Clean drinking water is a problem for many countries all over the world.

Here in Ajijic, Lake Chapala we are very fortunate to have many sources of clean drinking water.

When we were first here 15 years ago we were told that most companies that sold bottled water got their water from the lake. This, of course, was not good news but after extensive research we learned that Aga Pureza could be trusted and their water was pure.

We still use this company which is now called Bonafort and we still have bottled water delivered to our door for 25 pesos per large bottle. The water is Chula Vista is said to be potable but we feel safer using bottled water for drinking.

Also all fruits and vegetable should be soaked in drops for 15 minutes before using. These (more…)

Our avid recycling family and friends in Canada have always thought it was criminal that we do not recycle in the Ajijic, Lake Chapala, Area.

Once many years I was able to proudly report that our children were involved in a recycling program at their school and perhaps we would start recycling after the success of that program.

We have had a few false starts with the current trash program here I Ajijic, Lake Chapala but it would now appear that we might be moving ahead

The Chapala municipal government with take the first steps toward implementing (more…)

Many people enjoy the many tennis facilities in Ajijic, Lake Chapala.

They also enjoy tennis on TV and right now we are coming to the close of the clay court season which once again the world’s #1 Rafael Nadal has dominated.

We are coming up to the end of the first week of the French Open at Roland Garros in Paris, France the second of the 4 majors of the year.

Rafa won the first major which was the Australian Open in January.

The question now is can he win the French Open for the 5th time. He has only suffered (more…)

Lake Chapala is Mexico’s largest freshwater lake and is located 45 km southeast of Guadalajara. It is 1,524 meters above sea level. It is 80 km eat to west and 18 km from north to south.

The largest island in Laka Chapala is Isla de los Alacranes (Scorpion Island) and it is a great tourist attraction.

Lake Chapala is fed by Rios Zula, Huaracha and Duero and is drained by Rio Santiago.

Many people believe that Lake Chapala holds the lost souls of natives from the past and many Blood Pots (Lagrimas de Sangre) have been found in the lakewhich are alleged to hold the tears of such lost souls.

In 2007 and 2008 Lake Chapala measured higher that it has been in decades which is very good news for a number of reasons.

First Lake Chapala supports 117 species of birds. The most popular being the White Pelican.

Also high levels of Lake Chapala are very good for the real estate market. Most (more…)

Living in the Ajijic, Lake Chapala area there are many little side trips to some of the colonial cities near by, that you have to visit! I celebrated my birthday this Saturday and thought I would love to see more of my surroundings. I have lived in Mexico for a number of years now, and have yet to travel outside of my Ajijic box to see some of the charming little towns nearby.

Friday morning we packed our bags and we were off to Guanajuato! I had heard so much about San Miguel de Allende, what a beautiful town it is, and how nice the people are, that I decided I would like to visit the neighboring city of Guanajuato. Because we were only going away for the weekend, I thought San Miguel, with so much to see, would be too much to tackle in two days.

When we arrived in Guanajuato, 4 hours away, I didn’t know what to expect. I had never seen photos, or heard a lot about the area. I was once told it reminded them of little Italy and there is a great mummy museum, but that was the only information we (more…)

If you look out your window you may be lucky enough to see the heavy green mangoes on the trees with some already turning red with the sun.

June is the traditional onset of the mango season in Ajijic, Lake Chapala and is hugely anticipated by all.

The mango originated in Southeast Asia over 4,000 years ago and is the fruit most eaten raw. The mango is full of antioxidants known to stabilize free-radicals in the body which we now know cause all disease. Also they have wonderful enzymes which are excellent for good digestion.

There are many varieties of mangoes available in Mexico. The most popular being the Haden. Also there are the Kent (dark red color), the Tommy/Atkins (similar to the Kent), the Keitt (red and green) and the very popular Ataulfo (smaller, yellow and very sweet).

A couple of our favorite recipes for mangoes are (more…)

Neill James is an icon of Ajijic history who worked with the Mexican community for over 50 years. When she died she bequeathed her vast property at Calle 16 de Septiembre in Ajijic to house the Lake Chapala Society.

LCS is a non-profit organization which has legally operated in Ajijic for over 50 years.

For many the Lake Chapala Society Directory published every year alone is worth the price of admission. All expats are listed in this directory along with business and government listings very valuable to the newcomer and residents alike.

A very reasonable part time or full time membership offers many benefits:

Free mail service is an exceptional service.

There are free preventative medical programs and discounts on doctor’s visits, first-class restaurants and membership in a mega-store.

Also access to the LSC Library with over 20,000 English books and access (more…)

I have written before about the challenges of banking in Ajijic, LakeChapala.

Things, however, have come a long way in the 15 years we have lived here. One no longer has to sign over their first born to make a deposit.

Normally, I am now capable of doing all of our corporate and personal banking without incident and with a minimum of bloodshed.

Most of the banks here now have English speaking staff to help the expats complete their transactions and online there is English now available.

The wonderful English speaking person we have, however, is not actually located (more…)

One of our best kept secrets from the snowbirds (people coming here from November to April) is the magnificence of our rainy season.

The word is out the first of the rainbirds have been heard by locals. These rainbirds, which are actually large insects, trumpet the onset of the rainy season in about 6 weeks. Having said that we did have a lovely thunder storm last week.

April was a wonderful month this year without the heat that is usually associated with it.

May on the other hand is warm but now that the rainbirds have been heard relief is on its way.

We are beautifully situated on Lake Chapala and those of us who are lucky enough to have lake views we marvel at the dramatic ribbons of lightening that run the length of the lake and we can (more…)

This amazing retreat is located about half way up the Raquet Club in San Juan Cosala. Even many of the locals and Ajijic Real Estate agents are unfamiliar with this hidden gem. Approximately 20 years ago, a local doctor had a vision. His dream was to recreate what our prehispanic ancestors had created many years ago, including pyramids, Mayan symbols, snakes, spirals, thermal waters, and by using quartz and obsidian throughout the grounds. What he created was a magical place to relax, appreciate the nature we are so fortunate to have here, and many take advantage of the tranquil atmosphere to meditate and regroup.

For many years Monte Coxala was left untouched, uncompleted. It wasn’t until about 6 years ago that the grounds were finished and turned into a spa. Monte Coxala is now fulfilling its purpose as a spa, where you have several different kinds of massages to choose from, various outdoor, (more…)