---

The heart of Mexico beats strongest in the mountains of the Sierra Madre. Talpa de Allende, Jalisco nestles in a small dramatic valley at 4,000 feet altitude and is surrounded by majestic mountains up to 9,000 feet. From Puerto Vallarta a new scenic highway winds through the mountains passing by San Sebastian, an old mining town that is reviving as a tourist delight, then through Mascota with its colonial architecture and a new archeological museum with artifacts linking Mascota to Peru and South America dating back as far as 1000 B.C. about 15 kilometers later is the turn off for Talpa. The main road continues on to Guadalajara.

Talpa is about 125 kilometers from P. V. and about 190 kilometers from Guadalajara. Our Hacienda sits on a plateau across the river from Talpa with great views in every direction. We purchased the property in 1980 and wanted to build to resemble a remodeled old Hacienda and it evolved over the years into HACIENDA JACARANDAS.

Since we had been involved in restaurants starting in Big Sur, California and then a beautiful guest Ranch in Mendocino county, California we naturally gravitated into a bed and breakfast here in Talpa.

Breakfast, well that’s where we excel…laid back, often lasting for two hours or more…locally grown coffee, teas…what a variety, from Earl Grey to every variety of herbal tea that you can think of….juices…fresh fruit… home baked bread and freshly baked breakfast delights. Then, if you are still hungry…eggs , bacon, smoked pork chops, choritzo, pan cakes, french toast or a Mexican specialty…conversation and directions on where and how to enjoy Talpa, the valley, and the mountains. Our main house is a large two story building clad in climbing bougainvillea, with wide corridors, arched ceilings, and walls enhanced with objects of Mexican art.

We can accommodate up to 15 guests in 5 bedrooms and a casita that accommodates 4 people. Each spacious bedroom has its own private bath and opens out onto tiled terraces with sweeping views of Talpa and the mountains beyond. In the south wing is a combination library, game room, living room with an adobe fireplace. At the north end, the kitchen, dining room, and family room are always open for visiting. In front there are lovely gardens with flowers in bloom all year long. Beyond the gardens is a 55 ft. lap pool and a hot tub that comfortably seats 6, both are solar heated.

You will find several nice restaurants in Talpa that serve a good lunch or dinner…we will definitely point out our favorites. You also can pick up food and bring it back to the Hacienda and eat on the upstairs terrace. You can buy your own beverages in town too.

You will find Talpa and the surrounding area the ultimate experience as a visit to the real… and beautiful…Mexico. The town, with its friendly people is exquisite…the beautiful, cathedral like Church is famous for the virgin who is patron saint of 6 surrounding states and hosts 4 ten day fiestas that along with the Christmas and Easter holidays…and weekends, attracts up to 2 million pilgrims each year.

The surrounding area has something for everyone…old mountain roads for mountain biking and horseback riding…we will need advance notice to arrange for horses. Leisurely walks where you can find over a hundred species of birds. You will wake up to a serenade from the many birds who nest around the Hacienda. Explore…drive to the maple forrest or to an old abandoned Spanish mine dating back to 1600. The river nearby with its multi colored boulders from the mineralized waters that ooze out of the old mine entrances. Now, we must tell you that this will be our last season as a bed and breakfast.

Next summer it will Become a part of a luxurious ecological community Real de Talpa. Check on their web site www.realdetalpa.com …We hope to see our guests from over the past years as well as introduce new friends to this beautiful paradise. Summer is exciting…people from the coast or visiting the coast will see our summer rains march out of the mountains in the afternoons and sometimes in the night. They keep us cool and green…no need for air conditioning…sleep under a sheet and blanket every night…summer and winter. What more can we say….Well, come and visit us!