It had been several months since my buddy, Fernando, had invited me to participate in a local event. I think probably because he is not totally comfortable about me writing about every single incident that happens to me. However, the other day I was asked if I would like to dress up and parade around the streets to celebrate the “Carnival de Ajijic”.

Well at that point my only idea for a blog was an expose on concrete furniture – “the inside story”, so this sounded somewhat more interesting. When I met Fernando that morning there was a pair of large dangley earrings on the breakfast table. He handed me another pair and said “Which ones to you want?” The noise of the penny dropping was audible. (more…)

Have you ever wondered why with the tax benefits, the perfect weather and the visual beauty of Ajijic, Lake Chapala the population is 2500 not 7 billion? Why would any sane person live anywhere else? I will level with you. It’s the Anthropods (aka Hempitera insects bugs, lawyers whatever scientifically defined as anything you can kill with Newsweek magazine. Not only do we have many types but they are of Japanese horror movie proportions.

So bugs are the topic of the day. I think it is safe to say that in most homes the job of exterminator falls to the man of the house. (In our case that would be by son. Although I don’t wish to offend any feminists who enjoy grinding beetle parts in the carpet.) (more…)

Have you ever had the experience of not being able to determine if something really happened or if you just dreamt it? Sometimes it helps if I write about it so just talk amongst yourselves.

OK. Let’s see. It has all the earmarks of all terrible evenings.

The occasion – to raise money for a party where they raise money to give things to a priest. (I didn’t do an active survey but I believe there was a very low Irish Protestant turn out. In fact I may have been the only one.) (more…)

The Riots of 1994

I believe the journalistic term is “racial tensions are increasing”. You can feel it in the air. The strained relations are palpable. Lakeside is a veritable powder keg. The uneasy looks, the behind the hand comments. There is no avoiding the subject, that could only lead to avoidance.
Predictable enough I suppose, throwing two diverse cultures together. One jealous and resentful, one wealthy and arrogant. Both destined to come to logger heads.

Well this is one man who can’t sit by silently and watch this town destroy itself with bigotry.

Canadians and Americans just have to learn to get along better with each other.
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Here are a few things I bet you didn’t know about Guadalajara. (Having read a full 1 and half pages in my AAA Tour Guide Book on the subject I am widely considered the foremost authority on the subject.)

It seems that the early Spanish settlers were, in fact, chased here from Zacatecas by he Indians (who resented the Spaniards because they stole their homelands and kept trying to sell them $400.00 deductible auto insurance.)

Early conflicts went something like this. (more…)

Why is it that sometimes we newcomers to Mexico feel at home and other times we feel like we’ve been dropped on the planet Zoinack?

On lakeside it is not uncommon for people (strangers mind you) to walk by and with not so much as a by your leave say “Hi, Hello” or even “Buenos Dias”. Frankly it scares me because I’m Canadian. It is usually 14 degrees F. and a howling wind is sticking wet leaves to your trousers so we just don’t walk around singing Zippity Doo Da. (more…)

I’m sitting on my balcony overlooking the mountains and the lake. It is 76 degrees , the sun is shining and there is a gentle breeze blowing, The New Democratic Party is a distant memory and I just figured out how to get the ecstasy channel on the parabolic.

Life is good Life in the day light hours is good. Life at night is k 9 hell.

This is more a confession that a whine because in “Ajijic” (Spanish word for loud insomniac dogs) the chain reaction of barking that occurs originates in my yard. (more…)