Mexico – 2022

After two years of no travel because of COVID restrictions we decided to go to Mexico for five weeks to get away from a little bit of the Canadian winter.

We started with a couple of days in Puerto Vallarta then flew to Guadalajara were we had rented a house in Ajijic (pronounced ah-hee-heek) for the month for February.

South of Guadalajara is Lake Chapala, Mexico's largest freshwater lake. Stretching along the north west shore of the lake is an area known as “Lakeside” which includes several towns and villages, the largest being Chapala in the east, and extending to Jocotepec at the west end of Lake Chapala. One of the most popular towns in Lakeside is Ajijic.

The area has a moderate climate year round and has attracted a lot of American, Canadian and other expats who live there permanently or visit regularly. There are a lot of (mostly small) hotels and numerous restaurants and bars that serve contemporary Mexican and international foods. This has earned it the reputation of being a ‘gringo village’. Photos of Ajijic

Because it is situated between the lake and mountains there are a lot of birds, small birds that hang out in bushes and trees and larger shore birds on the lake. Many migrating birds, including the American White Pelican, spend their winters on and around Lake Chapala. Photos of Birds and Pelicans

Art is a big deal in Ajijic and there are a number of art galleries in the old town but the best art can be found in the numerous wall murals that can be found all over the town. Wall murals are very popular throughout Mexico and Ajijic has certainly embraced them.

Some of the murals tell stories about the history and culture or the area, some are political, some are associated with businesses, some are graffiti and some are just art. The murals are on walls and doors or anywhere else with a surface that can be painted. Some are small, some large and some cover entire buildings. Photos of murals

The cemetery at the west end of Ajijic is an authentic Mexican Pantheon with elaborately decorated tombs and gravesites, brightly coloured mausoleums and offerings of food and drink to honour the dead, as well as precious objects belonging to them. Photos of Cemetery

Chapala is a town and municipality located on the north shore of Lake Chapala. It retains some of the colonial architecture and attracts many tourists from Guadalajara and other states surrounding Jalisco. Photos of Chapala and Lake Chapala

February is spring at Lake Chapala and the flowers, bushes and trees were blooming. Photos of flowers

Guadalajara is the capital of the State of Jalisco and is Mexico’s second largest city. Its historical center has colonial plazas, churches, historical buildings, statues and public art works. San Pedro Tlaquepaque is a part of the greater Guadalajara metropolitan area and is very tourist friendly with many small markets and stores and lots of street art.  Photos of Guadalajara, Guadalajara Art and Tlaquepaque

We took a guided tour to Mazamitla, known as the “Mexican Switzerland”. It is 124km south of Guadalajara in the Sierra del Tigre Mountains. At over 7,000 feet it is surrounded by pine forests. On the drive to Mazamitla we stopped at the towns of La Manzanilla de La Paz and Tuxcueca. Photos of Mazamitla, La Manzanilla de La Paz and Tuxcueca

We did a day trip which involved a drive to Teuchitlán, a town west of Guadalajara to check out some ancient circular pyramids and other stone structures at Los Guachimontones archaeological site. Photos of Guachimontones

On our return trip home we spent four more nights in Puerto Vallarta. Photos of Puerto Vallarta