Destination Chapala ................

   After picking up my friend, we are on our way to Chapala to have a photo taken of me for my resident card. It's the next larger town over from her. I've only been there briefly, never looked around much. It's a busy town, many expats from all over. We got a parking spot across from the church and close to Lake Chapala, which is the largest lake in Mexico. 

                                 
                        The church appeared to be old, couldn't find a date anywhere.    

    
        These trees are across the street from the church. When I first saw them I couldn't imagine what kind of fruit or seed pod was hanging from them. It's lights! I'll bet at night it's awesome. I think these are Ficus trees.

     After the pictures were taken we had some time, before they were ready to pick up. Perfect time to go look around then have lunch. There were vendors out on the sidewalk. This one appeared to be selling herbs and spices.

                             
                            I don't remember what she was selling. Maybe lotions.

  The plaza was quiet. Guess that's why the dog decided it was a good time to nap.     

                      In the States, a hole like this would have blinking lights,                                               wooden barricades, and caution tape. Then someone would fall in 
                  anyway and sue. Not here, people seem to take responsibility
                  for themselves and their children. Lawsuits are RARE. This was in the                           middle of the sidewalk.

          

 

                                                       The lake is just to the left. 

                                  There were some pretty lakefront restaurants.

                                                  This one was right on the lake.

       This pavilion was recently built. I would imagine there is entertainment there.

                                                       The pier going out on the lake.

                                                 I love this gate entering the walkway

                                                       View of part of the city.

                    There's boats here on the lake. In Ajijic, only rarely will I see a boat.

     I've been told the lake was a mess and polluted. The story goes ...... back in the   50's, I believe, the wife of a politician saw Water Hyacinths and loved them. She

brought some back and put them in the lake. They over took everything and the lake began to die. Things are looking better now. It's not where it should be but it's headed there.

      The lake has also been low for awhile, but is slowly rising. This statue 
     should have water around it. The land in the distance is Scorpion Island. There
     are four restaurants there. A boat will take you out and bring you back. It's about a      half hour ride one way.

                                                     The end of the pier.

                          A lot of water birds. Even pelicans are down here.

       We were wondering where this guy was going. He was headed for a small boat          just across the next clump of grass. He parked the bike in some bushes and he            and his dog got in a boat boat, maybe going fishing.

        This appeared to be a fountain but it wasn't spewing water. Could be just a   
     sculpture.

                                         This is a mosaic across from the church.

                          This place, was at one time, a private home. This picture doesn't 
                    do it justice. The lake is across the way on the other side of the street.
                    I'll bet when it was built it was lakefront property. It goes around
                   the corner and half way down the block. It's a restaurant now.

                  We decided to eat at this restaurant. It goes up the mountainside.

                                                               Street view from our table.

        I got pizza. Kind of close to Chicago style. Something in the seasoning just isn't          there. But it was good.

        My friend got a arracahra salad. Arrachara is the most delicious marinated steak.     Underneath all the vegies was some lettuce.

       As we were headed back to the truck, there was a funeral on the way to the               church. Some funerals are like the ones in New Orleans. Family and friends 
    follow behind and a band is playing in the group. To see two caskets really made         me sad.  There were alot of people in the procession. Usually that means a young       person.  Mother, child? Young couple? Husband, wife? So sad.

                                                   Headed out of town towards home now.

 Half way point. This is the place I told you about that invented the Vampiros. Juices and mucho tequila. Those little things you see up on the wire are not birds. But are small Bromiliads. Which is a type of plant that doesn't need soil.

        Here is another place serving Vampiros, in another town. I make a right hand turn     here and its a straight shot to home.

       In just a few minutes I'll be home!

      

Snippets of My Trip to Chapala

   I decided to go to Chapala to get my picture taken for my Residente Temporal card.  I have a friend that lives near there that would go with me. So I left about 9AM on a beautiful morning.

                                                Headed north out of Mazamitla.

                                     It's the rainy season so everything is green.

     It's about a 1 1/2 hour beautiful drive. Up, down and around mountains. I go thru    three towns, then I get to the string of towns leading to Ajiic. Its  mostly highway driving.


                                      I love the fences down here. Exactly like in the
                                      hills of West Virginia, my home State.Tree branches
                                      with barbed wire.

                                          
                                     This is the town of Manzanilla de la Paz. It's 
                                     about 20 minutes away from me. I always 
                                     thought it looked like a sleepy little dusty town
                                     but there is a beautiful lake up in the hills here.
                                     Only a couple of houses are on it.

                                     A lot of people sell things in front of their homes.

                                 The first view of Lake Chapala. Its Mexico's largest lake.

                                            Next stop Tuxcueca 6K. I get gasoline and 
                                       go to the bathroom there.  Three pesos to 
                                       use the bathroom.

                                         Another pretty view of the lake. If they'd build
                                     a bridge across it, it would cut about an hour
                                     off the drive time. I have to go 1/2 way around 
                                     the lake to get where I'm going.

                                         On the right, in the distance, is Tuxcueca. 
                                     The white that you see on the left is fields 
                                     of produce, possibly berries, covered with 
                                     tarp.

       
                                         We are now entering the town of San Luis 
                                     Soyatlan. It's the 1/2 way point. They are 
                                     noted for originating a drink called the 
                                     Vampiro. It is many juices mixed with, what
                                     else, tequila! On the weekends you can barely 
                                     get thru town, its so crowded with people 
                                     getting that drink.

                                     This is the town square. It's empty because 
                                     Mexico doesn't get started till around 10AM,
                                     or so. It's about 9:45.

                                          On the left somebody's open. Right, is still 
                                      closed up. They also sell fresh caught fish.
                                      from the lake out on the sidewalk. The bus
                                      in front of me is a Mazamitla bus that goes to 
                                      Guadalajara. It runs all the time.

                                         The white strips cover seeds or tiny plants. 
                                     The frame over them will be covered with 
                                     tarp to protect the plants when they are bigger.    

Here are the frames covered with the tarp.

  I am entering Jocotopec now. It's the 

beginng of the towns on the way to Chapala. 

I've been told it's lakefront is one of the nicest in the area. I'll have to check that out. Also it's supposed to have the nicest tianguis (open air market) in the ara.

                                                        There's a sign for Chapala.

                                                   About another 1/2 hour to go.

I wouldn't want to live here!

                                          This is something I've yet to do, but I will. 
                                      In the morning you can get a drink of, fresh from
                                      the cow, milk and its mixed with your choice
                                      of alcohol. Many men start their day ths way. 

                                         TOPES! Or speed bumps. I hated them 
                                     when I first came here but I like them now.
                                     They work. You WILL slow down. There are
                                     all kinds. Most are marked by paint or a 
                                     sign, but some are not marked at all. 
                                     Some are thin and high, some wide and 
                                     not high. The ones in this town are brutal.
                                     They are wide and high! There's about 5 of
                                     them, so every few blocks there's one,

                                                       Here comes another one.

  It's a common practice here to tether your 

  horses out by the road so they can eat the

 grass.

                                         Ajijic. There's a lot of people living in this
                                     town 

from all over the world. It's so

                                     interesting to hear where they come from.
                                     Many snowbirds from Canada come here, 
                                     and from the USA also.

Hammocks, brooms, basket, all for sale here. 

Stopping up this street to pick up my friend.

                                         This second floor casita has a kitchen, 
                                     dining area, living room, large bedroom
                                     and balcony. House cleaning service, 
                                     use of washer/dryer, furnished with nice
                                     furniture. I'm not sure about the utilities but I 
                                     think they are included. There's a pretty 
                                     yard, lake view. Close to shopping and
                                     bus service.  $350USD a month. The 
                                     woman has another place on this property 
                                     for rent too that is drop dead gorgeous. $750USD

Next installment will be on Chapala. I was quite taken with the beauty of the city.