# Looking to visit Guadalajara Lake Chapala area



## dynakore (Jan 24, 2013)

I heard many americans retire around this lake chapalwal place called Ajjic?

Anyone already there retired looking to show someone who isn't ready to retire the ropes?? i am interested starting a small business before i retire here.
<snip>

thnaks.

i am in my 40's


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## sparks (Jun 17, 2007)

I think lake chalpalwal is in northern Minnesota


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

dynakore said:


> I heard many americans retire around this lake chapalwal place called Ajjic?
> 
> Anyone already there retired looking to show someone who isn't ready to retire the ropes?? i am interested starting a small business before i retire here.
> 
> ...


Welcome to the forum. The lake in question is called Chapala.

It's against forum rules for members to post personal emails or SKYPE ID's, but one you have made five posts, you'll be able to contact members using the private message function.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

sparks said:


> I think lake chalpalwal is in northern Minnesota


Surely you jest, sparks!


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

Sparks has a good ear for indigenous language, Chapalwal sound like it would be around Minesota. Chapala sounds vey flat in comparaison..
Yes they are many Canadians and Americans living in Ajijic and around Lake Chapala in various town and villages.
Please do not even think of opening a restaurant, we have too many and they all take turns at going under! Think if something we need and can afford.


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## lagoloo (Apr 12, 2011)

Lake Chapala is a 55 mile long body of water and the surrounding area is beautiful and green.

I'm going to quote what most people in California used to say about moving to the beautiful northern part of the state:
"Bring all the money you'll ever need with you when you go, because making any after you get there will be very, very difficult".

And Citlali has it right: Don't consider opening a restaurant. The people I know who headed to Mexico in their 40's and early 50's usually had made arrangements with U.S. companies to telecommute. Another managed to scrape by as a day trader. The most successful one is an actuary working for her old employer.
Welcome and good luck. Do lots of research.


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## Looking for My Spot (Feb 17, 2015)

Lived in Ajijic for a while. Nice quiet place with a lot of retirees from all over. You will have a lot of competition in the restaurant business. Lots of good restaurants with very reasonable prices. Most being Mexican owned.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

Why does everyone assume the OP is thinking of opening a restaurant in Ajijic?


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## sparks (Jun 17, 2007)

dynakore said:


> i am interested starting a small business before i retire here


Did you misstate that? Start a business here before you retire there? Absentee business is a sure recipe for disaster


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

sparks said:


> Did you misstate that? Start a business here before you retire there? Absentee business is a sure recipe for disaster


Maybe he meant start a business here and live here and then retire here.


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## lagoloo (Apr 12, 2011)

He never suggested he was going to try a restaurant business.

I gather from what he said that he wanted to start a business in Mexico, and since he's way too young to retire now (in his 40's), he would like to stay and retire there someday.

Sometimes we need to read the O/P more carefully before responding, si?


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## coondawg (May 1, 2014)

Just seems to me that if he wanted to make money, it would be easier NOB.


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## lagoloo (Apr 12, 2011)

Of course it would, and he's probably aware of that.

What he says he wants to do is live in Mexico, si?


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## HolyMole (Jan 3, 2009)

lagoloo said:


> He never suggested he was going to try a restaurant business.
> 
> I gather from what he said that he wanted to start a business in Mexico, and since he's way too young to retire now (in his 40's), he would like to stay and retire there someday.
> 
> Sometimes we need to read the O/P more carefully before responding, si?


I agree, but the first level of responsibility for clarity lies with the OP - and the only thing that was clear about this original post was that he (she?) hadn't done any homework whatsoever before posting.


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## lagoloo (Apr 12, 2011)

HolyMole said:


> I agree, but the first level of responsibility for clarity lies with the OP - and the only thing that was clear about this original post was that he (she?) hadn't done any homework whatsoever before posting.


True enough, but dontcha' know.........WE were supposed to be the homework.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

Since there was no question about a visa, maybe he is just a troll.


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## Herbie (May 15, 2015)

Holy Mackerel, poor Dynakote sure got flamed on his/her very first post. It appears that he/she didn't bother coming back. From what I read of the post it required a bit more information before any of the assumptions could be made, but maybe that's just me.

BTW, this is my very first post so flame away. There's nothing like being made to feel welcome when you step into a new online forum.


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## lagoloo (Apr 12, 2011)

Herbie, you are welcome on this board, and most of the posters are pretty tolerant, but if you take another look at that original post, your own b.s. detector may start squalling "troll".

When people frame reasonable and limited questions presented in a straight forward manner, they most often get polite and helpful responses. We do, however, have a few smartasses on here, as do nearly all web boards, so don't take the rude ones seriously.


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## Longford (May 25, 2012)

Herbie said:


> Holy Mackerel, poor Dynakote sure got flamed on his/her very first post.


:welcome: to the Mexico forum.

If you think the OP was flamed, then I'm going to suggest you haven't been around web forums for very long. The commentary has been relatively mild-mannered. 

Question for you: Are you the OP, using a new name ... or did you join today just to respond to this particular discussion because it's the most interesting of all that are active at the moment? :confused2:

Thanks.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

Longford said:


> :welcome: to the Mexico forum.
> 
> If you think the OP was flamed, then I'm going to suggest you haven't been around web forums for very long. The commentary has been relatively mild-mannered.
> 
> ...


I find it odd that Herbie chose to reopen a thread that's been inactive for 3 months.


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## JeriLyn (May 8, 2015)

Isla Verde said:


> I find it odd that Herbie chose to reopen a thread that's been inactive for 3 months.


Its what some of us newbies do ... read old thread to learn, for myself different locals interest me. And sometimes it is awfully tempting to respond to the sarcasm or accusatory type comments 

The title of this thread would have interested me, but the content was mostly disappointing, I don't understand why people respond just to be crotchety, two pages of responses and just a smattering of information.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

JeriLyn said:


> Its what some of us newbies do ... read old thread to learn, for myself different locals interest me. And sometimes it is awfully tempting to respond to the sarcasm or accusatory type comments
> 
> The title of this thread would have interested me, but the content was mostly disappointing, I don't understand why people respond just to be crotchety, two pages of responses and just a smattering of information.


For most of the people reading this forum, it is not a place to post and answer questions. It is a place to come for interesting conversations. Questions or requests for help are merely starting points for a conversation. Sometimes that conversation is related to or answers the original question. Quite often it diverges into other topics that may or may not have much to do with the original question. 

I understand that that can be frustrating to newcomers. However, it is what keeps many people reading. If the forum was solely a place for posting and answering questions, no one would stick around for very long and there would be no one to answer question. So the random nature of responses may be frustrating for newcomers but it is the main reason there is anyone around to answer newcomer questions at all.


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## Herbie (May 15, 2015)

Longford said:


> :welcome: to the Mexico forum.
> 
> If you think the OP was flamed, then I'm going to suggest you haven't been around web forums for very long. The commentary has been relatively mild-mannered.
> 
> ...


I'm a member of several boards stateside and have been so for many years, but in all honesty this forum has a slightly different look and feel to that which I'm accustomed.

I would think my writing style alone would be a dead giveaway that I'm not the OP with a new name. I joined today because I've been looking at the Lake Chapala area, or is it Chapalwa? Sorry, I couldn't resist. Specifically Ajijic, based on my research there's supposed to be a decent artist based community in Ajijic. However, to me the most attractive feature of the area is the climate.


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## Herbie (May 15, 2015)

Isla Verde said:


> I find it odd that Herbie chose to reopen a thread that's been inactive for 3 months.


Sorry Isla Verde, a newbie mistake, I'll have to pay closer attention to how things work in this forum. That said, it was my very first post.

What brought me to this specific thread was the Lake Chapala part of the title, which oddly enough he/she spelled correctly in the title box.

Isla Verde, I do have to give you credit for being the voice of reason throughout this thread. My hat is off to you.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

Herbie said:


> Sorry Isla Verde, a newbie mistake, I'll have to pay closer attention to how things work in this forum. That said, it was my very first post.
> 
> What brought me to this specific thread was the Lake Chapala part of the title, which oddly enough he/she spelled correctly in the title box.
> 
> Isla Verde, I do have to give you credit for being the voice of reason throughout this thread. My hat is off to you.


Why, thank you very much, Herbie. I do my best to help keep things civilized on the forum, though sometimes I do slip up.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

Herbie said:


> I'm a member of several boards stateside and have been so for many years, but in all honesty this forum has a slightly different look and feel to that which I'm accustomed.


Speaking as a forum member and moderator, I am curious to know how this one differs from others you've participated in.


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## Herbie (May 15, 2015)

Isla Verde said:


> Speaking as a forum member and moderator, I am curious to know how this one differs from others you've participated in.


The look and feel is a bit different. I belong to several motorcycle forums/boards and at least 3 of them apparently use the same program. For example, I supposedly have a new message on this forum but I'm not sure how to get to it. However, when I joined the forum today I remember reading something about having limited access to certain features until I post a certain number of times. Maybe that's why.

I also belong to a couple sailing/boating forums, various car/truck forums, artist based, etc., etc. Many have a similar look and feel.

This Expat forum appears to be a huge forum with many sub-parts. That alone could account for some of the differences.


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## JeriLyn (May 8, 2015)

TundraGreen said:


> For most of the people reading this forum, it is not a place to post and answer questions. It is a place to come for interesting conversations. Questions or requests for help are merely starting points for a conversation. Sometimes that conversation is related to or answers the original question. Quite often it diverges into other topics that may or may not have much to do with the original question.
> 
> I understand that that can be frustrating to newcomers. However, it is what keeps many people reading. If the forum was solely a place for posting and answering questions, no one would stick around for very long and there would be no one to answer question. So the random nature of responses may be frustrating for newcomers but it is the main reason there is anyone around to answer newcomer questions at all.


I do so appreciate the folks who answer the questions, I have learned so much by reading different forums, and have been entertained by a meandering thread or two, 
And even tho I might be bothered by some occasional crotchetyness, gotta agree this is a pretty good forum ~ Sometimes forget to tell people the good with the bad, sorry for the omission, now carry on


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## lagoloo (Apr 12, 2011)

I am sometimes annoyed at the amount of political ranting that goes on here, BUT I fully appreciate the ranters being given the freedom to do so on this forum. Not so on some other forums.
So....carry on, mods. You're doing a great job.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

lagoloo said:


> I am sometimes annoyed at the amount of political ranting that goes on here, BUT I fully appreciate the ranters being given the freedom to do so on this forum. Not so on some other forums.
> So....carry on, mods. You're doing a great job.


Political ranting is usually ok. What isn't ok is nasty personal jabs at other forum members because of the opinions they hold. Check out the Expat Forum Rules: http://www.expatforum.com/expats/general-expat-discussions/2397-forum-rules.html

TG and I appreciate the :thumb: !


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## coondawg (May 1, 2014)

Anyone have any current information on the "fire fight" that evidently took place in Chapala in the early hours today? Also heard a motorcycle was on fire. ???


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## maesonna (Jun 10, 2008)

Herbie said:


> Sorry Isla Verde, a newbie mistake, I'll have to pay closer attention to how things work in this forum.


 No problem, and it wasn’t necessarily a mistake. If people jump in and ask questions that have frequently been asked and answered already, they just might get chided for not reading the archives before asking. So I don’t think you were acting counter to established custom at all.


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## Waller52 (Jun 17, 2015)

Isla Verde said:


> Why does everyone assume the OP is thinking of opening a restaurant in Ajijic?


Snuggling up in hopes of free food?


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