Marsha Sorensen lived in Ajijic in the mid and late1960s, and made two extended visits in 1972 and 1973. Revisting Ajijic in 2008 for the first time in thirty-five years, she was struck by the “aston... read more

In the early 1960s, Ajijic was gaining something of a reputation as a hang-out for ‘bohemians’ and later for hippies. Historian and MexConnect author Jim Tuck once described 1965 in Ajijic as "The ... read more

Lake Chapala’s literary and artistic reputation was enhanced in the 1930s, '40s and '50s by a long string of visiting writers and artists. Here is a brief alphabetical listing of some of the stalwarts of the Lake Chapala art and literary scene in the 1960s and early 1970s. read more

This is a story about my love affair with an old house in Mexico. One day I found myself standing in front of a beautiful three storey, art nouveau town house. It was shabby, obviously neglected, and unlived in, but it had certain magic about it, which captured both my imagination and my heart. I knew, in that moment and with great certainly, that one day I would buy it. read more

Strange, but true. Charles Embree's A dream of a throne, the story of a Mexican revolt, is based on the story of the Lake Chapala area during the 19th century. read more

The lobby and staircase leading to the second floor rooms. Down a quiet village lane in Ajijic, a high blue wall hosts climbing vines sought by songbirds. A wrought iron gate opens to a spacious col... read more

Set on the shore of Lake Chapala, the town of Ajijic has become a center of art and culture. The Noches de Ajijic International Festival of Gastronomy and Music highlights some of the region's best.

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As everyone who has been to Chapala lakeside knows, there is only one major roadway that encircles the fabulous lake. One of the small but essential journeys required of any lakeside residents on a regular basis is to go from one side of the carretera to the other as a pedestrian. read more

The first detailed scientific account of Lake Chapala was written by Henri Guillaume Galeotti. It was based on a visit to Chapala in February-March 1837. The article was published first in French in 18... read more

The rules are different for Lake Chapala real estate – the elevation of the house and how the surrounding gardens and street are graded can affect the quality of your home. read more

At age seventy-five, Peter Larson gave away or threw out most of his old life, packed up what was left into a few boxes, got into his old red Pontiac and drove south, to Mexico, to begin a new life. read more

The good government of Jocotepec, centralized at the west end of Lake Chapala in the great state of Jalisco, has given new meaning to the word "mañana." Too early on a Monday morning in mid-Decembe... read more

John Keeling's 2009 Restaurant Guide (Fifth Annual Edition) is not just for residents of the north-shore towns along Lake Chapala.

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"I was six when I started to paint," he recalls. "It all started at the public library here in Ajijic. There was this woman, Neill James. She was a great woman, very generous. She gave us kids everything - watercolors, paper, brushes, and even furniture to work on. I spent my weekends painting all day. " read more

There is something for everybody in Tony Burton's, Lake Chapala through the ages. Whether you are fascinated by the early history of the place where you now live or visit (or would like to visit), or whether you are interested in early accounts of the natural history of the region, or of the lake itself.

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In the ancient Nahuatl language, Ajijic means "The Place Where Water Springs Forth." This year marks the 40th anniversary of an historic event: the Great Geyser Eruption. It is said to have been the ta... read more

Axixic Lodge #31 is located in Ajijic, Jalisco, Mexico, and was founded in 1987. Since its founding, the Lodge has been an activity member of the community, and growing! From eight founding members, the Lodge has grown to over 60 Brothers. From its inception, the Lodge has met in various locations, private homes, art galleries, restaurants, and currently in a hotel conference room that the Lodge rents.

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We lie in bed listening to the tympani of rain on the tile roof and burrowing into each other's warmth. My neighbors weren't home when Jaime came to visit, so no one saw him. read more

Ford Times, the monthly magazine of the Ford Motor Company. John Russell Clift, the author and illustrator, was born in 1925 and at the peak of his career in the 1950s when he wrote this piece, one of the earliest to promote the attractions of the Chapala area as a retirement haven. His thoughtful prose and fine silkscreens paint a vivid picture of what life was like at Lakeside 50 years ago.

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 Mathieu de Fossey was born in France in 1805, and educated in Dijon. Politically disillusioned following the end of the reign of King Charles X in 1830, Fossey responded enthusiastically to an intrig... read more

Mexico's equivalent of the Domesday book was compiled in the sixteenth century. History shows that conquerors often have very little idea of what they have really acquired until it is firmly within th... read more

The American White Pelican is Mexico's largest bird, while its relative the Brown Pelican is one of the most fun to watch. White Pelicans on Lake Chapala; photo: John Mitchell, Earth Images Foundat... read more

G. M. Bashford's Tourist Guide to Mexico was first published exactly fifty years ago in 1954. It was one of a spate of motoring book guides written after World War II as Americans began to hit the open... read more

Masses of beautiful violet and yellow flowing water hyacinth ( Eichhornia crassipes) add an attractive splash of colour to the Lake Chapala landscape during the rainy season but are a serious problem for thelives and economy oflocal residents. read more

Click on map for interactive PDF map of Lake Chapala: Chapala, Ajijic, Jocotepec, San Juan Cosala, San Antonio Tlayacapan and other villages... read more