Forums > Areas > Jalisco's Lake Chapala Region

Uncle Jack

Jun 6, 2003, 3:53 AM

Post #1 of 14 (893 views)

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It's 5:00 A.M.......

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..........and I've been up since 4:00. It's dark out and will be for another 2 hours. I"m still having trouble getting used to this time zone. Back in Arizona on standard time, it would light out by now. I'm starting to feel guilty about drinking tequila and orange juice in the dark.

Today marks the beginning of week 3 for us here in Ajijic. Actually we live in La Canacinta, a small community about 5 Kilxs West of Ajijic. The house is slowly taking shape and the cardboard box count goes down each day; you can actually see the bed in the guest bedroom now. I've come to terms with the guys who deliver "Gaaaaasssss" and the bottled water vendor.

We've already learned that it's unwise to buy more that 2 or 3 days worth of fresh produce as it doesn't linger long in the kitchen window, and that the tianguis in Chapala is bigger and better than the one in Ajijic. We also immediatly discovered that the clerks and check-out people at Superlake are as rude and arrogant as we were told. Shopping in Chapala or Jocotepec is much more pleasant as is shopping in the smaller grocery stores in Ajijic.

Our neighbor to the East is a ninety year old Canadian woman who has live here in Mexico for 27 years and on the other side of her is a Mexican Doctor and his family; beautiful wife and three even more beautiful children. Directly across the street is another Mexican family with two knockout little girls. Everyone around here seems to have georgeous children. It must be something in the water. We made a big hit with family across the street yesterday. I took some digital pictures of the wife and daughters giving their parrot a bath in a bucket of water. When I came back with a couple of prints for them 30 minutes later, you would have thought I had just given them a grand gift.

Today it's time to go wrestle with the immigration folks. We still have to register our FM-3s and go make multiple copies of all the papers we need to keep in the car.

Later

UJ

Bill_N

Jun 6, 2003, 4:01 AM

Post #2 of 14 (879 views)

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Re: [Uncle Jack] It's 5:00 A.M.......

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Uncle (El Tio) Jack,

I'm practicing my español. :-) It appears that there is a two hour time difference between Eastern US time zone where we live in Webster NY and the Lake Chapala area. Is that correct? I am trying to figure out the difference because when I look up Mexico it says most of Mexico is on Central Time Zone but that would only be a 1 hour difference unless Mexico does not go on Daylight Savings Time. Maybe that's your reference to "still being dark". Could someone clarify?

Also, I don't get a clear sense from your post whether you are happy about your move or somewhat regreting it? Seems you are expressing mixed emotions or am I reading too much into it? You seem to be surrounded by some nice neighbors and I wish you the best with adjustment to your new surroundings and lifestyle.

Salud,

Bill Newell

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Jean

Jun 6, 2003, 4:24 AM

Post #3 of 14 (876 views)

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Re: [Bill_N] It's 5:00 A.M.......

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We are on CST and therefore 1 hour behind NY.

For Uncle Jack.

Don't worry, it gets better. Our first three months here were the most stressful as we tried to adapt, find things, get used to the noise and a hundred other little things.

Wait til January comes and your walking down the street in beautiful bright sunlight with blue skies and comfortable temps....and then you remember what NY is like in January.

Nothing comes quickly in Mexico, something that in time you will appreciate :)
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Uncle Jack

Jun 6, 2003, 4:43 AM

Post #4 of 14 (880 views)

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My apologies.......

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.......if I sounded negative. I was just trying to point out a couple of minor points that I need to adjust to.

So far the location, the weather, the people (with the exception of the clerks at Superlake) have all be better and nicer than our expectations. The house is just fine. As I pointed out, our neighbors are great. I've already been to the dentist with good results. Dr. Polo has taken care of our prescriptions. Rod has already installed my high speed internet connection. Patty has joined an excercise group. We bought a couple of pieces of furniture and I had a guy out to replace a power supply in my computer and everybody showed up on time when promised and I was very pleased with the service and the prices........two house calls and a new power supply installed for 350 pesos. Hell, I'm as happy as a Pismo clam at high tide!

It's 6:42 now and it's still dark.......I think I'll have another drink.

UJ

(This post was edited by Uncle Jack on Jun 6, 2003, 5:01 AM)

tntex

Jun 6, 2003, 5:58 AM

Post #5 of 14 (859 views)

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Re: [Uncle Jack] It's 5:00 A.M.......

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I just returned from Las Vegas to Tennessee. I drove, my wife went by plane. Three hours differance so to keep up with the time I left my watch on Eastern Time, went to drug store and bought a cheap watch and put it on Pacific time, wore one on left arm the other on right arm. Might look stupid but I meet my wife at the airport ON TIME.
tntex

Georgia

Jun 6, 2003, 7:50 AM

Post #6 of 14 (845 views)

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Re: Why it's still dark.

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This used to puzzle me ... this late morning darkness ... until I looked at a map showing the time zones. Lake Chapala is in the Central time zone, one hour earlier than on the east coast of the US. Same daylight savings, etc. etc. The difference is obvious when you look north on the map. In the US this longitude would be in the Mountain zone. Lake Chapala is so far west in the Central time zone that the sun comes up (and sets) and hour later than you normally would expect. It's like year-long daylight savings time.

esperanza

Jun 6, 2003, 8:02 AM

Post #7 of 14 (842 views)

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Re: [Georgia] Why it's still dark.

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Exactly right, Georgia...and add Daylight Savings Time (Hora de Verano) to this, and you see that day dawns late here by the lake.

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

Howard Botz

Jun 6, 2003, 11:04 PM

Post #8 of 14 (789 views)

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Re: [esperanza] Why it's still dark.

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Maybe I am confused here but I think this has more to do with latitude then time zones. The sun is further north at this time of the year hence, here in Seattle, we have longer days (the sun comes earlier and goes down later) then you do at Lakeside. In the winter the reverse is true because the sun is further south so you will be closer to the sun then we will.

Howard in Seattle

Jean

Jun 7, 2003, 1:16 PM

Post #9 of 14 (757 views)

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Re: [Howard Botz] Why it's still dark.

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Actually if you are in Seattle you are at sea level and we are 5200 feet closer to the sun that you are :) ROFL Go figure?
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Howard Botz

Jun 7, 2003, 4:17 PM

Post #10 of 14 (738 views)

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Re: [Tuatha_de_Danann] Why it's still dark.

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In elevation you are higher but we are closer to the sun because the sun is in the northern latitude at this time of the year. Remember Alaska has almost 24 hours of sun this time of the year.

Howard

Jean

Jun 7, 2003, 4:28 PM

Post #11 of 14 (737 views)

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Re: [Howard Botz] Why it's still dark.

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:) I was pulling your leg ROFL = Rolling On Floor Laughing

And here I thought I was being very witty.

I think most of us here would give just about anything to NOT see the sun for a few days. The heat and humidity is getting to a lot of us.

Of course after three days of no sun then everyone goes around bitching and complaining that there is none and saying what a gip!!

We get spoiled very easily down here.
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El Gringo Nuevo

Jun 7, 2003, 7:00 PM

Post #12 of 14 (723 views)

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Re: [tntex] It's 5:00 A.M.......

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My wife is a Flight Attendant and flies mostly between Seattle and Amsterdam. "What is the time now and what time do we arrive in Seattle" it seems to be the most frequently asked question during the flight. Her answer is almost always "it's 11 a.m." For example: they depart Amsterdam at approximately 11 a.m. and arrive in Seattle at 11 a.m. In every time zone they pass thru it's 11 a.m. or close enough. She is constantly amused at trying to explain that to folks who until now traveled by bus until flying became so cheap. She finally found a watch that has dual times zones and helps out with the location/time change. Thanks for the practical tip to always be on time at the airport. I'll keep that in mind so I'm not late to pick her up.

esperanza

Jun 8, 2003, 4:48 AM

Post #13 of 14 (698 views)

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Re: [Howard Botz] Why it's still dark.

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Howard, dawn comes late here regardless of the season of the year.

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Georgia

Jun 8, 2003, 5:15 AM

Post #14 of 14 (696 views)

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Re: [Howard Botz] Distance from the sun is not a factor

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It's the tilt of the earth business. For example, at the equator there is 12 hours of daylight year round give or take a few minutes.

In the summer the days closer to the equator are shorter than those far away from the equator because of the tilt of the earth. In Scotland for example, the sun sets around 11 p.m. or so on June 21 and it comes up around 3:30 a.m. or so. In Mexico (closer to the equator) you will still have only about 13 hours of daylight.

You altitude doesn't really factor in, except to the extent that surrounding mountains may block the sunrise or sunset to some degree.

But what really distorts the sunrise and sunset in relation to the official time Lakeside is the latitude and the time zone. We still get about 13 hours of daylight at this time of year. In the winter it is about 11 hours.