Aug 31, 2012

A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT LAKE CHAPALA

There is this other town that we have and are looking at to move to called Lake Patzcuaro.  At the current time it is a different state from where Lake Chapala sits but in travel time the two lakes are  about 4 hours apart from each other.

The Cocas tribe here in Chapala were at constant war with the Tarascan tribe from Lake Patzcuaro.  

Now I bring this up because when the Indians in Chapala wanted to prepare themselves for battle by showering themselves with their previous victims blood.  They also offered large numbers of ceramic pots and small jars, sprinkled or bathed in victims blood to their God by throwing these pots into the lake.  Guess what - the pots are still washing into shore now and then.  The pots are from the fourteenth century.

The popularity of Chapala really took off when a very distinctive European-style house was sold to Alberto Braniff.  Ever hear of the Braniff airline family?  (if you have you are pretty old).  Anyway the Braniff family sold their house in 1942.  Now it is a lovely restaurant with what looks like original carpet and goods from the Braniff family.  

Today this is what the restaurant looks like.
Friends and family - at the Cazadores Restaurant which was the old Braniff family home. 

In front of the Braniff home/ Cazadores Restaurant sits a lovely park with the board walk and the dock for the boats.  The board walk is lined with vendors selling anything and everything in this one area.  Band are around playing their music.  It is always full of people but some how there is always room, you do not feel crowded.

Leaving Chapala there is a very lovely mural that shows the history of Chapala.


The whole mural

This section shows the Indians that were here before the Spanish


The changing of Gods and the starting of the Mexican people


Independence from the Spaniards rule of the Mexican people


Today's Chapala


Now what this painting does not show is the aspect of the expats into the area and the Mexican people again loosing the land to people from America, Canada and Europe.  
There are about 12,000 non-Mexicans who come to this area - the Expats - in November each year.  About 6,000 live here all year.  English is spoken as much as Spanish, there are as many non-Mexican business owners making money here as Mexican business owners.  While the non-Mexicans bring money to the town, they also take the town away from the Mexicans.

Many people in my village of San Antonio remember as children going to the lake with their Mother to wash their cloths on the shore.  That just was not that long ago for them - less than one generation.  Now the city is full of wealthy estates owned by non-Mexicans - five star restaurants with famous world renowned chiefs.

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