Where is Ajijic and what do you do there?

Travel south from Guadalajara about twenty miles to the village of Chapala. It is located on Lake Chapala, the largest fresh water lake in Mexico. Turn west on the carretera and go through a number of small villages: Riberas, San Antonio Tlayacapan, Ajijic, San Juan Cosala and arrive at Jocotepec. We really live in San Antonio, but it's easier to say we live in Ajijic, because some people have read about it as a retirement destination. By the way, pronounce the name "ah-hee-heek" with a little hiccup at the end. The villages are completing a malecon which will extend from Chapala to Jocotepec.

We live in a gated community called El Parque. It is the site of the old Pal RV Park where we stayed in our motor home for five years. When the property became too expensive to maintain as an RV park, the owner developed a small sub-division. It's ideally located on the carretera with a grocery store, meat market, fish market,flower shop, liquor store, auto repair shop, bakery all across the street. If you hanker for a taste of the US, Walmart has built a superstore at the intersection of the carretera and libramiento.
The Ajijic village has another grocery store, beauty shop, liquor store, several good restaurants and art galleries and gift shops.

There is always something to do, although the activities may appeal to the retirement crowd more than the young. The Little Theater presents plays every other month with directors and actors who were professionals in the US. Many activities are fund raisers for local charities such as Lakeside School for the Deaf, Casa de Ancianos (old folks home for the poor), Love in Action (houses children removed from their homes because of abuse), Ninos Incapacitados (handicapped children).

A week ago the Guadalajara Reporter, our local newspaper, listed: Behind the Walls Home Tour to benefit the School for the Deaf, 5th Annual Equestrian Extravaganza to benefit Love in Action, Art Fair on the Ajijic Plaza, 2nd annual Jewish film festival to benefit the local synogogue, Northern Lights concerts at the auditorio featuring jazz and classical music and finally bus trips to Guadalajara to see ballet and orchestra performances at the Teatro Diana. There is no shortage of culture, only a shortage of time and money.

Sooo when people ask, "What do you do there?" I say, "Everything---nothing." Whatever you want.