Remembrance Day
The Lake Chapala Branch of the Royal Canadian Legion will hold a Remembrance Day ceremony Saturday, November 11, 10:30 a.m. at the Sisters of the Order of the Benedictinas del Santisimo Sacramento, Calle Jesus Garcia Norte, across from Panino’s Deli in San Antonio Tlayacapan. Valet parking will be available.
After the ceremony, the Post will hold a BBQ meal catered by La Mision Restuarant with music by DJ Phil. Cocktails are served noon and the BBQ at 12:30 p.m. Tickets are 250 pesos.
For more information, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Veterans Day
American Legion Post 7 Chapala hosts a Veterans Day ceremony Saturday, November 11, 10:55 a.m. at the Post. Poppies will be for sale. A social hour starts 1 p.m. with a dinner of pit roasted pig, corn on the cob and ice cream at 2 p.m. Tickets, 220 pesos, are available at the Legion. Live entertainment is by The Crooners.
Open Circle
John Stokdijk presents “Know Thyself” at the next meeting of Open Circle at the Lake Chapala Society, Sunday, November 12, 10:30 a.m. to noon.
Previously at Open Circle, Stokdijk has shared both his spiritual journey and his mental health challenges. This Sunday he will share more insights from his journeys in life. One of the greatest of these, he believes, is the journey of deep self-discovery. Knowing well our own story can open us up to appreciating the stories of others and help mitigate the alarming polarization in the world today.
John and his wife Pat have lived at Lakeside for five years. Previously they resided in Calgary, Alberta. Last year he launched the Ajijic Book Club, which focuses exclusively on nonfiction.
For more information, go to opencircleajjic.org.
Democrats Abroad
The next general meeting of the Lake Chapala Chapter of Democrats Abroad is on Monday, November 13, 4 p.m. at Sunrise Restaurant in San Antonio Tlayacapan. A social gathering begins at 3:30 p.m. with botanas and two-for-one drinks.
Ray Golz will speak on “What’s in a Number.” He will present outcomes from years of statistical research on trends in the United States covering education, health, crime, taxes, income and more. He will compare these results by red and blue states and current politics.
Golz and his wife Diane have lived in Mexico for six years now in San Juan Cosala. He grew up in a rural community which eventually became a crowded suburb of Atlanta, Georgia. He was a civil engineer and a representative of Caterpillar Tractor Company before founding his own business. Following retirement, Golz has worked on civic projects with local governments and on political research.
Two other speakers will briefly cover “An Insider’s View of the DNC” about recent Democratic National Committee operations and the Get Out the Vote campaign for the 2018 mid-term elections. For more information, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
LCS seminar
Lake Chapala Society (LCS) members are invited to attend a TED seminar titled “Why People Believe Weird Things.” Tuesday, November 14, noon to 1:15 p.m. in the LCS Sala. Skeptic Michael Shermer asksL “Why do people see the Virgin Mary on a cheese sandwich or hear demonic lyrics in “Stairway to Heaven”? Shermer shows how we convince ourselves to believe – and overlook facts.
Lakeside Progressives
The Lakeside Progressives will focus on the 2018 elections at their next meeting Tuesday, November 14, 4 p.m. Co-Chairman Chad Olsen will moderate a discussion on what actions members can take to help elect progressive Democrats to the U.S. House and Senate.
The Lakeside Progressives is a group of like-minded people looking for progressive solutions to political problems. They meet at 4 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month at the Peacock Garden Restaurant on Colon in Ajijic. The group’s Facebook page is Lakeside Progressives.
You can post your comments on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. You can also email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you have any questions. Join in and bring a progressive friend.
Hot Dog!
The new Lake Chapala Society Social Club is closely following its mission of “bringing people together to explore the community in a fun way and provide a venue for new connections,” by holding a Hot Dog Social Tuesday, November 14, 3:30-6 p.m. on the south campus of LCS. A cash bar is also available. Hot dogs, chips and chili are on the menu with a special two-for-one price from 3:30-4:30 p.m. There is no charge for LCS members and only 20 pesos for non-members.
Not to be missed!
A Canadian, originally from Vancouver Island, Michael Eager, the owner of La Nueva Posada Hotel in Ajijic, will reveal some eye-popping clips from 40 years in his adopted home town, Wednesday, November 15, noon, as part of the celebrations for the Lake Chapala Garden Club’s 40th year.
Eager, a 57-year-old father of five, arrived in Ajijic 42 years ago and is promising to tell all in the serene surroundings of the Nueva Posada.
Imprisonment in the cellar of a Mexican jail, threats from the unofficial Mexican Mafia, the inheritance of seemingly insurmountable debts from a previous drunken “disappeared” business owner are only part of the story.
Hear the full account of how the Old Posada, former undisputed hub of the village, prime gossip factory, gold milling center, tequila still and top tortilla source, morphed into La Nueva Posada, now on Donate Guerra bordering the lake.
Rosemary Grayson, a former U.K. TV reporter and anchor, will interview Eager on his four decades of drama in Ajijic.
To launch the day, for those who welcome practical hints and tips on gardening, the club’s board members will host hands-on demonstrations from 11.30 a.m.
Everyone is welcome. To ensure a seat, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. before Monday, November 13.
Lakeside Freethinkers
A discussion of the greater scientific method and scientific “prophecy” will be the topic at the next meeting of the Lakeside Freethinkers Wednesday, November 15.
The Lakeside Freethinkers define a “freethinker” as a person who as an atheist, agnostic, secular humanist or skeptic. They believe that individuals should not accept ideas proposed as truth without recourse to knowledge and reason. They reject belief in the supernatural and rely on science and reason to guide their lives. If you would like to attend, or obtain additional information, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
LCS bus trips
Thursday, November 16, LCS heads to Costco and Home Depot on Avenida Lopez Mateos Sur in Guadalajara. The cost is 350 pesos for members and 450 pesos for non-members. The bus leaves La Floresta at 9:30 a.m. Sign up for either trip at the LCS office. Upcoming bus trips include: Andares Mall on December 7, Costco/Galerias Mall on December 18 and Tlaquepaque on December 27.
LCS Health Day
The Lake Chapala Society holds another Health Day on Friday, November 17. In addition to immunizations, the Red Cross is offering a CPR class from noon to 2 p.m. Sign-up is required, and the cost is 200 pesos, due at the time of registration.
A free seminar, “How to Die in Mexico,” will be presented by Cynthia Guzman of Funeraria San Francisco, 10:30 a.m.
Neurosurgeon Dr. Gabriel Varela will present “Suspect a Stroke or Heart Attack?” at 2 p.m. No charge for admittance.
Blood pressure checks, diabetes screening, and hearing services will be offered from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the back patio area.
Sign-up is required for shots. Shots to be offered include: flu (500 pesos), pneumonia for life (Prevnar 13, 1,600 pesos), pneumonia 5-year (650 pesos), shingles (Zostavax, 2,300 pesos), hepatitis A/B series (1,200 each shot), and typhoid (700 pesos). Shingles, typhoid, and hepatitis may not be taken with any other shot.
More information is available in the LCS office, and all health services are open to the public, no membership needed.
Helping refugees
FM4 Paso Libre is a shelter in Guadalajara for Central American refugees seeking asylum and migrants seeking a better life who pass through Mexico to the US. The shelter provides food, clothing, a bed ... and a safe respite every night for 100 Central Americans making the dangerous journey north.
Support the shelter Friday, November 17 from 2-4:30 p.m. at Yves’ Restaurant (Carretera Poniente 493 in west Ajijic) and hear from a representative how the number of people seeking asylum in Mexico has nearly doubled over last year, in response to the United States’ increased restrictions on refugees (who flee persecution due to their political activism, ethnicity, or sexual or gender orientation).
The event is a fundraiser for the shelter to celebrate this spirit of finding a better life elsewhere, as many of us have. Free margarita, chips, salsa and guacamole, compliments of Yves and Nettie. The total 200-peso donation goes to FM4 Paso Libre. Reserve with Kelly Hayes-Raitt at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Folk dancing
The English Country Folk Dance group will meet on Sunday, November 19, 2:45-5 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Hidalgo 261 in Riberas del Pilar.
English Country Dance is like the dancing seen in movies from the 1700s and 1800s. Even people who think they have “two left feet” can do this. The dancing is done to a walking step and all dances are taught first, then “called” (prompted) while you are doing the dance. No experience is necessary and no partner is needed. Come by yourself or bring a partner or friend.
Contact/RSVP: Catherine or Eric Luria at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or (376) 766-6119 for more information.
Holiday fare
The Lake Chapala Society is holding its annual Holiday Fair Friday and Saturday, December 1 and 2, from 1-6 p.m. Support local artisans and peruse the variety of beautiful handicrafts, just in time for the gift giving season. Last year 40 booths featured handmade goods, jewelry, paintings, candles, photography, pottery and more, all created by local and nearby artists. The LCS Children’s Art program will offer a selection of more than 80 cards from their holiday catalog, as well as other children’s art for sale.
Run for love
Fundraising 5- and 10-kilometer runs will be held Sunday, December 3 to benefit the Casa Hogar children’s home and the Tepehua Community Center. The races start at the Chapala Malecon Sail at 8:30 a.m.
First place in the 10-K event wins 500 pesos, and 150 pesos in the 5-K children’s run. Register (100 pesos adults, 20 pesos children) at the Clinic Ibarra or on the day of the event at 7 a.m.
Fashion Show
The School for Special Children in Jocotepec is holding its annual auction/fashion show and sale fundraiser Thursday, December 7, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Restaurant Las Caballerizas Coxal in the Racquet Club in San Juan Cosala. Tickets, 300 pesos including lunch, are available at Diane Pearl, Mia’s Boutique and Casi Nuevo. Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to reserve tables of ten.
Buddhists
The Heart of Awareness Insight Meditation Community offers meditation opportunities several times each week. The Community’s regular meditation and teaching session is Wednesdays from 3:30 p.m. The formal schedule begins 4 p.m. November 15, meditation will be followed by a video teaching, “Letting Go of Attachment to Reputation,” by Ven. Robina Courtin, the third in her series, “Unraveling Our Emotions.”
There are three additional hour-long silent meditation opportunities each week: Sundays and Mondays, 9-10 a.m. and Thursdays, 11 a.m. to noon.
Karen Vrilakas offers a gentle and spiritual yoga practice at the Center, Wednesday and Saturday mornings, 9-11 a.m.
The Heart of Awareness is grounded in the teachings of the Buddha. Prior experience or affiliation is not required. The center is located at Guadalupe Victoria 101 in Ajijic. For more information, see heartofawareness.org, or call Janet Reichert, 331-043-4669.