Uruapan Part 2 - An uban rainforest

La Yerbabuena Cascada. On our first morning in Uruapan, Carole and I walked over to the Eduardo Ruiz National Park, also called Barranca del Cupatitzio (Ravine of the Cupatitzio). The Rio Cupatitzio originates in the foothills of the mountains and pours through a lush, narrow ravine on the northwest side of Uruapan. The park entrance is only a few blocks from the zocalo, or central plaza of Uruapan, and so can be easily accessed by anyone staying at one of the many hotels and B&Bs in the area.

The park is open from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM, seven days a week. We recommend a morning exploration of the park. While the park was almost empty when we arrived, by noon there were throngs of people everywhere. Uruapan is off the beaten track for most gringo tourists, and the people we encountered in the park as well as elsewhere in town were almost entirely Mexican.

Mural near the park entrance demonstrates Purepechan crafts.  The more I looked at this mural, the more I saw. The man in the center and the women on either side are engaged in several of the many crafts for which both Uruapan and Michoacan State in general are famous. The woman on the left is weaving cloth, possibly one of the beautiful rebozos we saw everywhere. Beside her lies a guitar, the signature craft of the nearby village of Paracho (see Part 1). The man is carving one of the magical wooden masks used in Purepechan dances, and his finished work lies at his feet. Notice the tassels hanging down from his hat, a typical mode of dress. The woman on the right is painting a ceramic bowl, another famous product of the area. Behind them lie two carved wooden posts. Woodworking is a major craft of Michoacan and of Uruapan in particular, because of the pine forests which cover the mountainous interior of Michoacan.

Splashing fountain with painted footing brings cool relief on a warm day. Just inside the entrance of the park we found this fountain surrounded by a large pool with a gorgeously painted bottom. Although I did an extensive search on Google, I was unable to find much about the origins of the Eduardo Ruiz Park.  It was created in 1938 to protect the Rio Cupatitzio watershed. I had assumed Eduardo Ruiz was the creator or designer, but actually he was a 19th Century Mexican war hero who grew up in the area. The designer of the amazing assortment of man-made fountains and waterfalls found throughout the park remains a mystery to me. If anyone can enlighten me, please do so in the comments  section at the end of this posting.   

Kids always know how to enjoy a fountain on a hot day. Many Mexican families arrived throughout the late morning and it was fun watching the kids explore the delights of the park. I always find Mexican kids remarkably well behaved. Perhaps the reason is that so many adult members of the extended family are around to keep an eye on them. 

An unusual harp. I had never seen a harp shaped like this. The musician played beautifully, although the bottom of his instrument bore a remarkable resemblance to a coffin. Live music is everywhere in Mexico. It is one of the things I love about living here.

One of many natural waterfalls in Barranca del Cupatitzio. The ravine drops down steeply on both sides of the river. At the bottom a narrow rocky gorge channels the water into a rushing torrent.

Catching some rays. A banana tree spreads its wing-like leaves to catch the rays of sun filtering through the thick canopy overhead. The Spanish brought bananas to Mexico. The history of bananas goes back to at least 2000 B.C. when they were apparently discovered in Malaysia. The wild banana is inedible, but early people discovered that by crossing two inedible species, a sterile edible plant could be raised. The plant is propagated by taking shoots off its base. It may be the first fruit cultivated by humans.

Cobblestone paths followed  the course of the Cupatitzio on both sides. Sometimes the paths were connected by stone bridges like the one seen above. This photo gives a feeling for one of the less turbulent sections of the river. Just before the bridge on the right, you can see one of the small man-made waterfalls. The unknown designer channeled the numerous small streams that feed the Cupatitzio and with them created an amazing array of water displays.

A quiet spot for contemplation. This narrow platform created the perfect spot for me to take a break and enjoy the natural waterfall in the background. A large number of these quiet spots were situated strategically throughout the park.  The designer really knew his business.

Cloud forest fills the space on either side of the ravine. The base of the ravine is designated "cloud forest" because of the consistently cool moist air which creates a thick, jungle-like environment, with triple canopy vegetation. The place was in constant semi-shadow, with shafts of light penetrating from place to place.  

Knick-knacks and light snacks. Unlike U.S. parks, where commercial activity is generally forbidden except for certain concessionaires (usually well-connected corporations), there were many small booths in various parts of the park. The booths were well constructed and appropriate to the setting and most seemed like family operations. One can buy souvenirs, cooked food, and even beautifully embroidered clothing in these small  booths. 

Chowing down. Roasted corn ears are a favorite Mexican snack. This little girl worked through hers in record time. All that's needed is a small brazier, a few chips of wood, plenty of fresh corn to roast, and one is in business.

Fountain of the murals. This was one of my favorite fountains. About 20 yards long, the wall on top was once covered by a colorful mural. The colors have faded and run, creating a picture that looks like an abstract painting. But the water itself was most attractive to me, springing out of the long lines of spouts over stone that has gone green from moss. A sculpture in water.

Brugmansia. This flower is one of six species of the genus Brugmansia, and its pink coloration makes it the rarest. Brugmansia is wide spread in North America and particularly in Mexico where the most diversity occurs. Until recently it was thought to be related  to the poisonous Datura plant, but it is actually a closely related but separate genus. Both Brugmansia and Datura are commonly called "Angels' Trumpets", for obvious reasons.

Fountain in a waterfall. I thought this was one of the more unusual creations of the park. I have never seen a waterfall with a fountain springing out of the middle. I was constantly charmed by these little vignettes around each corner.

More Brugmansia. This is the "double white" species, more common than the pink version shown earlier. We saw these throughout the park. They grow best in partially shady, wind-protected spots. The park was obviously an ideal location.

A curtain of water. This man-made waterfall resembled a spillway for a miniature hydro-electric dam. When the water gets to the bottom, it is collected in a gutter arching around the base and channeled away toward the river. This allows the visitor to stand almost under the waterfall to view it.

Waterfall curtain from on top. A pathway curved along the top of the waterfall, allowing a look down the sheet of water to the natural amphitheatre below.

Another unusual waterfall. I call this the "waterfall of the planters". The designer directed the flow of water around the two rectangular planters and down a series of steps.  From there, it is channeled away from the cobblestone path toward the river.

Time for a treat. Two small boys get ready to enjoy a bag of fresh fruit. The boy in back seems a bit impatient with his friend's effort to get at their treat.

Bridges tie the whole park together. There are at least five of these stone bridges along the Cupatitzio within the park. They make it easy to move from one part of the park to another in an area that must have been very rugged terrain before the park was constructed.

Ferns and waterfalls alternate along the walkway. Still another unusual design. The fern planters alternate from top to bottom, as do the waterfalls. 

Making a splash. I thought his would have been a very pleasant photo, even without the dramatic dive of the young Mexican caught in mid-air above the pool. You can see him in the upper right of the picture. He had asked us if we would tip him for a dive, and of course we said yes. That's a pretty good drop from the top of El Golgota Cascada to the pool below.

La Rodilla del Diablo. "The Devils Elbow" springs are the source of the Cupatitzio. While the water appears to be turquoise colored, it is really is crystal clear.  The color comes from the bottom of the pool.  The white streaks on the water are reflections of the sun off the shiny leaves of the plants above.

Water nymphs of the Barranca del Cupatitzio. Back at the main entrance, I stumbled across this striking mural. The life of the indians prior to the arrival of the Spanish must have been idyllic. At least the painters, Marianda and Michel de la Cruz seemed to think so. We do know that indians occupied the area for a long time back. We also know that Uruapan means, in Purepechan, "where the hearts of plants bloom like the flowers and enjoy a perpetual spring".

This completes Part 2 of my Uruapan series. My next posting will focus on the Paracutin volcano and the remains of the small town buried by lava in its 1943 eruption.

Uruapan Part 1 - Ancient culture, modern city

A cascade of colors. Local Purepecha indian girls march in Uruapan to celebrate the birthday of Benito Juarez (1806-1872). Juarez was the only full-blooded indian to serve as president of the Republic of Mexico and was a hero of the war to expel French invaders. Carole and I visited Uruapan in the middle of March. We came to see the two national parks in the area: Barranca del Cupatitzio in the city itself, and Volcan Paracutin in the mountains northwest of the city. We were delighted  to find that Uruapan had many other interesting things to do and see, in addition to the parks. I took enough photos to justify a four part series on Uruapan, of which this is the first.

We took Cuota #15 (the modern, high-speed toll road) east from Ocotlan, a town just north of Lake Chapala. At Highway 37, a "libre" (free) road, we turned south and drove on an excellent two-lane blacktop road through the rugged, pine-forested mountains of Michoacan State. The drive took about 4.5 hours. Actually, our Uruapan adventure started before we ever got to the city. On the way, we stopped in the small town of Paracho, the self-styled "Guitar Capital of the World". For a map showing the location of Uruapan in relation to Lake Chapala and our route, click here.

Paracho's plaza on a quiet Friday afternoon. Things were quiet and slow in Paracho when we got there. Even so, this hopeful vendor set up in the middle of the plaza. She sold sliced mango, papaya, and watermelon to passersby looking for a cool, wet treat. Paracho's population is about 15,000 and it looks like 14,900 of them are in the guitar business. The other 100 direct tourist traffic to guitar stores. At 7,300 feet, the weather is cool in the summer and chilly in the winter.

Bishop Quiroga got the guitar-making business started. The statue pictured above commemorates the 16th Century work of Bishop Quiroga, who persuaded the small indian villages around Michoacan State to specialize in particular crafts. Paracho got guitars. There is some dispute about the veracity of this story with regard to Paracho. However, 16th Century Franciscan friars Antonio Huitzimengari and Diego Basalenque reported that when they visited, indian craftsmen were making a variety of stringed musical instruments.

Master guitar-maker at work. I encountered David Hernandez Vaca in the Casa del Artesano (House of the Artisan), located on one corner of the plaza. The Casa contained a number of small booths where various crafts were displayed, including a number devoted to guitars. A guitar maker is a guitarrero in Spanish, and a luthier (from lute) in English. David was busily polishing this guitar at his workbench when I asked for a photograph. He was happy to oblige and explained in Spanish that this particular guitar was crafted for guitar students with special markings to help them learn to play. David has a website (click on his name above) where he can be contacted about his work.

The finished product. At another booth, beautiful guitars of various levels of quality were displayed. The standards are popular, estudio, and concerto, the last being the highest.

Tasty treat for a hot day. Mangos carved in the shape of flowers stand on sticks in a fruit peddler's booth in the mercado. Mexicans often put a quirky little twist on a common item. A gentle sense of humor seems to be a trait of the national character. 

Mexican woman sells cooked fish in a simple stand. I have found Mexicans in general to be industrious and enterprising. Every town seems to have a mercado (street market), and Paracho was no exception. This woman set up a simple display case of upended wooden crates to offer her grilled wares to mercado customers. Her baby played behind her as she conducted  business. 

Purepecha woman demonstrates one use for a traditional rebozo (shawl). In  the small towns around Uruapan, and to some degree in the city itself, we saw few baby carriages. Babies have been toted this way since before the Spanish arrived. Rebozos are also used for carrying packages, as head coverings, and for warmth.  The indian woman pictured had just purchased the bundle of flowers in front of her. I have noticed that Mexicans of all walks of life love flowers. The humblest of adobe huts are often adorned with multiple coffee cans sporting a wild array of blooms.

Uruapan's Templo San Francisco got an early start. Built by the Franciscans (hence the name) in 1533, the San Francisco church was founded only twelve years after the Conquest began. Using a style called plateresque, the Franciscans decorated the areas around the doors and windows lavishly with carved stone, while the main structure of the building remained relatively unadorned. This was the earliest building style of the Spanish Renaissance, melding aspects of the Italian Renaissance with Moorish and Gothic styles. Templo San Francisco is located on the northwest corner of the zocalo, another name for the main plaza.

Uruapan was built on the banks of the Cupatitzio River, on a plateau in  the foothills of the Michoacan mountains. The area around the city abounds with aguacate (avocado) orchards, and Uruapan is arguably the avocado capital of Mexico. The zocalo is surrounded with a mixture of Spanish colonial and modern buildings.  The population of the municipality of Uruapan is about 280,000, making it second only to Morelia in Michoacan.

Grille work on the gate of Templo San Francisco. Uruapan was a small, peaceful kingdom of Purepecha indians when the Spanish arrived in 1522. Archaeological evidence indicates that the indians had already lived in this paradise of flowers for a long period.  All that is known of the early period of the Conquest in the area is that it was probably extremely brutal. In 1531, at the end of this period, Fray Juan de San Miguel arrived. He is considered to be the founder of the modern city of Uruapan, one of the oldest of Mexico's Spanish colonial cities.

Casa de Cultura hosts countless artistic and cultural activities. Originally a Franciscan monastery, the structure was built by Fray Juan de San Miguel in 1536. As with many church properties, the building was taken over by the government for public purposes during one of the anti-clerical periods in Mexican history. 

Courtyard of the Casa de Cultura. When I visited on a Saturday evening, the courtyard was gently bathed in the rosy glow of sunset. Some sort of awards ceremony was proceeding with many certificates handed out. Behind the stage, a group of costumed folklorico dancers awaited their moment on the stage. I have noticed that such verbal presentations can stretch out to interminable lengths before the main event. Losing my light, I decided  to move on before seeing the dancers. For all I know, the master of ceremonies is still holding forth.

La Huatapera, once a Franciscan hospital, now a center for popular arts. Built in 1533, once again by the architecturally prolific Juan de San Miguel, La Huatapera originally served as a hospital for the indians. It was one of the first hospitals in the Western Hemisphere. Later it became an inn, and finally a center for popular arts, housing some of Michoacan's best artesiana. Unfortunately, at the time of our visit, La Huatapera was closed for renovations. Carole was very disappointed, but I pointed  out that this simply gave us another excuse for a return visit.

Whiling away a sunny afternoon. This elderly gentleman took advantage of one of the zocalo's many iron benches to kill some time and soak up the pleasures of the plaza. Mexican plazas are one of the best features of the country. Everywhere we go, they are a playground for kids, a stage for various official and impromptu performers, an opportunity for small vendors, a spot for romantic trysts. A plaza offers the kind of physical center so lacking in many north-of-the- border towns and cities with their commercially gaudy suburban malls and tacky shopping strips all oriented to the automobile. A Mexican plaza is a walker's environment, a place to stroll and enjoy a leisurely pace of life.

Water, water everywhere... Another regular feature of a Mexican plaza, and Uruapan's was no different. Fountains cool the air, are refreshing to the eyes and ears, and often commemorate some locally important historical event. Kids find them fun for splashing games.

Balloons anyone? The zocalo was preparing for a concert according to the poster on the stage. In anticipation of the crowd, a local balloon vendor (another standard feature of a plaza) set up his wares. Most of the public entertainment I have encountered is free, and the rare fees I have encountered are very modest. 

Entertainment of the impromptu variety. Strolling musicians sing for the patrons of a sidewalk restaurant bordering the zocalo. One is always free to donate or not, but I usually give a little even if I can't stop to listen. Everybody's got to make a living, and I can think of a lot of better paid but less socially redeeming jobs. 

Clavelina blossom. This unusual blossom was one of many sprouting on the trees around the zocalo. I had no idea what kind of tree this might be until I consulted with Joel Gomez, my Spanish teacher who also happens to have a university degree in horticulture. The blossom has an uncanny resemblance to a badminton shuttlecock. According to Joel, the formal name is Bombax Elipticum.

Mexican junk food. One of the many food vendors pulled up her mobile cart and set up shop just across from where we were sitting on a bench in the cool shade of a tree. Some plastic bags contained potato chips and others held the large round kind used for tostadas. Behind her is the Hotel Concordia, $37.00 (US) per night. All the usual amenities provided, but a tad spartan for my taste.

More musicians, but this time leading a parade. When we came out to enjoy the zocalo the morning after we arrived, the first thing we encountered was a parade led by these musicians and comprised of school children in traditional Purepecha clothing. We later discovered the parade was part of the national Benito Juarez celebration.

Like a flock of gorgeously feathered little birds. The little girls stole the show. Some no doubt normally wear blue jeans and t-shirts, or school uniforms during the day. Others may be from surrounding villages where women of all ages dress like this for everyday purposes. I saw a woman in one village wearing just such an outfit as she weeded her garden with a hoe. Notice how the girls in this photo are using their rebozos for headcoverings. The blue, pin-striped rebozo is very popular among Purepecha women.

Little boys being, well...little boys. Chuckling and furtively roughhousing as they marched along, the boys seemed less demure and serious than the girls. While their outfits were less lavish than the girls, the boys' shirts and pants were decorated with intricate hand embroidery. In the villages, the men and boys don't dress like this normally, but wear the working garb of cowboys.

A chain of satiny flowers. A shiny, satiny cloth was used to make this girl's hand-crafted chain of flowers. A similar satin material was used for her skirt. We saw this sort of material everywhere on women dressed traditonally. The colors were always vivid and brilliantly contrasting. 

(Below) A Mona Lisa smile. The girls stood demurely as the parade paused, giving me a chance for a closeup photo. When I asked if I could take their picture, they silently nodded, but three of the four shyly gazed down. One, however, rewarded me with a quiet Mona Lisa smile.

This concludes Part 1 of my Uruapan series. The next posting will look at the spectacular Barranca del Cupatitzio National Park.  Hasta luego, Jim 

Ajijic's quirkiest street

Pedro on parade. Pedro is widely known local figure. He retired as a north-of-the-border criminal defense attorney some years back and decided to change his lifestyle. Clearly he has succeeded. Pedro is arguably the quirkiest character on the quirkiest street in Ajijic. Until recently he could be seen in company with Margarita, his burro. He often rode her down toward the pier carrying a large Mexican flag. Unfortunately, Pedro had to part company with Margarita because of his frail health.  In a  town full of unusual characters, Pedro is in a class of his own.

The street we will focus on runs from the base of the mountains right down to the Ajijic Pier. What makes it "quirky" are  all the art galleries, shops, and restaurants that line the section between the Plaza and the Pier. Many of these are decorated with signs and murals that will make a visitor's neck swivel and eyes pop. The street actually has two names: Calle Colon from the mountains to where it meets Calle Ocampo, a block below the Plaza toward the Lake. Then it becomes Calle Morelos for the next two blocks down to the Pier.  Streets in Mexican villages, towns and  cities commonly change names, often numerous times, along their length. This causes much confusion to the newcomer. Oddly, the same names keep cropping up, usually heroic figures from the War of Independence, the Revolution or one of the other internal struggles over Mexico's long and violent history. Wherever you go, there will be streets named Hidalgo, Juarez, Zapata, Carranza, etc.

La Capilla serves for another wedding. La Capilla (the "Little Chapel") sits on the northwest corner of Ajijic  Plaza. One of the oldest structures in Ajijic, La Capilla was built by the Franciscan monks in the mid-1500s, about 200 years before the large San Andres parrochia church nearby.  La Capilla has seen many weddings over the last 450 years. On the day I took this photo, a bride and her father waited in the entrance for the organ  to signal them to proceed down the aisle. The man standing to the right of the entrance has just rung the bell with the yellow hand-rope seen draped down the front of the church. The bell has been rung this way since the time of the Conquest.

A rather unusual police station. Ajijic is a subdivision of the city of Chapala and the local municipal building, pictured above, houses the police and some other city functions. As befits an artist's town, the front of the building has been decorated with a beautiful tile representation of fishermen rolling up a net full with their catch.

Speaking of artists... Local artist Chris English and a female friend walk by the front of one of my favorite restaurants in Ajijic. Chris is a  fellow hiker, paints beautiful pictures, has published stories in a local magazine, and is a good friend of mine. However, I didn't realize he would  be in the picture until I had already taken it. Panda Stir Fry was closed that day and I wanted some human activity to liven up the picture. I waited until someone approached, not realizing it would be Chris and his friend. Panda Stir Fry, about 1/2 block south of the Plaza, serves mongolian-style stir fry meals. The food is wonderful and at 50 pesos (about $3.50 US) for all you can eat,  it is one of the best deals in town. It is new restaurant and the friendly young Mexican couple who own it are struggling to make a go of it. I very much hope they do. Panda Stir Fry is an excellent addition to Ajijic's culinary opportunities. 

More opportunities for your palate. These two small restaurants stand across the street from Panda Stir Fry. Tortas ahogadas are Mexican versions of an American "sloppy joe".  Pork or beef is chopped up finely and mixed with onions and spices and salsa inside a large bun.  It is delicious but kind of messy, so keep a handful of servilletas (napkins) handy. The Creperie got started about the same time as the Panda Stir Fry. The moderately-priced food is primarily French with a Mexican twist. The owners have created a delightful garden courtyard  in  back, just right for a quiet lunch. We love having Mexican, Asian, and French restaurants within steps of each other. 

Diane Pearl's shop comes with a dreamy mural on the side. Diane Pearl's  sells handmade jewelry, paintings, sculpture and  much more. Our friend Maya, who splits her time between San Francisco and Ajijic, has placed some of her handmade jewelry here.  

Galeria La Puerta & Maestros del Arte have colorful critters on the front. These two shops share space and I have always enjoyed the wonderful animals like this armadillo painted in vivid colors on the front. Galeria La Puerta offers art for your home and your garden, clothing ("wearable art"), and jewelry. Marianne Carlson, who owns Maestros del Art, travels all over Mexico to meet folk art masters in remote villages. She sells their art through her store and also promotes their work with the annual Feria art show I have featured elsewhere on this blog. 

Di Paola Galeria displays eye catching artwork on its doorway. Di Paola's offers various kinds of artwork most particularly photography, but also includes some gorgeous folk art. In addition, the store also sells wonderful books on art and local architecture. Maria Di Paola Blum was born in Italy and discovered photography at nine when she was allowed into a dark room for the first time. Canadian artist John Richmond, also known as Juan Campo, painted the sign for Di Paola shown above.

Tango anyone? Carole's favorite restaurant is Ajijic Tango, an Argentine place which features various cuts of beef served in huge portions, but also many scrumptious non-meat dishes including gourmet pizza. Tango is very popular, particularly with the weekend crowd from Guadalajara. If you want a table on the weekend, better show up early or get a reservation

Hotel Estancia is a combination hotel and art gallery. The exterior of the hotel was painted by local artist Bruno Mariscal whose work can be found all over Ajijic's walls. I have never stayed at Hotel Estancia, but I love its decor and this small (8 rooms) hotel is ideally located between the Plaza and the Pier. For more information, click here.

Opus Boutique and Galeria has a show-stopping exterior. This shop stopped me in my tracks when I first turned the corner and got the full effect of its colors and images. I'm not the only one. Photos of the Opus Boutique appear on any number of Ajijic-oriented blogs and websites. The artist is again Bruno Mariscal. The store offers clothing (more "wearable art"), jewelry, and plenty of folk art and odd nicknacks.

Private home continues the color scheme. I was delighted to find these butterflies adorning a private home which shares a corner with the Boutique, as well as sharing its color scheme. At another time, I intend to do something on the beautiful and unusual ways people decorate the outside of their homes in Ajijic.

Uncle Bob's Bar and Smoking Club. This  tiny open-air bar, about the size of a 2 car garage, has long been popular among the alcohol-oriented set. Since I don't drink, I don't come here often, but occasionally I'll stop in to this local landmark and order an "agua mineral y limon" (soda water with a slice of lime). The decor is very eclectic with old movie posters, cow skulls, and various odd objects covering the walls. Someone once said that Ajijic is a place where "painters come to drink and drinkers come to paint".  Sooner or later they probably all end up here.

Los Telares has romance and great food too. On the day we arrived for our very first exploratory visit to Ajijic, we came here for dinner. Like many places in Ajijic (and Mexico for that matter) Los Telares' simple exterior leads into a lush garden courtyard. We were brought here by another Ajijic character named Don whom we encountered on the street as we stood baffled, trying to make sense of our map. Don showed us around town and we ended up here for dinner. I recommend the sea bass cooked with butter and garlic. The atmosphere of Los Telares just oozes romance.

 
Centro de Arte y Cultura. This small gallery contains especially quirky folk art. Usually there are a couple of old Mexican guys hanging out on the small porch under the sign. Hard to say whether they are artists or simply locals enjoying the shade. Also on the porch is an old-fashioned loom, almost entirely constructed from wood and string and clearly functional. The loom is a work of art itself, and operates entirely on human energy. I thought the bougainvilla draped over the sign was especially inviting.

Handmade crafts and textiles hang casually from trees near the  Lake. Sometimes you can watch local indian women make blankets and other textile goods on small hand looms right by the water, as women have done for half a millenium or more. As usual, the colors are vivid and mixed in a way that would never work north-of-the-border, but always does in Old Mexico.

Old Posada restaurant porch faces right on the water. The Old Posada has a long history as a hotel as well as a restaurant, but now it only serves meals. One of the earliest Spaniards to reach the area was a cousin of Hernan Cortes, the famous (or infamous) conqueror of Mexico. The cousin, named Saenz, acquired most of what would become Ajijic and built his hacienda on the current site of Old Posada, along with a mill upstairs. The indians were called with a conch shell at 4:00 AM to bring their grain for milling. Amazingly, the mill remained in operation until the 1940s.

Ajijic Pier juts into a calm Lake Chapala. In the last year Tequila Republic, a trendy, restaurant/bar, opened on the end of the Pier. Entry is through the red boat standing upright on its stern. I found the food here to be somewhat so-so, but the ambiance is great. Surrounded by water on three sides, and shaded by its open-sided roof, the restaurant is the perfect place to sip a cold drink on a hot day as cool breezes drift through. It is also a fine place to view the sunset over the Lake, but can get a little chilly in the evening, even after a hot day, and a jacket or sweater is useful.    

Ajijic's brand-new Malecon basks in warm afternoon sunshine. The city governments of Chapala and Jocotopec have been busy improving the lakefront areas of villages along the north shore. After Amistad park was flooded when the Lake's water level rose, Chapala launched a major renovation of the Ajijic waterfront, including this newly tiled Malecon. The promenade is still under construction. The completed part you see stretches quite a distance, and includes a small amphitheater, a palapa, and other areas where families can enjoy the Lake. The city workers have planted palm trees and alternated them with lampposts, which promises to make the area more useable at night. 

Standing watch. A Great White Egret stands watch on a dead tree, while a fisherman's boat gently rocks in the distance. The only regret I have about the new development along the waterfront is the loss of habitat for the shore birds like this egret. I suppose they can move along the shore beyond the stone and concrete and people, but the ambiance of this stretch of the Lake is diminished a little by their loss.