Everyone loves a parade

This was a busy and fun weekend in Ajijic. Friday, Saturday and Sunday was the 36th National Mexican Chili Cook Off, which included competitions for, duh, chili, but also margaritas and salsa. Here's the lineup of stoves for the chili tasting - everyone tastes and then votes.

You go from one stove to the other, receive a wee cup of chili and use the even wee-r little spoon you get when you pay your fee. It's all for charity and good fun. Also, there were tons of artisans in stalls selling everything from junk jewelery to hand cast silver dining sets.

This pic doesn't do justice the number and range, but waddya gonna do.

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Having eaten both 10 tastes of chili as well as some ribs, I just got a bunch of tamales from the señoritas, had two and saved the rest.

They're great for breakfast.

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Sunday I was sitting around working when I heard the unmistakable sounds of a parade. Since lent starts a week from this Wednesday this weekend was a warmup. The parade is very interactive: cross-dressed dancers carrying bags of confetti and flour chase the kids who are running in front of them. When they catch one, they wet their faces with a damp cloth and wipe flour on them.

Of course, there's a band, hear 10 seconds worth here, and hard working and enthusiastic bandadores.

And what Mexican parade would complete without caballeros?

and caballeritas?

It was really great fun.  BTW, if you are interested in the traditions surrounding the parades like this one, look here: Judy's Blog - Ajijic Parades
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The evening ended with my having the pleasure of meeting Linda and Sandy's daughter, partner, and their two great kids, Nuri and Hesh.

We all went to Memo's for an authentic Mexican experience, and I think it did the trick.

Molcajete on the malecon, and then some

So, Andrew was picked up by Arturo's cab at 4:30 am, got his flights, and is safely home. Before he left we had what was my first disappointing meal in Ajijic. It was at La Nueva Posada, a lovely place to stay and a great place for a drink. It's housed in an ancient building but with lovely rooms, and a new annex overlooking the lake, but with very boring food. Seriously, if you go to Ajijic you must visit it, just don't eat there. Oh, you can have a snack.

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Sunday 9 February

All this was made up for on Sunday. First we had to exchange some of the napkins and indivuales [place mats] we had got for Diane. That actually took most of the morning since, as it turns out, the shop didn't open till 11:30. Fortunately, I had explained to the señora that when I sent my wife the photos I might have to come back and exchange the patterned individuales for plain ones. She said, "Sí, siempre la patronessa." [Always the boss.]

One thing I had promised Andy was a trip to the Chapala malecon and a comida [late lunch] of molcajete.   This is a molcajete, and it is always used for making guacamole. However, it is also used as a serving and cooking dish for certain specialties.

One such specialty is a dish called, oddly enough, molcajete. Various carnes and mariscos [meats and seafood] are put in the bowl with onions, mushrooms, slices of green and red pepper, and then topped with cheese.The whole thing is put in an oven, and served when it is so hot the cheese is bubbling. It comes out looking like this:

And you eat it by putting some on a taco along with fresh salsa, guacamole and salsa roja, like this:

Boy, did that do us in! It's really enough for four and, no, we could not finish it.

That night we had planned to go to Bruno's for steak, but we quickly realised there was no way that was going to happen. We called Sandy who was coming to Bruno's with us and changed our plans. Instead, we went to Memo's [may-moes] for Zoplole Roja.

And had a grand time.

Now I am in Guadalajara, and that's going to be a different post.

Two weeks, tamales and La Banda

Thursday was the two week point of my six week trip. Hard to believe that one third is already down and gone. Since  my last post was Wednesday there's bit of catch up to do.

This Thursday I had la comida at Ritchie 88, a very excellent place right on Colón, the main street. There was a chap at a table himself, so we ended up dining together. I had a delicious tortilla soup - a beef broth with shredded tortilla seasoned with crumbled chorizo.

That afternoon I went over to Linda and Sandy's for a reunión. Linda put out a nice spread, and we had a lovely time relaxing on their mirador.

You can actually get a nice view of my apartment from there:

 but not nearly as beautiful as the sunset.

Couldn't even think abut dinner after those lovely botanas, so just took it easy.

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Friday was peaceful with a walk to El Torito to get coffee and enchiladas at Salvatore's right next door. Had lunch with a very nice couple from Colorado. That evening I found a restaurant I'd been looking for named Memo. I mean, I knew where it was, but it never seemed to be open. Opposite to the most common routine here, it only opens at 6:30. Had some nice taquitos. As you can see it's a very Mexican place, the giveaway being the promotional Coca-Cola chairs.

Walking there I caught a beautiful glimpse of Ajijic backlit:

On the way home passed several late night snack vendors. Since in México the big meal is mid-day, street vendors do a good job for something to munch on later.

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A Mexican Reunión

I'm going to tell you about a  family and friends dinner I was invited to, a reunión, but first, catch-up.

Friday night I attend the Chapala-Ajijic Jewish Congregation for Friday night services. I needed to say kaddish for my nephew Josh. As I expected, it was brutally hard, but also cathartic. The people there were warm, welcoming, supportive and, simply beautiful. I thank them for welcoming me and embracing me.

So much for hard stuff.  Today I had the privilege of being invited to the home of my dear friends Judith and Fernando. Judith wanted her friend to come for la comida so naturally she came with her brother, his wife and daughter, his sister and their mother. In México, when you invite people for dinner, unless they are all nortes, you are never sure how many will turn up. If Judith's guests had had several cousins dropping by when it was time to leave, they would have simply brought them along. Large pot meals and buffets are the norm.

Their house is beautiful, on a hill overlooking lake Chapala and the town of San Juan Cosala.

Everyone was expected by noon and all were there by 1. We sat at the table, had some cerveza [beer] or tequila [tequila] or pop or juice. A big bowl of fruit was placed on the table along with a sprinkler of chile, and a VERY hot hot sauce. Oh, and limes, of course.

That's the fruit bowl in the middle

In the meantime, the main courses were being finished and placed into serving bowls over clay heaters.

Judith says it's almost ready

The main courses were chicken molé [chocolate sauce], chicharones in a green tomato sauce, and rice. Of course, there were also fresh tortillas, salsa, and a salad of nopales [cactus]. ¡Estaba muy rico! It was really delicious!

Mexican parties, whether small reunións, fiestas or pachangas [wild fiestas], tend to be inter-generational. There's always kids and elders in the mix, and everyone is interested in everyone.

There are few people missing here

The conversation was primarily in Spanish, and I did OK, though I found the more tequila I drank, the more I understood. When I was really lost, or thought I'd missed a good joke, I asked Fernando who's fluent in Yanqui.

 The reunión broke up at at 5 ish, and it was a wonderful time.

La comida

In México the big meal is mid-day, usually at one or one-thirty. It is called La comida, which, oddly enough literally means, the food, but really means, the meal. This practice is also true of many hot countries as it also allows people to get out of the mid-day heat. In the greater part of México people work near their homes so they are able to return for la comida, unlike us Nortes who typically commute.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, some days I do comida, and others a light lunch or even brunch. When I have la comida, I don't eat again, as is the custom, till eight or nine at night, and then a simple taco or two. In México city you'll see the local taco stands quite busy at late night, much more so than during the day.

Today I had la comida with an old friend Jim. We went to Tony's, an Ajijic institution serving first-rate Mexican food.I had BBQ ribs which were delicious, as were the frijoles and guacamole.

 

La comida is intended as a large meal.  After la comida everyone goes back to work, and children go back to school. The kids are not home before seven, and most worker not till eight or nine. When I ate at the Beer Garden on the Chapala malecon last Sunday, the tacos shown here weere listed as an appetizer. They sure did me in.

You probably noticed that I mentioned that the food at Tony's was Mexican. What, you said, what else would it be? I mean, you're in México, right?  Good question. Every Mexican town or city of any size has several restaurants that are not Mexican but, perhaps, Thai, Chinese, African, German among others. (Though, come to think of it, I haven't seen any Indian restaurants. Odd, that.) The higher the socio-economic status of the Mexican community and the larger the Canadian/American community, the more range you will find. After all,  people live here full-time, and especially the ex-pats will seek a change. Whence my burger last night.

Tomorrow's going to be a photo day of central Ajijic, so look for it. You  can often find more photos by looking at the links to the right of the blog at the top.

The Malecon in Chapala

Today is Sunday, and that means a lot of families go for paseos [walks] and visits. In this part of México, a popular spot for this is the malecon [concrete waterside walkway] in Chapala. Families wander along the water, buy treats and toys from the multitudinous vendors, and savour the little fishes caught right out out in the lake.

Of course there's also shopping in the many booths on the city side of the malecon. There are any number of portable shops offering clothes, trinkets, hats and what not.

I got there by bus from Ajijic - C$.75, and the return was even cheaper because it wasn't an express. The sun was out and it was wonderfully warm. Yes, I did feel guilt about all my friends freezing in yet another vortex. But, hey, come on down and visit.

After walking I was peckish, so decided to stop at the Beer Garden right at the entrance to the malecon and have la comida. In México the big meal is at mid-day, about 1:30 pm, and since I had decided to take it easy at home tonight that made sense. I ordered three tacos - one each of shrimp, fish and beef.

They were excellent. After dining I caught the bus back to Ajijic where I decided to have a cafe con leche at the cafe Black and White  - great coffee makers, those young folk. The centre of the plaza ia, as usual, a sort o bandstand.

Everyone wanders around, including this strange fellow who apparently was selling 2014 Mayan calendars.

One item for sale were huevos de fiesta, which are eggs filled with confetti. Diane and her friends made about 100 years ago for Paul and Kelly's wedding.

You cfrack them on someone's head and confetti comes out. Great fun.

A strange, awful day

My blog about Friday night was first interrupted by a power outage, but hey, Es México. So I went to the plaza did some business and then to Walmart for some supplies they would most likely have. When I returned I found out about a family tragedy which consumed the rest of my day.

Thank goodness for Skype and the phone number I bought for three months. My family can reach me if I am in my apartment, and for pennies, literally, I can call anyone through my computer. This is a travel blog, and not the place for family matters, so I am going to pass on.

I had dinner last night at the closest restaurant, El Serape which serves very good Mexican food in a nice setting: here's the link.

Right now it's a bit cloudy and coolish, about 10c. Later I'm going to catch a bus to Chapala and walk the malecon, the waterside walkway which will be replete with artisan booths and merchants of all sorts. That report and photos will come later.

First full day

The first full day

Last night I passed out about 9:30, and woke up to a sunshiny day. The mornings, like the nights, are cool here ranging from 8 - 12 degrees, but the afternoons are in the mid 20s. Quite a change from -20!

Once I discovered that I possessed no coffee filters [or paper towels,] I puttered about until 10:30 doing email and luxuriating in the sun. Then I strolled to the Zocala [plaza] and had a cafe con leche and a croissant with ham and cheese ($4) at Cafe Black and White. The coffee was one of the best I'd had in a long time!

I then went on to do one of my most important errands - get a SIM card for my old iPhone 4. Turned out to be a piece of cake. Then I walked back to the Plaza, met my friend Jaime at his office and made a date for la comida next Tuesday, searched fruitlessly for coffee filters, and headed back home.

Ajijic is for walking, and for me, this trip, not having a vehicle, it's always going to be for  walking!  The thing is that you may not walk extraordinarily far in distance - I did about 3.5 K today, but the streets are so tricky to walk on that it takes extra effort - and calories I hope. In many places, even the sidewalk is cobblestone.

It's hard to describe the amazing charm of Ajijic. In terms of architecture, San Miguel Allende has it hands down. Ajijic is no silver city with ornate stone buildings and Spanish architecture. It is a true puebla, with small houses cheek to jowl interspersed with larger villas that were built first by Mexican families in Guadalajara and México City [DF] as summer resorts, and later purchased by Canadians and Americans looking to retire. As a result you have, within ten houses a villa, several local residences, and a business or two.

I will be revisiting all of this as time moves on. If you know me and want my Skype name or local cell number, please email.

In México!

¡Bueno amigas y amigos, I am in México!

Thursday 16 January 2014

The trip, while long and tiring, was quite effortless. As of last night I am ensconced in my apartment at 5 de Frebrero #11. The apartment is nice with great views, and amenities equal to the price. Didn't do much last night but settle in and amble to the Plaza for dinner at Jardin Plaza - fajitas and a draft Negra Modelo - C$12. I picked up the necessities on the way in, so I was set.

Below you can see my patio, and next the view from it.

Packing....

So packing for this trip is not really easy.  The temperature ranges from 5C in the middle of the night to 25 or so at midday. So you need shorts and light shirts for daytime, but long pants and maybe a sweater or two for the evening. Not only that, but if you are invited to a cocktail party - and there are many in Ajijic - you need a jacket and decent slacks. Still, that'snothing compared to when I pack for Fantasia Fair, so I can't complain.

I'm putting all my electronics in my carry on, and with oine thing and another that's quite a bit, so it should work out.

PS: reeeeeally getting excited.

In One Week

One week from today I will have landed in Guadalajara and be ensconced in my apartment in Ajijic. It will be wonderful to leave this vicious winter we are experiencing and walk in shorts and sandals in sunshine. I'm not going to publicize this now, but will once I get started in México.