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 Shangri La retirement Living Facility is located in San Antonio. The address is #169 Ramon Corona, San Antonio Tlayacapan, Jalisco, MX.  It is a beautiful facility but I was most impressed with the owner. Her name is Joannie Smith. She and her husband, Fenley, moved to Mexico ten years ago. Joannie rented the house and put a lot of time and money into fixing it up. They opened the business four years...

October 12, 2011 The Pan American Games of 2011 were help in Guadalajara Jalisco, Mexico's second largest city that is just 35 minutes away from Lake Chapala. The torch passed through the municipalities towns of Ajijic, San Antonio and Chapala. Although it was raining all day, it did not stop athletes from participating in this event. The water SKI finales were help just a few miles east of Chapala, so...

October 23, 2011 Boca Laguna is a artificial lake that measures over 700 meters and it is  located just a few miles east of Chapala.  It was designed exclusively for skiing and wake boarding. It has hosted many competitions and events, more recent ones include: The 2009 under 21 water ski championships and the Pan American Ski Finals. Here are the photos from the 2012 Boca Laguna SKI finals: Go...

The Ajijic Tuesday Organic Market is an ever expanding success story. It started out in Carol Kindschi's Back yard in March three years ago. It was organized by a small group of Expat women. The idea was formed when a dear woman friend developed cancer. These women decided to bring the organic fruits and vegetables to one place so they could shop for her. They contacted all the organic farmers in the...

February 16, 2012 At about 11:00 AM the Carnaval begins. A colorful parade with various costumes and vehicles decorated as floats. Mexicans and foreigners enjoy  a fun day celebrating the Carnaval events in town. The biggest trick is to throw flour, this is down by the Zayacas, who travel with the parade throwing flower at the crowd watching. A simple action, demonstrating that Mexicans are peaceful...

This tradition dates back to the Spanish rule over Mexico, where the men wanted women to cover up their heads, for this, they used "rebozos" which comes from the Spanish name "rebozar" (to cover up). Women from all ages participate, even some expat women join in on the festivities and bring their traditional Mexican clothing and rebozos. It is a beautiful peace of Mexican heritage and the event takes place...

November 30, 2012 A religious celebration that praises the San Andres Apostal, which the town Church is named after. This is how the Fiestas started, but has also turned into a fun time for all residents of Ajijic, Chapala, San Antonio and nearby Jocotepec. Everyone loves the Ajijic fiestas, and they are known to be the best out of all the municipalities in the lakeside region. Every night for 9...

September 16, 2012 September 16th is a big day in Mexico. The land celebrates it's Independence from Spain, which started on September 16, 1810. Local primary and elementary schools practice for weeks, until they reach the 16th of September, where they finally march all their students through Constituacion street and ending at the Ajijic Plaza. Marching bands and "Charros" join the activities by...

November 12, 2012 The celebration of "Dia de Los Muertos", which means "Day of the Dead" is a national holiday in  Mexico. Families honor their loved ones by cleaning their graves, decorating them with flowers (most common ones "calveles") and making an altar to honor them with items they liked when they were still alive, some more common ones are cigarettes, favorite foods and alcohol. Family members...