Bette enjoys the reflections in larger pool, mountains and late afternoon sun on Christmas Day

After the Tequila:)

Christmas Day Feasting - Minimal organization, lots of cooperation and good spirits and endless sunshine

The thermal pool is always a welcoming destination

As the days go by....

Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday Season to ALL

Settled at 126 Charales, Roca Azul

          BACK IN THE LAND OF COLOUR

We have spent our first ten days settling in to our “casita” which in Mexico is always an adventure. It involves visiting markets, language challenges, fixing leaky valves, shopping at our favourite tiendas and reconnecting with neighbors and friends.

We are feeling settled finally and the lovely sunny afternoons provide relaxing long swims in the thermal pool ( this helps Ivan’s arthritis) I am enjoying the fact most Mexicans simply think it is too cold to swim this time of year.  So we often have the entire pool to ourselves. It is a 3 minute bike ride from the house!

Roca Azul was once a ritzy location for the wealthy folk from Guadalajara.  Now it is a “funky” sort of  Eco Park with the pool floor made up of various coloured tiles, the cement lakeside walkway has a series of cracks and broken sidewalk, and clearly the “glory days” are over. (we are grateful) 

The acres of land, gorgeous trees, morning bird song, and ample conveniences in Joco make our third year here comfortable. We know our way around and have many established happy relationships.We have been welcomed by friends from all walks of life, local and international. We can now enjoy our “other summer” though settling in requires lots of work (as does leaving Canada) it feels great once we establish healthy routines and mesh with the laidback lifestyle here.

My dancercize friends meet at the large spacious room in the clubhouse at 8:45 am. We have combined our Zumba, Salsa and Brazilian music and work up in sweat during the cool mornings.  The ipod placed in Kris’s bose speaker is truly impressive.

Our free style aerobic dancing is an uplifting way to start the day.

We do lots of stretching and often two hours pass before we return to our respective homes or trailers.

Despite all the media nightmares, Jocotepec remains a friendly Mexican town, with anything you could possibly need. Ivan loves

wandering in the town.  It is like a treasure hunt to find coconut milk or romaine lettuce, but it is all there.  He manages very well with his limited Spanish and expressive charades!

We had a “settled in party” on Friday and enjoyed “Tom Ka Gai” soup, a salad made with lettuce, papaya, and raspberries with a raspberry vinaigrette dressing I concocted.  Ivan is famous for his

chocolate éclairs, so our first gathering was a great success.  The original people we met year one, Kris and Ken are here for the duration. This is great as we are generally on the same page re most ideas.

I begin classes with my Spanish teacher Bette tomorrow, and we

see our beloved dentist Juan Carlos on Tuesday.  He is not just an excellent affordable dentist but also a good friend.

We have two neighbors named Carlos, one is an artist and lives behind us.  This morning by chance everyone gathered on our balcony to welcome us back.  A lively political discussion took place mostly in Spanish.  I could pick up bits and pieces, and Ivan’s ears were perked.  Our Mexican friends are very despondent about the recent “War on Drugs” and violence.  Carlos (across the street) felt the media was creating the same kind of fear the US did re- terrorism to control the people.  He did admit the scale of devastation is worrisome. He also commented that the Mexican government wants a unified police system, but the people are against it.  Difficult times.

Both men spoke with enthusiasm about parts of Mexico that still remain unscathed, and reflect the good hearted folk, the beauty and history so many little Pueblos around here exude. We look forward to some day trips with our educated Mexican guides and neighbors.

I enjoyed teaching my first ESL class at the new school TEC opened in a town 45 minutes away called Tlajomulco. The director

Maria drove me there and I had two small classes (6 students in each)  of beginners and ended up teaching 6 hours.  I am hoping there will be work closer to home at the school in Joco 5 minutes from here.  But for now I have been asked to teach on Saturdays in Tlaj.  I learn as much as I teach in this small poor town, and the kids are quick to laughter, respectful, and gracious.  My students on Saturday ranged from age 16 to 23.  I do end up speaking more Spanish while teaching than any other time during the week as TEC seems to have a steady stream of beginners and lots of the students either have to work or can’t afford to continue. Homework and study habits are not part of these students lives.

The pictures below

From top to bottom:

1)   Ivan is enjoying a Mexican meal in this little hole in the wall restaurant we discovered last season.

2)   Dona and Bruno (our landlady and partner)  and new babe Sebastian visited us on Sunday. 

3)   126 Charales St.  Roca Azul, Jocotepec – We are finally settled, unpacked and watering our roses.

4)   Ivan in front with his hand carved address from two yeas ago behind him.

5)   The market is a plethora of colour…I have never seen bras

So decoratively arranged in every colour imaginable. 

6)   Ivan is making a purchase at a booth specializing in electrical equipment.

La Vida / Everyday Life in the Chapala Region

Colourful decorations, villages along the lakeside

Images : our first week back in Mexico (Chapala)

For those not familiar with how blogs work

Always put the cursor on the right hand side to view photos, stories etc. as on my computer it is not possible to simply scroll and follow our history.  There are titles in the right column and they go by date so it is easy to travel with us and experience our Mexico as I blog when the computer cooperates. The most recent event appears first, then blog back by putting cursor on titles on the right hand side.

The pictures posted week of Dec. 2/2010  show snippets of our week wandering in San Juan Cosala, enjoying the brilliant tropical flowers, eating at Vive Mexico (so cheap, and both an art gallery and spacious restaurant) and enjoying this lakeside town. Despite poverty, there is a friendliness and the town is lively all day and all night.

Dona (the young owner) put up a great shelter in the back yard where the banana tree already has cute little baby fruits.

I will do my silk painting under it, once I find a table. She also painted the house in rather crazy colours, but we are cozy and still have open dates for our Bed and Breakfast here in Mexico!  There is a spare room with ensuite bathroom, birdsong to wake up to, cows mooing in the distance, and a huge eco park to just relax and mellow out.  Not to mention the thermal pool which is also a great swimming pool as it is not even luke warm but so relaxing. Ivan does laps and it is often quiet on week days even many weekends.

We both have lots of projects and are almost ready to set up healthy routines, dancing, swimming, walking,  silk painting for me, endless reading on our Kindles (so cozy at night) teaching English and continuing my Spanish study.

Ivan has a million projects on the property and is feeling upbeat and pleased.

Our First Week of our third visit to Chapala Mexico

Hello Everyone,

We have been so busy getting settled in I had no time for my blog. After lots of organization, rearranging the house to our liking, renting the car from our friend Mark, shopping and much more we are sort of "moved in".  It feels great to be here again, and we will enjoy the results of the roots we  put down during our two previous years.
We arrived to find perfect weather and Ivan already had a swim in the thermal pool today.  Dona, the owner, and her husband Bruno and new baby Bastian came by to visit today.  We are slowly having lovely reunions with both our Mexican and International friends.

Here are our cell phone numbers (use only for emergencies) and ask a Canadian operator what to precede the number with:

Ivan  331 440 0471
Evi   331 538 8409

We can use our Skype to Landline to call anyone so just email me at

eviblueth@gmail.com   or eblu1929@uniserve.com

I will continue with more pictures and thoughts in a few hours or as they say in Mexico "manana"

Warm Greetings to all,

Evi y Ivan

We are once again in Mexico, Jocotepec (Roca Azul)