What we’re missing
This time last year, this column reported on the upcoming Thrill The World zombie dance event, a presentation of artisanal wines, a breast-cancer run, an outing of the Lake Chapala Birders,
an upcoming haunted house at the LCS, a Catrina fashion show/lunch benefiting the Ajijic Society of the Arts, a fandango party fundraiser to pay for Ajijic’s Day of the Dead Parade on November 1, an LCS bus trip to Tlaquepaque, the Lakeside British Commonwealth Society luncheon, the Starlit paella fundraiser for the Lakeside Charities Grant Program, an upcoming Garden Guild floral show, an LCS wine tasting event, a cowboy hoedown to benefit The Ranch dog shelter and a multitude of Dia de Muertos art shows.
What a difference a year makes.
LCS restriction plans
Due to the Covid-19 restrictions, all weekend programs at the Lake Chapala Society, such as Open Circle, are postponed through November 13 and the campus will remain closed from 7 p.m. on Friday to 8 a.m. on Monday.
The campus will open 8 a.m. and close no later than 7 p.m. Monday to Friday.
Groups of no more than ten people will be allowed at any in-person event or class during the week, as per government restrictions on meetings.
• A class on Mexican table chocolate will be held for LCS members Friday, November 13, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. In a hands-on class, instructor Norma Maldonado, from Casa Cacau, will instruct on how to identify and recognize the fruit of cocoa, study the process cocoa goes through from seed to the end result of a delicious table chocolate. The deadline for registration and payment is November 8. See lakechapalasociety.com.
• Spanish classes open to current LCS members are varied both in options and times.
Introduction to Spanish designed for individuals without any Spanish language background is being offered. The instructor will introduce learners to Spanish pronunciation, some vocabulary and social protocols. Class sizes are kept to a maximum of 12 students with a minimum of four students. Classes are held three Tuesdays of each month, noon to 1:30 p.m. in the Gazebo.
Spanish in Action courses are offered in six terms of seven weeks each during the calendar year. Courses at four levels of difficulty will be available. Each course will have two parts to keep the course content manageable. This program was designed by Alicia Ordoñez, who has 40 years of experience in teaching Spanish as a Second Language.
Spanish a la Carta is a new online program from LCS for its members, learners and practitioners of Spanish. This program includes advanced and intermediate level conversation sessions. There are essions with specific grammar topics and sessions to improve listening comprehension and pronunciation. For some classes, some material will be sent over email prior to the class for you to read so that your participation is smooth and you can get the most out of it. The curriculum is divided into packages with specific learning activities: improve your pronunciation of Spanish; conversation for intermediate students; conversation for advanced students; and practical grammar. Each program will consist of two or more Zoom sessions of about 70 minutes each. Class sizes for all packages are limited to nine persons.
For more information on costs, materials, days and times of these classes, 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..
American Legion
The Halloween party at American Legion Post 7 Chapala scheduled for Saturday, October 31, has been cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions.
The Veteran’s Day celebration on Wednesday, November 11 is still a go. The ceremony honoring all those who have served in uniform begins at 10:55 a.m. A dinner will be served with two seatings: noon to 3 p.m. and 4 to 7 p.m. Music is by Blue Cadillac. Call 376-765-2259 for information.
Remembrance Day
The Royal Canadian Legion had planned a Remembrance Day ceremony for November 11, as it has for many years, on the large football field on the property of the convent of the Hermanas Benedictinas de la Adoracion Perpetua del Santisimo Sacramento in San Antonio Tlayacapan. But due to limitations on private gatherings to only ten people, the event has been cancelled this year.
Highway repaving
Finally, the state is repaving the stretch of the Guadalajara-Chapala highway between the Santa Rosa turnoff and the u-turn where all the semi-trucks turn around on the outskirts of Ixtlahuacan. Now they should put reinforced concrete on the u-turn, because the heavy trucks will surely destroy it within a month or two of repaving.