Wildlife

" Earlier this month Owen Martell, Jon Ronson, John Harrison, Rebecca F John, Ian Sinclair and Joe Dunthorne fled the British rain and joined a group of UK writers taken to the Guadalajara International Book Fair in Mexico by the British Council.  "The UK literary scene was the focus of this year’s Fair, one of the largest book fairs in the world, second only to Frankfurt with a million visitors passing through the doors this year. The writers introduced their work to publishers, ambassadors, critics, academics and school children and now we’d like to introduce a couple of them to you." Read the article in full:   https://wales.britishcouncil.org/en/guadalajara-2015 Susie Wild is a writer and the publishing editor at Parthian Books. She also attended FIL Guadalajara on a Welsh Government Trade Mission.

Hi Folks! I've written a mega update on my recent Welsh Government Cultural Trade Mission to the international book fair FIL Guadalajara as part of the Wales-Jalisco partnership . You can see my photo album from the trip (29 Nov - 6 December) here Read my blogs: Hola! Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Blogs on the trip by the others: Short story writer Rebecca F. John has also written a blog about her experience, which you can read on her website . Travel writer John Harrison's blog post on the trip is also now online . And Mabli Jen Eustace, a Cardiff MET Student who was artist in residence for the trip has also blogged about her painting and visit .

Sob. It's my last day in Guadalajara. Isn't it always the way with long haul journeys that just as the jet lag eases and the Spanish / local phrases start to stick and you are getting the hang of getting around that it is time to leave again? I'm packed – and sure my bag is overweight from swapping book stock for gifts (it is, slightly) – and out into the glorious sunshine in search of more art and a chance to look around the impressive neo-Gothic church, Templo Expiatorio , I've repeatedly spotted near us from taxi windows. I walk a couple of blocks left, past street art murals, secondhand bookshops and guitar shops and the church is suddenly in front of me. In the square street food traders sell fruit with chilli and crushed crickets if you are so inclined. I'm not hungry yet, and instead feast on architecture, wandering the exterior and interior of the building before crossing around the corner to MUSA (Museo de las Artes) where Hockney is showing as part of FIL...

On Friday we had more time in the morning and chose to seek breakfast out, and settled on the terrace at Chai, a bright cafe in a small square off Juarez, a short walk from our hostel where the Huevos Rancheros and large coffee went down well. Then we were back at MIND for the presentation of Mabli's painting to Jalisco Government before the film crew took Rebecca and I up to the roof for our interviews to camera.  Then we were free to explore – heading out to picturesque artisan area of Tlaquepaque for some street food and shopping before joining the others for drinks and dinner at their glitzy hotel.   After dinner I headed back to FIL with the boys for the second half of the Cinematic Orchestra set.