...Ah! Chapala
you have the magic of a story book
stories of sunsets and earthenware,
of romantic moonlit nights
Peaceful Chapala,
your lake - a romantic bride
like none other..
Chapala, embedded in the central part of Jalisco, is "a place of flower
vases of fragrant clay and small earthenware pots", known also as "The
Wet or Soaked Place" or "A Place for Ducking into the Water"
- this is the town after which Mexico's most important lake was named.
In the beginning, Chapala, or "Chapalean" was a pre-Hispanic settlement
dating back to sometime in the XII century A.D., when a migrating tribe
of náhuatl indians, originating from the northwestern section of
the country, settled here and found the northern shore of the lake already
quite populated, as was described by Friar Antonio Tello, a Franciscan historian.
Four centuries later, in the year 1524, once they amalgamated with the Coca
and Cazcano indians who inhabited the shore from Poncitlán to Jocotepec,
including Ajijic and Cosalá, together with Friar Juan de Padilla
and a soldier, Alonso de Avalos, the domain of Chapalean was recognized
as part of the New World.
The benefits of the evangelization by the Franciscan Fathers Friar Miguel
de Bolonia, friar Martín de Jesús, or the Coruña, and
Friar Juan de Amolón, were the construction of Axixic (Ajijic) convent,
in 1531, and the Tlayacapan Church of San Antonio, the Chapala convent having
been built in 1584. Of the three aforementioned, only the tower or steeple
of the original san Antonio TLayacapan church still remains. The parish
churches of Chapala and Ajijic were started in the XVIII century with the
secularization of religious buildings for the Franciscan Missionaries. From
the XVI to the XVIII centuries Chapala was only partially commissioned by
the Spanish Crown, being inhabited mainly by indians, in spite of the fact
that the process of European colonization had started back in the XVI century.
In addition to the first European colonization in the XVI century, the period
1895 to the decade of the '30s of the present century, Chapala gave shelter
among its population to a good number of foreigners of diverse nationalities,
as well as to those of our fellow countrymen who began promoting tourism
along the lakeside. Thus, the appearance of this" small fisherman's
village", as described by Father Jesús T. Orozco, the town's
parish priest at the beginning of the century, was transformed by the first
summer residences of neoclassic Mediterranean style, such as the "Casa
Braniff" (now the Cazadores Restaurant), the building located at the
corner of Degollado and Zaragoza streets ("Calvary" and "Fishing"
streets until 1913), the building of the old Hotel Palmera and Hotel Niza,
presently known as the Hotel Nido, and also the residences which can be
seen along the boardwalk that leads to Francisco Madero Avenue (Beer Garden)
where the Arzapalo Hotel, inaugurated in 1895, was located, as well as the
Telegraph and Post Office building, to name but a few.
The Town Hall (Palacio Municipal) and the old Railroad Station were built
between 1913 and 1930. This railroad was the first and only service there
was connecting Chapala with Guadalajara and on to the north of the country,
and by way of Mexico City, to the rest of the world. This building represents
the beginning of the "Grand Epoque" of the Chapala lakeside when
Guadalajara high society spent their weekends here and came especially during
Holy Week and the Christmas Holiday.
With the introduction of the railroad, better alternatives were offered
for the economic growth of the region, besides providing "a
pleasure trip instead of a sacrifice", as the railroad was more comfortable
than the stage coaches which took up to 12 hours to make the trip, or the
"Wichita" buses with big solid rubber tires, which also took
a minimum of 5 hours to cover the same distance that the railroad did in
3 hours from Guadalajara to the "charming resort of Chapala:.
At present, access to any point in the country is easy and fast, by land
or by air. Chapala and the lakeside are only 20 minutes away from the Guadalajara
International Airport. Also, the Guadalajara-Chapala highway connects with
those that lead to Mexico City and the northern part of the country, as
well as with the highway to Puerto Vallarta and the southern part of Jalisco
and also with the highway to Michoacan, and to the south along the Pacific
coast.
As for the tourist accommodations, its hotel infrastructure offers alternatives
ranging from 2 to 5 star hotels, as well as a good number of bars and restaurants
where you can enjoy delicious Mexican and international cuisine; also cafeterias,
banking facilities and currency exchange houses.
Recreation possibilities are many - water skiing, triathlon contests, sailing
and regattas organized by the local Yacht Club. There are two islands in
the lake, the largest is the Isle of Scorpions directly in front of the
town of Chapala, where, besides the beautiful natural scenery, one can enjoy
delicious Mexican cuisine. The other is the Island of Mezcala, facing the
town of the same name, eastwards from Chapala, and where the ruins can still
be seen of a fort taken over by the movement of the Mexican Independence,
between 1812 and 1816, and which constitutes one of the four Spanish forts
which to this day still exist; the San Juan de Ulúa Fort in Veracruz,
the San Diego Fort in Acapulco and Chapultepec Castle in Mexico City.
Among the local important festivities is the Carnival, most often in February,
which is very popular and begins with the traditional "burial of Bad
Humor", the the beautiful floats, costumed and masked groups, followed
by "serenades" to the Carnival Queen and the crowning of "The
Ugly King" in the Main Plaza. An established custom - after participating
in the masked groups and attending the bull fights, the people go around
cracking egg shells filled with aniline, and offering carnations to all
the girls.
Another eye-catching aspect are the beautiful fireworks which become a real
competition to see who creates the "best castle" (fireworks scaffold)
or the "best little bull". Sports events, Mexican rodeo stunts,
donkey races, the waiters' races, the masked group contest, the floats and
the masquerade balls, all make this an outstanding and colorful festivity.
The Patron Saint of Chapala is Saint Francis of Assisi, and between the
end of September and the first days of October, festivities in his honor
begin with a novena, ending October 4th. The entire community takes part
in the solemn processions organized by the different sections of the town,
all terminating at the church atrium. Here too, beautiful fireworks as well
as popular evening festivities take place in the Main Plaza.
As from 1995, the month of November has been designated as the period for
the Fiestas Commemorating the Beginnings and Historical aspects of Chapala,
featuring outstanding cultural events for the whole family and for all choices,
making this the town's most important celebration.
In addition to all the above mentioned attractions, our lakeside community
invites you to come and enjoy wonderful natural scenery and the interesting
and contrasting architecture.
Chapala, always near to you!
(Click here to view a photo strip of the Lake Chapala area)
Historian and Chronicler:
Bernardo Sandy Ramirez
Recreation possibilities are many - water skiing, triathlon contests, sailing and regattas organized by the local Yacht Club. There are two islands in the lake, the largest is the Isle of Scorpions directly in front of the town of Chapala, where, besides the beautiful natural scenery, one can enjoy delicious Mexican cuisine. The other is the Island of Mezcala, facing the town of the same name, eastwards from Chapala, and where the ruins can still be seen of a fort taken over by the movement of the Mexican Independence, between 1812 and 1816, and which constitutes one of the four Spanish forts which to this day still exist; the San Juan de Ulúa Fort in Veracruz, the San Diego Fort in Acapulco and Chapultepec Castle in Mexico City.
