Just about everyone who comes to Ajijic to retire has a colorful story to tell, and Sonya Strahl is one of them.

Volunteers are the life blood of the Mexican National Chili Cookoff.

“I don’t think most people have any idea what this opal mine is like,” said Iñaki Oyarvide, as we set off on our day tour, zipping along the highway to Magdalena, 76 kilometers (47 miles) northwest of Guadalajara.

2002 was a life changer for Lorraine Pasini, owner of Estrellita’s B&B in Ajijic. During that year, her husband’s health took a turn for the worse and he ended up dying of cancer.

Friday the 13th has been associated with evil, the unknown and just plain bad luck in Western culture for centuries.

“One plus one equals three?” Jaime Navarro muses.