Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Chapala
Yesterday, I went to Salvador’s for coffee and breakfast. I saw Brian and he had some errands to run and asked me if I wanted to come along. We went to Chapala to some shops. We stopped and had some more coffee and met some friends of Brian’s that live in Chapala. We went to the town square and looked around. Brian purchased some candies for Halloween. Chapala seems like a nice town. This was the first time I had been there.
Brian planned to go help his friend Kas on the re-modeling of Kas’s house in Chula Vista so he dropped me off in downtown Ajijic. I walked around for awhile and decided to check out a couple of bars. One I had noticed on Colon previously. It is called the Beer Saloon but it also has mixed drinks. I sat down next to a fellow smoking a cigar and found out his name is Bob and he has owned the place for about a year. His Mexican wife, Rosario was doing the bartending. I really liked the ambiance in this small bar. There was a Mexican fellow in the bar who was selling fake Rolex watches for about 150 pesos.
Another gringo had told me of a bar called “Tom’s Bar” on Ocampo. I had noticed the place from the bus when I was on the local bus that runs down Ocampo. Tom’s Bar is owned by an American who is also married to a Mexican. In the past, Tom had lived for a few years at Lake Tahoe and worked for ski resorts. His place is larger and he also sells meals there. He has several satellite TV feeds of US and Canadian programming for the TVs in the bar but he was playing old rock and roll music which was nice for a change to the Mexican music that I have been listening to on my radio in my rig.
I caught a ride with a fellow named Darryl who rents a place in the Racquet Club which is near my camp site in San Juan Cosala. On the way we stopped at another place called Vicki’s Hideaway on the lake. It was still happy hour and we got two beers for 20 pesos.
Last night was punctuated by the sounds of rockets exploding, a prelude to the Day of the Dead celebration. It continues today. I took a photo of three young men firing the rockets this morning in the plaza in front of the Ajijic cathedral. I took a walk to lakeside to visit a painter I had met at Salvador’s but he wasn’t home and I left a note with his maid. Nearby is the Lake Chapala Society so I stopped in there. The grounds are very nice with a large garden and you can get coffee and brownies, etc. It seems it is also a meeting place as several Norte Americanos (middle aged and older) were lounging around at tables on the plaza. Everyone seems very friendly here lakeside. I heard of another potential parking place for the rig right in the center of Ajijic.
This evening I plan to go back to meet Brian and friends at the Old Posada to see the Ron and Sally musical group. Since it is Halloween people may be in costume.
Monday, October 30, 2006
Sunday, October 29, 2006
More Impressions and Mexican Dance
I forgot to mention in yesterday’s post information about Lake Chapala. It is shallow. It is not like most lakes I have seen in the US. I hear that at its deepest, it is only 15 feet deep. There are floating aquatic plants on the surface that in some places choke the shore line so that the lake does not seem suitable for swimming or fishing. There are some persons who offer tours in air boats. There are a couple of islands that can be visited that are of historical interest. There are some hot spring resorts near my San Juan Cosala camp. On the weekends the area has an influx of Mexicans from Guadalajara enjoying some time away from the city.
It is Mexico’s largest lake and the area has been inhabited by Indians long before the Spanish arrived. I hear that there have been sacrifices of pots in the lake by the Indians seeking to appease the gods and get some rain. In San Juan Cosala, there is an old Spanish mission church that I have been told is the oldest such church in Mexico.
All is not completely peaceful and rosy with some of the Mexicans. I have been told that there are feuds between some of the local families.
Day before yesterday, Ron, Jose and I did some work here on the lot where I am located. There is a van that is not running that we pushed further into the lot and out of the way. We cleared more weeds which could become a fire hazard when they dry out. And we did some shoveling of earth to clear the area around my rig, to make the area more level and shore up the ramp that leads up to the warehouse structure and Ron’s trailer. In the process, we saw a Black Widow spider which I killed. So the area also has some natural hazards.
Yesterday while having lunch and coffee at one of Salvador’s outside tables, a local gringa offered me a free ticket (sold for 80 pesos) to a dance performance that was happening that night and she would not be able to attend. So I got a ride to my camp by a new friend, cleaned up and returned to Ajijic for the performance at the Auditorio de la Riberia which is located just a block away from Salvador’s. The dance troupe was the Ballet Folclorico Contiemporaneo de San Juan Cosala Jalisco and they were performing “Dia de Muertos en Michoacan”. The crowd attending was about 50/50 gringos and Mexicans. But since most of the gringos live here full time, they might now be considered locals. The costumes and dances were colorful and enjoyable. Not all the dances had Day of the Dead themes with skeleton masks and costumes but served to evoke pre-Hispanic and local history. It was fun and I am fortunate to have enjoyed an evening of some local culture. And it only cost me 14 pesos for two bus rides.
My friend Bobbie in Ohio has asked some questions about buying property in Mexico and since some of my other readers may be interested, here is part of what I told her:
Information is available on the internet about buying property in Mexico. Use Google. Basically you can buy land just like in the US except mortgages are rare and you would need up front cash. Certain areas, 50 kilometers from the border and 20 kilometers from the ocean can only be acquired by foreigners by using a “fidecomiso”. This is an instrument whereby a bank actually holds the title and you get a lease for 50 years. The lease can be bought and sold or willed to your family just like regular real estate. The lease can be re-newed for another 50 years as long as Mexico remains stable and the laws do not change. The banks charge a fee to administer the trust and there is a fee to set up the fidecomiso but as I said the information is on the internet. Or you could contact a Mexican real estate agent and they can tell you how to buy property in Mexico.
There are several currency converters on the internet which will calculate the current exchange rate. Google has one and there are several others. Today, $100 is worth 1,074.38 pesos or 100 pesos is worth $9.31. So I usually just think that a 100 peso bill is less than 10 dollars.
There is the Lake Chapala Society in Ajijic that is set up to help gringos in the area. There is a fee to join. The Mexican mail system does not work very well. Delivery may take a month. So LCS can have your mail mailed in the US whenever one of their members returns to the States. They have a large lending library of books, video tapes and DVDs. They offer some classes and advice. I think they are also involved in local charities. I think most of the local gringos belong to LCS.
It is Mexico’s largest lake and the area has been inhabited by Indians long before the Spanish arrived. I hear that there have been sacrifices of pots in the lake by the Indians seeking to appease the gods and get some rain. In San Juan Cosala, there is an old Spanish mission church that I have been told is the oldest such church in Mexico.
All is not completely peaceful and rosy with some of the Mexicans. I have been told that there are feuds between some of the local families.
Day before yesterday, Ron, Jose and I did some work here on the lot where I am located. There is a van that is not running that we pushed further into the lot and out of the way. We cleared more weeds which could become a fire hazard when they dry out. And we did some shoveling of earth to clear the area around my rig, to make the area more level and shore up the ramp that leads up to the warehouse structure and Ron’s trailer. In the process, we saw a Black Widow spider which I killed. So the area also has some natural hazards.
Yesterday while having lunch and coffee at one of Salvador’s outside tables, a local gringa offered me a free ticket (sold for 80 pesos) to a dance performance that was happening that night and she would not be able to attend. So I got a ride to my camp by a new friend, cleaned up and returned to Ajijic for the performance at the Auditorio de la Riberia which is located just a block away from Salvador’s. The dance troupe was the Ballet Folclorico Contiemporaneo de San Juan Cosala Jalisco and they were performing “Dia de Muertos en Michoacan”. The crowd attending was about 50/50 gringos and Mexicans. But since most of the gringos live here full time, they might now be considered locals. The costumes and dances were colorful and enjoyable. Not all the dances had Day of the Dead themes with skeleton masks and costumes but served to evoke pre-Hispanic and local history. It was fun and I am fortunate to have enjoyed an evening of some local culture. And it only cost me 14 pesos for two bus rides.
My friend Bobbie in Ohio has asked some questions about buying property in Mexico and since some of my other readers may be interested, here is part of what I told her:
Information is available on the internet about buying property in Mexico. Use Google. Basically you can buy land just like in the US except mortgages are rare and you would need up front cash. Certain areas, 50 kilometers from the border and 20 kilometers from the ocean can only be acquired by foreigners by using a “fidecomiso”. This is an instrument whereby a bank actually holds the title and you get a lease for 50 years. The lease can be bought and sold or willed to your family just like regular real estate. The lease can be re-newed for another 50 years as long as Mexico remains stable and the laws do not change. The banks charge a fee to administer the trust and there is a fee to set up the fidecomiso but as I said the information is on the internet. Or you could contact a Mexican real estate agent and they can tell you how to buy property in Mexico.
There are several currency converters on the internet which will calculate the current exchange rate. Google has one and there are several others. Today, $100 is worth 1,074.38 pesos or 100 pesos is worth $9.31. So I usually just think that a 100 peso bill is less than 10 dollars.
There is the Lake Chapala Society in Ajijic that is set up to help gringos in the area. There is a fee to join. The Mexican mail system does not work very well. Delivery may take a month. So LCS can have your mail mailed in the US whenever one of their members returns to the States. They have a large lending library of books, video tapes and DVDs. They offer some classes and advice. I think they are also involved in local charities. I think most of the local gringos belong to LCS.
Saturday, October 28, 2006
Impressions so far
It is really too early to make a valid impression of Mexico, the people here and the Lake Chapala area but since I know that some of my readers are considering a visit or possibly moving here, I will write what I think so far and update my impressions later. Most what I will write now will not be from my own personal experience but from what others have told me or I have read somewhere.
Mexicans seem to enjoy their country very much and although they for the most part are poor by US standards they manage to make the best life they can for themselves. They are religious and family oriented. They enjoy food and fiestas. They can work very hard for very little. I understand that in this area the prevailing wage is about 10 pesos an hour, less than a dollar an hour. I have also been advised to not pay for something up front or the job may never get finished. If you buy an item in a store make sure you want it and it is in good condition because it is unlikely you could return it or get your money back. Once they have your money, it is theirs.
All over Mexico, if the owners of houses can afford it, they have a walled compound and iron bars on the windows. I have been told that the Mexicans are opportunists that will take any item left unattended. They feel that if you left it unattended, you wanted them to have it. Supposedly a watch dog is the best deterrent against theft and it is good to know your neighbors who can watch your place while you are not there. I heard stories that even walls will not deter thieves if they know that you have valuable items in your house. They will just take a sledge hammer and knock a hole in the wall or they will slip a small child through a window with iron bars and the child will then unlock the door. So showing off your valuable items to impress the Joneses is not a good idea in Mexico. There are even reports of home invasion robberies in the middle of the day but I think that this is only a problem for the rich.
Except for the bigger cities, there doesn’t seem to be much of a night life. People tend to stay home in the evenings. Most Mexicans cannot afford to go out for a beer or to eat in restaurants so they stay home with their family.
Much has been said of Mexican drivers. For the most part, I think they are good drivers but will often take chances like passing on blind curves. Many of the roads are single lane each way which they change to three lane roads. Many of the roads are in poor condition and your vehicle will take a beating. In most villages there are the topes (speed bumps) where you will need to stop and proceed at 1 MPH. Some of the curbs are high and can damage your vehicle if you get close. Telephone or utility poles may be in the street and the streets cobblestone and very narrow. In many cases, one way streets are not clearly marked. Highways may have no place to pull off so if you have a flat or car trouble you may become an obstacle in the middle of the road. Road construction or repair may be marked by another obstacle, stones in the road. If you can afford it, it is best to take the toll roads in most cases.
Real estate in the Lake Chapala area is high for Mexico due to the Norte Americanos who wish to live here and will pay almost any price. Some of the ex-pats from the US blame the Canadians for the increase. You can find cheap places (the cheapest place I have seen listed was about $40,000 USD) but there is usually a problem like poor location, no parking or needs extensive work (fixer-uppers). If you can afford to pay $300,000, you can see many very nice places some with up to 5 bedrooms, nice gardens and may even have separate casitas for guests or a swimming pool. A similar house in a good area of California could cost up to $1,000,000.
If you buy a lot with the intention of building, make sure you investigate fully and can get utilities. You may have to buy an electrical transformer and run electrical lines for blocks. I have also heard that in some areas, transformers may be stolen. Wood for building a house is hard to get. Most house construction is bricks, pumice blocks or cement. The water supply may be intermittent and undrinkable. You may need to buy water tanks for storage and install a water filtration system.
Rents have also increased but for $500- $600 a month you can usually find a house. The rent paid may include the services of a gardener. I would think the wise thing to do for someone looking to locate here would be to rent for 6 months or a year and look for a bargain. For instance, I have been introduced to a woman who has a nice place here and is going back to the United States to be near her children because her husband died here and his memory makes her too sad to continue to live here. One house I have been in was purchased one year ago for $42,000. But it is fairly remote from the center of gringo action and is small and needed some re-model work but it is now very nice with a beautiful mature garden in the back yard. The current owner spent quite a lot of time looking for a place and lucked out getting her place. If it is not important to have wonderful weather and English speaking people around, then you will find much better real estate prices in other areas of Mexico.
There is more freedom in Mexico than in the United States except in some areas. For instance there seems to be no zoning or building permits. You can build what ever you want on your land but it also means your next door neighbor can use your wall as a wall in his house or move goats or a pig sty next to your property. You can smoke in most places except for buses but I have heard that Mexicans do not approve of smoking while walking down a street. I have been told that there are “No bad mouthing” laws where you can be sued if you embarrass someone in public. I think you can be jailed for adultery and pedophilia is dealt with severely and pedophiles may not even make it to the jail house.
Fruits and vegetables in Mexico are better and cheaper than in the States. Some imported comfort foods like peanut butter may cost as much as $5 a jar. Other items, like cars, televisions, computers and electronic gear are more expensive. Good medical and dental care is cheaper in Mexico.
As with any situation, there are pluses and minuses. For me, life in Mexico is looking pretty good.
Mexicans seem to enjoy their country very much and although they for the most part are poor by US standards they manage to make the best life they can for themselves. They are religious and family oriented. They enjoy food and fiestas. They can work very hard for very little. I understand that in this area the prevailing wage is about 10 pesos an hour, less than a dollar an hour. I have also been advised to not pay for something up front or the job may never get finished. If you buy an item in a store make sure you want it and it is in good condition because it is unlikely you could return it or get your money back. Once they have your money, it is theirs.
All over Mexico, if the owners of houses can afford it, they have a walled compound and iron bars on the windows. I have been told that the Mexicans are opportunists that will take any item left unattended. They feel that if you left it unattended, you wanted them to have it. Supposedly a watch dog is the best deterrent against theft and it is good to know your neighbors who can watch your place while you are not there. I heard stories that even walls will not deter thieves if they know that you have valuable items in your house. They will just take a sledge hammer and knock a hole in the wall or they will slip a small child through a window with iron bars and the child will then unlock the door. So showing off your valuable items to impress the Joneses is not a good idea in Mexico. There are even reports of home invasion robberies in the middle of the day but I think that this is only a problem for the rich.
Except for the bigger cities, there doesn’t seem to be much of a night life. People tend to stay home in the evenings. Most Mexicans cannot afford to go out for a beer or to eat in restaurants so they stay home with their family.
Much has been said of Mexican drivers. For the most part, I think they are good drivers but will often take chances like passing on blind curves. Many of the roads are single lane each way which they change to three lane roads. Many of the roads are in poor condition and your vehicle will take a beating. In most villages there are the topes (speed bumps) where you will need to stop and proceed at 1 MPH. Some of the curbs are high and can damage your vehicle if you get close. Telephone or utility poles may be in the street and the streets cobblestone and very narrow. In many cases, one way streets are not clearly marked. Highways may have no place to pull off so if you have a flat or car trouble you may become an obstacle in the middle of the road. Road construction or repair may be marked by another obstacle, stones in the road. If you can afford it, it is best to take the toll roads in most cases.
Real estate in the Lake Chapala area is high for Mexico due to the Norte Americanos who wish to live here and will pay almost any price. Some of the ex-pats from the US blame the Canadians for the increase. You can find cheap places (the cheapest place I have seen listed was about $40,000 USD) but there is usually a problem like poor location, no parking or needs extensive work (fixer-uppers). If you can afford to pay $300,000, you can see many very nice places some with up to 5 bedrooms, nice gardens and may even have separate casitas for guests or a swimming pool. A similar house in a good area of California could cost up to $1,000,000.
If you buy a lot with the intention of building, make sure you investigate fully and can get utilities. You may have to buy an electrical transformer and run electrical lines for blocks. I have also heard that in some areas, transformers may be stolen. Wood for building a house is hard to get. Most house construction is bricks, pumice blocks or cement. The water supply may be intermittent and undrinkable. You may need to buy water tanks for storage and install a water filtration system.
Rents have also increased but for $500- $600 a month you can usually find a house. The rent paid may include the services of a gardener. I would think the wise thing to do for someone looking to locate here would be to rent for 6 months or a year and look for a bargain. For instance, I have been introduced to a woman who has a nice place here and is going back to the United States to be near her children because her husband died here and his memory makes her too sad to continue to live here. One house I have been in was purchased one year ago for $42,000. But it is fairly remote from the center of gringo action and is small and needed some re-model work but it is now very nice with a beautiful mature garden in the back yard. The current owner spent quite a lot of time looking for a place and lucked out getting her place. If it is not important to have wonderful weather and English speaking people around, then you will find much better real estate prices in other areas of Mexico.
There is more freedom in Mexico than in the United States except in some areas. For instance there seems to be no zoning or building permits. You can build what ever you want on your land but it also means your next door neighbor can use your wall as a wall in his house or move goats or a pig sty next to your property. You can smoke in most places except for buses but I have heard that Mexicans do not approve of smoking while walking down a street. I have been told that there are “No bad mouthing” laws where you can be sued if you embarrass someone in public. I think you can be jailed for adultery and pedophilia is dealt with severely and pedophiles may not even make it to the jail house.
Fruits and vegetables in Mexico are better and cheaper than in the States. Some imported comfort foods like peanut butter may cost as much as $5 a jar. Other items, like cars, televisions, computers and electronic gear are more expensive. Good medical and dental care is cheaper in Mexico.
As with any situation, there are pluses and minuses. For me, life in Mexico is looking pretty good.
Friday, October 27, 2006
Oktoberfest
Yesterday, I returned to Salvador’s and Brian told me that a very good musical group was scheduled to play that evening at “The Hideaway”. In conversations with others at the outdoor tables, I was told that Brian probably meant a place called “Que’ Linda”. Later in the afternoon I returned by bus to my San Juan Cosala camp and decided I will go catch the musical performance. The group was called Ron and (somebody else but I can’t remember the exact name).
I changed clothes from the shorts I had been wearing during the day and took the bus back into Ajijic and went to the Que’ Linda restaurant. It is a very nice place on the north side of the carretera. It has a nice view of Lake Chapala and beautiful flowered gardens and a patio for outdoor seating. I arrived around 6 PM and met the new owner, Linda, who was a lawyer from Fredericksburg, Texas. I found out that I was either in the wrong place or on the wrong day. The Ron musical group is scheduled to play tomorrow, on Friday. That evening, the restaurant was sold out for a Oktoberfest buffet. Linda said she could probably squeeze me in if I was interested. That sounded good to me so I got a table and a Corona.
The event was not supposed to start until 7 PM so the staff was busy getting things ready. They were setting up tables like a German beer hall on the patio and German music was playing on the sound system. The guests started to arrive just before 7 PM. I didn’t interact too much with them, preferring to drink my beer and watch the scene. I got a plate and got in line when they started serving. They served sauerkraut, rot kohl, bratwurst, German potato salad, frankfurters, spaetzle, sauerbraten and schnitzel in a paprika sauce. For desert, they served apple strudel. The food was excellent. Even better than food I had when I was in Germany and Austria.
A Mexican trio, accordion, guitar and bass entertained the group and it confirmed the idea that a lot of Mexican traditional music sounds like German traditional music. For a mistake, I lucked out with a very enjoyable evening. My bill was 155 pesos, 100 pesos for the meal and 55 pesos for three Coronas.
I left early to catch the bus back to the camp site. I had been told the buses run until 10 PM. Most of the restaurants in this area seem to close about the same time or earlier. I don’t think there is a lot of crime in the area but it seems most of the locals don’t stay out late in the evenings.
Gasoline in Pemex stations is 6.68 pesos per litre or a little over $2.35 per gallon.
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Lake Chapala
I got a late start leaving the San Miguel camp due to working on this blog. Around 2 PM I started driving west again and I found myself west of Ocotlan at dusk and looking for a place to park for the night. I read somewhere that some of the Pemex stations that have large parking areas allow parking at night. So I saw one with a large parking area that had a few semi trucks parked in the back and I pulled the rig to the end of the lot and parked for the night. When I awoke the next morning there were large semis parked in front of me and in back of me. I was able to get the rig out without trouble but in the future if I park in a Pemex lot I will park with the nose of the rig pointed out.
I arrived at Lake Chapala around 9 AM and took a road to Ajijic which bypasses Chapala which is the largest town on the lake. The Lake Chapala area has one of Mexico’s largest populations of foreigners, mainly US citizens and Canadians. The lake is about 5,000 feet in elevation and the area is reputed to have the best climate in the world except for somewhere in Africa. I’ll tell you a bit that I have learned but if you are interested in the area use Google and search on Ajijic or Lake Chapala to find out more about the area.
I drove west through Ajijic and then turned back east and stopped at a nice looking restaurant named Salvador which had some outside tables. I sat at one and had breakfast, a waffle, 2 bacon, 2 sausages, scrambled eggs and coffee for about 35 pesos. While eating I noticed a couple of middle aged gringos having coffee at another outside table. After I finished eating, I walked over, introduced myself and ask if I could ask some questions about the area. One of the fellows, named Brian is a retired school principal from Ontario, Canada. He has turned out to be a fountain of information and has helped me a lot. Brian lives 8 months out of the year in San Juan Cosala, a village about 6 miles west of Ajijic. He seems to know all the gringos in the area and has introduced me to his many friends who have walked by his “Office”, an outside table at Salvador. I have met several Americans and Canadians and three people from Poland.
Tonight will be my third night in this area. Brian introduced me to a woman from New Jersey who has a home in Jocotepec which is further west on the northwest corner of Lake Chapala. She kindly allowed me park the rig in front of her house on the first night in the area. Being of Italian heritage, she even fixed me a nice meal of Raviolis and in the evening we talked and I learned more about her and the area.
Near her house is a large recreational place called Roca Azul which is on the lake and has houses for rent, tennis courts, two swimming pools, a soccer field, barbeques, and a recreational hall with pool tables, camping area and RV parking with full hookups. I wanted to check it out so the next morning I drove there. It was too upscale for my liking and the price was $360 a month.
I drove back to Ajijic and ran into Brian once again at Salvador. I guess he goes there every day. I found out about another RV park to the east towards the town of Chapala called La Garza. Brian took me for a ride in his Thing. After having lunch at a fried chicken place, Brian showed me some of the fancier homes in the area called Chula Vista. The homes had grand views of the lake and they looked like places you might see in Beverly Hills. Then we went to San Juan Cosala where his home is located. He introduced me to a Mexican friend, “Jose” who owns several pieces of property in the area. Brian thought that I might be able to make a deal with Jose to park the rig on one of his vacant lots. We drove over to the lot to check it out. It is right off of the main road which goes around the north side of the lake. At one time, Jose started to build a warehouse on the lot but never finished the structure. One of his friends, a long haired gringo from Colorado about my age, has his trailer parked in the warehouse structure which has no roof. The lot is mostly over grown with weeds but it looked like I could find a level spot to park and the lot is fenced and has a locked gate. Jose said he would clear some of the weeds later in the afternoon and to come back later.
Brian took me to see his house right in the village of San Juan Cosala. He bought it 6 years ago and he and his wife are still working on finishing the remodel. When finished, he will have a very beautiful house that would probably sell for around a million dollars if it were in California. Brian then dropped me off back in Ajijic were I had parked the rig in front of Salvador.
I drove to see the other RV Park, “La Garza”. It was nice but the electricity was not working and they wanted 150 pesos a night. So I drove back to Jose’s lot east of San Juan Cosala. Due to a brief rainstorm in the afternoon, Jose had not yet cleared the weeds. While trying to park the rig in the level spot that looked best, I couldn’t see a large rock for the weeds and knocked off my new grey water tank valve. It doesn’t look damaged and I will be able to clean it up and glue it to the tank again. Shortly afterwards, Jose showed up with a machete and cleared the area around my truck. Earlier in the day we talked about me paying 50 pesos a night to park the rig on his lot. I like this area. The weather is great. The locals are friendly and willing to help me learn about the area and Mexican culture. So I decided to offer Jose 1,000 pesos to park on his lot for a month which works out to about a little over $3.30 a night. He accepted the deal so my plans have changed. I will stay in this area for about a month (maybe more) and check it out.
Brian had told me that his wife and friends were going to go to a restaurant called the old “Pasada” down by the lake on the main street in Ajijic, Colon, and to meet them there if I could make it. So I cleaned up, changed my clothes, walked across the street and caught the bus to Ajijic for 7 pesos. The buses run from Chapala to Jocotepec about every 15 minutes. I walked down Colon to the restaurant/night club. Brian and friends were not yet there when I arrived so I got a table and a Margarita. The entertainment on a Tuesday night was a fellow who sang along to a recorded sound track. He did a lot of Elvis Priestly songs but was quite a good singer. Brian, his wife and friends showed up later and we had a good time. I ordered Sea Bass covered with garlic and rice and mixed vegetables. It was very good. The Pasada started to close down around 10 PM and Brian and friends dropped me off back at my San Juan Cosala camp site.
One of the things I forgot to do before entering Mexico was to fill up my water tank. Now I was almost out of water. My new neighbor, Ron, it turns out has his trailer fully hooked up. He has a connection to a septic tank, electricity and a water connection and water filtration system. He kindly allowed me to fill up the rig’s water tank with filtered water and has allowed me to hook up the rig to electricity. So I now have a level parking spot with a locked gate, water and electricity for around $100 a month. I may just stay here longer than a month.
This morning, I set up the dish and am now back on line to update the blog. I got a ride with Ron who needed to go to Chapala to a pharmacy. We stopped at Salvador and had breakfast there. I tried Horseback steak on the menu. It was two eggs sunny side up on a small steak with frijoles and toast and it was quite tasty. I spent the rest of the morning and most of the afternoon, chatting with and meeting locals. Then I took the bus back to the camp were I am writing this post.
Sunday, October 22, 2006
The Plan
Several readers have asked me via comments, "What's your plan in Mexico?". I have answered this question in a comment but I guess I should state it in the main blog. My original plan was to check out different areas in Mexico with the idea that when my house in Lake Tahoe sells, I may want to move to Mexico since it is less expensive to live down here and I could probably live off of the small social security payment that I get each month.
I like the parts of Mexico I have seen and enjoy the people but unless I find the perfect place, I will probably just be a "snowbird" and visit during the winters.
So right now I am on my way west. I will go to Lake Chapala and visit a small town just north of Puerto Vallarta on Punta de Mita where I almost bought a place about a year ago. Then I will slowly make my way north up the west coast of Mexico and check out the towns along the way.
I like the parts of Mexico I have seen and enjoy the people but unless I find the perfect place, I will probably just be a "snowbird" and visit during the winters.
So right now I am on my way west. I will go to Lake Chapala and visit a small town just north of Puerto Vallarta on Punta de Mita where I almost bought a place about a year ago. Then I will slowly make my way north up the west coast of Mexico and check out the towns along the way.
West
I left Las 2 Palmas but not before Juan kindly invited me for breakfast. It was a simple meal, fresh tortillas, two dipped in a red sauce and two in green sauce topped with cheese, shredded cabbage and a couple of slices of tomatoes.
When I got to Costa Esmeralda, I was not very impressed. It is an area for tourists and I have had enough of beaches for a while so I turned west at Casitas. In the town of San Rafael, I found a hardware store and bought a brass hinge. Going out of town I saw some workers in front of a refrigerator repair store and I stopped and showed them I wanted to use the hinge to repair my refrigerator door. They figured out what I needed and installed it for me. It was a simple job of drilling three holes but I don’t have a drill with me so I needed help. After the hinge was attached and the job was done, I asked “How much” and they didn’t want any money but I tipped the fellow that did the work 20 pesos.
When I got to Perote I was supposed to turn east again for Xalapa and Xico that I had wanted to check out but I already had an idea of what the area was like from the drive through the mountains to Perote and decided to go west instead. The area is cooler due to the elevation but too wet and humid to suit me. Plus the situation with John Calypso had kind of ruined the idea of a trip there.
So I continued west and south until I turned on 136 and was soon in a more desert area. Before dark I found a spot to park for the night near the highway on what was probably the old road before being replaced by the newer 4 lane road. There some people were doing something. I never did find out what it was they were doing. There were some piles of dried weeds on the side of the old road. One fellow seemed to pour water and I could see dust rising. He may have been making adobe bricks or mixing cement but I never found out for sure and they just ignored the rig. I had a good night’s sleep there because of the cooler temperature.
Early the next morning I started driving toward Mexico DF. Not because I really wanted to go there but there didn’t seem to be any good roads to drive around it. Before I got there I had a major bummer. I was driving on a four lane highway in the right lane through an intersection when a bus started crowding me on the left side. I was forced to the right and the right rear wheel clipped a curb. The result was a new tire blown and dings in the wheel. Since this rig has duals in the rear, I could continue on.
When I got to Costa Esmeralda, I was not very impressed. It is an area for tourists and I have had enough of beaches for a while so I turned west at Casitas. In the town of San Rafael, I found a hardware store and bought a brass hinge. Going out of town I saw some workers in front of a refrigerator repair store and I stopped and showed them I wanted to use the hinge to repair my refrigerator door. They figured out what I needed and installed it for me. It was a simple job of drilling three holes but I don’t have a drill with me so I needed help. After the hinge was attached and the job was done, I asked “How much” and they didn’t want any money but I tipped the fellow that did the work 20 pesos.
When I got to Perote I was supposed to turn east again for Xalapa and Xico that I had wanted to check out but I already had an idea of what the area was like from the drive through the mountains to Perote and decided to go west instead. The area is cooler due to the elevation but too wet and humid to suit me. Plus the situation with John Calypso had kind of ruined the idea of a trip there.
So I continued west and south until I turned on 136 and was soon in a more desert area. Before dark I found a spot to park for the night near the highway on what was probably the old road before being replaced by the newer 4 lane road. There some people were doing something. I never did find out what it was they were doing. There were some piles of dried weeds on the side of the old road. One fellow seemed to pour water and I could see dust rising. He may have been making adobe bricks or mixing cement but I never found out for sure and they just ignored the rig. I had a good night’s sleep there because of the cooler temperature.
Early the next morning I started driving toward Mexico DF. Not because I really wanted to go there but there didn’t seem to be any good roads to drive around it. Before I got there I had a major bummer. I was driving on a four lane highway in the right lane through an intersection when a bus started crowding me on the left side. I was forced to the right and the right rear wheel clipped a curb. The result was a new tire blown and dings in the wheel. Since this rig has duals in the rear, I could continue on.
At a highway toll plaza, I finally got a paper map of Mexico that I purchased from a vendor going from car to car. I haven't used the map yet. Even though the MS Streets and Trips is not very accurate in Mexico, it shows my location and has gotten me this far.
I got to Mexico DF around noon. What a city! I read that it is the world’s largest city with 25 million people. I expected very bad smog but it was no worse than the smog in LA. I was surprised that MS Streets & Trips was pretty accurate in the city. I had to drive straight through the center of the city to get to the road to San Miguel de Allende which I wanted to visit. I was about two thirds of the way through when I missed a turn and ended up on side streets. It wasn’t long before some police wanted to pull me over. With the police behind me I side swiped a car. No damage to the rig but there was a little blue paint on the car. The police couldn’t speak English so I never did find out what they pulled me over for but they sure pounced on the fact that I had an “accident” in front of them. They checked my papers and told me I had to go to the station where it would probably cost me a few hours and 1,000 pesos. Of course, if I wanted to avoid that I could give them 500 pesos (about $50) which I promptly did and got out of town before I got bitten again.
On the road north to San Miguel, I went to a tire store where the diagnosis was that the tire was shot and the wheel could be pounded back in shape but they had no tire of the correct size to sell me. So I had them remove the flat tire and install the spare tire. So now I have six good tires but no spare.
I got to San Miguel de Allende about 6 PM. It is a beautiful city, my kind of place. I can see why so many Norte Americanos want to live and visit there. The cobblestone streets are very narrow. I don’t know how I got the rig through there without another accident but maybe I’m learning something about driving in Mexico. I did see several gringos on the streets and heard some English being spoken. I’m sorry I didn’t get any photos there. I was too busy driving and there was no place I could find to park.
I am now parked near a lake about 5 miles south of San Miguel off road 49 on the way to Celaya. It’s now too dark to set up the dish to post this and I’m not yet sure if this will be a safe place too park for the night. If I am okay parking here, in the morning I will set up the dish and decide if I want to go back into San Miguel to walk around and take photos.
It is morning now and it rained a bit last night but my sleeping was not disturbed. I had a bit of trouble setting up the dish. The OPI meter was acting up but I am now on line. I think I will probably pass on returning to San Miguel this morning. It looks like there will be more rain today. When I return, I think that I will fly to Mexico DF and then take a bus and rent a room to explore it.
Crater Lake
This is a panorama image made from 4 photos stiched together using Autostich. I didn't find out the real name for this lake. It was real impressive and not visible was a flock of seagulls on the lake.
Friday, October 20, 2006
Leaving Tecolutla
After posting this, I plan to pack the dish and move on down the road. I found out that Juan is only 16. I will miss him and the others here at Las 2 Palmas. Last night Juan brought me a gift of some fruits. I don’t remember the name. They sort of look like cherries but are green and have large pits. They were tasty. This morning I gave Juan some small gifts that he appreciated.
This morning an old bus “Turismo Lobos” pulled into Las 2 Palmas. It must be a Mexican Tour Bus as several adults and children got out and went down to the beach.
I plan to look around Gutierrez Zamora to see if I can get the refrigerator hinge replaced and then head on down the coast to Costa Esmeralda.
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Tecolutla
I left Tuxpan shortly after my last post and made my way south. In Gutierrez Zamora I found a Banamex with an ATM. I loaded up on pesos but most were 500 peso bills which are hard to cash. Most Mexicans don’t have change for large bills. I continued on to the beach in Tecolutla where I found a place ,"Las 2 Palmas", to camp on the beach for 50 pesos a night (about $5). The people who run the place are nice and friendly.
In the photos you can see that they are still building pyramids in Mexico.
I got some Coronas and began to relax. For dinner I had 4 empanadas (2 chicken and 2 fish) and a great shrimp cocktail. From the place next door, I got a Margarita for an after dinner drink. I had a pleasant night and have decided to stay here a couple more nights.
This morning I set up the dish without problems. I asked Juan, the young fellow who runs this place with his girlfriend and his mother, if he knew of anyone to make a hinge for the refrigerator. He indicated I would have to go to Gutierrez Zamora to have the work done.
Life is good.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Tuxpan Beach
Last night after leaving the beach, I returned to the same spot on the bay that the previous night I had been undisturbed except for a few mosquitos which had entered the rig through an unscreened window that I forgot to close. I hope there are no mosquitos with malaria this far north. I was sitting in the rig listening to a local radio station when a couple of police arrived. Through sign language I figured out that they were telling me that I could not park there so I moved back to the beach where I was undisturbed the rest of the night.
When I was going through Utah, on a whim I bought some home made sausage. It was the best sausage I have had in years. So for the last two mornings, I have fixed myself sausage, eggs, hashbrowns and coffee while parked on the beach. Today setting up the satellite dish was much easier. Since my GPS coordinates are the same and I knew what direction to point the dish, It only took me about 20 minutes to get on line.
It is true that I should have been much better prepared for this trip. I should have gotten paper maps of Mexico and I should have learned more Spanish. I have been trying to learn Spanish by listening and using the Pimsler Spanish audio book on the Vaio while driving down the road. Just prior to leaving on this trip things got very hectic with negotiating the real estate transaction and getting the rig ready. I wanted to get to Colorado to meet John before he left and follow him to Mexico. I thought he would be available to show me where to get maps and pesos. As long as the rig holds up and I don't land in jail, I think I'll be okay. Thanks to the readers who commented which maps to get and where to get them.
This may be my last day here at this beach. Since I have had one run in with the police, I don't want to push my luck.
When I was going through Utah, on a whim I bought some home made sausage. It was the best sausage I have had in years. So for the last two mornings, I have fixed myself sausage, eggs, hashbrowns and coffee while parked on the beach. Today setting up the satellite dish was much easier. Since my GPS coordinates are the same and I knew what direction to point the dish, It only took me about 20 minutes to get on line.
It is true that I should have been much better prepared for this trip. I should have gotten paper maps of Mexico and I should have learned more Spanish. I have been trying to learn Spanish by listening and using the Pimsler Spanish audio book on the Vaio while driving down the road. Just prior to leaving on this trip things got very hectic with negotiating the real estate transaction and getting the rig ready. I wanted to get to Colorado to meet John before he left and follow him to Mexico. I thought he would be available to show me where to get maps and pesos. As long as the rig holds up and I don't land in jail, I think I'll be okay. Thanks to the readers who commented which maps to get and where to get them.
This may be my last day here at this beach. Since I have had one run in with the police, I don't want to push my luck.
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