# Chapala cons



## lasmsp2mx (Jun 18, 2010)

I have heard nothing but the most wonderful things about the Lake Chapala area. I would love to know the little or big things about it that some might not like or might have problems with. I doubt it will change my mind about wanting to move to Chapala, just curious.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

lasmsp2mx said:


> I have heard nothing but the most wonderful things about the Lake Chapala area. I would love to know the little or big things about it that some might not like or might have problems with. I doubt it will change my mind about wanting to move to Chapala, just curious.


I hesitate to respond to this, especially with all the Chapala fans around. But I will tell you why I prefer to live in Guadalajara instead of Chapala and from that you can infer what I see as two disadvantages of Chapala.

1) The towns around the lake are pretty small. If you are interested in big city activities a drive to Gdl is required. For example, the New York Met Opera broadcasts, Live in HD, are transmitted to a theater in Gdl. There is a symphony and a theater that shows foreign films and a large collection of international restaurants. Whether these things are important, and how close you want to be to them are a personal decision. Really not a disadvantage of Chapala, more a decision about whether you like the countryside, small towns or big cities. Even Guadalajara is really a small town and a trip to Mexico City is required for the feel of a truly big city.

2) Foreigners are pretty much lost in the population of Guadalajara. I rarely meet native English speakers on the street. I like the atmosphere and feel it helps my acquisition of Spanish, which needs lots of help incidentally. Again it is either a disadvantage or advantage depending on your preference. Also there are probably towns on the lake without the dominant population of US and Canadians that appear to me to characterize Ajijic.

PS At first I thought you were asking about Chapala convicts and wondered what that was all about. I am glad to see I misread the title.


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## lasmsp2mx (Jun 18, 2010)

TundraGreen said:


> I hesitate to respond to this, especially with all the Chapala fans around. But I will tell you why I prefer to live in Guadalajara instead of Chapala and from that you can infer what I see as two disadvantages of Chapala.
> 
> 1) The towns around the lake are pretty small. If you are interested in big city activities a drive to Gdl is required. For example, the New York Met Opera broadcasts, Live in HD, are transmitted to a theater in Gdl. There is a symphony and a theater that shows foreign films and a large collection of international restaurants. Whether these things are important, and how close you want to be to them are a personal decision. Really not a disadvantage of Chapala, more a decision about whether you like the countryside, small towns or big cities. Even Guadalajara is really a small town and a trip to Mexico City is required for the feel of a truly big city.
> 
> ...


I am laughing so hard right now. Maybe I should change the title.
I have talked to you before. I have been to Guadalajara twice before. Shopping...and that was all. I never got a chance to see much of it. Would very much like to. We shopped mostly at (where you live) I can't spell it. I thought it was beautiful and the weather was wonderful. I was there in the fall several years ago. Thanks for your imput.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

lasmsp2mx said:


> I am laughing so hard right now. Maybe I should change the title.
> I have talked to you before. I have been to Guadalajara twice before. Shopping...and that was all. I never got a chance to see much of it. Would very much like to. We shopped mostly at (where you live) I can't spell it. I thought it was beautiful and the weather was wonderful. I was there in the fall several years ago. Thanks for your imput.


If you can't spell it and were shopping there, it was probably Tlaquepaque. I actually live in Centro, about a km west of the cathedral.


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## lasmsp2mx (Jun 18, 2010)

TundraGreen said:


> If you can't spell it and were shopping there, it was probably Tlaquepaque. I actually live in Centro, about a km west of the cathedral.


You are right it was Tlaquepaque. It must have been someone else who was on the same thread as I was. She had bought a house in Tlaquepaque and lived alone. She liked Guadalajara also because of all the stuff she could do there.


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## ASL (Apr 24, 2011)

Chapala cons...

I too, wondered if it wasn't some reference to nefarious characters -- of which there are a few!

As TundraGreen responded -- this is a small area. Ajijic is truly a village. If you like that atmostphere, it's wonderful. I prefer to live a bit outside the fray.

The good -- access to a lot of services and amenities, friendly people, a ready-made community of english-speakers, ease of transition to expat life, beauty, lots of resources to helpful information in english.

The cons -- it is an expensive area of Mexico, petty crime, small town atmosphere (if you emesh yourself in it), perhaps slightly higher expectations of it being like NOB simply because there are so many expats, services, and amenities here, more complaining expats than elsewhere in Mexico, higher ****** prices than Mexicans charge elsewhere.

All in all, it is a great place to live. Are there drawbacks? Sure. Are there drawbacks to anywhere? Sure.


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## conklinwh (Dec 19, 2009)

Everything I've heard about the Lake Chapala area is that it is a very easy way to transition to Mexico, has a great climate, an active expat population and the lake. We never considered it as an option because it just didn't have the history and stark beauty of the mining areas of the state of Guanajuato and the Sierra Gordas. My wife is a painter and I am a history buff so pretty natural that we initially transitioned by renting in San Miguel. We never regretted it but when we looked to buy, we actually wanted to get out of the "city" with all the noise, crowds, traffic and yes gringos. We ended up in an historic mining town of about 3K people and 20 full time/50 part time expat residents 45 min from San Miguel & Queretaro. My wife paints in a reconstructed adobe/caliche studio and I explore the mines scattered throughout the hills with my two dogs.
One thing I've found is that there are almost unlimited great living options and an advocate for each one. You must decide what is best for you and the only way is to rent in one or more options, multiple seasons if possible, and decide what works for you.


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## lasmsp2mx (Jun 18, 2010)

Thanks everyone for your input.


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