This is a golf course that I have played at for many years for a number of reasons. One, it is very close and two people can get around usually in two and a half hours so your entire day is not taken up.

Two, although it is only 9 holes and relatively short it is a very challenging golf course.
The fairways are very narrow and one has to be accurate with their tee shots or they might well end up in the arroyo.

Three, it is beautifully maintained and two or three holes have a breathtaking view of Lake Chapala. The fairways are green, the greens are well kept and there are flowers and flowering trees everywhere.

Four, there are no carts and it is a very hilly terrain so one gets very good exercise as you have to be a mountain goat for some of the holes.

Five, the caddies are wonderful and very happy to help you improve you game. However, they are very polite so you have to ask them if you want help.

Six, there is a nice area when you can enjoy a delicious breakfast or lunch or have a beverage of your choice after your round.

Seven, you can buy long or short term memberships for good discounts or just pay as you play. Everyone is welcome.

Eight, the locker rooms have all been updated and are very nicely appointed.

They also have regular tournaments which you may participate in if you choose and a very good pro should you want to take lessons to increase the enjoyment of your game.

A regular round of golf is $400.00 pesos and $300.00 pesos after 2:00 p.m.

Caddy fees are $120.00 pesos for 18 holes and $80.00 pesos for nine. Caddies are a must.

On week-ends and holidays green fees are $450.00 pesos and $350.00 pesos after 2:00 p.m.

Chula Vista also has rates for 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year for singles and pairs ranging from $ 4,280.00 to $19,250.00 pesos.

Storage for your clubs is also available at reasonable rates.

The Club Pro is Jesus Espinoza and the Starter is Rafael.

Sandra looks after the office.

I know you will enjoy golfing at this pretty and challenging golf course. I know I do!

From the depths of the Canadian winter, it is tempting to consider the delights of relocating or retiring to Mexico. Canadian expat and real estate agent Kevin Collins explores one aspect of the dream – buying a house in the idyllic village of Ajijic on Lake Chapala.

Buying Into Mexico
Fifty years ago, the first North American expats settled in the Lake Chapala region of Mexico. Today, the best estimate of the foreign population is between 5,000 and 6,000, about half of whom are Canadian.
I came to Ajijic eight years ago and found what was, for me, an ideal combination of location, people and weather. Ajijic is a small town, with little tourist traffic. However, proximity to cosmopolitan Guadalajara and to the international airport ensure that the town is not isolated. A four-hour drive will take me to the beautiful Pacific Ocean or to one of at least ten historic and charming colonial cities. The people of Ajijic could not be kinder or more tolerant of the expats who share their town: being polite is an art form here. So many Mexicans speak English that it is possible to get along with very little Spanish (mine is limited to the topics of food, beverage and golf), but I know that I have missed a great deal by not taking advantage of the many opportunities to study it properly!

REAL ESTATE REALITIES

To provide stability against the fluctuating Peso, houses here are priced in U.S. dollars. More that 95 per cent of home sales are cash deals. Occasionally owners are willing to take back some financing for a year or two but this is unusual and any problems can be tied up in the local court system. While there is a misconception that you cannot obtain a direct deed in Mexico, this is only true of areas close to a border or the ocean. Establishing clear title is handled by a specialized lawyer or notary appointed by the government to deal with all real estate transactions. While remarkably few problems arise, you may wish to get references from recent clients.

Since there are no disclosure laws to speak of, make sure your agent informs you of any problems with the physical structure of the home you are considering. While this sounds very scary, the truth is that there aren’t that many major problems with the homes here, and repairs are relatively inexpensive. Closing costs, which are the responsibility of the buyer, are largely based on the fiscal evaluation that the municipality puts on the property. You must sign an application as a foreigner buying property under the laws of Mexico (this costs approximately $430 (U.S.) for each person buying the property). Other costs include the notary fees and the taxes, which are 2 per cent of the fiscal evaluation. Generally speaking, if you are using a reputable realtor and a good notary, the buying process should be quite painless and straightforward. Because of the region’s popularity with expats, housing prices have risen in recent years. Land in the prime areas is limited because there is a fairly narrow strip that runs along the lakeshore and up the hillside above Lake Chapala where you can purchase and build. Above this land is “Ejido” property, set aside for the use of the indigenous population. Most stories about foreigners having problems with their property in Mexico involve people illegally selling Ejido land. While housing prices may be steeper than you expected, property taxes are rarely over $200 (U.S.) a year and domestic help averages around $2 (U.S.) an hour. Few people bother with air conditioning or heating (other than ceiling fans and a fireplace), and utilities are much less expensive than in Canada or the U.S. Combine these benefits with the tax advantages of living abroad and you’ll agree with a client of mine who said, “I’m not wealthy but I always wanted to live like a rich person, and I can do that here.”

LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION

People here will say with great conviction that wherever they live is the best place to be. Many people initially look for property in the old village of Ajijic, but later realize that they are unlikely to find lake views in the village, and it can be noisy at times. While newcomers tend to harbour the romantic notion that they can walk everywhere, most people find they do need a car. Areas such as La Floresta and Villa Nova are walkable to the village but quieter, with wide streets and good quality homes. Up the hill there are more gated communities with wonderful views, and it’s a little quieter (Mexico can be a noisy place: dogs, roosters and music are everywhere, but you do get used to it after a while!). The Racquet Club has wonderful views, nice common pool area and lots of tennis activities, but it is a 10- to 12-minute drive from town. That does not sound like much but your world shrinks here and it is too far out for some people. You get more for your money outside the prime areas, but resale becomes a real issue if you get too far out. The exception to this rule might be the Chapala Country Club area, which has a nine-hole golf course and a good social scene. However, it may be too far away from the amenities of Ajijic for non-golfers. No two homes in Ajijic are alike. The houses are as eclectic as the people who choose to settle here, and while that makes living here fun, it takes some getting used to. Even the best neighbourhoods will have a series of wonderful houses and then a cornfield in the middle of everything. The local custom of building houses behind walls enhances privacy and security, and maximizes utilization of space.

RESEARCH

The best way to begin gathering information about the Lake Chapala region is to get on the Internet, starting with . While common sense would suggest renting for a season to two before buying, it can be difficult to find a long-term rental; most people use their homes here for at least half the year. It is hard (but not impossible) to find a decent rental from American Thanksgiving through Easter. The only slow period is from Easter till the middle of June, when people from Texas, Arizona and Florida arrive to escape the heat during the summer months. An excellent accommodation base for a fact-finding mission to Ajijic is La Nueva Posada, a small, charming hotel located in the village of Ajijic right on the shore of Lake Chapala (e-mail: ). It is owned and operated by the Eager family, Canadians who have been here since 1975. The Eagers are a good source of information on any number of subjects. You might want to book early because they have only 19 rooms and four garden suites (the latter with kitchens and living rooms). As someone once said, ”People buy with their hearts and then justify it with logic.” So if you fall in love with a place, don’t fight it. You don’t have to make a hasty decision, but remember, paralysis through analysis could keep you from moving anywhere! Meanwhile, “Hasta lo mas pronto posible!” (Spanish phrase for “See you real soon, eh!”).

by Roger Toll, former Editor of Mexico City News (Delta Sky Magazine, February 2006)

Near Guadalajara, the lakeside town of Ajijic has proven irresistible to many Americans. Here’s why.

If the cherished ideals of human unity and harmony between cultures remain hard to achieve, maybe we’d best look to a basic biological concept for a solution. Symbiosis, the dictionary says, is the life association of two dissimilar organisms for mutual benefit. I thought of this on a recent visit to Ajijic (pronounced “ah-HEE-heek”), the prettiest of several towns laced together by a two-lane highway running along the northwest shore of Mexico’s largest lake, Chapala, 45 minutes south of Guadalajara. It is midsummer, the rainy season, where the air is soft and the surrounding mountains turn an exuberant tropical green. The setting is bucolic, Old World, with a rustic church and peaceful plaza, and a gazebo waiting for a band to arrive. Cobblestone streets slow traffic to a genteel crawl, and people come and go, murmuring a polite “buenos dias” as they amble by.

It is a scene replicated in thousands of towns throughout Mexico. But in one way, Ajijic and its lakeside neighbours–Jocotopec, San Juan Cosala, San Antonio Tlayacapan, Chapala–stand alone, not only in Mexico, but in the world. For they are home to the largest population of Americans and Canadians living outside their own countries. This being Mexico, no one is quite sure how many foreigners there are, nor does anyone seem to know the total population of these lakeside towns. But guesses place the foreigners at about 10,000 during the high season of winter, amid a total population of 60,000.

Ever since Americans began migrating to Ajijic in the 1950s, detractors have said it’s where old gringos go to die. Granted, most of the foreigners are retired, though more and more younger people have made the move after corporations began offering early retirement. Reduced incomes become a lot more elastic in the Latin American economy, and the lakeside’s perfect, spring-like weather, with average temperatures ranging between 67 and 78 degrees Fahrenheit (19-26 Celsius) year-round, seems like a dream to long-suffering veterans of harsh winters or sizzling summers. Comfortable, stylish homes, even Spanish Colonial gems, are half the price of their equivalents back home, and employing a full-time gardener and a maid or cook is no longer an unjustifiable luxury. Labor, goods, and restaurant meals are impressively inexpensive. Life is comfortable and relaxed, and there’s little cause to hurry anywhere.

“I’m on the younger side of the expatriate curve here,” says Kevin Collins, a wry, 49-year-old former advertising executive from Toronto who moved here a decade ago. “But the average age of foreigners is coming down pretty quickly, probably around early 60s by now.” We meet over drinks in the sprawling garden of La Nueva Posada, the town’s best hotel, whose bedraggled charm is reminiscent of a setting in a Graham Greene novel. Collins, who moved to Ajijic with his wife and two children, has lowered his golf handicap to 6 after years of playing three times a week at the nearby nine-hole golf club. He has also become the area’s top real estate agent.

“People get fantastic medical attention in Guadalajara, which is probably why we have so many older gringos tottering down the cobblestone streets here,” Collins says. “Any other place, they wouldn’t get such good attention for so little money.” Besides, he says, the elderly can be well cared for in their own homes because help is so readily available, loyal and inexpensive. “Mexicans are very warm and caring by nature,” Collins adds, “and they value and respect the elderly.”

Retirees often find they are rejuvenated by the prevailing live-and-let-live attitude of Mexican culture. Foreigners give themselves permission to go a little eccentric–what the British call “going native”–painting their walls in bright Mexican pinks and yellows, for example, or wearing arty, bohemian clothes that might have been frowned on when they were dressing for their neighbors back home. One senses a zest, a youthful spirit won back after years of tending to corporate or family imperatives, a feeling of being freed by distance to become what their fantasy dictates. Some take to playing roles in a string of theater productions, while others start painting. (D.H. Lawrence lived and wrote in the Lakeside towns in the 1920s–just one milestone in Ajijic’s thriving art scene.) The entrepreneurial Norte-americanos open shops and restaurants as ways of keeping busy in the relaxed small-town ambience.

Walking along cobblestone Constitucion Street early one evening, I encounter two seventy-somethings in colorful dresses and long gray-blond hair who pull up to a curb on a cherry red ATV like two 18-year-olds. “Come on in,” they say as they stride into Tom’s Bar. “There are some fun people who come here, and they serve great sandwiches.” Tom’s is a small dive that has blossomed into a popular American and Canadian watering hole. Due to a satellite hook-up and a new television, it is the place to watch weekend games in the robust company of expats. I sit at the bar beside Fred, a 48-year-old building contractor who was passing through town and decided to stay. He’s been in Ajijic now for 17 years.

Many foreigners, armed with a social conscience and strong community action skills that they’ve imported along with their cars, throw themselves into the long list of organizations that have helped make Ajijic one of the most communally active towns in Mexico. “With all the charity and fund-raising events, the foreign community has launched a lot of programs that support crippled and orphaned children, old people, scholarship and health programs, and so much more,” says Teresa Kendrick, author of Mexico’s Lake Chapala and Ajijic: The Insiders Guide. Kendrick came from Austin, Texas, to Guadalajara on vacation 11 years ago, and stayed for a spell. Three years after that, at age 42, she moved to Ajijic, where she had found her Eden. “Take stray animals,” she says. “When I got here, there was an abject neglect of dogs and cats. Now we have an excellent pound, and animal-care groups train kids in school to care for animals. It’s common to see well-fed dogs with collars and leashes out walking with families. It’s been a really positive change.”

Gringo retirement dollars have had a huge impact, and the Mexican population appreciates the economic benefits, even if at times it means putting up with some angry or impatient Northerners who haven’t yet acculturated to the slower pace of life and different norms of behavior. “Unfortunately, we always get some rude foreigners with nasty tempers,” says Kendrick. “They want everything now and in the way it’s done in the States, so they don’t really fit in here.” But most people, she says, blossom in the warmth of the community and learn to adjust their expectations.

Ajijic’s mayor, Ricardo Gonzalez, believes communication between the two communities is ‘very beautiful because each side respects the other.” Foreigners, he says, have improved the area’s education, environment and health, especially in the area of nutrition, and have led efforts to clean up the town. “We have lived here for many generations so we don’t change too fast but we are learning many useful things from them that improve our lives,” he says. According to the mayor, people don’t feel envy towards the foreigners’ relative wealth, because that money flows into the economy. “We have full employment, and our salaries our higher than elsewhere in Mexico,” he says.

“The foreigners seem to like our Mexican traditions, and we appreciate that,” Gonzalez adds. For instance, even though it is an unusual customs for Northerners, the community still celebrates the Dia de los Muertos, he points out, rather than Halloween. “Both our groups are benefiting from living together and exchanging our cultural ways. So, yes, I think the foreigners are learning a lot from us as well.”

Article reproduced as it appeared in Delta’s Sky Magazine (February 2006) — written by Sky contributing editor Roger Toll, who lives in Park City, Utah, is the former editor of Mexico City News.

FIFA World Cup 2010

We now know that soccer is huge everywhere else in the world with the possible exceptions of Canada and the United States.

This year the World Cup is being hosted y South Africa and they are playing against Mexico as I write this blog. It is the 19th World Cup being played.

When I went to Yoly’s Unisex Hair Salon this morning there was a laptop on the reception counter with the game on. Also at Superlake there was a TV on top of the ATM machines and a semi circle of staff glued to the game.

You will find for the next month that everything is focused on the World Cup and anything you need to get done will take a backseat to this phenomena.

This morning on CNN they had some female soccer players demonstrating different types of plays and positions and highlighting three of the best looking and also star soccer players in this year’s competition. Lional Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are two star players that seem to e garnering the most hoopla.

Our son, who is an excellent athlete, decided he did not want to play soccer when we arrived. He was 12 at the time and when asked why he was not interested in this sport his reply was: “Mom, I am very competitive and everyone here has been playing soccer since they were 2”.

This is, in fact, the case in most parts of the world. As soon as you can walk a soccer ball is put in front of you and your, hopefully, illustrious career begins.

Soccer players are extremely fit athletes and very passionate about their game. If invited to a game you must take precautions as to your safety as fans have sometimes had to be put behind chain link fencing for their own safety. Many riots have occurred at soccer games around the world as tempers run high and the heat of competition is unparalleled in any other sport.

Today South Africa plays Mexico and Uruguay plays France.

June 12th, South Korea plays Greece, England plays the US and Argentina plays Nigeria.

June 13th Algeria plays Slovenia, Serbia plays Ghana and Germany plays Australia. Go online for future scheduling information.

There is a lot more information also available on line about players, odds, schedules, advertisers, betting, history and many other subjects of interest for the World Cup being played from today to July 11th.

Just Google World Cup 2010 and you will find sites that have all of the graphs, charts, teams, and pertinent information. In fact, it will be almost impossible for you to miss hearing incessant progress reports over the next few weeks. I must admit it is kind of fun getting swept up in World Cup mania. (Well controlled, of course.)

Retirement and Golf in Lake Chapala

Yesterday 12 of us decided to play three foursomes of best ball at the Chula Vista Country Club in San Antonio Tlacayapan on the carretera in Chula Vista.

I used to be a member of this wonderful executive golf course and was delighted to be playing there again.

It is a beautifully kept course with a very nice club house where breakfast and lunch is served along with all kinds of liquid refreshment. There are several holes with breathtaking views of Lake Chapala.

I had not played golf in almost two years and was a little nervous about how I would fare but I worried needlessly as I put the ball on the green off the tee on the first hole, a par three, of course. I had only done this twice before prior to the green being raised and, I must admit, it got our foursome off to a very good start. The beauty of best ball is there is virtually no pressure as there are four members of the team to make a decent shot.

Our team was 2 over after the first nine but with an eagle putt and two birdies on the back nine we had a total score after 18 of -4 giving us the win.

Then we all enjoyed a delightful lunch on the terrace of the club house and had a lovely time catching up with all our friends.

We are planning to do this again at the Chapala Country Club in San Nicholas on the other side of Chapala and then later on at Atlas which is the second longest golf course in Mexico and is on the way to Guadalajara.

My father was a scratch golfer who once played with Gene Saracen in the Canadian Open and he taught me a lot about the game of golf. The first time I stood over a golf ball at a lovely course near the Tanglewood Music Festival in Massachusetts, everything he had ever said to me came into my head and I hit a wonderful drive which surprised my husband and I completely. I remember thinking “What an easy game!” which I have since learned is not quite the case.

My father also said that when you have not played for awhile you tend to forget all of your bad habits and seem to be able to hit the ball with more ease.

This was certainly the case for me yesterday. I hit some of my best drives ever, actually chipped well and sank some very important putts including an off the green double breaking putt for a birdie.

I was thrilled and now, of course, I can’t wait to get back to playing on a more regular basis. Golf is such a mental game and being under no pressure is terrific for your confidence and enjoying yourself and not trying too hard is one of the keys to this most complicated of games.

I remember one of the British golf announcers saying, after some pro had made a particularly spectacular golf shot, “This is an easy game really. It is us who make it difficult”.

So dust off your clubs and get there out and enjoy this wonderful sport that most of the world can only play a couple of months a year. Indeed it is another great benefit of Retirement in Lake Chapala.

The Masters 2010

Over 20 million people tuned in to watch Tiger Woods tee off and if they were looking for fire works after the scandal that has dogged the world’s number one golfer they were disappointed.

Tiger probably selected The Masters (one of golf’s four major tournaments) for the civility of the Augusta National Golf Club where the tradition of golf is most highly respected.

Tiger, I am sure, was most pleasantly surprised by the warmth of the reception from the fans, his peers and the golf association leaders.

His reception on the first tee was even louder and more positive than usual and clearly everyone involved with the game of golf was delighted to have Tiger back on the tour.

He also shot his best first round at The Masters ever signing a score care with 2 eagles, 2 birdies and 2 bogies for a total first round score of 4 under 2 shots off the lead held by 50 year old Fred Couples.

There are four golfers at 5 under: K.L. Choi, 60 year old, Tom Watson, Lee Westwood and Phil Mikelson.

Tiger did seem a little different and was relating better with the fans and was seen laughing with the two other golfers in his group, Matt Kuchar and K.J.Choi. All three in this group had a very good round.

He did show some emotion albeit with muted fist pumps at his excellent shots and still a little frustration with his mistakes.

I have always loved watching Tiger play and was again thrilled at his incredible shot making ability. I am not happy about what he did to his wife and family, friends, supporters and sponsors but he does bring an unparalleled level of excitement to the game.

There is a very controversial Nike commercial that played on many stations yesterday. It is a somber faced Tiger in dramatic black and white listening to the words of his father, Earl Woods, who passed away several years ago, asking him what was he thinking, how was he feeling and what did he learn. Many feel this ad was in poor taste. When asked about it, Tiger said his father is still helping him and he approved the ad.

There is much speculation about what will happen if he wins The Masters, will all be forgiven or if he loses will he have trouble regaining his position in the golf world.

He gave a press conference at the beginning of the week. I thought he was a kinder, gentler and more humble Tiger Woods and I was very happy to see this. I hope he is sincere and only his actions over time will tell.

His wife, Elin, choose not to attend this years Masters which surprised nobody. He has a lot of ground to make up for what he did to her and only time will tell whether or not she will be able to forgive him for the humiliation he caused her by his multiple and extremely well documented indiscretions.

He had an interview in the Bulter Cabin after the first round with Mike Tirico in which he said he was very happy to be back and greatly appreciated the support of the fans who encouraged him on every hole particularly, on the first tee and the 18th green. His first drive was in the middle of the fairway which must have been the most nerve racking drive of his career. His first birdie on the four hole would have relaxed him further.

One can’t help ask oneself how would Elin have been received had she been the one perpetrating the multiple, highly reported infidelities.

Elin, however, is not the best golfer in the world.

San Antonio Driving Range

We used to have a driving range and restaurant for light lunches on the libramiento but, unfortunately, it gave way to the building of houses.

At Chula Vista Country Club in Chula Vista there is a net into which one can wallop their balls and The Chapala Country Club in Vista del Lago, San Nicholas has a driving range of sorts along side the first tee.

Now, however, there is a new driving range and golf school opening in San Antonio very close to Chula Vista, Ajijic, Lake Chapala.

There are many wonderful golf courses in Guadalajara and the two above-mentioned ones lakeside and, of course, avid golfers always enjoy driving to Barre de Navidad for the world class golf course on Isla de Navidad. One can stay at the fabulous Grand Bay Hotel and have a wonderful golf and hotel experience.

You can Google golf clubs in Guadalajara and find several web sites detailing the golf clubs and all their specifications, prices, availabilities etc.

Now golfers of all handicaps will be able to enjoy a proper driving range right here in Ajijic, Lake Chapala.

This is important as many snow birds do not have the advantage of golfing 12 months as we do and they are perhaps a little rusty on arrival. Having a driving range to polish up their shots is a very welcome addition to our ever expanding infrastructure. They will be able to re-hone their skills before stepping onto a golf course with, always eager to judge in a friendly way, of course, competitors.

There pros at the golf courses in Guadalajara and the two courses lakeside but it will be nice to be able to have lessons alongside a proper driving range.

This will also be a wonderful facility for people who are taking up the sport for the first time. So they will be able to acquit themselves favorably when they step onto a real golf course.

Many women would like to play with their husbands but are lacking in skill or confidence and now they will be able to gage their level as they practice hitting the ball in a safe and controlled environment.

Also many people, if they are still working, do not have the time for a full round of golf and the travel time involved but certainly have the time and desire to hit a basket of balls on a driving range.

I remember in Canada this was also a good “date” opportunity for those who were not crazy about bowling or miniature golf. This will provide a nice activity for visiting children and grandchildren.

I do not yet know all the details of location or date of opening but as soon as I get these details I will happily pass them along to you.

Being able to enjoy golf and tennis year round is one of the greatest assets of living in paradise and this new driving range and golf school will add to our pleasure.

Vancouver 2010

Our Canadian athletes did a wonderful job and we are very proud of all of them.

Yesterday also was the last day of the Mexican Chili Cook Off in Ajijic, Lake Chapala.

I have not attended this event for a couple of years but went this year as my sister was visiting here from Canada and I thought she might enjoy a little local color and my daughter’s restaurants were competing in the Chili Cook Off itself and, of course, we wanted to be there to support our girls.

I was so happy we went. It was terrific this year with lots of things to see and do.

This year the arts and crafts and jewelry booths were much improved with more high end goods available for sale.

Also the knives from Sayula were a huge hit.

Real Estate Companies were well represented and there was clothing for every member of the family.

Home cooked food was available from ribs, to hamburgers and, of course, chili and drinks flowed.

There were special Chili Cook Off t-shirts and aprons for sale and were offered at half price towards the end of the festivities on Sunday.

The entertainment was non-stop with lots of raffles and winners.

The winner of the best decorated booth was Number FOUR Restaurant.

The third place prize winner for the chili on Sunday was Hector from Manix Restaurant.

The second place prize winner was Ismat Jivani of Number FOUR Restaurant and the first place prize winner was Greg Couillard of the new upscale bar and restaurant in Ajijic – Chili Bang Bar.

On Saturday Casa Angel won for non-professional chili and Chili Bang Bar won on Friday in the Salsa competition.

Many people voted for the winners both ex-pats and Mexicans and it was truly a bi-cultural event which everyone enjoyed very much. All the proceeds go to various local charities and everyone connected with this year’s Chili Cook Off in Ajijic, Lake Chapala should be congratulated on a job well done.

Tiger Woods

The reaction to his “apology” is as diverse as the country itself. Some high powered women gave him 4 stars for his 15 minute speech which he read and questions were not welcome.

His mother was there and he hugged her at the end of his remarks and she said she was very proud of him and that she loved him.

Elin was not staunchly by his side which made me respect her greatly. Some say she should give him another chance and that sex is sex and love is love but it would appear to some that Tiger has difficultly in recognizing the difference.

This fall from grace was a huge disappointment for many of Tiger’s fans, business partners and, of course, his foundation. When you set yourself up as a role model (even inadvertently) for kids around the world this is not the behavior that is remotely acceptable.

He admitted, he had affairs, cheated and lied and said he was “so sorry”. He said he felt he was entitled and had worked hard all of his life and deserved to do whatever he chose.
It is assumed that he would still be carrying on these affairs had he not got caught.

The golf tour and Nike are firmly behind Tiger as are the professional golfers on the tour.
They say that they knew that Tiger was a “dog” but seemed to accept it as OK.

Some feel that his behavior is not OK and that he deserves to have Elin divorce him and get full custody of their 2 children.

If you wish to see Tiger’s full remarks you can do so at www.thedailybeast.com and click on Blogs and Stories.

The whole world looked up to Tiger Woods not just the sports world and his fall from grace is enormous for many. I do not think these are the values that his father, Earl, instilled in him and I think he would be very disappointed in his son as he wanted Tiger to be a force for good in the world. What he has done is far from good.

Now he is in therapy for sex addiction. This used to be called playing around but now it would appear it is “sex addiction”.

Many thought Tiger was better than this but the best comment I heard was “Who gives a f.— about what he did. Just tell him to get his ass back on the golf course.”

This, of course, was from a man.

Vancouver 2010

However, I was soon filled with pride as I watched all the aboriginal groups of Canada walk into the stadium. Every aboriginal group was represented from coast to coast to coast and proceeded to do ceremonial dances for over an hour in full native dress as they welcomed the athletes from 82 countries parade in front of over 60,000 cheering fans.

My family and my excitement was further heightened by the stunning visual effects.
Whether it was whales portrayed on the floor or an aerialist flying through the clouds.

I was particularly impressed by the opening sequence of a snowboarder flying down the majestic mountains of British Columbia and ending up on the stage.

Everything about the entire event was all about Canada and our rich and diverse population and history.

The Olympic flag was carried in by Canadian icons Bobby Orr, hockey great, Anne Murray, singer, Donald Sutherland, actor, Jacques Villeneuve, race car driver, Betty Fox, mother of Terry Fox, Romeo Dallaire, UNAMIR and Julie Payette, astronaut.

Equally as thrilling were the torch bearers. Rick Hanson brought the Olympic torch into the stadium and handed it off in turn to, Catriona Le May Doan, Steve Nash, Nancy Greene and the Great One himself, Wayne Gretsky.

The death of Georgian Luger, Nodar Kumaritashvili at the age of 21 was such a devastating start to these winter games but not only did the IOC embrace this tragedy so did every other Canadian.

Even though there seemed to be a technical blip at the end this did not in any way deter from the brilliant visualization of David Atkins, Artistic Director and Producer. He should be very proud of one of the most spectacular shows ever produced for our country.