This is a Huichol Indian beaded mask that I bought to cover up a fuse box in my Ajijic home.
It’s been some time since I posted anything to this blog. Since I’ve heard from some of my readers that are wondering what’s going on, I feel I should fill you in on some of what’s happening.
The main reason that I haven’t been updating the blog is because I have rented a house in Ajijic and I now feel more part of the community. And as a member of this community, I don’t wish to contribute to the gossip. Sure there are some things I could write about that are not gossip but I am not sure that I even want to act like an anthropologist and analyze Mexico, Mexicans and the ex-pat community. I started this blog when I was getting ready to start traveling in my Lazy Daze motor home. The idea was to chronicle some of my adventures while traveling. Well, I am no longer living in the motor home and I am living in essentially a small town. So the initial reason for the blog no longer exists. Unlike some blog authors, I have no plans of turning my writings into money by adding advertising or writing a book. I have no aspirations of even being a writer. Another reason for not updating the blog is that I don’t feel very comfortable talking about my private life with strangers. I may shut down this blog and start another about my life here lakeside on Lake Chapala and future explorations to other areas in Mexico and beyond. I am not sure whether or not I would make the blog public or private for my friends and family.
If you have read this blog from the beginning you know that I have been trying to sell my house in Truckee in the Sierras near Lake Tahoe. It’s beautiful up there but I am not a skier so the winters there are a hardship for me. I didn’t tire that much when running a snow blower or shoveling snow; the main problem was that I couldn’t afford to pay for firewood and natural gas to keep warm in the winter. Before I left for Mexico, I signed a lease/option contract for the sale of the house. That contract has caused me a lot of stress which has resulted in me not being able to fully enjoy life here in Mexico. The contract is still pending and the renter/buyers still occupy my house. Until the house is sold, I feel like I am limbo. I feel I must be here to deal with the huge problem that the sale of the house has become.
On a positive note, I am really starting to feel comfortable with Mexico and the people. My Spanish is still limited but I am now confident that I could go anywhere I want in Mexico and survive. Each day I learn a few more words of Spanish and little bit more about how to form sentences. I like Mexico, the culture, music and people. The only things I miss about the US are friends, family and some foods. I am glad to be away from the politics, so-called leaders and PC thugs. I feel much freer in Mexico than in the US. The myth about the US being the land of the free is so much bullshit.
Also, I really like my new house. It is centrally located in Ajijic, the current center of the ex-pat community living lakeside by Lake Chapala. I don’t think that any other gringos live on my block, just Mexicans. There is a good restaurant two doors away that has a happy hour with 2 for 1 drinks and good margaritas. Across the street from the restaurant is a good tienda (convenience store) with some groceries, beer and snacks. From my home, I can walk all over town. There is the Guadalajara Farmacia with an ATM machine a block and a half away. A good bar, El Barco, is two blocks away. The best Chinese restaurant, Min Wah is only a block away. The main plaza, the center of the community is about 6 blocks away. Eventually, I plan to sell my motor home and get some kind or car, maybe an old VW bug, Thing or a small SUV to travel further away.
Since I was not going out much in the last two years of living in Truckee, I don’t think that I made any new friends. In the little over a year that I have been in Mexico I probably have made about 100 new friends that I know on a first name basis. Probably about 30 percent of those friends are Mexicans and the rest are mainly ex-pats from the US and Canada. Most are people that I have met at the plaza and in bars and restaurants. Now that I am enjoying my new house and tending the garden, I think that I will not be hanging out so much. I plan to get into serious studying of Spanish and maybe get back into some former creative pursuits like photography, art and painting. I may continue to update this blog with photographs without much comment.
This is a photo of the central plaza taken from the deck of the new Exotica bar.
It’s been some time since I posted anything to this blog. Since I’ve heard from some of my readers that are wondering what’s going on, I feel I should fill you in on some of what’s happening.
The main reason that I haven’t been updating the blog is because I have rented a house in Ajijic and I now feel more part of the community. And as a member of this community, I don’t wish to contribute to the gossip. Sure there are some things I could write about that are not gossip but I am not sure that I even want to act like an anthropologist and analyze Mexico, Mexicans and the ex-pat community. I started this blog when I was getting ready to start traveling in my Lazy Daze motor home. The idea was to chronicle some of my adventures while traveling. Well, I am no longer living in the motor home and I am living in essentially a small town. So the initial reason for the blog no longer exists. Unlike some blog authors, I have no plans of turning my writings into money by adding advertising or writing a book. I have no aspirations of even being a writer. Another reason for not updating the blog is that I don’t feel very comfortable talking about my private life with strangers. I may shut down this blog and start another about my life here lakeside on Lake Chapala and future explorations to other areas in Mexico and beyond. I am not sure whether or not I would make the blog public or private for my friends and family.
If you have read this blog from the beginning you know that I have been trying to sell my house in Truckee in the Sierras near Lake Tahoe. It’s beautiful up there but I am not a skier so the winters there are a hardship for me. I didn’t tire that much when running a snow blower or shoveling snow; the main problem was that I couldn’t afford to pay for firewood and natural gas to keep warm in the winter. Before I left for Mexico, I signed a lease/option contract for the sale of the house. That contract has caused me a lot of stress which has resulted in me not being able to fully enjoy life here in Mexico. The contract is still pending and the renter/buyers still occupy my house. Until the house is sold, I feel like I am limbo. I feel I must be here to deal with the huge problem that the sale of the house has become.
On a positive note, I am really starting to feel comfortable with Mexico and the people. My Spanish is still limited but I am now confident that I could go anywhere I want in Mexico and survive. Each day I learn a few more words of Spanish and little bit more about how to form sentences. I like Mexico, the culture, music and people. The only things I miss about the US are friends, family and some foods. I am glad to be away from the politics, so-called leaders and PC thugs. I feel much freer in Mexico than in the US. The myth about the US being the land of the free is so much bullshit.
Also, I really like my new house. It is centrally located in Ajijic, the current center of the ex-pat community living lakeside by Lake Chapala. I don’t think that any other gringos live on my block, just Mexicans. There is a good restaurant two doors away that has a happy hour with 2 for 1 drinks and good margaritas. Across the street from the restaurant is a good tienda (convenience store) with some groceries, beer and snacks. From my home, I can walk all over town. There is the Guadalajara Farmacia with an ATM machine a block and a half away. A good bar, El Barco, is two blocks away. The best Chinese restaurant, Min Wah is only a block away. The main plaza, the center of the community is about 6 blocks away. Eventually, I plan to sell my motor home and get some kind or car, maybe an old VW bug, Thing or a small SUV to travel further away.
Since I was not going out much in the last two years of living in Truckee, I don’t think that I made any new friends. In the little over a year that I have been in Mexico I probably have made about 100 new friends that I know on a first name basis. Probably about 30 percent of those friends are Mexicans and the rest are mainly ex-pats from the US and Canada. Most are people that I have met at the plaza and in bars and restaurants. Now that I am enjoying my new house and tending the garden, I think that I will not be hanging out so much. I plan to get into serious studying of Spanish and maybe get back into some former creative pursuits like photography, art and painting. I may continue to update this blog with photographs without much comment.
This is a photo of the central plaza taken from the deck of the new Exotica bar.
1 comment:
Somehow your voice is among the most important writing on these things. I hope you'll keep it up. There is something truly moving in being able to read words that come off without a hint of pretense nor self-importance but straight from a person. Thanks for a great year and I hope your holidays will be bright!!
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