Lake Chapala Golf Carts

You just never know what you'll see from a golf cart in Ajijic. I took this photo while delivering a cart this morning. New to me! Hahaha!

It is such a beautiful time of year! This waterfall, Las Cascadas de Tepalo #2, is in the mountains above central Ajijic, DIRECTLY behind where I live. And yes, you can take a golf cart up to the trail, then it's just a 15-20 minute walk to #1 (smallish), then additional 15-20 to #2 (the one in the photo), and then….okay I've never been to #3! And supposedly there's a #4! (Photo courtesy of Juan P. Montano via Facebook)

¡Carnaval 2015! (Also known as Fat Tuesday/Mardi Gras.) Ajijic celebrates with a fun and whacky and colorful parade, plus lots of parties and more. This year a group of people rented golf carts to be in the parade and had a great time. It is the local tradition to throw confetti, and especially flour, at people during the parade. Honestly, at times it's like a good-natured war zone. NOBODY is spared being pelted with flour! Everybody gets covered! Complete fun!

The Circus is in town!!! The Circus is in town!!! Mexican circuses fascinate me, especially since reading Katie Hickman's book, "A Trip to the Light Fantastic", many years ago. The book is out of print, but can still be had if you're resourceful. It's by a British woman who travels with a Circus here, and very much gets inside of it. I have always been interested in sub-cultures, and if ever there is one, it's the traveling family of a Mexican circus.

Merry Christmas from Ajijic! We'll be closed from December 23 to December 30. Have a great holiday everyone!

One of the nice things about living here is there are so many cool places to visit not too far away. Last weekend I went with some rock-climber friends to La Peña de Bernal in Querétaro state, about five hours away. Here's a picture of my great friend Carlos going up the rock, and one of the rock itself, third largest in the word after Gibraltar and Sugarloaf Mountain in Rio de Janiero.

The Annual Regatta de Globos was a couple of weeks ago in Ajijic. It is the years very best event, in my opinion. It is insane and wonderful and beautiful and funny and, just for good measure, a little bit dangerous, too. It is a thoroughly Mexican event, and one of the reasons I love living here. This year it was rainy, but that didn't dampen (hardee har har) anybody's enthusiasm. My good friend Candice Fulton who was visiting from Nayarit wrote a wonderful blog entry that captures the spirit of the Globos perfectly. These photos of hers and others can be found at her blog linked here: http://www.sanpanchovida.com/2014/09/lets-go-to-the-globos.html

The folks at Lucky Dog do a spectacularly good job of helping lakeside dogs in need. Kudos to them.

Photos of the "stars" arriving at the red carpet at yesterdays world premiere of the movie, "Thriller in Ajijic".

Full lake. This photo was taken in 2008, standing in the middle of the pier in Ajijic with the lake to my "back". The water was lapping up against the Old Posada and other buildings. After a decent start to the rainy season this year, we haven't had much in the last week. (We're nowhere near this level, presently.) But we had a bit this morning, and clouds are reforming today. So we're hopeful. Everybody has Tlaloc, the Rain God, on speed dial.

At the Tianguis...

Lake Chapala Golf Carts new Headquarters. Kidding!!!