Aquascalientes

Aquascalientes

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Hi
Does anyone know of expats living in or around Aquascalientes? I've not read anything about this area on the forum but it looks really nice. Thanks

Anonimo

Nov 19, 2007, 2:43 PM

Post #2 of 19 (1523 views)

Re: [Glen & Debra] Aquascalientes

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There's Judy In Aguascalientes, who posts here.

Saludos,
Anonimo

bournemouth

Nov 19, 2007, 2:49 PM

Post #3 of 19 (1521 views)

Re: [Anonimo] Aquascalientes

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We just passed through Aguascalientes and from the highway it seems very industrial and somewhat polluted. However, when living there, things may be different.

Nov 19, 2007, 4:35 PM

Post #4 of 19 (1503 views)

Re: [Glen & Debra] Aquascalientes

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Ah, Aguascalientes was traveled and stayed at November of 06’. The reason we traveled there was on the advice and wishes of young bank clerk born in Guad and with her eyes closed and hands like in prayer, as if opening a dream, she said I love Aguascalientes and would ultimately love to live there.

She was extremely nice, sincere, very smart and good looking too. I pressed it and inquired why and she delightfully pointed out that it reminded her so much of the city (Guad) she was born in, except it was smaller, a whole lot less traffic, cleaner, and more modern then her home town.

The bell of curiosity chimed and we had to go and see what she was talking about. Indeed when we got there, it had the three circle’s of highway around the town like Quad but smaller and many of the streets had subterranean electrical lines which looked cleaner and improved its appearance.

We were there about a week and vigorously looked at the real-estate market and the beauty of some of the homes and their prices blew us away. We went gaga taking pictures of some of these dwellings in neighborhoods like Las Pulgas and a few others where allot of building was going on.

We became friends with a couple of builders, one of which was born in Aguas and left at the age of 2 to live in the US until a few years ago and now builds beautiful homes with an American flair the Mexicans down there are really drawn too.

It’s a clean and still a growing town not affected by great tourism, which is good price wise and the people are very friendly. One just can’t drive by and try to get a feel for what’s there and what it has to offer. We made it a point to try and speak the language with interest and a smile with the locals and yes, it paid off.

In our book, Aguas is right up there on the top of our list in finding a beautiful home and retire. Another inspiration on the forum is Judy in AGS who built a home in Aguascalientes.

I've included a photo of just one the many beautiful homes in Ags who's pricing is phenomenal by comparison. This house is 9000 sq.ft.

(This post was edited by Oscar2 on Nov 19, 2007, 4:36 PM)

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Reduce House Size-1.jpg (93.3 KB)

Nov 19, 2007, 5:41 PM

Post #5 of 19 (1482 views)

Re: [Oscar2] Aquascalientes

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Obviously you spent more time in Aguascalientes than I did, but my impressions were very negative. In fact, we decided to just pack up and go home instead of staying overnight when we found the plaza to be very noisy and ugly and the hotels not particularly attractive.
This is what I wrote after our recent trip to Aguascalientes and Lagos de Moreno: Yesterday we took our trip to Aguascalientes. It was a major disappointment. Tony Burton in his book on western Mexico says that it is a rather non descript, modern city until one finds the centro. We found the centro and I suspect it has become much more crowded and hectic since Mr. Burton's book came out in 1999. We found it crowded, noisy, full of deisel fumes, the hotels not really on the plaza and expensive. We were so disenchanted that we just packed it in and drove home without spending the night.

I is quite possible that if we had stayed, we would have found a treasury of wonders beyond compare. However, I think I have developed a good sense of what I like in Mexican towns and cities and this was not one of them. All four of us agreed that it did not seem promising.

We did see the "cable cars" but did not go on them as we were running late and did not have time.

Our overall impression was that it was a busy commercial city - home of a major Nissan factory - and quite nondescript.

We did like Lagos de Moreno. It has a whole series of plazas surrounded by by lots of interesting buildings. The "malecon" was a bit disappointing as it fronts on the Rio Lagos, which is a cesspool - pretty much like many Mexican rivers that have limited water flow. Unfortunately, if my map reading is correct, this swill runs into other rivers and eventually empties into Lago Chapala, adding to the wonderful envigorating waters we enjoy.

We also saw the Rio Verde on our way back. It also flows eventually into Lago Chapala. It is appropriately named, though not from the beautiful green one would expect. It looked like it was full of battery acid or perhaps engine coolant. There really isn't much hope of cleaning up our lake until Mexico can get a handle on cleaning up the rivers that feed it.

Lagos de Moreno is called "the Athens of Jalisco." This is probably because of the large cathedral sitting high up on the hills overlooking the town and the beautiful parks. From the cathedral one can see the whole city and miles of surrounding countryside. It is sort of Acropolis like - Athens. This is just one of the several beautiful cathedrals of the city. We found the ambiance to be very pleasant, several nice looking hotels, and good restaurants. We would have been wise to stay there and not go on to Aguascalientes - or to have gone south to Leon just a few miles away.

On the way home we took the free road part of the way and visited two very nice small towns, San Juan de Lagos, and Tenotitlan ??. Both were worth the visit, clean, nice plazas, and nice churches.

Nov 20, 2007, 9:17 AM

Post #6 of 19 (1408 views)

Re: [Bloviator] Aquascalientes

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Bloviator, for a guy who’s never been to Aguascalientes and then unadvisedly selects the seediest part of a city, wolfs down a taco, splits and then becomes a major, major dumpster and trashes the whole city, one has to wonder why there’s so much wrong with this picture. Unfortunately, in your incessant haste, you missed the nicest part of the city by about eight miles. You were a day late and a dollar short kiddo.

I believe in giving a city I’ve heard so many good things about, a “fair shake.” I have a technique that works for me in trying to know and understand a city, at least more so than just having a taco and booking it. Personally, I call one or a few real-estate people over within at least a few days stay and ask them to take me to different parts of the city where they believe it’s the nicest.

This in itself has revealed nicer communities, gorgeous homes, and quite frankly, much nicer than what I’ve seen in the hills of Ajijic, at prices which comparatively speaking are literally mouth watering. Again Mr. Bloviator, you have to slow down and take more time, as opposed to making a quick pit stop, and scramming. Trashing can prove to be a mistake and possibly a disservice to those “truly” interested in a to die for house, at very reasonable prices that can also make it a very desirable place to retire.

Based on your past ongoing musings, which tend to point toward your dissatisfaction with the poor investment you’ve made in buying a home in Ajijic, lately I get the feeling your getting sour on Mexico, period. If and when you can unload your digs in Ajijic, maybe you can assuage yourself by trailer parking it in some lovely back wash like EL Centro, stuck somewhere on the California-Mexico desert boarder………;-)

Hell, I hear it gets pretty darn hot down there but heck, its better than living in that big bad, nasty Aguascalientes you so brilliantly trashed, where incidentally it averages around 75 degrees year around and skies are crisp and crystal clear ………..

Again, for someone who finds cesspool living disgusting, may I ask why in the heck you so “keenly” bought a home on the shores of Lake Chapala? Especially after you so avidly pointed out, all the major surrounding cities in Mexico dump all their refuge, sewerage, untreated battery acid looking like water and just about everything else disgusting into the tributaries which actually feed Lake Chapala……..sheeesh

I’ve listened to you for going on almost three years now and it sounds like things where much better back then. As you’ve mentioned here on this forum on several occasions, your better half refuses to learn or speak Spanish and is generally not happy SoB. I guess after awhile this too undermines and can take it’s toll.

I like you Bloviator but something is going awry. If all else fails, try a nice, bone chilling Martini; lighten up, relax Mexican style, in one spot for about a month or so. No more traveling all over the map, as I frequently hear your call while rapidly dotting the highways everywhere north of Guad and NoB, you deserve a nice long rest old man…….. ;-)

You know what, on second thought maybe people should listen to you, hopefully less boomers and expats will populate the place, like they did in Ajijic and caused housing prices to skyrocket after 1999.

Just in case, I’ve included another of many other photos taken in Aguascalientes cesspool environs…...

(This post was edited by Oscar2 on Nov 20, 2007, 9:36 AM)

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Glenn

Nov 20, 2007, 10:32 AM

Post #7 of 19 (1387 views)

Re: [Oscar2] Aquascalientes

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Oscar2
Thanks so much for your input. As Glen was surfing the web he found a site about Aguascalientes and it looked very nice. Beautiful architecture. Text said it had the nicest people in all of Mexico with little air pollution. It was very clean in the photos. It also had the dam and canyon for recreation--we enjoy being outdoors. We have 3 dogs to entertain. It will certainly be one of the places we visit this summer. Thanks again for the encouragement (I'm sure that last statement didn't include us! HA)

RickS

Nov 20, 2007, 11:23 AM

Post #8 of 19 (1369 views)

Re: [Oscar2] Aquascalientes

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Oscar2 says, "I like you Bloviator but..."

Now let's see.... someone asks about a place, Aquascalientes, and you give your opinion: you like it.

Bloviator writes that he (and three other people in his party) did not think it was nice enough to dwell there, so they moved on to check out others.

In the best of all worlds, that would have been the end of it.... two opinions through two different eyes. Good info for the OP to think about. But, since we no longer have Bubba2 on the scene here, Oscar2 decides to take up the charge and get personal about Bloviator's life, his decisions on where to live, his bad investments, his wife's decision to remain monolingual, etc. etc. etc.

And you tell him to "lighten up"!?!

Glenn

Nov 20, 2007, 11:37 AM

Post #9 of 19 (1367 views)

Re: [RickS] Aquascalientes

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I'm so sorry....I didn't mean to start anything. Everyone has their own opinions-that's why you don't all live in the same place. I asked for opinions and that's what I got, the good, bad and etc. I'm just trying to narrow down where my nitch will be before I get there.

Nov 20, 2007, 12:07 PM

Post #10 of 19 (1355 views)

Re: [RickS] Aquascalientes

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Ricks, since you’ve appointed yourself as web cop, you forgot to mention that Bloviator’s frail ego may have just negatively impacted thousand upon thousands of inhabitants with his pit stop, taco eating excursion by wrongly and grossly trashing their city.

How quick we forget.........

Nov 20, 2007, 12:08 PM

Post #11 of 19 (1353 views)

Re: [Oscar2] Aquascalientes

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You make a good point, that perhaps it was unfair for me to write the posting that I did based on a very brief stop-over, however, I did post the following:

I is quite possible that if we had stayed, we would have found a treasury of wonders beyond compare. However, I think I have developed a good sense of what I like in Mexican towns and cities and this was not one of them. All four of us agreed that it did not seem promising.

I have traveled through a lot of Mexico and have seen many towns and cities that I have enjoyed. Aguascalientes is not one of them. You may be right that I would have found better things if I had stayed, but I usually find that the central plaza of a town is the best for me. That of Aguascalientes was not a place where I wanted to spend time. We had a very nice lunch in a restaurante familiar on one of the squares in Lagos de Moreno and did not "wolf down a taco" in AC. We did sit in a nice restaurante with a Negra Modelo and discuss our impressions of AC. We all agreed that it was not to our liking and that we didn't choose to stay there.

I can't say I would want to be one of the realtors that you choose as tour directors. I hope you always tell them that is what you are doing and that you are essentially wasting their time.

I'm not sure what you mean by a poor investment in our housing. I think that any objective person would say that at the present time a house in much of Mexico, while psychologically and personally satisfying as ours is, is not a good investment. It probably will be in the future as the baby boomers retire, but at this time, it just isn't. I'm not dissatisfied, but would not want to mislead people into thinking that buying a home right now is a good investment.

I'm sure that many communities in Mexico are wonderful places to live. Unfortunately, as you indicated, my wife does not choose to learn Spanish, so we are limited to a community where English is sufficient. I have no regrets about living in Ajijic. If you have followed my postings as well as you indicate, I hope that my happiness here is evident in them.

"Sour on Mexico" - Again, if you have seen my postings about travel in Mexico, the Mexican medical system, the interesting people we meet here, and a whole variety of other things we like, I think that this is just simply an unfair statement.

"Something has gone awry" - Of course, it is possible that I'm a little down right now as both my wife and I have had serious medical problems including cancer surgery (and others for complications from the cancer surgery) for me in the past six months, my cat is pissed off at me because she doesn't like our new dogs and she was without water yesterday, and we have no water in our house again, due to incompetent plumbers. All that can be a real downer, though everything else is just wonderful.

Whenever I discuss the problems of the lake and the sewage of five states that is pouring into it, I'm simply stating a reality. I don't swim in the lake, but I do love sitting on the balcony of my (evidently according to you) home that is inferior to those elsewhere and going to Roberto's Rincon del Cielo, the Real de Chapala, or La Tasca for a great meal by the lake.

If and when you can unload your digs in Ajijic, maybe you can assuage yourself by trailer parking it in some lovely back wash like EL Centro, stuck somewhere on the California-Mexico desert boarder………;-)

A little harsh there aren't you bucko (and incidentally, it's Border, not boarder). If our house should sell, we hope to rent a one level home here in Ajijic that is nice as our current home for less than our current home costs. Should our health preclude that (one of the major reasons we are selling), we will move return to one of several very nice communities in San Diego County that we left because we prefer it here. San Clemente claims "the world's best climate, just as does Ajijic (though evidently inferior to Aguascalientes)

your better half refuses to learn or speak Spanish and is generally not happy SoB. I guess after awhile this too undermines and can take it’s toll.

While I regret that my Spanish is not what I would like and that my wife chooses not to learn the language, nowhere have I ever said that she is not happy here. She disagrees with me about selling the house because she loves it and is having health problems (that we believe can be better taken care of here than Nob - that's how much we dislike it here.), but otherwise loves it here.

You know what, on second thought maybe people should listen to you, hopefully less boomers and expats will populate the place, like they did in Ajijic and caused housing prices to skyrocket after 1999.

I sincerely hope that what I post is accurate and if so that it provides information to others who want to travel in the area or are thinking of moving here. You may be one of the "All Mexicans are wonderful, Mexico is utopia, and anyone who doesn't think so should move back to El Centro" crowd, but I love living here and am willing to take the bad with the good without sugarcoating it.

Finally: I like you Bloviator but something is going awry. I'm not too sure that I am entirely enamoured with you and your personal comments. I don't think I want to know what you would have posted if you didn't like me.

I apologize to the others on the forum for this long discussion that should have been sent as a PM, however my policy is to try to be nice to everyone, but to respond in kind to those who attack me.

Incidentally, your response to Rick S is a pile of dog manure. It makes absolutely no sense. If my "frail ego" is going to seriously impact thousands of people, they must have even frailer egos than mine. If mine were frail, I would not post here and subject myself to your comments. You have totally devestated me and I think I better get back to El Centro immediately. I can make it in time for the Chili Festival if I hurry.

(This post was edited by Bloviator on Nov 20, 2007, 12:34 PM)

bournemouth

Nov 20, 2007, 12:19 PM

Post #12 of 19 (1347 views)

Re: [Oscar2] Aquascalientes

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Oscar - you went way over the edge in your reply to Bloviator, who has been a good and valued poster on these forums for some years now. Please reconsider the rather nasty edge to your post. You are entirely welcome to like Aguascalientes - I'm glad you do and that you may consider living there - in fact I hope you do so and will be able to tell us that your original impression is the right one - but do not deny others the right to different opinions.

tonyburton

Nov 20, 2007, 1:00 PM

Post #13 of 19 (1334 views)

Re: [bournemouth] Aquascalientes

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Memo to self: read board every hour or you never know what might happen in your absence!

I don't think conversation is ever improved if we make unwarranted assumptions or comments about other posters.

Since Bloviator was kind enough to give my book a plug, here's my take on the various places mentioned. I would not personally choose to live in Aguascalientes since I don't much like large cities, except for visits - that's probably fairly obvious to anyone who's read my book and one of the main reason it focuses mainly on smaller places. However, Aguascalientes definitely has numerous attractions, including wonderful murals (government palace downtown), an amazing annual fair (San Marcos), "heritage" area around railroad station (which sadly I haven't been to since its designation), and anywhere that produced an engraver like Posada can't be all bad! It also has great hotels (though the best that I know of are not downtown), with some wonderful food, often washed down with local wines. On the other hand, traffic is terrible (and has increased a lot since I first visited the city way back when) and most of downtown is pretty noisy.

Comparing Aguascalientes to Lagos de Moreno is like comparing apples to oranges - they are different! Lagos is much smaller, with more intimate plazas and streets. While Lagos certainly has good restaurants, they are not in the same league as the best in Aguascalientes (but the Lagos ones are much cheaper). I like Lagos and think it has plenty to interest the casual tourist for a day or two, without the traffic hassles, and transit times that exploring Aguascalientes entails.

Now, can we please keep this thread on the original subject (more or less)?

Judy in Ags

Nov 20, 2007, 1:31 PM

Post #14 of 19 (1324 views)

Re: [Glen & Debra] Aquascalientes

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I'm like Tony in that one never knows what one will miss if Mex Con isn't read every day.

I have no problem with Bloviator's take on Aguascalientes. I figure that "to each his own" fits fine here. If Ags. never becomes well populated by expats, that's fine with us. We don't have anything against their coming here, but we don't long for that either. We loved the place the day we drove in and have loved it ever since, but different folks have different needs and likes and that is okay.

Nov 20, 2007, 1:44 PM

Post #15 of 19 (1323 views)

Re: [Bloviator] Aquascalientes

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After a brief dinner in the seediest part of Aguascalientes, about eight miles from where the real beauty lies, you have the audacity to publically impugn and possibly negatively impact thousands of inhabitants by spewing out the following:

Quote

but my impressions were very negative. In fact, we decided to just pack up and go home instead of staying overnight when we found the plaza to be very noisy and ugly and the hotels not particularly attractive.

It was a major disappointment.

We found the centro and I suspect it has become much more crowded and hectic since Mr. Burton's book came out in 1999. We found it crowded, noisy, full of deisel fumes, the hotels not really on the plaza and expensive. We were so disenchanted that we just packed it in and drove home without spending the night.

However, I think I have developed a good sense of what I like in Mexican towns and cities and this was not one of them.

The "malecon" was a bit disappointing as it fronts on the Rio Lagos, which is a cesspool - pretty much like many Mexican rivers that have limited water flow. Unfortunately, if my map reading is correct, this swill runs into other rivers and eventually empties into Lago Chapala, adding to the wonderful envigorating waters we enjoy. It looked like it was full of battery acid or perhaps engine coolant. There really isn't much hope of cleaning up our lake until Mexico can get a handle on cleaning up the rivers that feed it.

We would have been wise to stay there and not go on to Aguascalientes

Yes, I do enjoy meeting and working with locals in the real estate business, as “most of us have,” prior to purchasing and/or renting. It’s an effective way of learning where you will eventually settle and enjoy what some of these agents have shown us. It’s much more effective than trying to assimilate all of this just sitting at a dining table.

If you found what I’ve said, (some of which was in jest) a bit disturbing, perhaps in part, it was meant to be because I also found your “above” approach lacking candor, unnecessary and publically destructive to their city, unqualified, and just flat out disturbing and unacceptable.

Of course, as always, I will wish you the best and may your health improve enough so you can enjoy your life openly free of health complications. Aside from that, keep on posting and like all else, this too will pass.

Another Home.

(This post was edited by Oscar2 on Nov 20, 2007, 1:54 PM)

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Nov 20, 2007, 2:00 PM

Post #16 of 19 (1310 views)

Re: [Judy in Ags] Aquascalientes

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While I feel that I owe nothing to Oscar, I sent a personal apology to Judy before her posting. I stand by what I said as quick observations on a scouting trip, but I know she lives there and loves it. Perhaps for that reason I should have been more diplomatic and I definitely should made reference to her excellent writings detailing her life in AC, which has graced the forum for a good long time (At least I think it has as I left for a period and have only begun to participate again recently).

As with all things, any posting is just the observations and opinions of the poster. If they are honest, kind, and informative I think that the poster is entitled to his/her opinion without being flamed.

Judy in Ags

Nov 20, 2007, 2:10 PM

Post #17 of 19 (1307 views)

Re: [Bloviator] Aquascalientes

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Bloviator,

I appreciate your private note to me and nice things you said about my blog. Not everyone has to like the same places. It's okay with me. I can see why people who don't like big cities would prefer another place (and traffic is definitely getting worse here.) So far we are still outside the city, but it is moving our way. It will be nice to be closer to shopping, but I'll miss living "in the country."

Nov 20, 2007, 2:11 PM

Post #18 of 19 (1308 views)

Re: [Oscar2] Aquascalientes

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Oscar, I'm not just sure of what the point you were trying to make by repeating my post, but please don't misrepresent what I said. We sat and discussed what we had seen. I still hope you tell the realtors that they are tour guides and not professional realtors.

It’s much more effective than trying to assimilate all of this just sitting at a dining table.

If you found what I’ve said, (some of which was in jest) a bit disturbing, perhaps in part, it was meant to be because I also found your “above” approach lacking candor,

If that is your idea of humor, you are seriously humor impaired and in real need of a humor implant. Just where did I "lack candor?" does that mean I lied?

With this, I retire from the field. I'm with the moderator Mr. Burton, let's get off this personal nonsense and back to the topic - Aguascalientes.

Anything further that I have to say to you in response to further postings will be made in PMs, where the whole thing probably should have been done originally. But, I hope it has given some amusement to the forum on this wonderful holiday (which my plumber is celebrating by leaving me for the fourth day without water).

(This post was edited by Bloviator on Nov 20, 2007, 2:16 PM)

jennifer rose

Nov 20, 2007, 2:16 PM

Post #19 of 19 (1303 views)