The Ultimate Quien Sabe

The End of Nirvana?

So, for three continuous years we have been extolling the simple joys of village life.  The fact that people ride their horses clip-clopping down the street, the kids run free, the dogs run free and everyone sits out on the sidewalk with a beer talking.  No McDonalds, no TJ Maxx (well that one's bad), no sports bars etc. etc.  All that may (and I emphasize MAY) be coming to a horrific, tragic end.

A couple of weeks ago Barbara and Allan were walking on the Malecon in Chapala where some fiesta (it is HARD to keep them straight) was going on.  And they saw a booth describing a new development planned to grace the landscape of Chapala.  After Barbara received CPR, and was able to speak again, she called the writer for the local Lake Chapala Reporter and suggested that she dig into it.

And this is what the reporter found.  A consortium of five large developers has put together a package (they swear already permitted with environmental studies completed) that includes: 1) Five 29 story towers of condos: 2) A seven story mall; 3) 420 lower density housing units; 4) a convention center; 5) an assisted living facility; 6) a hospital and, to top it all off, 7) a casino and 8) a cable car.

Now, we are not some Mexi-newbies.  We've been around the block enough to know that business in Mexico can often just be some flim mixed in with some flam.  But we also know that the culture enjoys an infatuation with money flowing smoothly between those who want and those whose political terms of office are soon to end or begin.  So the gringos are INSANE right now.  What is even more amazing than the Gringos having no idea of this project is the fact that, as far the Gringos can tell, no regular Mexicans knew anything about it.  They are as shocked as we are.

So, this Development Group is sponsoring a "meet and greet" brunch for all of us on Monday.  This should be QUITE the meeting.  I'll report more.

Reporting More

So today we all trundle down to the meeting.  The first speaker is a V.P of something for the Spanish developer.  He seems pretty sophisticated (hackles go up).  He indulges in a number of platitudes telling us things about the climate, easy air access, the unique cultural values etc., etc. -- all the things WE researched before WE moved here.  He asks us to hold our questions.  He then introduces a woman who is clad in platform shoes way too high and pants way too tight for the job at hand.  She avers that she is "totally independent".  She then launches into a monologue reiterating how wonderful it is to live here but how we lack things we need like a seven story mall, a casino (have one regrettably) and a convention center.  People begin asking questions.  Hard questions. Logical questions.  She is on script.  A continuous loop.  Endlessly.  People grow testy.  Very testy.  After the formal presentation people gather around the speaker and one asks: "How can we stop this?"  Gazes harden, body language stiffens.  "You CANNOT stop this". Ah, the fix is in.  We'll see. Maybe it can be stopped. Probably not. Many of us are conflicted.  It would mean a lot of jobs for the area -- but does it have to be so BIG?

A poster showing the layout for a one bedroom condo.

A poster showing the layout for a two bedroom condo, which is exactly the same size as the one bedroom.

The crowd waiting for the presentation to begin. Our friends Howard & Joan are checking their phones.

The Naimar representative speaking to the crowd.

The "independent" consultant listening to a question.

A 3D mockup of the planned development.  The line is the cable car route.  Really.

A poster showing the five towers and the villas in the background.

Reporting Even More

Most of the pivotal events and revelations occurred during Semana Santa and Pasqua -- the two weeks surrounding Easter during which government offices close, Passion Plays take place and mostly everyone goes to the beach.  This made ascertaining anything even more impossible than usual.  However, the offices eventually opened and a "very reliable source" went to investigate in the Chapala Municipal Offices. According to "source" the land has never been bought, the permits have never been approved etc. etc. etc.  The Guadalajara Reporter finally reported the story and chastened the Gringos for behaving "boorishly" at the informational (ha!) meeting.  I agree that people were somewhat less than civil but I've been to zoning meetings in Wellesley far uglier that involved some poor guy who wanted to erect a tool shed.  So.  Where do we stand?  Quien sabe.

Looking to Mezcala to Lead

Faithful readers will remember our last blog where we discussed the Mezcalians (I think that is a word) and their tenacity and ferocity in repulsing anyone who dared to venture into their town. Fueled by mezcal and a genetic antisocial bent they have made Mezcala famous for its unwelcoming demeanor.  This may work to Ajijic and Chapala's advantage (at last).

While reading the Guad Reporter I discovered that Mezcal is facing a crisis similar to ours.  An evil Guadalajara developer has bought up 10 hectares of communal land.  The Mezcalians call the developer a "money-hungry mogul who is eager to fill the countryside with residential complexes, oblivious to preserving Mezcala's nearly virgin environment."  It is alleged he got the parcel "by devious means" and he has fenced it off with armed guards in charge.  They say he is in collusion with government officials (does this sound FAMILIAR?) who view Mezcal as a "gold mine".  They are determined to prevent the kind of "unchecked urban sprawl that has gone on in the Ajijic-Chapala corridor" ---- HEY, wait a minute.  It's not that bad. Yet.

The article continues:  "Mezcala's people are renowned both for their fierce defense of their lands and distrust of outsiders.  In this day and age most look at voracious developers and realtors as enemies.
While the Communidad Indigena is confident of winning a settlement, they fear that the developer will stop at nothing to get them off his back."

Well, that developer better think twice.  I figure once the Mezcalian's "deal" with their developer (and we all know they have their ways) we sign them up.  Yep.  Mercenaries.  After the Mezcalian's have had that first taste of battle (and many tastes of Mezcal) they're not going to want to put the weapons down.  It will be a cinch to get them up to our "unchecked urban sprawl" to take on another cadre of "money-hungry moguls".  It's a plan.  Stay tuned.

Three Years an Ex-pat

Sometimes it feels like an eternity, other times an eye blink.  As of April 14th, we have been in Ajijic for three years.  It's been a wild ride as we've adjusted to a new culture, new language and made new friends. But there have been few regrets -- well, there was that time when the cartel was "disappearing" people right after our arrival.  And when we got lost in Michoachan for 36 hours.  Those events gave us significant pause.  But, all in all, these three years have been right up there for the most exciting, interesting and fun-filled years of our lives. And we're really pleased that many of you have been able to vicariously experience (and in the case of our numerous visitors directly experience) our Ajijic existence.

Going Native

So, you might ask,  how has our Mexican adventure changed us?  Let us count the ways.  This will not be a highbrow account of our intellectual enrichment or spiritual awakening:

1) We don't shop.  That is because there is little to shop for.  Food. Maybe an auto part now and then. Well, art maybe.  Or local crafts.  But not much.

2) We go out ALL the time.  We barely cook.  There is always something going on.  Sometimes too much.  We look forward to staying home the way we used to look forward to going out.

3) We worry less about ourselves and others.  People do insane, crazy stuff here on a regular basis and we have determined that they rarely die.  Six year old kids driving ATVs,  people with trampolines on the roofs of their houses, dogs running loose darting across the carretera, old people walking on cobblestones in the dark.  Most live to see another day.  So have we...thus far.

4)  When meeting new people we do not ask, "So, what do you do?" which was the defining question in our old life.  This is because people here, by and large, "do" nothing.  It is also because we think that if you DO ask them, about 35% of the people just make it up.  "Oh, yes I was an astronaut before I opened a Cross Fit Gym."

5) Our sense of time has been altered.  Mexican time is a fluid thing.  For the first two years we were early for everything and frustrated by every missed deadline or commitment a Mexican person made. We're mostly over it.  In fact, we're starting to do it too.

Other than those rather superficial issues we are just the same as in the States.  Sorry to disappoint.

Going to the Birds

One of the activities that Michael enjoys (which Deirdre does not) is kayaking on Lake Chapala. It is interesting to see the lake in the different seasons and at its different levels. Because of bushes and reeds growing several yards from shore, birds have found a sanctuary of sorts. Neotropic cormorants set up a rookery in the bushes by the hundreds to build nests and raise their young. Herons and egrets also found this to be a great nesting site as well.

A lot of birds find the climate of the lake in winter much better than their northern climes, so the original snow birds come to escape the harsh northern winters. The white pelicans are the most numerous, but in exploring the shore line of the lake several other birds have been spotted. One of these is not even supposed to be here, but the word of our excellent climate must have prompted this one to come. The following photos will show some of our feathered friends who have decided to come for the winter.

A great blue heron perched on a stump in the lake.

The great blue heron in flight.

A neotropic cormorant with its young peeking out of the nest.

A black-crowned night heron, perched on a reed.

This black-crowned night heron caught a fish and is now trying to figure out how to eat it.

A pair of fulvous whistling-ducks 

A tricolored heron hanging out in the bushes off shore.

A pair of northern shovelers.

More northern shovelers with an American avocet to the right.

These American coots are swimming away from the horse who decided to join them.

This black-necked stilt is wading in the shallows looking for food.

A cinnamon teal.

A pair of American avocets.

A great egret taking off from the lake.

A pair of cinnamon teals.

Gulls (most likely ring-billed gulls) flying over the lake.

A glossy ibis that must be lost (they are not supposed to be here).

Our famous white pelicans who winter here. Although lately some have decided to stay year round.

We've been a bit remiss in the blog publishing department the last several months.  We have been SO busy.  And now, another hiatus is in the offing.  We leave on April 23 for LA for a few days followed by a trip to China and Tibet.  We'll be back mid-May and promise to blog whatever adventures/misadventures we experience.  Should be interesting. Well, maybe. In the meantime, enjoy Spring to its fullest and let us know what you are up to. Take care. 

Mezcala and More

A Trip to Mezcala 

When Ginny and Gary suggested a trip to Mezcala we were all in.  We'd driven through the little town about 15 km (see I'm thinking metric after only THREE years) east of Chapala but never dawdled-- much less taken a boat ride to the island of, of course, Mezcala.  There are many interesting facets of Mezcala, some of which I will enumerate now:

1) It is where Mezcal, a strong drink much like Tequila --but fermented not distilled-- originated before the Spaniards arrived;
2) Mezcal was well loved by the denizens but made them violent drunks and they killed each other with abandon, forcing authorities to ban mezcal in the town;
3) This made them even grouchier and now they smile very little;
4) Our guide from Chapala regaled us with tales of how, as a teen, he would ride his horse to Mezcala and they would throw rocks at him;
5) The small, but interesting museum had fascinating artifacts which, in retrospect, overwhelmingly had to do with killing others by numerous methods at various points in time.

So, with that profile of the town and its denizens in mind, we will continue on to the history of Mezcala.  Very, very long ago (no specifics) there were cave dwellers who were also fisherman but probably not farmers.  They could live in caves, yet fish, because the mountains come crashing down on a vertiginous slant into the waters of the lake with nothing like an alluvial plain (that just popped into my head from 6th grade geography).  When bored, they made petroglyphs.  When angry, they killed each other with stone mallets with large indentations looking much like meat tenderizers. Actually, if my translation was correct they WERE  used to tenderize their victims. (See numerous previous entries about cannibalism and eating warriors souls -- I can't go through it again).

Time marches on and the tribes morph into a branch of the Aztecs with their attendant gods, rituals and weapons.  There were MANY rituals involving blood and water (two favorite things).  They had tiny little clay pots and they would hold them below their ear and slice their ear and the blood would run into the pot. They would then take the pots and throw them in the lake with little statues of the fertility god.  I am not exaggerating when I say there are thousands of these in the lake.   We went to a ceremony where they threw 500 back in on just one day.  But I digress.  The Aztecs were famous for their skillful methods of subduing other tribes and sacrificing large numbers.  We move from mallets to various forms of knives as the preferred killing method.

On to the Conquest!  Suffice it to say that the inhabitants disliked the Spanish as much as they disliked everybody else and they were just so much more feisty than the other native inhabitants! Mezcal is, according to our guide, the only part of Mexico that Spain never actually subdued.  Later during the War of Independence, the people of Mezcala held off the Spanish for 4 years using the Island of Mezcala as the point of defense.  The Spanish had 8,000 soldiers, the locals 1,000.  The Spanish brought in 15 warships.  The locals had some pangas and canoes.  The Spaniards had the latest weapons.  Locals had clubs, knives and mezcal.  After four continuous years of fighting (1812-1816) the Spanish just said something like: "Jeeze, these people are nuts.  We're getting nowhere.  Load up as much of that mezcal war juice as we can get on these ships and let's vamoose."  I think that's what they said.  Anyway, the Spanish Crown actually wrote a decree saying the land was theirs, they were autonomous and just stop already.

Fast forward to the Revolution of 1910.  I know the Independence/Revolution thing is confusing here. The only point I  want to make is that it isn't just the Mezcala men who are a bit aggressive.  Ever hear of Adelita?  She led a group of women soldiers (bandoliers strapped over their impressive chests) into battle in support of freedom.  Guess where she is from.  C'mon guess.  Yep, Mezcala. And she only died in the 1980s.  Probably with a gun in her hand.

So, on the boat and off to the island we went.  We were met by a policeman fully rigged out with the requisite weapons, a clipboard to record our entry, and a T shirt that said something like "Cavorting Corpses" on it.  Folks were sitting on logs drinking tequila (how insensitive in mezcal country) and whiling away the afternoon.  I will let the photos do most of the talking but a few quick points:

1)  It was a fort until about 1825 or 1830 (see end of Revolution)
2)  It was a prison from 1830(ish) to 1855 (ish)
3)  It was the Alcatraz of Mexico and all the nastiest characters were housed there
4)  Everybody had a 15-20 lb. iron ball (really) tied on them which made swimming off island more challenging.
5)  The prisoners roamed free but the guards and officers locked themselves into the prison headquarters each night.
6)  It is said that once the Lake waters receded so much that the prisoners just walked off the Island.  Our guide said he didn't believe it.  But I've heard it (and read it) many times.  So, I'm just believing it because I want to.
7)  There are many scorpions there and the guide thoughtfully caught one (pregnant no less), removed the stinger with a stick and displayed it proudly for us to play with.  A fine end to a fine day.

No self respecting Mexican town, no matter how small, is complete without the town plaza with the bandstand and the Catholic church --- in this case one with twin towers.

A fruit stand on saw horses.

Gary, Deirdre, Victor (our guide), Brenda (Victor's wife) and Ginny enjoying birreria and beer.

In Mexico the young are taught the value of work at an early age, even if that requires a chair.

Walking to the panga for our trip to the island.

This tree is called a Palo Blanco and is said to be over three hundred years old.

The roots of the tree cling to the rocks.

And beneath the tree is the ubiquitous altar to the Virgin.

Beneath this Virgin are many local, ancient symbols.

A side view of the chapel on the island, built when the island was a prison.

The ruins of the old barracks walls.

The fort is on the highest point on the island and housed the guards for the prison.

This fort comes complete with a moat and drawbridge.

The interior walls of the fort.

Looking back from the top of the fort to the mainland at "El Crocodillo", because this section of land looks like a crocodile.

From the top of the fort you can see the large shade tree inside the fort.

La Islas Chica next to Mezcala. A single family lives on the island.

These are part of a fish farm pilot project started in Mezcala to raise cat fish.

This was the structure used for solitary confinement, as well as torture.

A scorpion (minus stinger) on our guide Daniel's hand.

A view of Mezcala from the boat on our trip back, with the distinctive twin spires of the church.

Feliz Cumpleaños a Lety

Our friend Lety turned 71 a few weeks back and invited us all to a fiesta where she works.  "She works?" you say. "At 71?" Well, that IS impressive but it's more impressive that she works as a riding instructor on some very spirited steeds. Oh, and Lety kayaks.  Hard. Long distances.  And she teaches that too.  She is cool. The show they put on at the stable (which I would happily live in) was amazing. Photos will do the trick.  I loved the dog that jumped on the cantering horse.  I wonder how many horses died of fright before they found one that would tolerate that sort of thing.

Deirdre posing with one of the horses.

Trompe l'oeil decorated the sides of the building...

as can be seen in these two photos.

Our friend Lety on a Fresian horse.

Lety's students line up before demonstrating their skills.

Lety in the interior ring on another beautiful horse.

The students demonstrate their riding skills as Lety looks on.

Lety again observing her students...

as they demonstrate their jumping skills,

and show that horses can indeed fly.

These next series of photos show a unique ballet with a ballerina, a horse & rider.

A horse balancing on a small platform,

and a rider directing his horse around a pole without using the reins.

Ballet folclorico with a horse...

was also part of the show.

One of the most interesting parts of the whole show...

was this demonstration....

of acrobatics as seen in this series of photos.

And here the dog has jumped on to the back of the horse for a free ride around the ring.

The ballerina returns in a new costume...

and poses with the dog.

Finally Lety speaks after everyone has wished her feliz compleanos...

and receives applause from all present, including the performers.

The Chili Cook- Off

It's a three day event for charity with contests for chili and margaritas and bands and artisans held in a '60ish water park (Tobolandia -- great name).  Amusingly, they didn't close the water park so you had geriatrics swilling margaritas while sopping wet kids were racing by with tubes to throw themselves into the Lazy River. It's pretty much chaos but diverting.  Our Doctor was one of the emcees which is just the way it is down here where mingling between doctors and patients is not regarded as the eighth deadly sin.  Just Chillin' -- our new neighborhood go to bar/bistro won the margarita contest with their superb Huggy Margarita and we all rejoiced.  They had been robbed and vandalized a couple of weeks before (competitors? extortion? quien sabe) but the plucky trio of thirty something owners were back up and running in a day.  The Gringo community stood beside them and have flocked in large numbers since "the event".  We may tolerate graft, corruption and moral ambiguity in other areas of our ex-pat lives but do NOT screw with our neighborhood bar.

The Sisters of Just Chillin' -- They won!

Santiago (our Dr,) and Chuck (former voice of the '49ers) emceed the event

You CAN have a chili cook off and water park functioning simultaneously

Purely Purim

Patty and Avrum invited us to the Purim party at the synagogue saying, "Oh, you'll love it.  There is a lot of cross dressing and it's the only time in the year when Jews get drunk."  Well.  That was intriguing so off we went.  The Kick Off was the play -- the religious basis of which is well known to most Jewish people and the rest of you can look it up.  This was where the cross dressing came in.  Esther was a male named Michael Sullivan (don't ask how He ended up in a synagogue) and his wife was the male lead.  The same gender reversal permeated the rest of the play.  It was, I believe, loosely based on Guys and Dolls.  They had rehearsed strenuously for one hour a day for TWO WHOLE days and the results were as you might imagine.  But positive reviews were not the driving force here.  Let me regale you with some of the original lyrics our pals concocted:

"When you see a mensch sitting on a park bench,
With more Manischewitz wine than at Pesach time
Ad lo dada or sh'lach manos, I'm giving it to you honest
You can tell that it's Purim time in Adar."

I have no idea what that means.  But the food, as usual, was great and company excellent.  No one was drunk by Anglo/Irish standards.  Looking forward to the next religious event that I barely understand but enjoy immensely.

The plunger was a nice touch.

With two hours of rehearsal memorization did not appear to be an option

We felt Joe, normally macho, was quite fetching

We don't think piñatas are central to Purim but quien sabe?

Yep.  Michael Sullivan in the floppy hat.  

Told you he was fetching.

House Tour

We set off on the house tour with Ginny and Gary and we were all very excited because the Taj Mahal had finally been included.  Well, not the real one.  But everyone calls it that-- which it really isn't-- because it really looks more Middle Eastern.  I was sure Iranians had built it because you see such things (regrettably) a lot in L.A. with big lions out front.  But I am getting carried away.  Let's go in order.

House #1 - Joan and Howard's House

It's always fun when you end up at the house of friends.  Which we did with house #1.  It is beautiful but the story of how Joan and Howard ended up there is better.  A couple lives in a monastery (oldest house in Ajijic) but decides to build a new house and move into it and sell the monastery.  Joan and Howard buy a house.  Then the monastery couple decides to stay in the monastery and rent the house. They ask Joan and Howard if they want to rent their new house and because it is so super (more super than the one they just bought) they move into the rental and rent the house they just bought.  So Ajijic.

Howard ushers us in 

Amazing lake views for everywhere which we somehow failed to capture

Joan welcomes Gary and Ginny

Incredible art and folk art.

Sunny, sunny kitchen

House #2 - The Taj Mahal

OK.  Just look at this thing.  It does not belong here.  It probably does not belong anywhere --but it is interesting in a peculiar way.  It is for sale.  When we moved here it was for sale for over a million.  It is now for sale for $750K.  The real estate agent, when pressed to provide attractive selling features, could only come up with "well the foundation alone is worth $500K".  Turns out the people who built it were Americans who "had traveled widely". Oh well.

Behold the Taj!

Everything had that air of 50s tiredness -- well the patterned slat blinds conjured the 70s

I will give it views.

Less than handicapped accessible 

Words fail me....

It reminded me of an architectural wedding cake

Yep.  Heart shaped.

House #3 -La Floresta

This was a relatively newly built house.  It was on the market when we were looking for about $700K.  It was really well laid out but it was kind of dark inside (the bane of houses with little/no side lots).

Guess the owners are Canadian, eh?

That isn't a casita at the end of the pool but a wall -- clever, huh?  I mean eh?

Very nice kitchen

No.  It is not an observatory.

They have a wine cellar.  A real one where you walk down and there is a table with chairs et al.  Cool

House #4-  Our Nostalgic Favorite

This house was right in the Village and reminded me in some ways of the house we rented before we bought.  True, it did not have a giant mirror on the ceiling over the master bed or an 8 person jacuzzi in the master bath but it did have a huge lot and was of the same age (but more appealing architecture).  It was the kind of place where you could picture vintage country weekend parties with people lolling around the tennis courts in whites while others sat on the lawn sipping gimlets. God, I'd love to do that!

Imagine my shock when I discovered OUR lawn furniture at this alien house.  Michael and I had it made
in Tonala for our rental house.  The rental house owner paid for it and then sold it!  I don't know why,
but I feel aggrieved.

Now that is a yard begging for a croquet party.

Weekend house parties, people in whites, croquet mallets over shoulders, sipping cocktails -- can't you see it?

Perhaps my least favorite ever Ajijic mural.  It looks like he's trying to net the cows.

Good mountain views, no lake views, note tennis court

The old swimming pools were REALLY deep.  I don't know why.

Once again, we have rambled on too long.  It's just that a lot of stuff happens.  Thankfully.  Only a little bit of winter left.  Be brave our northern friends.