We had 13 family members here in Ajijic, Lake Chapala from the US and Canada for our son’s wedding earlier this month.

No one had asked “Is it safe or will we be OK?”. Everyone happily hopped on a plane and came to support the family. Granted it is not terrific weather in Toronto at this time of year but nonetheless…
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Officers of the Arizona-based Palacio Development Group were in the Chapala area this week to break ground in the construction of a full service “Las Vegas-style” hotel-casino complex projected for opening in one year.

The complex will be named Lake Chapala Hotel and Casino Resort and is located on eight hectares of land just to the east and slightly above Chula Vista Norte. It will be set in the heart of a fifty hectare spread called Tierra Salada, also now undergoing development as a residential subdivision.

It will be the first of its kind in Mexico and is costing approximately $40,000.00 dollars is designed to appeal to the high-en clientele from Guadalajara.
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El Hole in One is located on the Carretera Chapala – Jocotepec # 89 in San Antonio Tlayacapan across from the Chula Vista Offices. Their phone # for reservations (which you will need) is 766-4477

I have blogged about El Hole in One before based on knowing the Chef, Eric, the menu and my long friendship and trust in Pancho of Superlake in San Antonio Tlayacapan, Ajijic, Lake Chapala.

Having now experienced a wonderful dinner last night with friends I would like to blog about them again. Our meal was amazing the service was wonderful and the price very reasonable for such truly gourmet fare.

El Hole in One has a Gourmet Breakfast Saturday and Sunday 8:00 a.m. – 12 noon

Eggs Benedict
Classic poached eggs, served on toasted muffin, grilled smoked ham with Hollandaise sauce, sautéed garlic asparagus and sprinkled with fresh chives. $55.00 pesos

Italian Frittata
Mix of eggs and parsley stuffed with roasted red pepper, bocconcini and feta cheeses, topped with Mexican mild salsa and arugula tossed with fine herbed olive oil. $55.00 pesos

Bagel Lox
Classic smoked salmon bagel capers, red onion, Campari tomato and organic greens. $55.00 pesos

Gofres Marie-Li
Garlic butter toasted waffles with shaved prosciutto di Parma, over baked tomatoes, caramelized onions and scented arugula in balsamic reduction. $55.00 pesos
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This year the Guadalajara October Festivities are from October 8th to November 8th.

The Octubre Fiestas Guadalajara will join the celebration of the Bicentennial of Independence and the Centennial of the Mexican Revolution, so it will be special recognition of the traditions and typical places of Mexico.

This is the 45th event of the holiday, which this year will be called “Mexican Traditions” will take place from October 8th to November 8th in the city of Guadalajara, Jalisco. It is announced that there will be many surprises, great performances and much of Mexican culture to experience and enjoy.

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We have many wonderful daily surprises living in Ajijic,Lake Chapala. There always seems to be something to capture our imaginations and make us ever grateful for the opportunity of living in paradise.

Last night we were looking for a place to have a casual dinner out with good friends who has just safely arrived from Colorado driving through Ciudad Juarez, I might add, without incident.

Our friends had recently come upon this wonderful little place run by a very nice and clearly talented couple from Mexico City, Sergio and Silvia.

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Crime in the USA vs. Mexico

Over the next few blogs I would like to share some information I have uncovered to refute the “dire” warnings issued in travel advisories about Mexico.

Just about every country in the world is now experiencing increased crime rates. However, there are usually safe areas in every country where the crime rate is lower or non-existent. Ajijic, Lake Chapala is one of those safe areas.

The US State Department put out a warning about the violence in Mexico. Although the report states that 128 Americans were killed in Mexico between Jan 2006 and December 2008 one has only to look more closely at the data for the northwestern part of Mexico including Rosarito Beach, Ensenada, Mexicali, San Felipe, Tecate and Puerto Penasco to see that 42 Americans were killed, from all causes (there were at least 4 suicides) in the last three years combined.
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Published in CRA Magazine Inside Winter 2003 Edition

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!”).

The Mexico They Never Left

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.

Still Safe in Ajijic, Lake Chapala

Our family moved to Ajijic, Lake Chapala in 1994 from Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Our children were 10 and 12 and they will tell you that it was the best gift we could have given to them.

They are now fully bi-lingual (and also still have a smattering of French from their French Immersion schooling in Toronto) and their languages have opened doors for them around the world.

They were educated right here in Ajijic and both went on to universities in the US and Canada.

When we left Toronto I would not let them go across the street to Mac’s Milk alone but from the time we arrived in Ajijic, Lake Chapala they have been free to come and go as they like as I always felt my children were safe and still do.

The values of the Mexican people are church and family and no one is going to hurt your children. In fact, children are always welcome at any event from weddings, to parties to baptisms. It is perfectly normal to have children running around happily at any event and there is always someone to watch over them.

I still feel safe here even though the news and headlines up north daily warn people about coming to Mexico because of various threats from drug wars to a general increase in crime.

We come from a very large city and as such one had to keep ones wits about them as in any large urban area.

The increase in the drug wars is not necessarily a bad thing. The government of Mexico and the government in the US have joined forces in trying to break up the drug cartels and are having some success. It is due to this increased activity that more news is coming out about various captures of drug lords and their followers. This, however, is good news as the problem is being aggressively addressed.

This is a joint problem with the US as their consumption is the cause in part of increased drug activities and the US is still supplying guns to the drug cartels in Mexico. This is why Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, is committed to the Mexican government to help in any way they can.

The crime rate is still much less than in any larger city and usually non-violent. Once again it is a case of keeping ones wits about them. Walmart has reported some theft with people asking for help while their accomplices steal your wallet when you are distracted.

When I go to Walmart I always strap my closed purse in the shopping cart and if someone asks for help I suggest they ask a store clerk and move on.

When I take money out of the ATM I don’t do it alone at night and I don’t count it openly. Our house is locked up when we are out and we have barking dogs which my husband still maintains is the best defense against robberies.

Where there are people there is going to be crime but we all still feel safe here in Ajijic, Lake Chapala and still are very happy and grateful to be living in paradise.

Normal, sensible precautions are all that is necessary to be safe. Our area of Ajijic, Lake Chapala still enjoys an extremely low crime rate and I, for one, am very pleased that the Mexican government have take such a strong posture against drugs.

So, yes, it is still safe in Ajijic, Lake Chapala. You can still live a wonderful, happy, relaxed existence with little stress and we do have a very comprehensive infrastructure to satisfy all needs and live a very comfortable and safe life.

El Hole in One Golf Range

Along with a much needed driving range El Hole in One, on the Carratera Chapala-Ajijic #89 in San Antonio Tlayacapan Tel. 766-4477 and email address: elholeinone@hotmaiil.com also serves wonderful food.

Eric invites other chefs to come and offer special contemporary menus along with Villagolf wine tasting with sommelier Javier Orozco on Saturday and Sunday.

Appetizers include:

Leek and toasted almonds with raspberries

Thai Salad with Fresh Crab Meat, jicama, papaya, coriander in Thai vinaigrette

Crostini Turkey cranberry roasted and sliced with egg plant and mascarpone caviar

Moroccan Kebabs Wrapped spiced Lamb in Pita Bread with grilled pineapple and fennel minted yogurt sauce

Main Courses:

Grilled Maui Maui with caramelized and chunky mango sauce, served on steamed ginger rice and tempura pumpkin flower and bok-choy

Tuna Fish Yellow fin tuna crusted in local grains and seared with chilpozontle salsa served with garlic ponzu sautéed spinach and corn cranberry gallet

Pork Black Malt Port Tenderloin medallions with spiced black grapes sauce served with sweet potato mash and market vegetables.

Beef Filet USDA Choice Beef filet wrapped with pancetta cooked in rich Barolo broth, served with parmesan asparagus risotto

Desserts include:

Mousse Double Chocolate Cognac mousse, served with chilpotle crust

English Ethn Mess Almonds , wild berries over baked meringue

Crème Brulee Granny Smith green apple and pink pepper corn flavored

Prices are very reasonable with the most expensive main course on this particular menu being $160.00 pesos.

Reservations are necessary and the menu changes often. Check Superlake for current offerings.

Buen Provecho