I've Been Everywhere

As Johnny Cash sang "I've been everywhere!"

Well not quite - not even close but this map is pretty cool - and my bucket list includes "everywhere!"

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Ajijic Carnaval Los Toros 2010 (Rodeo in Ajijic, Mexico)

To cap the end of pre-Lent festivities Ajijic holds a rodeo at the Lienzo Charro ring. It's packed with people of all ages - all dressed in fine clothes; dresses, pressed shirts & jeans, cowboy boots & hats. Young boys are smartly dressed like miniature versions of their Charro fathers.

















Us - in the stands

A 20 piece Banda band plays live on stage during the entire event with a bouncy singer proudly crooning over blasts of trumpets, trombones, clarinets, sousaphone, accordion and drums.

A 20 piece band! - at a rodeo! How awesome. (You'll see them in the video below)






















Traditional Charro Yes he's holding a bottle of tequila!


There was plenty of Tacate cervesas (beer) to be had but the local preference was Squirt soda with tequila. Rodeo fans came to their seats carrying big cardboard trays (box bottoms for cases of beer or soda) filled with 6-8 Squirt cans, plastic cups, a bag of ice and a quart of tequila laid flat. After they were seated they filled all the cups with ice and soda and passed them around to their neighbors - then, with everybody holding out their cups the ritual pouring of the tequila took place, it's golden stream arcing into each cup.... nice.























The rodeo was a lively event and the bulls got progressively bigger. Watch the video to see locals jumping in the ring to taunt the bulls and prove their manhood.

The most exciting part of the rodeo starts at 1:29 on the video - and unfortunately I was so caught up in the moment I took my eyes off the video camera and just watched. Listen to the crowd scream at 1:33. The bull targets a horse and rider, gets up under them and launches them out of the bull ring into a crowded alleyway of people. Holy sh@t! You can see the back of the horse in the alley at 1:38 after I realize I'm missing the action and pan the camera over there!



Great experience. I love getting out into community events when I travel and I love seeing this multi-generational way of life in Mexico. It's sad we've lost that in modern America.

We had some tasty street food on the way home. Drew got diarrhea. Ooops. :)



















During our visit we stayed in the beautiful Raquete Club in San Juan Cosala. Next post ...beauty shots. :)

Ajijic, Mexico

Beautiful Ajijic. This is my second visit here. See my previous posts for more info.

What a great place to hang out.....

The village is alive with families and kids - and the clip clop of horse shoes on cobble.























I want to get into this Cathedral. It's always locked when I stop by. Maybe I better come by on a Sunday morning.

Across the street from the Cathedral is an amazing coffee shop, El Cafe Grande Cafe. It smells so good from the sidewalk you can't resist it. The aroma pulls you in by the nose. I didn't miss my Starbucks one bit.
























I love the hand painted facades. They are beautiful. Son bastante.
































































Native weavers set-up down by the lake shore to work and sell their wares.
















The most beautiful weaving's I saw were rugs from Oaxaca. I decided not to buy one here but to wait until I visit Oaxaca to buy one direct from a weaver.























Calle Colon, the main commercial street from the Carraterra to the waterfront.

Here we are touring Ajijic. In the town plaza is an event for the local horsemen and ranchers who provided the bulls for the upcoming rodeo - then we head to the waterfront. Molly and I end up at Las Caballerizas, high on the mountain in San Juan Cosala overlooking Lake Chapala with the sun setting and a couple strong margaritas. Nice. It's Valentine's day so I wish her Feliz dia de amor.



We missed the final Carnaval parade on Fat Tuesday in which Los Zayacos dance through the streets. The festivities are based on the tradition of Toro de Once when livestock raisers used to drive bulls into town on horseback early in the morning to show off the quality of rodeo stock. Now the townsfolk parade instead with colorful floats, bands and Los Zayacos, who are boys & men dressed up like busty broads or bearded men. Giggling children chase them through the streets and Los Zayacos throw confetti or baking flour back. Eric and Karen from Trans America's Journeys were there. Here's their video.



For more Ajijic Carnaval parade videos from Trans America's Journeys click here.


We did get to the Lienzo Charro (bull ring) to see Los Toros though (the Carnaval rodeo) - see my next post. It's awesome!

Chapala Mexico - Midget Bullfighters Show - Enanitos Toreros

A midget bullfighters show! Who could resist?

The event was at the Lienzo Charro - which I think translates to "Horseman's Canvas," but it was a little bull ring. Very cool. It was filled with families, especially little kids who giggled and laughed at the little people fighting the little cows. I'll never forget it.






















A young Charro ( buckeroo)


























See for yourself! Yes, that's me laughing out loud in the video!



Next we visit Ajijic, a beautiful village on the shore of Lake Chapala.

Ajijic & Chapala Mexico - on Lake Chapala

Back to Ajijic!

5 months after my road-trip into the heart of Mexico, I'm back. This time I flew - with the whole family.

Flying in is so much easier - and so antiseptic compared to driving. No dusty little towns, no road-side shepherds or stops for gas at a PEMEX oasis. See my Mexican road trip posts.

We flew from Boston to Atlanta to Mexico City to Guadalajara - and from there we drove another 20 miles to Lake Chapala. We didn't intend to fly through Mexico City but a snow storm in Atlanta canceled our original flight. Snow in Atlanta ...who knew?

Customs was easy and friendly, bright, clean and modern - very different from driving across the border, in the dark, at Nuevo Laredo those few months ago.

Traveler's note: You NEED to pick up your own luggage from international baggage and check it in again domestically if you are transferring through Mexico City. No one explained that to us. Thank God another couple had the same issue - and they were Mexican's living in Chicago. They helped us navigate the language barrier and opaque instructions. Finally we found our luggage and after missing our intended flight to Guadalajara, caught a later one.

The beauty of Mexico City surprised me. It sits in an enormous bowl surrounded by mountains. The sun was starting to descend in the west giving the whole city a golden glow. The landscape undulated with hills, canyons and small mountains. I expected a big flat expanse like LA but this was definitely more interesting. A tour of Mexico City is now on my "List".





















My son Drew couldn't wait to try a Mexican Coke. It's made from sugar cane instead of corn syrup, and people say that the fizz lasts longer due to the glass bottle. Believe me, it tastes awesome! It tastes like Coke did when I was a kid ...and I'm a sucker for the glass bottles.























Drew in the Mexico City airport.

Arriving on the shores of Lago de Chapala in mid February we get to experience the tail end of Carnaval (yes Carnaval with an "a" not Carnival with an "i"), Carnaval is a full week of celebrations leading up to Lent. Ajijic and Chapala's celebrations involve parades, fiestas and rodeos.

Our first stop, Chapala and it's Malecon (boardwalk).



























Carnaval Parade

















Video of us along the Chapala Malecon - and check out the bowl made of lava rock called a molcajete. Our food is boiling - cheese, peppers, onions, shrimp, octopus. Man that was good with a Corona. And if you listen closely you'll hear the announcer of a soccer match on TV say Gooooooooooooooooooaalllllllll! for like 5 minutes. :)





Next, Midget bullfighters ...really. They are a traveling troupe - and a lot of fun, especially for the kids.

NestleNook Farm in Jackson, NH

NestleNook Farm - a quintessentially New England winter scene in Jackson, NH. I felt part of a Currier & Ives post card. Sleigh rides, skating, downhill skiing, an open fire, red wine. A good place for date night!

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Robert Frost

Touring Lake Chapala Mexico. Ajijic, San Juan Cosala, Chapala & Jocotepec

The first morning after our 17 hour marathon drive from the U.S. border I looked down from Dorothy's house on the mountain above San Juan Cosala and out to Lake Chapala. I took a long slow breath.

Ahhh.

We had strong coffee. The air was cool. Palm trees waved in the modest breeze. Roosters crowed, dogs barked, the sky opened and God rays pierced the Mediterranean scene. We needed this. We deserved this.

Dorothy now lives this.

The lake is big. I couldn't see the ends of it in either direction but you can see mountains - all around, and directly across the lake rises a beautifully symmetrical peak like a volcano.



























We drove down to the village of Ajijic ( A-hee-hee) for lunch. I had my first taste of authentic Mexican food - one of the world's great cuisines, right up there with Italian, French, Japanese & Chinese. It's unique, flavorful and occasionally spicy. It's gourmet.

Dorothy, having previously visited here knew the right restaurants to patronize and what not to ingest. She pointed out certain ice cubes that where tube shaped.
"These" she said "are purified ice cubes. This is clean water. If you don't get ice cubes like this in your glass, don't drink."
Our food was amazing and fresh. The sauces where complex. The salsa fresh. The beer cold.

Ajijic is old and intimate with narrow cobblestoned streets. Dorothy had told me the streets were cobblestone and I thought - oh like Paris... not even close. These were not squared off Euro style pavers, these streets were paved with real stones, patiently and expertly placed.




























The village is said to be 450 years old. The names of the villages here along Lake Chapala, like Ajijic and Chapala, are pre-Spanish Indian place names derived from Nahuatl, the native language of the area and part of the Uto-Aztecean family of languages.

Check out the beauty of Ajijic.



























The colorfully painted buildings hug the narrow streets. Private homes, stores, restaurants, bars and inns all co-exist and keep the street life lively.
















































































For every town a Cathedral...from the 1500's! The Mexicans are overwhelmingly Catholic.




























And maybe another chapel too... with a cervesa (beer) tent out front for the holiday.



























And definitely a plaza. When trees die in Ajijic Plaza they don't cut them down - they sculpt them. Look at the fish leaping out of this old tree

We spent two enchanting nights in the plaza. It was the week running up to Mexican Independence Day so there were festivities every night. The plaza was packed. Teenagers promenading, parents with little one's in tow, grandparents sitting on the benches, food vendors behind their sizzling stalls, traditional music filling the air. The plaza was festively decorated in the red, green & white colors of Mexico and twinkled at night with strung lights. It's literally the living room of the town. This is a family centered culture. It was wonderful and heartwarming to see.



























As we walked through town one night I was wary as usual. It was dark. The town is not lit like American's are used too. We approached a huddle of teenagers & men. Dorothy & I were alone. I eyed them like a mouse watching a cat. Two doors up I noticed a women with two children on the sidewalk and a grandmother in the door. Quickly, whatever tension, whatever readiness I've acquired from walking American cities relaxed as I realized, again, that this is a family oriented culture. This is a small town. Everybody knows everybody's business. There are Mom's & Dad's and Grandparents and little kids everywhere and they are watching out for each other. It takes a village.

In the 60's the village started to attract artists & writers from North America ( maybe it was the 72 degree average temperature) and very slowly has built up an international ex-pat community of 6-10 thousand people. There are many First World homes and condos here but the towns and surrounding area is definitely Mexican. The ex-pats integrate with the locals. This is not a tourist town or a western style village - this is very much Mexican.

We left Ajijic and explored the communities up & down the north shore of the lake. We drove down to Jocotepec (Ho-co-ta-pek) which is a town versus the smaller village of Ajijic. It's a working class town with it's own beautiful church. We were here as school let out. The town was full of impeccably clean & smiling uniformed school kids. The town wore the wear and tear of urban life but the kids were spotless. So cute. Mom's and Dad's stood on the sidewalk waiting to pick up their kids and then walked off hand in hand. Very sweet.

We also drove down into San Juan Cosala which is similiar to Ajijic but with obviously less money flowing into it. This is a local village without the ex-pat focused shops, Inns, hotels, homes & restaurants. We ate here at a little cantina called Viva Mexico. Wonderful.














































Let's eat! ...again.




























View out to the street.



























Streetscape in San Juan Cosala



























There's never a shortage of Corona.


The next day we drove up to Chapala and explored the waterfront.

Here's some video we took touring around.




Chapala is the biggest of the settlements we toured. It's a city. We walked along the waterfront. We walked the "boardwalk" called the Malecon. We browsed traditional artisan wares and handicrafts. There were a couple tiny picturesque and ancient looking Mexican Indian women squatting with their legs folded under themselves in impossible positions weaving rugs and blankets. It was a National Geographic moment but it didn't feel right to take their picture and not buy anything. - next time. They were beautiful.

We stopped for drinks at a waterfront restaurant and were serenaded by Mariachi again. I loved the Mariachi. I loved the harmonic singing, the strident guitar, the hollow bass and the staccato hits of the horns. It's so passionate. The uniforms are flashy and the hats are huge and wide and scream "Look at me"!

Maricahi were the soundtrack of my Lake Chapala tour. Between Ajijic and San Juan Cosala, where Dorothy's house is, is a string of open air restaurants along the lake. They are family restaurants where people go to spend the day. Barbecues are always working and Mariachi are either filling the air with music or walking up the street to their next gig. It's all very festive and exciting. And there are guys in the street as you pass by waving and whistling at you to get you to pull into their restaurant. They are like matadors against the traffic.

I wasn't here long enough - just long enough to get my bearings and to get Mexico in my blood. Just long enough to get Mariachi into my heart. Just long enough to breathe the clean air and feel the Mediterranean climate on my skin. Just long enough to begin to understand the culture - to come to terms with riches & poverty living side by side.

I am planning my next trip back. It's a place I want to discover more of. And I'm learning Spanish so I can immerse myself better. It's a country full of native and Spanish colonial history, beautiful landscapes, incredible architecture, a proud cultural heritage - and what the heck, they invented Tequila!





























To read about my whole road trip from the beginning - Austin to Lake Chapala Mexico click here.