Ajijic, Mexico Sept 1-Nov 4, 2022

Ajijic is a lovely lakeside town of about 11,000 people located on the shores of Lake Chapala, the largest lake in Mexico. It is a friendly community, with both locals and expats sharing farmers markets, holiday celebrations and wonderful dining opportunities. The city has many art galleries, yet the true art is displayed in the city itself.

Robin loved the crew at Scantto’s Deli where she had the best potato soup.

Robin and I became close with Benjamin at our local store.

Barn swallow and Snowy Egret

Art of Ajijic

Celebrations & Performances

Mexico loves to celebrate! We were here for all of the Independence Day celebrations (Sept 16th), the Hot Air Balloon Regatta (small balloons) as well as the Day of the Dead. The central Plaza is the hub of all the gatherings with musicians, vendors, food, parades, families and fun. The Lake Chapala Society hosts amazing music performances throughout the year and we made it to several.

Karen and David

Through a serendipitous blessing, we were able to connect with some family we had never met. Karen is the cousin of my brother in law, Charlie Hoehn. She and her husband, David, have lived in Ajijic for 11 years. We toured their beautiful home in the La Floresta area. We went out dancing a few times, as well as dining , saw a musical performance, explored the Andares Mall in Guadalajara, and spent Day of the Dead together. Fun, active people, it was a pleasure to connect. Their dog, Taco, is a very pleasant and well behaved fellow.

Taco

Jocotepec

We took a fun day trip by bus to a neighboring town, Jocotepec. We were joined by new friends, Ted, Maria and Bruce. It has a glorious, scenic malecon with loads of water birds. We ate birria for lunch at the central Plaza.

Monica comes to visit

My OVS high school classmate, Monica, came to visit us. It was a whirlwind 3-4 days of walking, dining and exploring. She may end up living here at some point in the future and this trip helped her get a feel for the area.

Wonderful Food!!!

Guadalajara Zoo

The Zoo is an hour and a half drive from Ajijic, so we took the long cab ride. We spent 5 hours, walking 15,000 + steps. We rode the skyway upon entering to get to the far end of the zoo where there were very few people. Later we rode the safari mobile that took you in with the animals. At the end we rode the train to see the last sections of the Zoo. Our favorite part was feeding the lorakeets.

Tlaquepaque

What a fun adventure, plus I like to say Tlaquepaque ( tah lah key pah key). A suburb of Guadalajara, it has several paseos that are closed to car traffic. Many shops and dining establishments as well as incredible preparations for Day of the Dead.

Spa Termal Tlalocan (Hotel Balneario)

Located down the road in San Juan Cosalá, the thermal spa was incredible. You spend 20 minutes in each of 6 baths. Apple cider vinegar, floral hibiscus, salt and minerals, coffee, oatmeal and the final bath is a rinse after applying mud to your face and body and letting it dry. Then you have aromatherapy inhalation, steam bath with eucalyptus leaves,the cool pool walk thru and ends with the reflexology walk on cobblestones. The large pools are 95F+.

Day of the Dead

Day of the Dead is an incredible holiday with no equal in the US. The Angelito’s (children) are celebrated on Nov 1st and older family members Nov 2nd. The altars are created by family members and can be very intricate. Many leave beers, cokes, meals or cigarettes as favorites for the deceased. On the 1st, Karen and David took us on a tour of Ixtlahuacán de Los Membrillos, a small town nearby. After lunch, we stopped at the orphanage they support and brought some second hand clothes for the kids.

On the 2nd, we went to the Ajijic Plaza and watched the parade and then the candle lighting at the Muro de Los Muertos (wall of the dead).

At the orphanage that Karen and David sponsor

Ajijic will always hold a special place in our hearts. The friendly people, wonderful traditions, excellent food and markets, plus the amazing celebrations make this a must return location. Next time we will fly into Guadalajara and stay for a week to see the zoo and the museums, as well as the historical center (where we will stay the first 4 nights) and then move to Tlaquepaque for the remainder of the week. Then we plan on at least a month in Ajijic Centro this next time. We miss our friends, the dining establishments, the thermal baths and the lovely weather.