Blow your horn

Apparently it's human nature to think or want to believe that your little piece of paradise is the finest around. I know I do and take offense to anyone who tries to dis my slice in order to enhance theirs. But rather than play a zero sum game, whatcha got?

If you are talking about an area, it is usually the best area that you think you can afford.

If you are talking about a piece of that area, it was thought to be the best available at a particular time.

or not

To better clarify cane, let me offer an example of what I was thinking. Last year friends of ours moved to the Las Reides neighborhood in Chapala. We had heard of the area but never been there. What a pleasant surprise, it was so quiet and quaint. The neighbors are very nice and helpful, the streets are wide and the yards are big. Also, being on the outskirts of Chapala the rents are very reasonable. There's more of course but I was thinking of folks who might be looking to buy or rent that might be interested.

oncesubtle wrote:To better clarify cane, let me offer an example of what I was thinking. Last year friends of ours moved to the Las Reides neighborhood in Chapala. We had heard of the area but never been there. What a pleasant surprise, it was so quiet and quaint. The neighbors are very nice and helpful, the streets are wide and the yards are big. Also, being on the outskirts of Chapala the rents are very reasonable. There's more of course but I was thinking of folks who might be looking to buy or rent that might be interested.

So your choices (now) would be limited to near where you are already, is that correct?

Oh no cane not at all. I would like to hear from folks living all over the lakeside area as to what's special about their neighborhood, gated community or rural area. Candace and I would like to rent our place out and try something different lakeside for 6 months or a year. She wants a pool and I want a better lake view but we are flexible will do a house swap too. Hummmmm, looks like this has become a self serving post, I hadn't thought of it that way before now but what the heck, shame on me. :oops:

Hey, why not? Who knows what will come out of the cracks?

Let's start with: Any day you wake up aboveground is a good day. Anywhere.

There's a lot to be said for all the places from Chapala to Joco. My choice isn't for everyone, but I like it here in Ajijic village. Close to the lake and walking (safely, no clobberstones; no fallen woman) on the new malecon. Good lunch places nearby, both Mexican and other food from Thai to Italian, and whatever you'd classify Ajijic Tango as. All good.
In my spot, it's blessedly quiet at night. Just far enough from the fireworks at San Andres.
I like having the LCS library and video rental handy, even though I pass on getting involved with the group. Love their garden.
So......there's my story on why I like it where I landed.

Enjoying the daily rhythms of any neighborhood is the fun of staying anywhere for any length of time. Listening to the day begin with birds singing, the swishing of brooms, dogs barking at people on their way to start another day are what brings unsolicited smiles to my face every morning. I tell friends and family NoB that the intimacy of living is easier to experience where we live. Having enjoyed las Redes for the last year we're excited about another corner of lakeside - alta Riberas!

Personally. and I mean "personally" I'm not fond of Ajijic. We lived there for the first 3 months we moved down here (actuaslly 4). I would never go back to it. We had a place in Chapala Haciendas that was great for a couple of years. It had a great view of the lake and Scorpion Island. The woman next door had a pool and she let us use it anytime we wanted (the best of both worlds). We had the lake view, but no pool maintenance. LOL

oncesubtle wrote:Oh no cane not at all. I would like to hear from folks living all over the lakeside area as to what's special about their neighborhood, gated community or rural area. Candace and I would like to rent our place out and try something different lakeside for 6 months or a year. She wants a pool and I want a better lake view but we are flexible will do a house swap too. Hummmmm, looks like this has become a self serving post, I hadn't thought of it that way before now but what the heck, shame on me. :oops:

An interesting idea oncesubtle. I mean, of course, the idea of living in different places for, say, three to six months at a time. We have lived in Ajijic since 2001 and in 2006 bought a second home in the Chiapas Highlands colonial town of San Cristóbal de Las Casas with the original intent of leaving Lakeside once and for all. However, we kind of like the idea, now that we have tried it, of living in two entirely different environments which, in our case, happen to be about 1,500 kilometers apart. We find this especially refreshing as the two towns we live in are very different from each other to say the least. While we had not planned it this way, we have found that, especially as long time (ten years) retirees, the complete and exhilarating change of scene every three to six months rejuvenates us. That may not be financially feasible for all but, if one buys or rents in a generally low-cost area such as Chiapas, this idea of two, or even more, home bases, while something of a pain in the butt at times, lifts one´s spirits since, alternatively, some of us tend to become somewhat provincial and in something of a rut over time. I think this is simply human nature as there is a natural tendency among most of us to defend our decisions as to where we have chosen to live as if that were a reflection upon us personally. This choosing of varied residential environments does not require that one choose regions as far apart as Jalisco and Chiapas but can be achieved easily within easily accessable places only, perhaps, a few kilometers or a few hundred kilometers apart.

What´s amazing is that the low cost of home maintenance in Mexico is what makes this possible. As seniors, we qualify for property tax and certain utility discounts in a poor state such as Chiapas that make the cost of maintaining a second home reasonable. Just imagine; in Chiapas we pay the equivalent of less than $25USD a year in property taxes. All one really has to do is to get away from high cost areas to achieve this and, believe me, San Cristóbal de Las Casas is a beautiful and sophisticated burg so we're not talking about slumming it here. I´ll bet one could achieve this right there in Jalisco or in Jalisco and neighboring states at minimal cost.

Having one establishment full of plumbing with potential for trouble is one matter. Having two increases the aggravation factor by too much for me. However.....whatever works for you.

Gringal, I've always wanted to be a fallen woman but not due to cobblestones & weak ankles. Whodathunk it would take me 65 years to achieve it?

Carry Bean wrote:Gringal, I've always wanted to be a fallen woman but not due to cobblestones & weak ankles. Whodathunk it would take me 65 years to achieve it?

Yeah....but did you enjoy it? Betcha not!

oops. duplicate post

Recappin',

Thanks gringal, you present some very compelling reasons to explore your corner of paradise. I know a keen eye will be cast your way when seekers of paradise read your post.

Lunateak, thanks for your view on life in Las Redes. I think a poetista like yourself would be happy living on the dark side of the moon and can only imagine your delight settling into alta Riberas, although I know a small piece of your heart will remain in Las Redes.

And dang houndog, thank youuuu for your insights and experiences! I think you really nailed it when you said, "...the complete and exhilarating change of scene every three to six months rejuvenates us." If this spot on observation doesn't compel folks to explore, nothing ever will.

I hope we get some more posts about living in the many and varied areas lakeside, interesting stuff and I think the lurkers will appreciate it too (although we may never know).

...still looking for that house swap and aka roofbob