Off the Road

As you may have noticed, I haven’t updated this blog for a few days. I think this is because not much has been happening that I think would be of interest to my readers. I am not traveling. I am staying in one place. I have been getting out and being social for the most part which is different from my time spent for the last few years in California where I stayed home most of the time and fiddled with my computers. I will try to take the camera with me and look for things to photograph and upload to the blog.

Last Monday, Brian and I went to the Chapala market. It is about 4 or 5 times larger than the Ajijic market with lower prices and more variety. I bought a Franklin English/Spanish translator but have yet to really learn how to use it. I thought that it would speak Spanish phrases but the model I got doesn’t have an audio output so I am not sure how useful it will be or if I will really use it much. Brian bought some speakers to replace those stolen from his Thing. I saw avocados for sale for 15 pesos for 2 kilos. This works out to about 32 cents a pound. The market in Jocotepec is supposed to have the best prices lakeside but I haven’t been to that one yet.

I have been going to some new restaurants and meeting some more new people. The snowbirds are starting to arrive.

This area seems to be getting smaller in the sense that since I know people now I am starting to hear some gossip much as you hear in small towns. This might be of use if I were planning on writing a book of fiction some time but right now I don’t feel comfortable in relating some of the stories I have heard.

The wheel I took in for repair that was supposed to be ready last Saturday with a new tire is still not ready. “Manana”

I recently checked a blog and web site called Mexico with Heart. I had read part of it previously but just now realized that the author, Rosana Hart, lives now in the same small town, San Juan Cosala, where I am staying. Her blog and website have a lot of good information and if you are interested in Mexico, I suggest you check it out at: http://www.mexico-with-heart.com/blog/ .

I have been listening to a FM station from Guadalajara. I think it may be associated with one of the universities there because their selection of music is eclectic to say the least, modern Mexican music, jazz, classical, electronic, modern European and music from the United States that I never heard while in the states.

I probably will be taking a bus trip soon to visit family on the Pacific coast near Manzanillo. It is cheaper to take the bus when you figure gasoline at 10 MPG and toll road fees. It will be more relaxing too. I will be documenting this side trip. Right now my plan is to stay lakeside at Lake Chapala probably until the end of the year. At that time I will either get back on the road or stay lakeside for a while longer.