# Guadalajara Colonias?



## JayKayTee (Apr 21, 2013)

Hi Folks,

I'm a newbie to this forum and have lurked for some weeks. Am coming to Guadalajara next week to check out living and am seeking advice on which colonia to stay during my first weeks as I investigate nearby zones. 

I'm 60, retired scientist/executive, have intermediate-advanced Spanish (spent last 4 years in Buenos Aires), looking for an urban colonia close to shops, cafes, parks/green/water, downtown, classes, buses, bars etc. that has people walking around after 9pm but is not necessarily party-central nor cheap. Ideally well-lit and relatively secure for strolling returning home from dinner at 10pm or an occasional class/event at midnight, without furtively looking over my shoulder.  Ideally near big green space (with water) to run/skate/bike. Something akin to Polanco (or Roma/Condesa) in DF, or to Palermo Botanico (or Recoleta) in Buenos Aires. Have read on this forum bits/pieces about Colonias Americana, Providencia, and Santa Tere. My eventual budget for long-term (rented) housing is ~US$1000-1300/mo. for 60-90 sq.metrs contrafrente, with an eye to later buying something.

I'm now in DF/MexCity for the first time and think it a bit too big and congested/polluted/insecure for my personal taste. Am considering Guad due to its size (big but not too big), climate, great reviews. Hopefully a bit less congested/polluted than DF.

Any advice, thoughts, experiences would be very much appreciated. Sorry my initial post is so long, but couldn't find the info in previous threads and wanted to give (and get) specifics. Feel free to point me to other threads/blogs etc. Thanks! 
- Jim


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## Hound Dog (Jan 18, 2009)

How about starting with referring to your newly designated adopted city, the second city in Mexico and one of its most beautiful if not its most beautiful , as _Guadalajara,_ the Arabic Spanish name this city deserves rather than _Guad _which is the equivalent of the sound a commode makes when the turds are finally flushed after swimming in a circular motion about the toilet bowl before joining their brethren in the nearby river there to be churned into smelly mush and subsequently cleansed more or less for further human consumption. .


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## chicois8 (Aug 8, 2009)

Hound Dog said:


> How about starting with referring to your newly designated adopted city, the second city in Mexico and one of its most beautiful if not its most beautiful , as _Guadalajara,_ the Arabic Spanish name this city deserves rather than _Guad _which is the equivalent of the sound a commode makes when the turds are finally flushed after swimming in a circular motion about the toilet bowl before joining their brethren in the nearby river there to be churned into smelly mush and subsequently cleansed more or less for further human consumption. .



Ahhh, vintage dawg............


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

chicois8 said:


> Ahhh, vintage dawg............


Indeed!


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## JayKayTee (Apr 21, 2013)

OK check, got it. Guadalajara not Guad. Now, about those thoughts/suggestions???
Thx,
Jim


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## circle110 (Jul 20, 2009)

I'd say give the guy a little slack since it's his first post. This forum has wasted a lot more time and energy on obvious trolls. In spite of being a little insensitive he seems perfectly legitimate in his query.

It probably doesn't matter much - I doubt we'll ever hear from the OP again.

Unfortunately, I don't know Guadalajara well enough to offer any useful advice.


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## circle110 (Jul 20, 2009)

Ah, while I was typing my previous post the OP returned!

I was wrong about him disappearing.... good!


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

Guadalajara is now more poluted than Mexico City o it is not a good place to escape poution. There are lots of nice sections but I have no idea where I would walk late at night and fwwl totally safe. Mat want to try somewhere in Europe but even there , there is no guaranty.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

JayKayTee said:


> Hi Folks,
> 
> I'm a newbie to this forum and have lurked for some weeks. Am coming to Guadalajara next week to check out living and am seeking advice on which colonia to stay during my first weeks as I investigate nearby zones.
> 
> ...


If you are looking for areas convenient to night life, the two best choices are probably around Chapultepec (Americas) and Providencia. Both are perfectly safe to walk around in at night. I have walked home through both after midnight alone with no qualms. Your budget (11,000-13,000 pesos) will rent you really elegant digs in all but the most exclusive areas. I have a friend who pays 7000 pesos for a brand new fully furnished apartment in Chapalita and everyone who hears about it thinks he is paying too much. Santa Tere is a more traditional neighborhood with a great mercado for shopping. It is convenient to Chapultepec (a few blocks walk) and would be much cheaper than Americas. Providencia will be more expensive than either Santa Tere or Americas, and Americas more expensive than Santa Tere. Centro is an old traditional neighborhood not too far from Chapultepec and close to Museums and the Cathedral, close to the alternative night life scene (i.e. punk, goth, gay, whatever you call them these days). That is where I live. I have no interest in them accept as a spectator but they are harmless.

Providencia is relatively close to Colomos Park. 

They close a bunch of main streets on holidays and half the town turns out to ride bicycles, skate, walk, run, stroll, dog walk, hula hoop, etc. The routes go all over the city.


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## Hound Dog (Jan 18, 2009)

[_QUOTE=JayKayTee;1138174]OK check, got it. Guadalajara not Guad. Now, about those thoughts/suggestions???
Thx,
Jim[/QUOTE]_

You are a good sport Jaykay and I hope you do not think I was rude in my post about Guadalajara versus Guad. Guad is a favorite shortening of the name of that city among expatriates living in the nearby Lake Chapala area and you are certainly welcome to call the city anything you please.

As for nice places to live in Guadalajara, Tundra Green pretty well covers that subject in a later post. While we live in the village of Ajijic on Lake Chapala and have for several years, we chose living adjacent to the shores of the lake because we retired down here with several large mastiffs and wanted to live where we had isolated beaches for daily dog walking along the largely deserted lakeshore. If the dogs (today we have five) were not an issue, I would rather live in Metro Guadalajara any day. I would choose a centrally located neighborhood with good public transportation preferably within walking distance of the Chapultepec area. On the other hand, I would avoid the suburbs and exurbs like the plague because there is a great nightlife scene in parts of Guadalajara but to enjoy that scene at its best, I would not want to be dependent on driving my car to get home late at night after a night on the town imbibing in intoxicating beverages. Guadalajara, like L.A., is spread out over many kilometers and living within a short distance of the action is a very good idea. 

Good luck in your search.


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## johnmex (Nov 30, 2010)

I live in the suburbs of "Guad" ;-) Let me assure you, they are a cultural wasteland.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

Hound Dog said:


> You are a good sport Jaykay and I hope you do not think I was rude in my post about Guadalajara versus Guad. Guad is a favorite shortening of the name of that city among expatriates living in the nearby Lake Chapala area and you are certainly welcome to call the city anything you please.
> 
> As for nice places to live in Guadalajara, Tundra Green pretty well covers that subject in a later post. While we live in the village of Ajijic on Lake Chapala and have for several years, we chose living adjacent to the shores of the lake because we retired down here with several large mastiffs and wanted to live where we had isolated beaches for daily dog walking along the largely deserted lakeshore. If the dogs (today we have five) were not an issue, I would rather live in Metro Guadalajara any day. I would choose a centrally located neighborhood with good public transportation preferably within walking distance of the Chapultepec area. On the other hand, I would avoid the suburbs and exurbs like the plague because there is a great nightlife scene in parts of Guadalajara but to enjoy that scene at its best, I would not want to be dependent on driving my car to get home late at night after a night on the town imbibing in intoxicating beverages. Guadalajara, like L.A., is spread out over many kilometers and living within a short distance of the action is a very good idea.
> 
> Good luck in your search.


One comment on drinking and transportation at night. There is a very good bus service in Guadalajara, good in the sense that the buses run frequently and there are lots of routes. However, they stop running at about 10:30 at night, so they are not very useful for coming home late after a night on the town. You have to walk or take a taxi. By Mexico standards, taxis in Guadalajara are expensive. They are easy to find on all of the main streets. The cost of a taxi is about $50 pesos for short distances up to $200 pesos to the airport.


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## JayKayTee (Apr 21, 2013)

Gents Tundragreen, Hound Dog, et. al,
Good stuff, helpful. I look forward to my visit, arriving this weekend and staying initially in Col. Americana. Will even try to work-in a side trip to Ajijic, for research purposes only mind you. Research protocol is to periodically ingest samples of beer whilst carefully observing the lake and assessing the (alleged) world's best weather. :spit:
- Jim


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## JayKayTee (Apr 21, 2013)

citlali said:


> Guadalajara is now more polluted than Mexico City o it is not a good place to escape pollution. There are lots of nice sections but I have no idea where I would walk late at night and fwwl totally safe. Mat want to try somewhere in Europe but even there , there is no guaranty.


Hi Citlali,

This article from today's paper seems to corroborate your view about the smog. It's rather discouraging. I grew up in Los Angeles which is now significantly less polluted than in the 70's, due largely to govt. & car exhaust controls, so at least we know it's possible to reverse things in Guadalajara. the article also mentions the contribution by recent nearby forest fires.

Q: How is the Lake Chapala area affected by the smog from the city?
- Jim

Article title: Grave Contaminación en Guadalajara es Alarmante

Article site: Oops, I'm blocked by newbie house rules from posting the website. You can find the article (in Spanish) in today's edition of pagina24jalico., in the LOCAL section.


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## JayKayTee (Apr 21, 2013)

P.S. Can also find the article by googling "pagina24jalisco grave alarmante"


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

citlali said:


> Guadalajara is now more poluted than Mexico City o it is not a good place to escape poution. There are lots of nice sections but I have no idea where I would walk late at night and fwwl totally safe. Mat want to try somewhere in Europe but even there , there is no guaranty.


What part of Guadalajara do you live in? I know lots of sections where I would walk at night. And it is not that I am especially adventurous, I often see single women walking alone at night as well (and I am not referring to "working" women).


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## wstut (May 6, 2013)

What maybe would work for you is Tlaquepaque which is a part of Guadalajara. I live there my self and I think it applies to all your wishes.

It is close to shops. 
We have malls at walking distance (Soriana, Walmart) and there is a plaza called Tlaquepaque forum at less then a 5 minute bus ride. there are many many corner stores where you can find your daily stuff for a good price.

There is a park in the center of Tlaquepaque which is called Parque Hidalgo. There are several other parks like parque San Rafael which are at less then a 5 minute bus ride.

There are many furnished apartments for not to much money. If you look on google for furnished apartment tlaquepaque you find several all at walking distance from the center of Tlaquepaque.

You can walk here day and night without any problems. In the center are always people also int he evening or late at night. The mayor fully understands the importance of safety and there are every where tourist policy on bikes and there are many CRT cameras for safety. I never ever felt unsafe during the 9 years I have been living here.

There are many restaurants. Here a small list. Casa Fuerte, Tlaquepasta, La Mata Tinta, Adobe, El Patio, Nahual etc etc. all at walking distance from the center.

The center is very well lit and the main pedestrian street Independencia is very well lit.

There are many things to do. There are 2 Spanish language schools, yoga classes, salsa classes, several gyms, guitar classes, painting classes etc etc. Several are given in the cultural center of Tlaquepaque called El Refugio.

Every Sunday we have Via Recreativa which they also have in Mexico City. You can get a free bike at just 4 blocks from the center. The route takes you to several places in Guadalajara and Zapopan or all the way up to the area called Oblatus. 

If you want to take a bus to the center you can be there within 25 minutes for 6 pesos. There are several buses that take you there, TUR, 275 and the 647.

For running and skating you have to go to La Unidad which is a small park with a baseball field in the middle or to parque San Rafael which is a very big park with a nice cushuned running track.

The only thing that there is not is water I guess. For this you have to go to a pool which we have one at walking distance which is Blue Swim. There are two big swimming pools called Olimpica and el code. These are at a 5 minute bus ride.

If you need any other info just let me know.


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## Marishka (Feb 1, 2009)

Wow, what a informative post, wstut! Tlaquepaque sounds like the kind of place my husband and I are looking for in Mexico.

How is the air quality in that location?


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## johnmex (Nov 30, 2010)

Marishka said:


> Wow, what a informative post, wstut! Tlaquepaque sounds like the kind of place my husband and I are looking for in Mexico.
> 
> How is the air quality in that location?


You don't want to even ask...

Here is a link if you need more info...
http://siga.jalisco.gob.mx/aire/


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## wstut (May 6, 2013)

I never have any problems. I actually dont know. I looked at the graphic that Johnmex posted but dont understand this. As far as I understand it is between good and regular.

Wouter


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

Marishka said:


> Wow, what a informative post, wstut! Tlaquepaque sounds like the kind of place my husband and I are looking for in Mexico.
> 
> How is the air quality in that location?


The Guadalajara Metropolitan area is made up of several cities. And several of them have nice Centros with a plaza, church and plentiful options for shopping, entertainment, eating and drinking. The three most interesting in my opinion are Guadalajara Centro, Tlaquepaque Centro, and Zapopan Centro. All three interest me more than many of the other neighborhoods. These three have distinctly different flavors.

Guadalajara Centro - not surprisingly is the largest, with the most theaters (Degollado, Diana), museums, and chain department stores normally found only in US style malls.

Zapopan Centro - has the Basilica of Zapopan, home of the Virgin of Zapopan. It has a very long central plaza that is a great place for an evening out for dinner and drinks. The blue lights of the Basilica seen framed in the arch entrance to the plaza at night are not to be missed.

Tlaquapaque Centro - is the most touristy of the three. Tourists are drawn by the high end art stores and other shopping arranged along a long pedestrian mall. 

Tonala Centro - is less of a night spot, but has thousands of little shops selling ceramics and furniture, particularly on Thursdays and Sundays.


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## JayKayTee (Apr 21, 2013)

wstut said:


> What maybe would work for you is Tlaquepaque which is a part of Guadalajara. I live there my self and I think it applies to all your wishes.
> 
> It is close to shops.
> We have malls at walking distance (Soriana, Walmart) and there is a plaza called Tlaquepaque forum at less then a 5 minute bus ride. there are many many corner stores where you can find your daily stuff for a good price.
> ...


Hi Wstut,
It sounds wonderful from your description. However what about the air pollution? I noticed quite a bit of smog/haze in that area while busing down to Lake Chapala/Ajijic. For me the pollution is kind of a dealbreaker, and it seemed heavy in Guadalajara, esp. South and SE of downtown, although not nearly as bad as DF. Also to be frank, based on a very short 1-wk trip & first impression, (and unlike your description of Tlaquepaque), downtown Guadalajara at night seemed dark, devoid of life, and a bit insecure (insecurity gauge: my 4 yrs in Buenos Aires), whereas the 'action' of Chapultepec Blvd. was confined to just that street, without breadth. FWIW I'm now exploring Querétaro, which is quite impressive/attractive, a stark contrast to Guadalajara (for me), and I will go kick the tires in Guanajuato next week. Once again these are all very personal impressions based on short visits, so I could be completely off-base. But, unfair as it is, I have no other method to decide where to live.
Best,
Jim


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

JayKayTee said:


> Hi Wstut,
> It sounds wonderful from your description. However what about the air pollution? I noticed quite a bit of smog/haze in that area while busing down to Lake Chapala/Ajijic. For me the pollution is kind of a dealbreaker, and it seemed heavy in Guadalajara, esp. South and SE of downtown, although not nearly as bad as DF. Also to be frank, based on a very short 1-wk trip & first impression, (and unlike your description of Tlaquepaque), downtown Guadalajara at night seemed dark, devoid of life, and a bit insecure (insecurity gauge: my 4 yrs in Buenos Aires), whereas the 'action' of Chapultepec Blvd. was confined to just that street, without breadth. FWIW I'm now exploring Querétaro, which is quite impressive/attractive, a stark contrast to Guadalajara (for me), and I will go kick the tires in Guanajuato next week. Once again these are all very personal impressions based on short visits, so I could be completely off-base. But, unfair as it is, I have no other method to decide where to live.
> Best,
> Jim


Your impression of downtown Guadalajara at night is correct in as far as it being dead after 9 pm. It is not dangerous however. The night life in central Guadalajara is along Chapultepec as you noted. While the intense activity is limited to the 10 blocks or so along that street, there are many restaurants, bars and cafes on some of the cross streets as well.


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## feldr (May 4, 2013)

I noticed when we stayed in Guadalajara, that as soon as the late rush hour clears around 9pm, it's almost deserted centrally, apart from weekend evenings around Plaza des Armas
Although, there are tons of eateries/ bars open till late


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## Hound Dog (Jan 18, 2009)

_


JayKayTee said:



Gents Tundragreen, Hound Dog, et. al,
Good stuff, helpful. I look forward to my visit, arriving this weekend and staying initially in Col. Americana. Will even try to work-in a side trip to Ajijic, for research purposes only mind you. Research protocol is to periodically ingest samples of beer *whilst *carefully observing the lake and assessing the (alleged) world's best weather. :spit:
- Jim

Click to expand...

_¿Whilst? 

Here we are back in Ajijic from Chiapas after a few months down there and we are in culture shock. I say, JayKay; research Ajijic to the nth degree and then flee from this place as if the hounds from hell were chewing at your ass.

As an aside, as a native Alabama boy of European extraction, I would advise that, in the event you happen to some day visit such places as Alabama in your world travels, you not use the word "whilst" in normal discourse with locals wearing overalls.


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## Hound Dog (Jan 18, 2009)

_


feldr said:



I noticed when we stayed in Guadalajara, that as soon as the late rush hour clears around 9pm, it's almost deserted centrally, apart from weekend evenings around Plaza des Armas
Although, there are tons of eateries/ bars open till late

Click to expand...

_
Well, feldr, I suggest if late night gallavanting about town is in your system, you avoid the Lake Chapala area like the plague. Here in Ajijic, for late night dining, after 8:00PM, may I suggest the ham and cheese sammiches and a cold beer at OXXO where all branches are open 24 hours a day.


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## JayKayTee (Apr 21, 2013)

Hound Dog said:


> ¿Whilst?
> 
> Here we are back in Ajijic from Chiapas after a few months down there and we are in culture shock. I say, JayKay; research Ajijic to the nth degree and then flee from this place as if the hounds from hell were chewing at your ass.
> 
> As an aside, as a native Alabama boy of European extraction, I would advise that, in the event you happen to some day visit such places as Alabama in your world travels, you not use the word "whilst" in normal discourse with locals wearing overalls.


Hound Dawg, (Go Dawgs! - Have two daughters at UGA)

Totally agree re: *whilst*: saying it once brings glares, second time gets one shot. 

Re: Ajijic, seemed nice but I need bigger place and found it too tempting/easy to stay with English. Just out of curiosity why are you now in culture shock and...have you noticed changes in Ajijic's character over recent years?

- Jim


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## Marishka (Feb 1, 2009)

TundraGreen said:


> Your impression of downtown Guadalajara at night is correct in as far as it being dead after 9 pm. It is not dangerous however. The night life in central Guadalajara is along Chapultepec as you noted. While the intense activity is limited to the 10 blocks or so along that street, there are many restaurants, bars and cafes on some of the cross streets as well.


Tundra, I regretfully scratched that area off my list last summer after I read these two _Informador_ articles:

Centro tapatío, la zona más insegura
La colonia Centro encabeza delitos de alto impacto

What has been done since then to make Centro safer?


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## feldr (May 4, 2013)

Hound Dog said:


> Well, feldr, I suggest if late night gallavanting about town is in your system, you avoid the Lake Chapala area like the plague. Here in Ajijic, for late night dining, after 8:00PM, may I suggest the ham and cheese sammiches and a cold beer at OXXO where all branches are open 24 hours a day.


Nice idea, however, I don't drink, and I hate Oxxo sarnies


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## Marishka (Feb 1, 2009)

johnmex said:


> You don't want to even ask...
> 
> Here is a link if you need more info...
> Calidad del aire


Thanks for that link, johnmex!

I recently read an article in the _Guadalajara Reporter_ saying that Guadalajara is the most polluted large city in Latin America, with twice the ozone levels of Sao Paulo, Brazil and Santiago, Chile, and three times as much as Bogota, Colombia, even though all those cities have a higher population than Guadalajara. The article also reported that Guadalajara has the second highest levels of PM10 particulate matter, and noted that air pollution kills 15,000 people a year in Mexico.

That’s….not good. 

However, every time I check the website that johnmex posted, the air quality for Tlaquepaque is either good or at the low end of the moderate range. Could it be that Tlaquepaque is far enough away from the industrial area of Guadalajara to make a difference in air quality?


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

Tlaquepaque is right next to Tonala which also has bad air pollution so I doubt Tlaquepaque escapes it. 
The real brown air is not there all year round there seem to be an inversion layer like you see in LA or Denver during some periods of the year.It sometimes looks pretty bad when you drive in, some other times the air seems very clear.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

citlali said:


> Tlaquepaque is right next to Tonala which also has bad air pollution so I doubt Tlaquepaque escapes it.
> The real brown air is not there all year round there seem to be an inversion layer like you see in LA or Denver during some periods of the year.It sometimes looks pretty bad when you drive in, some other times the air seems very clear.


The air cleans up a lot once the rains start in June.

Also, the southeast part of the city seems to be worse for some reason.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

Yes after the rains or during the rainy season it is way cleaner. The worst time is towards the end of the dry season especailly when there is burning or forest fire but that is true pretty much everywhere in Mexico.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

citlali said:


> Yes after the rains or during the rainy season it is way cleaner. The worst time is towards the end of the dry season especailly when there is burning or forest fire . . .


or eruptions of volcanic ash  !

El Universal - Nación - Alistan sobrevuelo en 'Popo'; revisarán condición del domo


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## Marishka (Feb 1, 2009)

citlali said:


> Yes after the rains or during the rainy season it is way cleaner. The worst time is towards the end of the dry season especailly when there is burning or forest fire but that is true pretty much everywhere in Mexico.


So it's a seasonal thing? I'm definitely going to visit that area, but I'd rather go when I can't actually _see_ the air. Often in life, timing is everything. My husband and I spent a month in Fiji once and it was really idyllic...until they started burning the sugar cane. And there was a LOT of sugar cane.



Isla Verde said:


> or eruptions of volcanic ash  !
> 
> El Universal - Nación - Alistan sobrevuelo en 'Popo'; revisarán condición del domo


Yikes!


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

El Popo is sure making a mess of Puebla right now how is it affecting the air in Mexico?


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

citlali said:


> El Popo is sure making a mess of Puebla right now how is it affecting the air in Mexico?


Sorry to hear that about Puebla. A friend from the States just moved there - I hope the activities of Don Goyo don't chase her back to New York. It's been raining in Mexico City most of the evening, so the air is pretty clean at the moment.


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## meltbaby (May 21, 2013)

Hi Jim

Have you managed to source an accommodation? Can I ask how you went about it?
I am also looking to stay in GDL for short-term 3 months. Am struggling to fine real estate agents online. I too am looking around Americana, Providencia area. 

Greatful for some knowledge sharing.

Dominik


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

meltbaby said:


> Hi Jim
> 
> Have you managed to source an accommodation? Can I ask how you went about it?
> I am also looking to stay in GDL for short-term 3 months. Am struggling to fine real estate agents online. I too am looking around Americana, Providencia area.
> ...


Most rentals are not handled by agents. If you can afford the higher price you will pay with an agent and can find one, then please go ahead. Otherwise, you can save money by finding a place after you get here. I know that makes people uncomfortable but it is a common way to do it. Get a hotel room for a week or two and look when you are here.

You can also find rentals on Craigslist. These will again be higher because the landlords sophisticated enough to use Craigslist know that it is mostly foreigners who will be looking there.


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## meltbaby (May 21, 2013)

" you can save money by finding a place after you get here"

Hi Jim,

Thanks for getting back to me. I am def looking for ways to cut-down on costs where ever and however possible. My lack of cultural awareness is doing a dis-service at the moment. Love your suggestion, but how will I know what properties are available for rent? Any steer would be appreciated.

By the way, how are you finding Guadalajara?


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