Our first post of 2020. Mexico Part 1

Yes, It was that time when we awoke to begin the trek into the shower, get changed and be ready for the flight to Calgary on Jan 7, 2020. 

We were blessed because a good friend of ours had offered, no, insisted on taking us to the airport at Comox. As promised, he was on our driveway with his truck at 04:15 in the morning and 15 minutes later, we had checked our bags in for the flight to Calgary at 06:00 hours. What a way to begin a vacation! Oh well. Many do it and many will follow the same type of time frame as we did in the future so, "don't sweat the small stuff" as they say. 

After the 20 minute flight to Vancouver and a six-hour layover for our connecting flight to Calgary, we were finally on our way. just one hour and twenty minutes later, we were descending into YYC. 

Upon landing in Calgary, it didn't take too long to be reminded that the weather is so much different at this time of year to that of Courtenay, but then Donna has lived in Calgary for most of her life and I have lived there for the past 33 years. 

However, one tends to forget at times that Calgary is almost 3,800 ft. up in the foothills of the Rockies whereas where we live it is just 65 ft above sea level and just five minutes from the Pacific Ocean.

Our main reason for coming to Calgary was to visit the families there and of course, to celebrate Kath's 40th birthday on Jan 10 which we did (and she certainly did) in style.

I can't remember how many beers and shooters Kath was getting through (not that I was counting at this happy event) but there were a couple of people egging her on and she was taking the bait.

Now I know what if feels like to have a daughter who is in her naughty forties (see what I mean, Kath is well oiled by now)

On Jan 13, we checked in at the hotel close to Calgary International Airport and readied ourselves for another early rise and the flight to Mexico. We would fly to Houston, Texas and catch a connecting flight from there to our final destination - Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. I am not sure how many people have landed or had to transfer in Houston, but the airport is massive. I kid you not. It's the largest airport by far, I have ever visited.

Donna led the way once we had disembarked the aircraft from Calgary. We knew we did not have much time.  I was trying to keep pace but to no avail. I say that in all honesty as my hip and knee replacements were giving me heck.

About ten to fifteen minutes of walking at full speed or as fast as I could manage, we arrived at the departure gate, many of those flying to Guadalajara having already checked through and were embarking onto the aircraft. "Just in time". Whew! That was a close one.

At last, we arrived in Guadalajara, then waited for Liane and Jerry to show up. Ten minutes passed, then 15, then 20. No Jerry and Liane, then all of a sudden, there they were in front of us as full of life as usual.  A short wrestling match took place trying to load a quart into a pint pot or in other words, lots of luggage into a KIA Soul then, a 40-minute ride to the house we would be renting for a couple of months.

Jerry and Liane (both tour bus drivers from the US) had taken the long drive south through Mexico to Chapala and Ajijic (I believe it was around 1,615 miles or 2,600 km. I must say, rather them than me, as we had driven those same lengths many times from Canada to our second home in Nevada, but looking at the number of US license plates, quite a lot of people do that same drive down. 

We even saw an Alberta plate as we were passing a local shopping centre on foot, so we stopped and said hi to the lady driving "You're a long way from home" we said, "Yes" she said. It turned out she had driven down with her daughter. It took her nine days and funnily enough after we had introduced ourselves and told her where we lived and where we had lived, she revealed she had lived in Midnapore - not four or five km from where we used to live in Calgary. She, along with literally hundreds if not thousands of other Canadians and Americans live here permanently as well as a fair compliment of Brits and Europeans too.

Liane told us they had some news to share with us when we spoke to them on WhatsApp from Calgary.  The anticipation was killing us.  We thought they may tell us that they had decided to move down to Chapala on a permanent basis as they had lived in Mexico before, and we would learn more when we got there but in the meantime, we were only guessing. Their news - well that's something they will share with those they are close too.

We had also initially contemplated a move to Mexico, but in the end, having sold our Calgary home and the entire contents of it (and we had a lot of expensive furniture and furnishings that we took losses on), we decided that now we have replaced at a considerable expense, all of what we had sold off, now was not the time to be thinking of another move. It was just not wise, and we are not getting any younger, so we decided against it. In any case, we are happy on Vancouver Island, at least for the next few years.

What's Mexico all about? Well, it's diverse and very different from a lot of countries.  You have the very wealthy and the very poor. it's unfortunate to say, but there are myriads of poor here. Many more than those who are independently wealthy, but my goodness the average joe's work ethic is really good. They work hard for their money and are conscientious for the most part. 

The average wage is about $6 an hour..... Not a lot to support the running costs of a house and the feeding and clothing of a family.

On the other hand, food is a lot less expensive here than in the US or in Canada. It has to be or no-one could afford to live here.  Some examples of costs, I have listed below. They are all accurate. I got them off my receipts or was provided with the information from our friends who live here permanently. 

Using the current exchange rate of 14.2 Pesos = $1 Can.

• Shrimp - $190 pesos per kilo - $13.38 Canadian
• Green onions (Massive ones) 10 Pesos 71 cents
• 4 large bread rolls 20 Pesos $1.40
• One large French loaf of bread 10 Pesos 75 cents
• 1 litre California white wine 63 Pesos $4.48
• 4 thick pork chops (1 1/2 inches thick) 95 Pesos - $6.77
• 20 minute, bus ride to Chapala 9 Pesos - 64 cents
• 40 minute, taxi to Guadalajara 600 Pesos - $42
• 1 large chicken 73 Pesos - $5.20
• 3 lbs potatoes 16 Pesos - $1.14
• 1 litre, milk 29 Pesos $2.06
• 18 eggs 29 Pesos $2.06
• Breakfast out including juice, coffee, omelettes and toast 90 Pesos or $6.40.
• Our property taxes in Courtenay $5400. Property taxes for a full house here - $100 PER YEAR. And that's not a mistake yes just one hundred dollars a year.
• We just took an Uber from Guadalajara to Ajijic. The cost was $506 Pesos/$36 Canadian or £21 English money and that was a drive of almost one hour.

________________ 

It IS a different world here. The famous saying in the countries we have either lived in or been to in Central, South America and the Caribbean, like Ecuador, Costa Rica, Panama and the Dominican Republic is "Manana" or "tomorrow". Sometimes, as seasoned travellers know, tomorrow never comes or is very late arriving at your door.

There's no denying. It's no different in Mexico, so you cannot come expecting people to jump because you want something quick.  It's a slower pace of life here, even slower from the Mexican resort areas, for sure, so remember...... Manana! - Be patient!

Here are some of the many photos of our vacation.

Security is a big thing here.

This is a fairly typical property. You have no idea what they are like inside but, they are Oh so very secure. These doors are all-steel

Again, security is the word, yet we walked around everywhere and felt very safe.

Some properties have Cast Iron or steel gates. 

others have a mix of solid and grid Iron

Home maintenance is not the highest priority here

We sometimes wondered how anyone could live in such a mess. This is just a few minutes walk from our house 

Chapala is a fairly nice city (Ciudad). It has about 80,000 people and has a nice Malecon to walk along and lots of restaurants that are fairly inexpensive when compared to US and Canadian Cities

It's a real pleasure to take a stroll on a Sunday afternoon here but boy it is packed then.

Lake Chapala is 80 km long, many km wide and about 60 ft. deep and the largest lake in Mexico

The restaurants are really inexpensive to eat out at.

Shrimp and Rice and a Macaroni Salad for me 

Breaded shrimp for Donna

Sorry, I couldn't resist this. It's not the usual terminology I use in public but, politics is everywhere. Even in Mexico. I see lots of Americans buying up this popular plate for their man caves. They are flying off the shelves. 

This place is a haven for Pelicanos (Pelicans)

Desayuno (Breakfast)

We go to Breakfast a lot because it is so inexpensive.

Our friends Jerry and Liane contemplating

Jerry, Liane and Donna

Bird of Paradise plants are everywhere they grow freely on the street.

Sunrise in our back yard

 The streets of Ajijic are all cobbled, very narrow and difficult to walk on. You have to remember this is not the touristy area of Mexico, it's 5.500 ft up in South Central Mexico, about 4 hours by bus from Mexico City and the same from Puerto Vallarta, where we have been many times before.

We played No Limit Holdem Poker at a pub here in Mexico a couple of times. We met a Canadian lady who was also playing. She was 85 years old and I would think, quite wealthy. She invited us up to see her house which was for sale for $539,000 US, about $725,000 Canadian.

She had property in Arizona, This place and, she had built and sold a commercial shopping centre in Sedona, Arizona, so she wasn't hurting financially I am pretty sure of that.

Her Living Room

Breakfast Nook

Kitchen

she had about 1/3 of an Acre, (3 lots) and the most gorgeous back yard you ever saw with views of Lake Chapala

She calls this the party home as she had lots of parties here. I could see that. She's an Ex Realtor

It was big, she said it was upgraded but it needed more.

putting on our real estate hats, we thought the home was overpriced but she told us the last two houses to have sold on her street went for over $750,000 US or $1,000,000 Canadian. Notice the brick finish on the ceilings. This is a very normal finish down here and usually done in the main living area and master bedrooms. It's called Bobida finishing and is done in many Catalan Homes.
To see the entire build of a "Bobida" ceiling, which is a marvellous achievement and a work of art. Go to this link: https://youtu.be/AOklnTFe-Dk 

Love all the Bouganvillia bushes of all colours here.

Her party patio

Her front party patio

Mexicans are BIG on spray painting. You cannot go anywhere without seeing it on every house almost.

This below is a renovation. It's all done by hand, with picks and shovels. Why? well, they don't use the types of tools we have if they can avoid it because it helps to keep the people employed. - and at $6 an hour wages, everyone is happy. 

No machines here.

Very manual labour, all this is carried by hand or wheelbarrow.

A typical house here. I would think the truck is worth more than the house.

While there the four of us went to Mezcala. A poor town a ways away from Chapala. I believe we were the only "Gringos" in the town. 

Everyone comes out on a Sunday, lays a blanket down on the sidewalk and sells stuff, anything that will earn them enough money for food

 Then it was back to Chapala for that Sunday walk along the Malecon...... Wow, Crowded! You don't get the correct idea from this photo

There are buskers and acrobats and all sorts.

One day Donna and I hopped onto a bus and took the 20-minute ride into Chapala - 9 pesos each - about 50 cents.

We visited a local upscale grocery store/supermarket.

Enormous and as well laid out as any supermarket in the US or Canada and the veggies are oh! so fresh

Chillies anyone? Boy do Mexicans like their food Picante (spicy hot) - Me too, I'm an addict.

 Again, keeping everyone employed, they are building a cycle path but to keep the cars out, they hand-build these massive concrete barriers. Every one of these is built, rebarred and poured by hand. It takes them a long time but keeps people employed.

Eventually, this will all be paved and street lamps put in.

This is the form they make all these out of everyone made by hand. The holes in the middle of each of the concrete barriers are for plants and flowers later on.  It will look good when it's all completed.

The Market (Mercado)

What you can't buy at the market isn't worth buying. Yes, it's much of the same but there's good value for some things, especially the vegetable stalls. This place is packed every week with all sorts of stalls and a fair amount of beggars too.

Our Rosetta Stone Hispanic lessons have proven very helpful. It was worth the $450 or $500 bucks to get it online months before we left. Our vocabulary is getting up there. I can now order, ask questions and interpret the prices now when the speak them. We can actually speak a reasonable amount, read and understand a lot. We aren't perfect by any means but the Mexicans really appreciate it when we try. Now I must tell you this. 

You can download free from Google, a translation app where you speak into the app and it will translate into about 40 languages so you can either speak it or show it to your Mexican friends. You just choose the language you want the app to translate and it does it.  

It shows both the English you speak into the app, and the Spanish or whatever language translation you want and even has a voice application included, so you can hear exactly how you should sound when you speaking the language. It is amazingly accurate. We use it all the time. Mexicans also use it to speak Spanish ad then hand us the English translation.  

Now don't be fooled by those Apps that say they are free and you download them to find out that you have seven days to try it and then they bill you automatically on your credit card if you don't cancel with them within a set period of time. 

Look for this logo. It's the right one to download the free translation APP. It's good for iPhone or Android and is in the google store and the Apple App Store. I have not checked it out but it may be good for the IPad too.




Before we sign off, I would like to say this. I have conferred with a few people that have made the point that it does not look as if they would like it here. Well, some of the fascination is seeing how others live, how they get by and how happy they are in the process.  

Travel is NOT always about how much of a good time one can have. It's learning about the ways of the world, how others live and make out. It also sometimes, reaffirms for some, how lucky we are living in non-third-world countries or from a different perspective (as can be seen with the many Canadians, Americans and Europeans that live here full time,) It provides for them some perspective as to how over-the-top we are living back home and how much money we throw away paying for goods and services that we really don't need.  That is why they move to places like this, to re-energise and to take back control of their own lives, not having commercials and advertisements promoting stuff they really don't need and it being forced upon them 24/7. That's my perspective for what it's worth.

This is the end of part one. Part 2 will be sent out in a month or so.

Bye!  Hasta La vista. Disfruta el acercamiento de la primavera (Enjoy the approach of springtime)