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I would bring all the food and water you Need from NOB

Enjoy

Thanks!

To gwynne: I do not know you, but I love you.

Yes, you may experience stomach/gastro upset your first few days. (I advise visitors to brush their teeth with the tapwater, but don't drink it, and rinse with bottled water.) But, when you head back north, you will also experience a reaction to water you once were used to.

^ this I'm always looking for facts, not emotional reviews like "my dinner was completely ruined"/"awful and nothing less" etc. They're usually too subjective, full of whining or pre-paid by other companies. I'd say, it's a hard job to find truly objective reviews. But sometimes it's even funny. When it comes to choosing, I rely on my own experience.

I've only ever ordered one thing- a new motherboard for my washing machine. Sellers on Mercado Libre have ratings from customers- this guy had been selling on Mercado Libre for years and had a top rating. But I got a Mexican friend to call him for me (I'm pretty fluent with spoken face-to-face Spanish, but they talk so darn fast on the phone) and he seemed totally legit- had an appliance store in Mazatlan. He gave me his bank account number, which I paid at Oxo (no need to use Paypal), scanned him the receipt as requested, and it was delivered by Estafeta 2 days later. But I'm not sure if I'd order an iphone that way. Could even be stolen. I doubt there's big black market in stolen washing machine motherboards 🙂

It is the law that they have to give you a factura if you ask for it. Let them know that, and indicate you will check with the local law and have a report written up about this. You most likely will get a factura. They don't like to give them as they have to claim the amount as income and have to pay taxes, as the factura folio number has to be filed on their taxes. Cash transactions, no record, no pay taxes.

OK, consider this a public service announcement: If you do NOT have a current emissions sticker and are traveling the carretera between La Reserva and La Christina going west, bail off to the left onto the dirt road in front of Que Ganga! There are actually two parallel roads that run parallel to the carretera from Canacinta to El Bajio. You can get back on the carretera just past El Bajio, where the fruit stands are. Going east, drop down at the fruit stands and travel east to Canacinta. These two roads are about 20 feet from the carretera and the transitos know about them but apparently don't care because there will be a traffic jam down there of cars avoiding the traffic stop. Gotta love Mexico!!!

TripAdvisor is a useful tool, especially when you want to find out more about a restaurant that you haven't tried yet. I tend to assume that the top 10% and the bottom 10% of reviews are usually restaurant employees giving great reviews, or competing businesses giving terrible reviews. Go by the other 80% of reviews, most of which are honest, actual restaurant patrons and their true experiences. It's usually easy to spot the obvious fake reviews. I remember reading one review about a particular restaurant here in Ajijic, where the woman swore she got food poisoning from one of their dishes. Problem was, they don't even serve the particular dish that she said she got sick from! Obviously a fake review. I dislike people that try to drag any business's name through the mud with lies. It's hard enough to have a successful restaurant without people making up bad stuff!

Agree totally. If anyone offers to nationalize a vehicle and the process is to be completed within days and / or it includes state plates including EdoMex the process has a 100% chance of being illegal. If you want to check out such a process go and ask your local SAT / Aduana office if it is legal. There is no process available today that allows one to nationalize a vehicle already in Mexico.

CG they have been at that location on and off for month's. They mostly stop traffic going East but today were working East and West traffic CG are you really suggestion FBMM is illegaly on the job. When I passed there were at lest 6 "officers" including 2 women and a supervisor with silver trim on his hat..but more intimidating a flat bed tow truck parked....so go ahead and pull their bluff , but donot come to us for a GO FUND ME to get your car from the pound

Of course, I never wanted to suggest that TA is a bible. I do find it helpful, even though there are things I can't understand. Ajijic Tango, for example was rated number one for ages, and I don't think that's deserved. Also, some people will give one star because they got (what they considered) bad service. OTOH, when there are a sufficient number of reviews, it can be helpful.

If you need oxygen at near sea level, you will have difficulties at 5000'. That is the reason we no longer live at Chapala, and moved to 2389 feet and a dry climate in Tucson. That helped a great deal. I doubt a visually impaired person, needing oxygen and a wheelchair would be able to function, even in Chapala centro, without the help of two strong aides; if at all. I think the Rio Grande Valley of Texas might be a better fit, with many RV parks, good infrastructure, over 55 communities, near sea level elevation, etc.

El Gordo is probably looking for more virgin territory now that most of the locals closer to Chapala are on to him. Speaks volumes about the Chapala government he's still around doesn't it? Corruptos spawn and protect corruptos.

How proud I was to find this great photo of Ajijic in the Travel Section of this morning's paper. It was among the "stunning summer vacation photos submitted by readers." Thanks, John Allred of Palm Springs. (I think the photo is the former real estate office on Colon near the carretera.) ENJOY!!

Not just a receipt but a factura is required for insurance providers whether therapy, doctor appts. drugs, etc.

Gringal and I were once "enemies". I offered to take her to Arileo's shortly after they opened, for what then was the best cheesecake in town. We met, we enjoyed lunch, she wouldn't let me pay, and we've gotten along ever since. (Now I don't go to Arileo's anymore after three steak disasters and many botched meals of my companions.) I too respect her restaurant opinions.

I decided to move this to Charitable and other events. Seems more relevant and will be on the first page much longer. Please post these there from now on, thanks. And I'll be watching for rude and inappropriate responses. These posts are informational and if you don't like them, don't click on them.

IA CG. The only thing I use Trip Advisor for is to let me know what restaurants are in an area.

I think you may be right, but this subject was such a can 'o worms that it needed closing, and none of us is professionally qualified (as far as I know) to speculate on a web board about the matter. IMHO, best to let it lie.

BBC 2 has a very similar series, in fact a lot of the PBS clips seemed to be from that series - Mexico Earth's Festival of Life https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08qdsfg/episodes/guide