Mexican Lifestyles

Lee Hopper began visiting his father at Lake Chapala in the 1960s. Now in his sixties, the bilingual Mexican-American has returned to make the area his home and, he says, help make a difference.

In early March Hopper came up with an idea to help youngsters learn the old ways while getting different generations of families to socialize at the plaza. 

The first enormously successful Feria de Capirotada took place on the Ajijic plaza on Sunday, March 22. 

In a small warehouse off the highway in La Canacinta, Argentine native German Schilman is making some of the best beer you’ll find in Ajijic — or anywhere in Mexico. 

Schilman – like many a foreigner who came to travel and stayed for love – made Mexico his home eight years ago and began to discover the craft beer boom. He turned his brewing hobby into a business and began selling beer in September. His Corazon de Malta one-man brewery produces about 90 cases a month of three types of light, but complex tasting ales: English pale ale, American brown ale and American wheat ale. The recipes are his and come from his knowledge of beer making, not copies of some import. Business is booming — clients routinely sell out his product — and expansion to increase production by a factor of ten is in the cards soon. 

Enjoy Schilman’s ales at a variety of local venues: Ocampo 71, The Merendero, Hacienda del Lago, Ajijic Tango, Jardin de Ninete, Licoreria La Paz and La Catrina or visit corazondemaltacom to order direct (free shipping via FedEx in Mexico).

Cedric Defayes has changed the name of his European restaurant on Avenida Lopez Cotilla from Le Bistro to Heidi’s. 

In this monthly series, we republish some headlines from our September editions10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 years ago.

For expats living in Mexico, navigating the subtle differences in Spanish can be either a welcome adventure or a massive headache.

One common point of confusion is how to refer to someone from the United States. 

The Lake Chapala region is widely recognized for its amazingly benign year-round climate. Never mind that bogus claim that National Geographic once rated the area as boasting the world’s second-best climate. It is just an often-repeated myth that was probably invented by some hungry real estate agent.

People here are so used to consistently agreeable temperatures that they tend to grouse a bit any time in winter months that thermometers dip below the 21°C/70°F mark, or soar anywhere near 26°C/80°F at the height of the dry season. Really sensitive folks only need to light fireplaces and turn on space heaters for a few days when it’s cold, or crank up fans and air conditioners when the atmosphere heats up. Most of the time, wardrobe changes suffice to make one comfortable.

Immigrants often rave about the rainy season when local landscapes transform into the lush scenery that inspires painters and nature lovers. But there can be downsides, like lugging around umbrellas and raincoats, repairing leaky roofs, maintaining gardens free of overgrowth, or keeping close watch on laundry left out on the line. And that brings me to why October is my favorite time of year.

As the rains taper off, the weather turns perfectly balmy day in and day out. Neighboring hillsides and mountain peaks remain gorgeous shades of green as wildflowers start popping up along roadsides and at higher elevations. Cheery shades of yellow are dominant.

Morning glories are my favorite of these volunteer “weeds,” a feast for the eyes, especially enjoyed during an early walk. Their particular hue is the most magnificent shade of blue in God’s creation.  Many locals call the flower Manto de María — Mary´s Mantle — in reference to the blessed Virgin.

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