Lakeside crimewatch

The question is, CBob, whether having information about what's going on around you is worse than wearing a bag over your head and plugs in your ears. And no, Coldwell will not be reporting the crime. The posters on the website will......so there may be many inaccuracies, like the one about "yes, Mario's son is safe" and "no, my maid said he isn't".

I had a recent conversation with a friend who's beginning to worry about whether they should start thinking about moving NOB after quite a few years in Mexico and having many friends and activities here in lakeside. My question to her was "Where can you go to avoid the trouble in the world?" She had no answer, and neither have I.
There are too many people, too much poverty and not enough jobs to go around. Of course there will be crime, and there is. I'd rather know what's up. There is never much bliss in ignorance, IMHO.

gringal - As you can see two completely different scenarios about Mario's son and the other two. My maid said everyone is walking around with sad faces.

Yes, ignorance is bliss. Ask moi!

Since this crap has been happening, I recommend that parents drive their kids to school and people walk in groups or take your car.

They know where the drug houses are. We need another house cleaning by Federales and the Army. like a few months ago.

johninajijic wrote:gringal - As you can see two completely different scenarios about Mario's son and the other two. My maid said everyone is walking around with sad faces.

Yes, ignorance is bliss. Ask moi!

Yes, but the trouble with ignorance is all the smartasses who can't wait to inform you of it, whether you want to know or not.

And so much of it is misinformation and rumours. Now they can bash me for what I just said.

For me Lakesidecrimewatch is going. You'll be able to read it on crapola.com. Good Bye.

There is no country free of crime; however, there are places in those countries (as here in Mexico) that have less crime and not as violent. I personally feel the severity of crime that is going on here in Ajijic, surrounding areas is way too close for comfort, and the fact that you cannot trust the authorities is even more frightening.

little italy wrote:There is no country free of crime; however, there are places in those countries (as here in Mexico) that have less crime and not as violent. I personally feel the severity of crime that is going on here in Ajijic, surrounding areas is way too close for comfort, and the fact that you cannot trust the authorities is even more frightening.

Where would you go at this point? Just curious.

Well, been thinking about Hot Springs village ARK., Cary, N.C. Would love to return to Aptos Calif. (where my heart is), however, can not afford moving back to Calif.

little italy wrote:Well, been thinking about Hot Springs village ARK., Cary, N.C. Would love to return to Aptos Calif. (where my heart is), however, can not afford moving back to Calif.

Move to Cary, NC so you can visit.

Just remember the fog, I used to live in Aptos and I am glad I am out of there.

little italy wrote:There is no country free of crime; however, there are places in those countries (as here in Mexico) that have less crime and not as violent. I personally feel the severity of crime that is going on here in Ajijic, surrounding areas is way too close for comfort, and the fact that you cannot trust the authorities is even more frightening.

The last part of this statement goes to the heart of the problem in Mexico. Hell, the U.S. is crawling with narcos and other criminals. The difference is, they pretty much stay underground because if they pulled the kind of crap like just happened in Ixlauhuacan, and is continuing all over this country, the cops would get them and get them good and in a lot of places they'd be executed or at minimum incarcerated for life.

Here, they can get away with it. So they do. When the country really decides it has had enough of this crap and goes all out to eliminate, and I do meen eliminate, these terrorist gangs, the smart ones will get the message and climb back under the rocks. They'll go right on selling dope but they won't be messiing with the civilians they way they are now.

Guanajuato or San Miguel would be my first two choices. I am sure there are many others that I haven't discovered yet!

CanuckBob wrote:Guanajuato or San Miguel would be my first two choices. I am sure there are many others that I haven't discovered yet!

As someone who moved here after three years over in San Miguel...............I'd advise spending some quality time renting in either of those places before settling there.
Many things don't show up in the hype articles...or on a vacation. The press is very protective of their "Puebla Magicas".

Well I guess my point is that there are more secure (at this point), suitable areas within Mexico if someone decides this area is too "unsettling" for them. Yes, it may be a bit colder in the winter in these other places but where most Canadians come from it is still a weather "paradise".

As for the nightlife, both places are quite active with street activity well past 8:00pm.....jajaja.

gringal wrote:

CanuckBob wrote:Guanajuato or San Miguel would be my first two choices. I am sure there are many others that I haven't discovered yet!

As someone who moved here after three years over in San Miguel...............I'd advise spending some quality time renting in either of those places before settling there.
Many things don't show up in the hype articles...or on a vacation. The press is very protective of their "Puebla Magicas".

There are countless places all over Mexico that are not burdened with this narco civil strife in such an absurd fashion but, as gringal writes, the local press in many of these places is protective of the community images so, even if you speak Spanish fluently, you will not see through the obfuscation until you have been there quite a while and then only marginally no matter where you settle. When we bought our home in San Cristóbal de Las Casas in 2006, it was considered much more dangerous than Lakeside and now it is considered much safer than here at Lakeside although, from having lived there for five years we can tell you that that is bullshit and the town is riddled with crime and a corrupt administration and law enforcement. When we chose a country in which to retire in 2000, we eliminated Colombia as a choice over Mexico because Colombia was reportedly much more dangerous and, here in 2012 Colombia is reportedly the place to be.

Whereever humans congregate, bullshit reigns and then we all rise up to the heavens to eternally kiss God´s ass or descend into the molten fire to exist eternally in agony in the absence of God´s ass. Give me a break..

Maybe, as long as you have your earthly ass, Yazoo City is the place to be. The people there are just as nasty as they are here.

CanuckBob wrote:Well I guess my point is that there are more secure (at this point), suitable areas within Mexico if someone decides this area is too "unsettling" for them. Yes, it may be a bit colder in the winter in these other places but where most Canadians come from it is still a weather "paradise".

As for the nightlife, both places are quite active with street activity well past 8:00pm.....jajaja.

Nevermind the weather. For a former Canuck, it's a piece 'a cake. Just don't take a walk outside of the center of Centro SMA after dark. The gangs come in all flavors; one neighborhood tried to set up a police sub station but had to give it up. My neighbor had a dramatic home invasion. Things like that can be "unsettling". You betcha.

The "troubles" are moving around. When we moved to Mexico eight years ago..........Morelia and Patzcuaro were peaceful, beautiful places. No problems at the beaches, either. Not any more.
It's just a matter of time till the troubles move on to engulf the whole country unless some radical changes take place. I like it here and expect to stay for the long haul.....but I don't wonder why people expect the sky to fall.

Well I suppose that is why it is best to rent so you can move on with little notice if one wishes to dodge the bad stuff.

I don't believe the gangs in SMA are kidnapping kids and invading homes. I talked extensively with residents who are well connected with both the gringo and Mexican community there and they were shocked and appalled with what was going on here.

I am not trying to sell the place. I am just giving my observation and the observation of some residents who have lived there for over 5 years.

Either way I never get my info from the press. I prefer to talk with the locals.

Also, I would go to Guanajuato before SMA. I think it is more picturesque, has a better nightlife and closer to the airport in Leon. Not as many gringos either.......jajajajaja.

The 3 winter months can be spent on the coast if it gets too cold.

CanuckBob wrote:Also, I would go to Guanajuato before SMA. I think it is more picturesque, has a better nightlife and closer to the airport in Leon. Not as many gringos either.......jajajajaja.

The 3 winter months can be spent on the coast if it gets too cold.

Yes, Guanajuato would be a better choice, IMO. It also helps if you have mountain goat genes. I'll ignore the "not as many Gringos" comment. LOL.

I was going to put "old gringos" but thought better of it........Jajajajaja.

I hope you can make it to the next Board Meeting at Jim's. I'll buy ya a drink.

Salud.

Guanajuato is an attractive city but settled in a deep canyon and claustrophobic and characterized by burdensome steep hills. A fun place to visit but not an attractive place to live full time. In fact, Dawg cannot think of even one town in Guanajuato State including San Miguel dÁllende where I would reside full time. The state is characterized by vast flat, mundane agricultural lands and and unattractive scrubby dry hills. The climate cannot even remotely be compared with the climate at Lakeside and, while San Miguel is an attractive city which can be architecturally attractive in spots, it is overcrowded, the terrain is often unpleasantly steep and the place seems to be overburdened with Texans.

We thought, back in the year 2000, of San Miguel, Guadalajara, Lake Chapala, Oaxaca, Merida and Cuernavaca as retirement havens and decided on Lake Chapala because we found a fine home here and splendid beaches stretching into eternity upon which to run our huge mastiffs. We later bought in Highland Chiapas to escape the overwhelming extranjero atmosphere of Ajijic which can become tiresome. San Cristóbal de Las Casas is true ancient Spanish colonial in a hardly touched land as opposed to San Miguel, To each his own.

Agree! Chiapas is my exit strategy.

The weather, tho. . . I like blue sky. Pretty much all the time.

[quote="Trailrunner"]Agree! Chiapas is my exit strategy.

The weather, tho. . . I like blue sky. Pretty much all the time. [/quote]

Perhaps the most beautiful state in Mexico but the climate is variablle in San Cristóbal at 7,000 feet and blue skies, while incredibly splendid when there with crystal sunliigt , come and go. Lake Chapala has an unequaled climate but that is not all that earth is about. Even Nova Scotia has its charms but not for Dawg. I will be flying over there on my way to France soon enough but I ain´t landing, I hope.

brigitte wrote:Just remember the fog, I used to live in Aptos and I am glad I am out of there.

Yes, certainly remember the fog and personally thought it so romantic especially walking on the beach in the fog, which I miss.
My husband and I worked in San Jose where in the summers would reach in the upper 90's and so much smog. We could hardly wait to get home. I also loved San Francisco and we would visit when the temps were cooler. I for one like the cooler climates.

little italy wrote:

brigitte wrote:Just remember the fog, I used to live in Aptos and I am glad I am out of there.

Yes, certainly remember the fog and personally thought it so romantic especially walking on the beach in the fog, which I miss.
My husband and I worked in San Jose where in the summers would reach in the upper 90's and so much smog. We could hardly wait to get home. I also loved San Francisco and we would visit when the temps were cooler. I for one like the cooler climates.

We also like cooler cliamtes which is why we live at Lakside and in San Cristóbal de Las Casas but, since you lived on Monterey Bay and worked over the mountain in San Jose, you will recall that, on Monterey Bay there are fog zones and sunlit zones all of which may be characterized as cool temperature zones. Aptos, where we lived for a few years, and towns such as Monterey and Carmel are fog zones often overcast and depressing. Santa Cruz, on the other hand, is much more often sunny and with a crisp and pleasantly cool climate. No matter where any of us lived on Monterey Bay, we always made fun of those who lived in "The Valley" meaning anywhere in Metropolitan San Jose so I understand your point.

The minute we had a chance to leave the Centrall/lNorthern California Coast in 2000 and move south to Mexico we were out of there like Speedy Gonzales although there is no question that the climate up there is splendid. There is, however, a difference between paying $2,000,000USD and $200,000USD for a comparable house and, maybe $25USD versus $$5,000USD a year in peoperty taxes plus no fog.

Based upon our experiences while traveling, we would have to say that Patzcuaro would be at the top of our list. However, it is at an advantage since we have spent more time in that area versus the others - 23 days over the last three years. Even with that much time, we would never make such a decision without a good deal more experience.

[quote="CheenaGringo"]Based upon our experiences while traveling, we would have to say that Patzcuaro would be at the top of our list. However, it is at an advantage since we have spent more time in that area versus the others - 23 days over the last three years. Even with that much time, we would never make such a decision without a good deal more experience. [/quote]

We considered Pátzcauro and Tapalpa as alterntive high altitude towns close by Lake Chapala and chose distant San Crostóbal de Las Casas instead. There is an important difference but to each his own.