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.