Sunday, February 4, 2018

A Final Visit to Mexico

My dear Mexico traveling buddies, Hans and Ursula, helped me welcome the 2017 New Year from my hospital room in Guadalajara, so it was only fitting that we reunite again this year in Mexico to welcome the 2018 New Year.

The view overlooking Lake Chapala and its surrounding mountains was absolutely spectacular from Hans and Ursula's new home.  With constant daytime temperatures between 70 and 80F all year, it was the perfect place for 2 weeks of healthful rejuvenation!


I also enjoyed watching the hummingbirds feed on the colorful bougainvilleas--



This last bucket list trip was made easier by a direct non-stop Volaris flight between Denver and Guadalajara.  Just a little over 3 hours to escape the snow of Colorado for the green hills, warmth, and perfect humidity of Mexico.

I reserved a window seat and noticed about 30 minutes into the flight that we were over Albuquerque.  Being so familiar with I-25 south, I followed the highway and the Rio Grande hoping we'd fly over Socorro and my beloved Bosque del Apache NWR-- and we did!


Socorro, New Mexico and M mountain in the foreground.  I used the white "box" in the center of town as my point of reference-- that's the roof of the Wal-Mart!


A few seconds later, we were flying over Bosque del Apache!  Note the white road running up and down between the blue ponds.  That's Bosque Road (which separates the North and South tour loops), and the buildings below it are the Visitor Center, Refuge Headquarters, and RV Volunteer village.

As we continued to follow I-25 south, I easily spotted the next major landmark-- White Sands National Monument east of Las Cruces.


After resting and reading a few hours, I looked out to now see the brown Chihuahuan Desert had given way to the Western-Pacific high tropics of Mexico.  Green covered mountains--


and Mexico's second largest city, Guadalajara (metro population around 5 million!).


I had grand hopes of maybe taking a multi-day roadtrip during my stay to see the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve and the scenic town of Pátzcuaro (both in the eastern neighboring state of Michoacán).  But after a bit more research, had to finally accept that both places were now beyond my physical capabilities.

Not to worry, though!  Hans and Ursula took me on a wonderful day trip down to Mazamitla (pronounced "Maz-a-MEET-la"), a few hours southwest of Lake Chapala in a unique highlands region covered in pine trees.  Our RVing friends Becky and Jerry are currently building a lovely new casa down near the town of Valle de Juárez, so we of course, had to meet them for lunch and get the grand tour of the area.

Mazamitla is a lovely Pueblo Mágico town with white buildings and red trim reminiscent of Pátzcuaro, so I felt like I was getting a bit of that town too.  The town is extremely popular with tourists from Guadalajara, and since we were there just after New Year's, it was still filled with them!





A young man agreed to take our group photo in front of the church-- Hans, Ursula, Me, Becky, and Jerry.


We finished our tour with a brief spin through the clean and lovely town of Valle de Juárez, and viewing their nice lake.



There aren't a huge number of gringos down in this area, but the locals do welcome them warmly and are as eager to practice their English as the gringos are to practice their Spanish!  Becky and Jerry have been "adopted" by a few families in the area who have even invited them to family birthday fiestas for an 80-year-old grandfather and a 1-year-old niño!  They use Google Translate on their phones if they should ever get into a conversation that is beyond their Spanish and English skills.

Most of the rest of my time was spent along the northwestern shore of Lake Chapala in the towns of Chapala, Ajijic, and Jocotepec.

Chapala (pronounced "Cha-PAUL-a") is the largest of the 3 towns and also a magnet for tourists from Guadalajara.  The first day we visited was still during vacation week so the town was mobbed, but still fun to experience for a short time.

Chapala's cathedral, with a good number of Harley-Davidson motorcycles in front of it--



Walking the malecon where the "Chapala" sign is a popular photo spot--


Found this adorable little puppy too-- perhaps the young girl's Christmas present?



A large gathering of coots and a seagull in the water--


Loads of tourists on the pier--


and at the boat launch--


Lake Chapala is a giant lake, yet extremely shallow (only 45 feet at its deepest point).  While they are making some progress, it is also still quite polluted with agricultural chemicals, etc.  so is best to view from a distance rather than swim in it.

Further along the malecon are long rows of souvenir stalls as well as this giant Palo Volador (flying pole).  There's a whole ancient ritual associated with these voladores (pole flyers), but here in Chapala, it's mainly just a tourist attraction performed a few times an hour for tips.




On our walk back to the car, Ursula got an impromptu swing dance with one of the young Harley riders-- what fun!


The next town west along the northern Lake Chapala shore is one of the smallest, Ajijic (pronounced Ah-hee-HEEK).  It is the main magnet for Canadian and US snowbirds who have built Mexican-style homes with all the interior comforts of  North America (i.e. full-sized appliances, large bedrooms with en suite bathrooms, etc).  There's also a Wal-Mart, an Auto Zone, and a few large grocery stores in town too.

Lots of English is spoken in Ajijic, so a trip to their Wednesday mercado, is easy for newcomers to navigate.


All kinds of things to buy at the Ajijic market, from ceramics and tourist souvenirs, to delicious fresh produce, meats, and fish.


Our favorite berry lady.  This is the berry growing capital of the world, and you can buy a large litre jug of blackberries or raspberries for only US$1.25!  The blueberries are slightly more (around US$1.75), but an incredible deal to buy them from the source at their peak of ripeness!









Finishing our trip to the market with a delicious shrimp taco lunch-- only US$0.95 per taco!


Ajijic also has a number of nice shops for home furnishings. Ursula found some nice flower pots at a Talavera pottery shop, while I found some colorful Catrina figurines and bath fixtures to photograph! 

Yes, you too can own a talavera toilet & sink!



The Catrina figurines are brought to life each year during Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), a wonderful celebration I was able to experience last year in San Miguel de Allende.  The new Disney Pixar animated film "Coco" is a great, fun, introduction to this tradition.  Hans, Ursula, and I watched the film and absolutely loved it-- hope it wins an Oscar next month!





Ajijic has a small town plaza surrounded by a number of good restaurants and shops.  I met my fellow Bosque del Apache volunteer friends, Kay and Andy, for dinner one night at a terrific Thai restaurant (sadly, we forgot to ask someone to get a photo of us)!  Ajijic also has some terrific, colorful murals around town--





One day as we walked through town, the locals were having a parade!  What fun to see the kids (and adults) all dressed up!


The Mexican kids love the movie "Coco" too!


The "Yesterday and Today" float--


and these "wild and crazy guys"!!!





Becky and Jerry came to visit on my final day in Mexico, and we all headed to the Peacock restaurant in Ajijic.  Lots of ambiance and fellow gringos, but terribly lacking in service (two hours for our lunch to arrive!).



The final town on the far western shore of Lake Chapala is Jocotepec (pronounced "Hoe-COE-ta-pec").  This was perhaps my favorite.


While it lacks the tourist sites of Chapala, and colors of Ajijic, it's an authentic Mexican family-friendly working town with few gringos, and loads of charm.  We would visit on Sundays during their weekly market to people-watch on the plaza.  


The cutest kids in all of Mexico!





One Sunday was First Communion at the church, and kids were dressed in their finest communion dresses and suits as parents accompanied them with a bible and communion candle.  What innocence, pride, and joy!





Each visit to the Joco market would not be complete without a stop at the carné asada taco stand.  The owner would recognize us every week (as probably the only gringos to ever eat there), but the food was outstanding, and only US$0.75 per taco! Delicioso!




My 3 tacos with a grilled onion on the side, and a delicious cup of Agua de Jamaica (sweet hibiscus tea).


Hans and Ursula took me on a couple trips into Guadalajara, but due to lots of construction around the city center, we avoided visiting the most common tourist spots.  But we did visit the artsy neighborhood of Tlaquepaque (pronounced "Tla-kuh-PAH-kay").

Lots of upscale arts and crafts shops--




And sculptures in front of Tlaquepaque's most famous local artist galleries,  Rodo Padilla--


and Sergio Bustamante --







Tlaquepaque had its share of street vendors, like this ice cream man--


but I most enjoyed the female mariachi band that serenaded us as we relaxed with some late afternoon coffee.  Mariachi music was born in Guadalajara, so it was very special to see it performed where it all began!


While Tlaquepaque had lots to see, our second visit to Guadalajara was the most moving.  I wanted to reunite with my friend Alma who had taken such wonderful care of me at her nursing home for about 10 days after I left the hospital in Guadalajara last year.

Alma speaks terrific English, and in our daily conversations at the nursing home, I discovered that she'd been an exchange student for one year at a high school only a few miles from my house in Chicago!

I learned this year that I was actually her first non-family patient at the nursing home (her 95-year-old mother was the first patient).  We knew the nursing home was new when my doctor recommended it, but I had no idea I was the first patient after being treated like such royalty!

We had a wonderful long lunch with Hans and Ursula talking about everything under the sun.  It also happened to be Alma's birthday that week, so another great reason to celebrate!



I will miss Mexico, and all of my friends there, more than can be ever be imagined!

Americans could learn so much about treating neighbors with respect, welcoming and giving to strangers and those in need, and valuing family and the elderly by spending some time in Mexico.  I had no idea until I first visited this magnificent country 5 years ago.  The U.S. has many virtues and benefits, but it sorely lacks the warmth, generosity, vibrancy, and sense of community that makes Mexico so special.

I encourage all Americans to ignore the negative, racist things you hear on TV and really look at all the smiling, warm faces you see above.  Sure, there are a few areas of drugs and crime hidden away from the tourist centers (just like there are in the U.S.), but the vast majority of the country is probably as safe (or safer) than the majority of the U.S.

I encourage all readers to click the "Mexico" topic link on the sidebar of our homepage to see all of my past posts on Mexico, and then to go discover this great country for yourself!  I guarantee you will be welcomed with open arms, smiles, and kindness.





38 comments:

  1. What a wonderful post you treated us with! I felt my high blood pressure drop 50 points, I’ll bet. 😀
    Thank you for the warm photos and text that really perked up my day. God bless you!

    ReplyDelete
  2. great read, Lynne ~ pictures are .. well, like I was RIGHT there

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thank you for sharing your magnificent expierences and pictures. You are a wonderful ad for Mexico! Feel good:)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Beautiful photos of beautiful colors. Wow!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Beautiful salute to our southern neighbors, their welcome and warmth are indeed not part of the stereotype that is shown in the media. Your smile really lights things, thanks for the great report.d

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thank you for this post - we lived for six months in Ajijic many years ago with two little kids in tow. Although it has changed so much from that time you brought back such good memories for us. We, too, love Mexico and continue to travel there, mostly on the West Coast these days. Thank you for sharing your beautiful pictures and thoughts with all your readers.

    ReplyDelete
  7. What a lovely trip! So much color and so many big smiles. Your expression says what a great time you are having:)

    ReplyDelete
  8. An amazing trip you had,and awesome photos. What you said about the friendly people in Mexico is so true, we spent 3 month rving there in 2009-10 and loved every minute of it. Hope to get back again.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thanks for taking the time to post this wonderful narrative. Mexico looks so inviting.

    ReplyDelete
  10. We spent a short time in the Chapala area last year and your descriptions and photos brought back so many wonderful memories. Thank you so much

    ReplyDelete
  11. Having spent some time over 4 winters in Ajijic, it is lovely to see your pics and read your blog. Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Thank you thank you for the wonderful pictures and read!

    ReplyDelete
  13. What a wonderful post, Lynne. I'm so glad you were able to return to Mexico!

    ReplyDelete
  14. I miss you also! It was December 14,2013 that you arrived here at Tres Amigos RV Park here on the Isla. I have just reviewed all the posts I made during the two months that you were here. Special times indeed. Mexico is to be loved and your photos have always portrayed the beauty of the country. So happy for you that you were able to make this trip.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, the Isla & Mazatlan's centro historico certainly gave me a wonderful introduction to Mexico. I had so hoped to get back there last year with the RV, but life had different plans for me, and my RV had to be transported quickly back to the US for storage. Always enjoy seeing your photos of the Isla, though!

      Delete
  15. Such a beautiful time you had and gave to us in spades. I will send a copy of your delightful blog to my son-in-law, Victor Navone, a long-time Pixar animator bar none. I know he will be very happy to see it. Thank You, Thank You. Always thinking of you. s/Terry Apple

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wow, what a dream job to work at Pixar! I've loved all their movies, but was deeply moved by "Coco" due to my love of Mexico and Dia de los Muertos, and probably, my limited time on Earth. I've already asked my friends in Mexico to create an Ofrenda (altar) after I'm gone every Nov. 1-2 and celebrate with some fish tacos and limonada (my favorite Mexican food and drink!). That might be my way to keep visiting Mexico every year!

      Delete
  16. OH.... so happy to see your post on the Bayfield Bunch sidebar. i have SO enjoyed your blog over the years and so missed it!!! Such beautiful, lovely pictures you have... Those oranges and berries, the wonderful communion children!! So very happy you could make this trip and see all of your friends. Looks like a wonderful home they have.
    Wish i was not such a wimp about travel these days. it seems such a happy place, happy, wonderful faces...
    Take Care and God Bless

    ReplyDelete
  17. Lake Chapala and Ajijic are not our favourite places but Valle de Juarez and Mazamitla certainly are! I am glad that you are able to enjoy the area and that you got to visit Mazamitla. We have spent a ton of time in that area and there are so many beautiful little towns and villages to see and the mountains are fantastic. Sorry that you were unable to visit the butterflies, they truly are spectacular but it is quite an exhausting hike to get to them only because of the altitude. I am glad that you got to enjoy your visit.

    www.travelwithkevinandruth.com

    ReplyDelete
  18. Lynne, I'm SO glad that you got to head back to Mexico! A good tour and you sure did a LOT on this trip!
    You made a good call by not going to the butterfly sanctuaries. I went about 10 years ago and getting from 6400 ft elevation to 10,000 feet to see the butterflies was so strenuous that I would not, at this point, be able to do it. Add to that the lack of oxygen and walking on volcanic soil....I'm also happy to know there is a direct flight from Denver to Guada. I have a daughter moving to Colorado Springs and so I can drive to Guada or take a bus and fly from there! Take care.......Onward my dear.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Thank you for sharing your lovely trip with us. Wonderful to see pictures of you again and looking so well. I haven't been on your site for months & it was like meeting up with a friend to hear about your Mexico vacation. Thank you

    ReplyDelete
  20. You've encouraged me to go inland ... have always loved Ensenada, Puerto Vallarta, Manzanilla, and especially Cabo which is only a two hour ride away. Guadalajara is very tempting ...

    ReplyDelete
  21. So glad you got to make this very special trip. Your photos are wonderful and you look good too. It is always fantastic to see a new post from you.

    ReplyDelete
  22. OH what a great post. So many gorgeous pictures and all the colors just make a person feel the love and joy of these people. I think some of the greatest artist come out of Mexico.

    You look so happy and relaxed glad you made the trip and visited with some of your friends.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Just thinking about you tonight. I hope you have a good night.

    ReplyDelete
  24. How Wonderful! Just awesome views of mexico city. I am loving these so much. Thank you

    ReplyDelete

  25. What is electronic Indian Visa (India e-Visa)?
    Government of India has launched electronic travel authorisation or eTA for India which allows citizens of 180 countries to travel to India without requiring a physical stamping on the passport. This new type of authorisation is called an eVisa India (or electronic India Visa). It is this electronic India Visa Online that allows foreign visitors to visit India for five major purposes, tourism / recreation short term courses, business, medical visit or conferences. There are further number of sub-categories under each visa type. All foreign travellers are required to hold an India eVisa (India Visa Online application process) or a regular/paper Visa prior to entry into the country as per Indian Government Immigration Authorities.
    for more info visit: indian visa information

    ReplyDelete
  26. The Very Best Paid Porn Sites in 2020
    These are the best pay porn sites I've recently look at. I update this page periodically, after checked every site and updated the review. This ranking follows my review rating criteria, which are common features like number of videos/updates, navigation, download/streaming, but also my personal taste in terms of porn. In any case, I'm pretty sure to have included all the very best premium porn sites on the internet right now. I got a deal with most of them, so to can provide you with discount links for their memberships,
    vr porn list

    ReplyDelete
  27. The Very Best Paid Porn Sites in 2020
    These are the best pay porn sites I've recently look at. I update this page periodically, after checked every site and updated the review. This ranking follows my review rating criteria, which are common features like number of videos/updates, navigation, download/streaming, but also my personal taste in terms of porn. In any case, I'm pretty sure to have included all the very best premium porn sites on the internet right now. I got a deal with most of them, so to can provide you with discount links for their memberships,
    vr porn list

    ReplyDelete
  28. Nice article. I like the part where you mentioned the initiative lines. Discover Turkey's unique beauty for the US citizens apply turkey visa us with the online visa application by submitting the valid documents and get the visa within hours.Nationals of many European countries can enter Turkey with the visa requirements for turkey so they apply the turkey visa with the online guidelines.


    ReplyDelete
  29. Thank you for this post.. The international tourists who want to apply for Azerbaijan sticker visa must check the Azerbaijan sticker visa requirements online.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Ah, there is a good discussion about this paragraph in this place on this website. Do You Know How to apply for Vietnam evisa ? ya , it is very easy only you need to fill your basic details as per the application form requirement section. ,

    ReplyDelete
  31. You have written an article that I have read several times because your views are mostly my own. US citizens have been able to track and secure their India tourist visa US easily through the online tracking system.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Buy all your Dental Supplies in the Best Dental Supply Store at an affordable price for your Dental Clinic. Please Checkout Optimus Dental Supply.

    ReplyDelete
  33. I'm continuously drawn to your blog! Your seamless merging of profound insights with eloquent storytelling creates a meticulously designed journey through the world of knowledge. Your remarkable ability to simplify intricate ideas is truly praiseworthy. Furthermore, I'd like to provide essential information about the Saudi Arabia visa on arrival for Indian travelers The Saudi Arabia visa on arrival for Indian travelers provides convenience and flexibility for short visits. Indian citizens can obtain this visa at select entry points, offering access to the country for tourism and business purposes.

    ReplyDelete

Share Your Views!

Lynne's Camera Bag

Best RVing Stuff Under $50

Join Us On Facebook