WHY SO MANY NON-MEXICANS IN AJIJIC?

Why did all these people retire to Ajijic?  Ask anyone here and they will tell you - the weather - the art - the housing - having it all for 1/2 the price.  Many first time visitors are critical of the modern housing subdivisions on the outer edges of the village, failing to realise that many of the best houses really are "behind the walls.  There are house and garden tours that are run weekly from December to March.

The modern subdivision of Ajijic are many.  One is named Rancho del Oro which means ranch of gold.  You see - there really is real gold up there. There is a small mining operation in the hills above the houses.  You just have to bring your own gold pan and strike it rich (well maybe).

However if you prefer using a pan to cook rather than to find gold, then the Chili Cook-off held in February is for you.  There is a fine trophy, several thousand dollars and an automatic place in the World Championships.  This is a three day extravaganza with live entertainment and ton of all kinds of food.  This is REAL Chili folks - no beans allowed.  There are tons of leisure-oriented clubs to join, English-language theater productions - to participate in or just watch, spa's, lessons in Tai Chi - there are always things to do here.  If nothing else just sit in the plaza and watch life go by.

The plaza in Ajijic

The open market in Ajijic is every week and you will find anything and everything you could ever want.

Now this is someone I want to introduce to you.  I do not know his name but you will see him with his baskets in every town along the show line of the lake.  Every day, all day he walks the towns to sell his baskets.  He and his family make the baskets and they are very good quality.  He is honest and so very nice.

Here is another person that I would like you to know.  She lives at the beach  with her sister and her son.  They own the property and live there but you can not see the house - it is behind the wall and that is if they even have one.  She cooks outside on a slab of cement.  She weaves fabric and makes table cloths, rugs, purses etc.  Everyday she sits on the sand with her legs folded under her and weaves.

In this picture she has tied her work to the tree and she is getting ready to start her work.

After she ties her work to the tree she pulls it tight and fastens her work around herself.  Now she is ready to continue working on her fabric. 

She has pride in her work and I think she enjoys it.  This lady is about  four foot ten inches - tiny little thing.  Her hands are gnarled by arthritis and what her knees and feet must feel like after years of sitting on them is something I do not want to feel.  She has the same clothing on every day and she is a very sweet dear person.

However she does not work alone.  

Every day this man brings his donkey down to the beach and ties him up to the tree that is beside the weaver.  There is always food placed there for the donkey.  One day the donkey eat his rope and was wondering around town.  Several of us "newbies" to the area tried to get the donkey back to the beach area.  Donkey was not about to go back there and was having a ball sticking his head into the stores and restaurants in town.

So why are there so many non-Mexicans living here?  Don't really know the answer for all 12,000 of them but I think they live here because it is FUN.