I was a bit disappointed in the Catrina dolls this year, both in Ajijic and Chapala. You can form your own opinion after reading this article and referring back to the one I wrote last year on the same subject. The main problem--not as many as there were last year. In Chapala last year the dolls were all along the main malecon. This year, they did not start until the end of the malecon and then over to the...

I took a boat ride to Scorpion Island over the weekend. Or as it is called in Spanish, Isla Alacranes. First off, it is not called that because it is filled with Scorpions. It is because from above, it looks like the shape of a scorpion.  I had been putting off this trip because we are in the rainy season and there is no telling when a downpour will arrive. Fortunately, there was no rain on Saturday when...

There is a new restaurant in town, at the end of Colon and across the street from the pier and malecon. Maria Isabel is the new name. It was opened by a couple recently retired from Guadalajara, Adriana and Leonardo Cornejo. Leonardo retired in September and they moved up to Ajijic. But Leonardo is a restless sort and not one to sit around. He started looking for things to do and within three months he...

A Taste of Wellness Seminar and Workshop was held at the Monte Carlo hotel in Chapala on Saturday, February 22, 2014. It started at seven in the morning and lasted until four in the afternoon. This is the first in a series of seminars and workshops to be held in the future. The future dates have not been arranged yet. The group leaders were Diane Bucaro, M.S.W. and Dr. Jim Jaramillo.  Since this was...

The 36th Annual Mexican Chilli Cook-Off was held in Lake Chapala at the Tobolandia Water Park on February 14, 15, and 16th, 2014. I attended on the 15th and there was quite a crowd. I have never been to the Cook-Off when there was not a crowd. It is the biggest social event and fund raiser of the year.  If you like great food, beautiful arts and crafts, meeting friends and making new friends, interesting...

This is my favorite season of the year. Something is going on all the time. I can't keep up with it all. Between the expat community and the Mexican community, there is no resting. There are parties almost every night. Last night as I was getting ready for bed, I heard the big fireworks going off. I have learned to tell the smaller cohetes (which just make a very loud noise) from the ones that burst in the...

November 29, 2013 Celebrated every year, the Ajijic Fiestas are not to be missed. It is celebrated during the last week of November and every night there are different musical groups and events. This is the one time of the year where the Ajijic Plaza is packed to its fullest capacity, almost every night. Locals pay a fee to the municipality in order to host stands and sitting areas where alcoholic...

October 27th  2013 The Catrina is a referential image of death in Mexico and they are widely seen a few weeks before the big celebrations of November 2, which is the day of the dead, a very popular tradition in Mexico. During the last few weeks of October the Chapala and Ajijic Malecons held a Expo for the "La via de la Catrina" Lakeside. Several schools and cultural centers participated in the event,...

The Penthouse, Living in Community where like minds and like hearts meet. That is the opening statement on the flyer given to me by the managers of The Penthouse. It is located in Riberas del Pilar, just a block from the lake and across the street from a green field. The location is perfect for peace and quiet. The idea is for people to be able to have their own apartments but also common rooms to share...

I decided to take some of my favorite photos and write an overview of living in the lakeside area. My first impulse was to put on photos of all the holidays and celebrations. That proved to be too large of a task. I looked online at Mexican Holidays. There were nine major holidays listed and twenty nine ones that are called Observance days and four Season days. I have no idea of how many other days the...