March 30th 2013 Semana Santa and Semana Pascua, translates into "Holy Week" (Starts on Palm Sunday until Easter Saturday) and "Easter Week". They are both very celebrated holidays in Mexico, especially Semana Santa, since the Lake Chapala region and Mexico in general is predominantly a Catholic society. The Holy Week celebrates the last few days of the life of Jesus Christ. Many towns in Mexico...

The 35th Annual Mexican National Chili Cook-Off was held on the 22, 23,24, of February in Ajijic, Jalisco, Mexico. Their hours were from 11 to 5 p.m. every day. It was held at the Tobolandia Water Park on the Libramiento. This year it was closer into the water park and away from the dust that we had to experience the past couple of years. The weather was beautiful. Entrance fee was only twenty pesos and it...

The second annual Open Studios Tour was the weekend of February 9th and 10th, 2013, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It was a benefit for the Artists of the Ajijic Society for the Arts and the Children's Art Program at the Lake Chapala Society.  The locations of the studios were given out in a booklet form along with photos of artwork done by the different artists. Cost was only 50 pesos for two people. The work...

February 4, 2013 The Lake Chapala Carnival is held every February at the Christiania Park in Chapala. It always commences the first week of February and each year the organizers bring different attractions and Mexican Banda bands. A few of the main attractions this year includes an Ice Rink, Sea lion show and a Parrot show. They have also set up a Mexican Wrestling ring for all those wrestling...

Christmas in Mexico lasts for many days. Las Posadas start on Dec. 16th and end on Dec. 24, Noche Buena. During those nine days, people are setting off cohetes (Fireworks) and church bells ring often. It is very noisy in Mexico during this time of the year.   Las Posadas are parades of different groups of people walking down the streets. They are from various neighborhoods or sometimes they are specific...

The annual Thrill the World Zombie Dance took place on Saturday, October 27th, 2012. This is an international event to raise money for charities. It was inspired by Michael Jackson's Thriller music video. Thrill the World is an allusion to his song title, Heal the World. People from all over the world danced to his Thriller song at the same time. Zombie coming out of the Bathroom If you had been at...

The Ajijic Art Street show was held on October 13th and 14th, Saturday and Sunday. It was a two day event. It started in the morning and lasted until the evening with art, music, dancing, food and fun.  Ajijic is a center for the arts. There were many different kinds of art work on display; oils, acrylics, watercolors, sculptures, photographs, etc. Most of the art work was for sale. All the artists...

Finding the right Dentists and Dental Care Lakeside The following are listed within community, then alphabetically by Mexican last name. For example, first in the list is Dr. J. Manuel Ayala Candelas – Ayala is the last name; Candelas is his mother’s last name. Mexicans carry both parents’ last names but go by the father’s, in the example, Ayala. All of these listed speak English. Mexican...

The Senior Expo was held at the Real de Chapala Hotel on June 8th through June 9th, in Ajijic, Jalisco. It started at nine in the morning and lasted until seven thirty in the evening on both days. There were lectures going on all day in the inside meeting room and at the same time there was entertainment on the outdoor stage. They had many drawings. I saw one man win a five night, six day trip to an all...

Prescription Medicine and Pharmacies in Mexico Buying prescription medication in Mexico, especially in a small town such as Ajijic or Lake Chapala is a little different from buying it in the United States or Canada.  There are many pharmacies (farmacias) in Mexico. There are small “mom & pop” size pharmacies and large “chain” pharmacies. One of the more difficult adjustments is learning your...