# A mini-vacation for Isla Verde



## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

After many years of living and traveling in Mexico, I´m finally going to visit the Lake Chapala region, staying in Chapala and visiting Ajijic over the Día de muertos holiday. I'm leaving tomorrow and will be back in the DF next Tuesday. The Expat Forum Super-Mods will be checking in from time to time while I'm away in case any problems arise.


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## Revchico (Oct 21, 2013)

*Isla*



Isla Verde said:


> After many years of living and traveling in Mexico, I´m finally going to visit the Lake Chapala region, staying in Chapala and visiting Ajijic over the Día de muertos holiday. I'm leaving tomorrow and will be back in the DF next Tuesday. The Expat Forum Super-Mods will be checking in from time to time while I'm away in case any problems arise.


Great. Have a pleasant trip. Will be praying that all goes well


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

Revchico said:


> Great. Have a pleasant trip. Will be praying that all goes well


Thanks, Rev.


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## Detailman (Aug 27, 2011)

Isla Verde said:


> After many years of living and traveling in Mexico, I´m finally going to visit the Lake Chapala region, staying in Chapala and visiting Ajijic over the Día de muertos holiday. I'm leaving tomorrow and will be back in the DF next Tuesday. The Expat Forum Super-Mods will be checking in from time to time while I'm away in case any problems arise.


Somewhat smaller than DF  but you will find that as you walk the streets you will bump into expats on almost every block you walk. (Some like that, some don't.)

BUT, I will say that I found the expats very friendly and helpful. My wife and I were invited to people's homes for drinks and appys, BBQ's, etc. while meeting them on the street for the first time or at other places where we knew nobody.

That is unusual but it might have something to do with my wife who is the most outgoing person you ever met.  (I am more reticent.)

ENJOY. Hope you get a chance to meet up with some of the regular posters that live there. There are quite a number.

Now that we know you are going there we will expect your impressions of Lakeside.  (FHBoy style)


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

Detailman said:


> Somewhat smaller than DF  but you will find that as you walk the streets you will bump into expats on almost every block you walk. (Some like that, some don't.)
> 
> BUT, I will say that I found the expats very friendly and helpful. My wife and I were invited to people's homes for drinks and appys, BBQ's, etc. while meeting them on the street for the first time or at other places where we knew nobody.
> 
> ...


I'm not used to spending time in Mexico in places where there are lots of expats, but it can be useful when you're visiting a place for the first time. I will be staying with one of our regular posters and his wife in Chapala and hope to visit my old friends Hound Dog and citlali in Ajijic. Any suggestions of other places to visit are most welcome! Speaking of old friends, whatever has happened to FHBOY?


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## Detailman (Aug 27, 2011)

Isla Verde said:


> I'm not used to spending time in Mexico in places where there are lots of expats, but it can be useful when you're visiting a place for the first time. I will be staying with one of our regular posters and his wife in Chapala and hope to visit my old friends Hound Dog and citlali in Ajijic. Any suggestions of other places to visit are most welcome! Speaking of old friends, whatever has happened to FHBOY?


I have wondered that myself. Personal opinion is that he has now integrated into the local climate and has found many things to get involved in to contribute to the area.

No inside knowledge. Just a guess based on an opinion of his personality. (A favorable opinion I might add.)

Am I right FHBoy? I know you are watching -- and listening!!


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

Guadalajara , Tlaquepaque, Tonala, the ruins at Guachimontones , a trip to Mezcala Island maybe fun. Could even take a train or a bus to Tequila!!
As far as seeing expats on every block , it all depends where you go. I really see any and learned Spanish in Ajijic, it all depends where you go and whom you associate with.


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## GARYJ65 (Feb 9, 2013)

Have a great mini vacation Isla!
Take pictures if you can!


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

I think she must be airborne about now, since we expect her to touch down in about an hour and arrive in Chapala shortly thereafter. Should we try to round up some expats to line the sidewalks as she enters town?


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## ElPaso2012 (Dec 16, 2012)

Isla Verde said:


> After many years of living and traveling in Mexico, I´m finally going to visit the Lake Chapala region, staying in Chapala and visiting Ajijic over the Día de muertos holiday. I'm leaving tomorrow and will be back in the DF next Tuesday. The Expat Forum Super-Mods will be checking in from time to time while I'm away in case any problems arise.


I hope you have a wonderful time.


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## Hound Dog (Jan 18, 2009)

I must say, Isla that citlali an I look forward to seeing you while you are in the Chapala area. I don´t know what your plans are but, as we live a couple of blocks from the Ajijic Panteon, we usually walk to the panteon among primarily locals (few if any tourists to overwhelm the event like in Pátzcuaro) for the Day of the Dead festivities there including quite a song and dance show and refreshment booths on the panteon road as well as locals celebrating at colorful gravesites. Of course, there is much more going on in Chapala but we are so close to the panteon in Ajijic, we are just drawn there on the day of the dead and walk there to enjoy all of the alters along the road from Central Seis Esquinas. Of course, you and your hosts are welcome to join us if you wish but feel no obligation to do so if you have other plans. This is just an informal stroll and nothing more.

Just for the record for those of you participating in this thread who have commented that residing in the "Lakeside" community which stretches roughly along the northern lakeshore from the Poncitlan Municipality line to west of the town of Jocopetec (about 25 miles on a huge lake perhaps 50 miles in length and as wide at 12 miles at some point) , means being surrounded by myriad expats and their expat oriented social and civic clubs, cultural events and ongoing party circuits, let me assure you that you will find a very active expat community around here but you are free to join in their activities or avoid them if that is your preference. As I have previously stated, we have lived at Lake Chapala for about 13 years and hardly ever even see expats except occasionally passing in the streets or the malecon or dining in the same restaurant and we engage in none of the organized expat activities (except the Feria Maestros Del Arte held annually in Chapala which has significant expat participation) but that is just our choice. If one is the gregarious or socially committed type seeking expat community activities whether civic, charitable or social, the expat community at "Lakeside" could not be more accepting of newbies wishing to join in. However, there is no community pressure whatsoever to do so. Personally, I prefer the company of dawgs to humans but I must admit that hiking with dogs on beaches while throwing branches into the lake for them to fetch is a solitary but not high calling.


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## emilybcruz (Oct 29, 2013)

Enjoy!


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## surfrider (Oct 4, 2011)

If you like lamb = go to Toni's on Sunday he cooks it up outside and it is great - Have a wonderful trip - it is a wonderful place/ Boys cooking chicken on the main road by wall mart in San Antonio - is wonderful. Enjoy Enjoy Enjoy and rest - rest - party - and rest You go girl.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

Thans we have been buying lamb there for many years and we cook it at home.
Tony and lamb are linked for us as when we first got here it was very diificult to get lamb, we got it in Jocotepec during theier fiesta and sometimes at Tony´s but it was really a hit and miss. We happen to love lamb and eat it regularly so we asked Tony to carry it on a regulat basis. His answer was " no I do not want to carry it because it does not sell and when I get some it runs out too fast"...
We thought that was a classic.
Now several stores have it and ther eis Costco in Guadalajara so we can get it easily..


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

I'm back! Hope you all were on your good behavior while I was enjoying myself on the shores of Lake Chapala.


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## Detailman (Aug 27, 2011)

Isla Verde said:


> I'm back! Hope you all were on your good behavior while I was enjoying myself on the shores of Lake Chapala.


Other than tear apart a few newbies, I think we were pretty good.

What is your opinion of Lakeside?


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

Detailman said:


> Other than tear apart a few newbies, I think we were pretty good.
> 
> What is your opinion of Lakeside?


Keep in mind that I was only there for six days. Even though the lake has sadly dwindled in size, I enjoyed taking walks along the beautiful new malecón, where I also took some great photos of the sky and water as the sun was setting. Even in Chapala, I was surprised at how many Mexicans working in restaurants and stores would greet me in English, not something I enjoy, but it is good for business. Ajijic is lovely, but running into so many expats in the street felt a bit odd, even though they were very friendly to me. Particularly in Chapala, I found even the Mexican food not to my liking, especially the rather mushy and tasteless beans served with everything I ordered (except for hotcakes). Finding a decent cup of coffee there was also almost impossible. I thought the grounds of the Lake Chapala Society were lovely, and I took a couple of photos there. Two highlights of my visit took place in Ajijic: the burning of the "castillos" on the evening of October 30, and my visit (accompanied by citlali) to the cemetery on the evening of Día de muertos. The cobbled streets of both towns were murder on my feet - I can't imagine how elderly expats and Mexicans deal with them on a day to day basis.

I should mention that I thoroughly enjoyed my stay in a guest room in RVGRINGO's lovely home and was blown away by Hound Dog and citlali's beautiful home in Ajijic, where I also enjoyed the best meal I had during my vacation.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

Well thank you Isla Verde..the chicken was overdone and the fish underdone but it was a fun dinner, we enjoyed your company that of your friend and our chatting while waiting for the storm to blow away..Good thing you made it ok back to Chapala or we would have been minus a mod!!


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

citlali said:


> Well thank you Isla Verde..the chicken was overdone and the fish underdone but it was a fun dinner, we enjoyed your company that of your friend and our chatting while waiting for the storm to blow away..Good thing you made it ok back to Chapala or we would have been minus a mod!!


That was indeed<an impressive storm! When the wind started to blow up and the rain began to fall, I was worried that the palapa umbrella over your garden dining table would blow over or at least spring a leak or two. Our ride back to Chapala went smoothly, even though the cobblestoned streets were slick with rain. And here I am again, ready to monitor the postings of present and future expats in Mexico.


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