This article is meant as a *very* basic introduction to the Huichol bead and yarn art found in and around the state of Jalisco, Mexico. We actually didn’t spend much time learning about this, so I definitely advise checking out other resources online, such as the Wikipedia page, here.

That said, during any travels to Pureto Vallarta and its surrounding areas, you’ll no-doubt see quite a lot of this style of traditional artwork, which strikes me as both simple and rather complex at the same time. The simplicity comes from the technique, which numerous shop owners described to me in just a few minutes. As far as I understand, it goes like this:

I’m sure much has been written about Puerto Vallarta as a destination, as it’s an easily accessible area for many Americans in particular. It’s got an airport, and the cruise ships all stop there, as well, which makes this place a hot spot for Mexican tourism.

Naturally, time-share resorts abound, and they all desperately want visitors, in hopes of converting as many of them as possible into buyers. The competition is fierce, and the stakes high, which has created a marketing machine of fairly epic proportions.

Some countries are easier than others for vegans and vegetarians. India, for example — probably the easiest country on Earth to be vegetarian. But… Mexico? It’s not so easy. After all, most of the famous foods and dishes everyone loves there are meat-centric. All totaled, we’ve lived in Mexico for four months so far, mainly in Puerto Vallarta and Mexico City. I didn’t see a single “veggie taco” stand during any travels there.