A MORNING WALK

The Guard for the Tienda

     How  could anything be better than a morning walk to the square in Ajijic?  The air is soft and warm and clean.  The sun is bright and the sky has filmy white clouds breaking up the clear blue.  There is a light breeze blowing that just adds a feeling of contentment.  
     The cobblestone side walks and streets are still sprinkled with confetti and white flour left from the most recent parades.  The dogs are quiet this morning probably completely tired out from last nights barking and running around. The birds are calling one another in various songs which are lovely to hear.  It is quiet now, no cars, very few people.  I walk along the sunny side of the street.
     The walk takes me by Ninette’s a very nice restaurant, closed now, of course, and by The Only Chocolate shop which is also closed at this time.  Good for me.  The homes along the street are painted many beautiful colors and the nondescript doors lead to mysterious and sometimes very beautiful gardens and homes.  Always interesting to see behind the walls.
     If I do pass someone, I say, “Buenas Dias”, in my very best Spanish and most seem to understand me.  I do hear lots of accents, U.S. accents, from Texas, Mississippi and many other recognizable accents of the states,  then there are the Canadians, eh.
     At the square, its about 10:30 am and there is a line up  of gringos waiting to eat brunch in the Jardin.  All are dressed similarly - just like me.  Most of the older men wear a beard and mustache like Pete and have bought a straw colored hat to go with their sandals and shorts.  That’s the uniform for us old folks.  Although you can wear anything you feel like wearing so I was told by a woman who has lived here 20 years and loves it.  She was Flossie the hummingbird lady originally from Spokane.  Pedro, who wore a very large hat festooned with artificial flowers, many necklaces and rings and other interesting costumes, died recently and is missed by all especially the white burro he rode.
     I am seeing quite a few more young people this year and I mean real young, like 20’s and 30’s or on a honeymoon or something.  Even the old people are younger or is it that I am older.  This does seem like a very good place to live a healthy life.  The warmth, the altitude, the fruits and vegetables and the seafood, all contribute to a healthy lifestyle along with walking on cobblestones.
     On the way home I will walk on the shady side and be just as impressed with the ease of it all.

SOUNDS OF AN AJIJIC NEIGHBORHOOD

Sombreros

     It's difficult to write a lot when there isn't the weather to complain about so I am looking for something else to write about.  As I sit here in our house, I hear a rooster crow.  A dog is barking out front.  It's is 5 pm now and soon the neighbor next door will arrive home and his dog will go just nuts barking.  They NEVER yell or tell the dog to shut up.  The dog just stops finally.  Probably when the master acknowledges it.  The children also greet the father noisily and happily.  Often, it seems as if he is chasing them around the yard in back and, of course, they are squealing happily.  The man on the other side calls out Spanish words and has his girls give the word in English.
     Later, after the comida, probably 8:30 or 9, all the kids on the block play in the street out front.  I don't know what kind of game it is but they have a loud time.  I never hear parents call them in, they just stop playing and all is quiet.
     It is lent now so the majority of the big parades and celebrations are over.  There is some sort of church located in back of us maybe the block that backs up to our back yard.  They begin singing (way out of tune) usually on Friday evenings and the preacher tells them all about something.  It is loud and passionate but in Spanish so I probably won't be saved this time by him anyway.  Then they sing some more songs.  This also happens on Saturday and Sunday.  I don't hear any "amens" or "hail Marys"  so I don't know what religion it is.  If I were my friend, Helen, I would have found them and joined in the chorus.  Maybe I will investigate more on Friday evening.........
     While the kids are playing in the street, the dogs are barking.  All of them, yapping little ones, big loud ones, barks that sound like they would like to eat you and barks that sound as if they are the ones that are being killed.  It would be annoying if they didn't just suddenly stop just like the children. 
      Did I tell you that it is rare to hear a baby or child cry.  It just is not something that you hear.  On the street, holding their mother's or father's hand, they talk and chatter all the time, but they don't seem to ever whine or cry.  Not that I have seen or heard.
     Other sounds of the neighborhood.....there are two mechanics and one carpenter located on this street.  There is no zoning against businesses.  Also located at the ends are very small stores that sell necessary things (beer, pop, snacks and I don't know what) and these stores are open late.  So, there are automobile engine sounds sometimes and sometimes the carpenter is sanding or something.  Plenty of noise from the local bus that comes by regularly too.  

     But this is Mexico............ and all of those sounds are just part of this warm lovely place.

TROPICAL TREES



The kapok cotton flowers which come out of pods



Kapok Tree Pods

 We have become interested in the trees here in Ajijic. There is a large tree in our yard with a huge trunk covered with spikes or thornes. The branches are also covered with thornes. This time of the year (dry season) it is losing its leaves and is almost bare but for the “cotton” balls festooned all over it. Very interesting. I guess it has a pink flower - then developes a large green pod similar in shape to an avocado but larger. The pod eventually opens up and out comes this large white ball of cotton or kapok.


When I was a young child in Virginia, I remember my father using kapok to caulk our wooden boats but it was strange to see it growing on very tall trees. I asked Mexican’s what the name of tree was and they didn’t know the name so I looked to the internet.

The Kapok tree or the Cotton tree or Ceiba or silk tree grows mostly in tropical areas. In the Amazon there is a type of Kapok tree but it has a smooth trunk. The people there like the tree because they can hollow out the trunk to make canoes. They use parts of the pod for pipes and wrap their poison arrow tips with the cotton material. The seeds in the cotton balls are eaten or used for their oil.  I do believe that the pillows on our bed are stuffed with wads of kapok.

I noticed these trees on the way to Mazatlan, in the distance closer to the ocean than to the highway and they piqued my curiosity. Then to my surprise there is one in our back yard.

In Guatamala the Ceiba tree is the national tree. I have seen the Ceiba tree there, it is very, very large with a huge smooth trunk. I had no idea it was related to this tree because at that time I didn’t see the ball of kapok. The only unusual thing about the Ceiba I saw in Guatamala was the size of the trunk and the fact that it looked as if it had to have buttresses on the trunk to hold the tree up.

There are several other trees that I have taken photos of and need to look up on the internet. This area of Mexico, I am told, is tropical and there are many plants here that I have not seen in other parts of Mexico.

As I walk to the market on Wednesdays, I pass by a tree which is bare of leaves but has flowers which are similar to the ones on the Mimosa Trees I remember growing in Virginia. Flowers which are pink and fluffy, like a filmy brush. It has an interesting trunk - various greens in up and down stripes.

Then another tree has a flower that looks like an orchid. Of course, there are the Jacaranda trees with the purple flowers, the Flame trees with the bright red-orange blossoms and the Primavera trees with the elaborate brillant yellow flowers. All of these should be in bloom by the end of February. I have been told that the “rainy or wet” months are the most beautiful here because of all the flowers that bloom. Maybe I should come down in May, June and July. What a good idea.

DRIVE TO TAPALPA



Part of the Plaza



See that volcano cone



 I really wanted to find out the elevation of Tapalpa before starting this post but I am not connected to Mr. Slim’s TelMex internet at the moment so can’t look it up. It has to be quite high because even here in Ajijic we are at about 5200ft above sea level and we traveled to the top of one of the mountains. Okay, I got it - Tapalpa’s elevation is between 6759 and 6800 ft depending upon where you look. The name means - place situated in the heights - in Nahuatl. Population - 16,000. Lots of info online.

Our first challenge on Monday morning was backing out of the garage and on to the narrow cobble stone street with cars parked across the way. Done!

Then we turned on the GPS although we had a good idea of where we were going. She (the GPS is Juanita) does amazingly good work in Mexico. Sometimes she doesn’t know the speed limit but on most libre roads (not toll) the speed limit is determined by the pot holes. The toll roads are very good though and construction work on all the roads, even the free ones, is ongoing. Lots of jobs for people at the moment.

Juanita showed us the way on the toll road until it ran out close to the mountain on a very winding two lane road somewhat like the hedgerow roads in England but a longer drop. We thought it a good idea to stay behind a truck or another car so they could take the brunt of whatever collision might happen. With no shoulder, it was sometimes necessary to move to the center or left hand side in order to avoid huge depressions. A little scary but the truck helped with the white knuckles.

We had to go down in elevation about 2000 ft to an expansive valley some of which was a dry lake bed. Dry now anyway. The road goes across the lake and is elevated only a few feet so I assume in the wet months the lake is filled only a few feet deep. There are salt works in the distance and the land is cultivated to the edge of the “lake”. Lots of hay grown, cattle and horses. By the way, mind those “cattle crossing” signs. Good not to be speeding when a bull decides to wander across.

As we climbed up the mountain, we were able to view the valley below. What a spectacular sight. Patchwork cultivation climbing the mountainsides. Different shapes and sizes and colors. We noticed what looked like pipe organ cactus which were being grown - for what? It must take a long time to grow cactus. Ten years for a good agave. Some of the fences were made of these cactus so maybe that was the purpose.

Climbing higher we saw lupine flowers, those kapok trees, Jacaranda trees and oaks and pine trees. The air is sweet and clean.

We arrived in the town at noon - mas o menos. Narrow steep cobble stone streets, teaming with people of all ages going about their business. A beautiful church with a lovely bell tower.

Sitting in an outdoor restaurant on the plaza, we noticed ATV’s with “turistas” in them. There is a company which will pick you up from Ajijic or even Guad, take you to Tapalpa, 3 days, 2 nights and ecological park tour for a price. They have zip lines AND, if you would like to jump off a cliff and para glide down to the valley, I guess you could do that but I have only a limited time left as it is and the road back down is exhilarating enough for this ole woman.

The architecture is more like that of most of the US, probably because they need to have heat in the winter. The town is very old and has been designated “magical” by the Mexican government meaning it has historical and architectural significance. It is magical, as if you are walking back in time. My goodness, the people are beautiful.

We found an artisanian tienda and, of course, I contributed to the economy by purchasing coasters woven from the pine needles, earrings for my favorite women and a pottery cup that Pete liked. I won’t mention how much/little it all amounted to but the artists were happy and so was I.

Walked around some and headed back down on all free roads. Ouch! Our auto will not be the same and the driver and passenger were more than stimulated by the dodging of pot holes and happy to return to the cobble stones of Ajijic.



Some difference in the style of architecture



PHOTOS AJIJIC 2013



CHAC LAN VIEW




ELVA AND PETE AT HACIENDA DEL LAGO 2013




CHAC LAN VIEW



THE MALECON WALK

     We have walked this malecon before but every time it is different.  It has always been clean even though it is well used by gringos and families.  The walk is about a mile, I guess, about six people wide, decorated with inlaid stones and evenly paved.  Evenly paved is important here because most sidewalks are anything but even.  Watch your step!
      Even when there are many people along the way or in the parks which are on the side, it is such a relaxing stroll.  The lake side of the malecon is a view of the beautiful, very large, peaceful water with the mountains in the far distance.  Way on the other side is where they grow a lot of your strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries.  "Driscoll"(sp) has muy grande farms which are visible even miles away because they have white coverings on the plants.
      Of course, if it is exercise you want, go early in the morning and run or fast walk to your hearts content.  I'm over that.  I like to stop and look at the pelicans, egrets and cranes all fishing for their dinner.  Diving and swooping.  Cranes and egrets prancing along with great dignity.
     In the evening, families gather in the park areas and have dinner while the children play on the equipment or just dance to the music.  There is an elaborate skate board area for the older boys and girls, also a small basketball court.  There are many benches along the way to sit and either look at the lake or turn and watch the children.
     Last evening there were singers (loud speakers) who were very good and songs both in English and Spanish.  The Mayor of Ajijic spoke.  We think he said how proud he was that Ajijic was so clean .... and to keep it up.  Or something to that effect.  Then the policia whisked him away.
     Although we didn't see them in the evening yesterday, there are usually men and women selling peanuts and many other food items for you to snack on.

 

CHAC-LAN



VIEW OF MONTE COXALA FROM RESTAURANT

      Today we watched as seven men lifted a 2 ton (ok I exagerate - Pete says it was one-half ton - whatever) ancient grinding wheel on to a platform where they will use it as part of a new water feature in the Hotel Nueva Posada. 
     There is a lot of construction going on here in the hotel upgrading the dining rooms and meeting rooms etc.  I have noticed a lot of construction in town also where they are redoing from top to bottom some of the very old homes.  That kind of work whether in Ajijic or Seattle is always good for the city and neighborhoods not to mention the workforce.
     We decided to take the car out and only a couple of times had to fold the mirrors in so that they wouldn't be hit by either a car or a post.  Riding on cobble stones, it is desirable to go slow.  Our car may have a lot more rattles when we get back.  Another challenge to driving in town, other than the narrow cobble stone streets, is that all streets are one way only don't really have a sign - you look up the street and if most of the cars are parked one way you figure it out.  Of course, in a pinch, you can go the wrong way if nobody is coming or if they move over. After all you are a gringo.  
     We drove to a beautiful spa, hotel and restaurant up in the hills called Monte Coxala (Coshala).  It is most amazing.  It sits up on the side of a very tall hill (little mountain) high up above a residential area called the Raquet Club.  The streets are named for tennis stars - Jimmy Connors/Rod Laver, por ejemplo.  There are two secured gates to get to it and when you finally wind your way up the mountainous cobble stone streets it is designed in the style of a Mayan Ruin.  Absolutely pristine and manicured gardens, stone stellas, terraced gardens - just breath taking - many natural hot pools situated over the property along with buildings in the style of Mayan temples.  We see couples in robes walking either to or from their massages or mud baths or whatever sybaritic treatment they have chosen.
     We drove up to the restaurant - Chac -Lan - and the young man gave us a number and took the car.  The restaurant building is a very very large palapa.  Huge palm roofed house with two floors, circular and open air with 360 views of the lake far below and the mountains up above.  We arrived at about 3 pm and left about 6:30.  A long, leisurely comida.  It would have been great to stay for the sunset but these old gringos wanted to get back down that winding cobble stone road and back to more familiar narrow streets before it got dark. 

     What a wonderful experience and the food and service were superb.