. It is where one goes to find cheap clothes, shoes, watches, jewelry and other necessary everyday items. I was looking to repair a watch. I found a jeweler whose shop occupied a space smaller than most closets in guest bedrooms. But it was wonderfully organized with everything within an arm’s reach. The jeweler himself had his worktable facing the counter but hidden behind a tall wood back. This was designed to hide the pieces on which he was working and to protect from any grab and run type of theft. On a bench to his left was a workspace that held a small cutting and polishing machine where a companion stood to work (there was no room to sit down). On his right was a shelf that held a boom box and a coffee pot. Above their heads was a TV that played soap operas all day long. Two display cabinets were built into the sides and when the shop closed they became the doors with their contents facing inward. I was reminded of a ship where everything had its place and there was no room for any excess. The shopkeeper told me that the watches only needed batteries which he installed. I also wanted new watch bands which he did not have. So I paid him and meandered on to search for the bands which I found in another postage size stall on the ground floor. While he was putting on the bands, the young fellow chatted with me and observed that business was not very good these days but that things had to get better. I passed out brochures on my shop which did spark interest from the women around since we always seem to have our antennae out for new shoes!! This was one of those moments that make Mexico so charming …. Folks take the time to chat and commiserate and pass a few pleasant minutes with a client. Their purpose is not mainly to sell but to interact: it seems that selling is merely the means to communicate. In many ways all the small shops crowded into this dark space can seem depressing to an outsider but when one begins to interact with the shopkeepers it become evident that this is a community of people who look out for each other and who enjoy the time spent convivially. Although often bored by long days with no sales, they can always count on passing the time by chatting with neighbors and sharing a tamale at lunch!

Jalapa prides itself as a city of flowers and this is very evident in the main park called Benito Juarez. The flower beds are regularly attended to and filled with all sorts of colorful seasonal blossoms nicely arranged. The current Mayor painted the Palacio and other government buildings a rich salmon color with cream trim after taking office. These colors are spectacular and make the Colonial architecture really stand out. The city’s main routes that lead to and from the amazing Anthropology Museum are being re-formulated to include people friendly walkways, benches and trees.
So it seems that small steps are being taken toward making the city of Jalapa more appealing to both its citizens and tourists. One can hope that this will be a trend that will continue until the City reclaims its streets for the pedestrian.