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I have thought frequently thought about leaving Mexico. I am blessed with decent health and good finances....and then I factor in my experiences with the people and I know that this is where I will stay. Last night, we had a power outage, one of many recently....and my oxygen deprived wife needed help as her air supply was failing.....one neighbor went and rented us a 14 hour o2 tank.....not easy on a Saturday night. Another one helped me get my generator up and running to charge our battery operated portable and two local women came and comforted my frightened wife. Offers to shop for us, (not needed but appreciated)....going with us to help get her into the doctor's office.....and much, much more. The Presidente in my village, yes I can call him and he has always been willing to get info as to CFE's progress in restoring power and last night was no different...WOW! When I think of the negative comments about local government, transitos, roads, noisy restaurants, etc.......I see my personal scale always tilts towards more pleasant thoughts. Is it perfect here? Certainly not but, pretty good for me.

Opening a motion to have "Johnny" and "Tiny" have their own board or forum, and "take it outside" / get a hobby (other than this one) "Like" if you agree….

At Tuesday Market, I was looking over a vendor's merchandise when a gringo came up and asked the price of an item. She told him it was 105 pesos. He said, "I only have 100 pesos so you'll have to take that", picked up the item and started to walk away. I said in a loud voice, "That's terrible, I'll pay the 5 pesos. She shouldn't have to take a loss just because you're cheap." She thanked me and we discussed the fact that she had to raise prices because her costs went up. That 5 pesos was a part of her rather meager profit. So, if you can't afford something, don't buy it. Don't be a jerk and make the rest of us look bad.

Yeah, next time you are in for a surgical procedure, just explain to the doctors that you don't need them to wear masks since you understand it is no longer medically recommended and it might be uncomfortable for them anyway...Forget the gowns, gloves, and all that hand washing beforehand. It probably dries out their skin anyway and those gloves just get all messy and they make the hands sweaty. And those gowns on top of perfectly good clothes? Please, read an article on the internet if you want the real (Q) truth! Alan (being sarcastic)

This morning as I pulled into a parking space in front of my bank a man returned to his car parked alongside mine. The case of wine sitting on my passenger seat caught his eye. He leaned in and gave me a thumb’s up, one wine lover to another. In the bank the line was long and very slow moving. The woman in front of me noticed that I seemed to have trouble standing (my bad back). She told me to go sit down and when her turn came she’d let me go ahead of her. I gratefully took a seat. There’s not much to cheer us these troubled times, but a stranger’s good humor made me laugh and another’s kindness touched me. They made my day. Lexy

Harsh measures? They are logical, common sense measures proven to work to contain a highly contagious and dangerous pandemic. And those measures are designed to protect everyone- measures that are being employed, all around the world, where people have sense and education, that have kept the infection and death rates down in those places. Places that don't have any "old ex-pats". You criticize endlessly the things that are quite normal in Mexico, yet now you're the big defender of Mexicans who want to work. And no one is telling them they can't work. All they have to do is wear a damn mask, not around their neck, but properly, stop having parties as if the pandemic is a joke, and enforce distancing in their stores. It's not that complicated.

Yesterday my car a/c went out so I went to EuroFreeze next to Gossips to get it repaired . As I got out of my car I tripped over a broken curb and fell HARD . Before I hit the concrete , Manuel and one of his helpers were there to help me up . Lots of blood , cuts and bruises but nothing broken . Sore as hell today . As soon as I was up and while I was trying to stop the bleeding which is no easy task since I am on blood thinners , Manuel went to the Farmacia next door and came back with bandages and other stuff to treat my wounds . He never hesitated to do this and would not take a single peso although I offered him a nice amount . Needless to say there were a lot of tacos and cokes for Manuel and his men today . Don't feel sorry for my accident because I know I need to be careful when walking in the village but rather concentrate on the great kindness shown by these guys . I am not looking for reviews of their work because that wasn't the important thing in this case .Please give them your business should the need arise . Their phone number is 331 584 5209 .

It makes me very sad to continually read these posts. Everyone on our planet is under a great deal of stress. We, the retired ones are the lucky ones, we don't have to go to work, we don't have to deal with young children at home and wonder about their safety retuning to school this fall. Do you think everyone on this board could show a little love and concern for our fellow man instead of the constant insults, opinions etc. Come on people, time to grow up and try to comfort those amongst us who have serious health issues and may just be terrified for their lives. If you don't have something nice to say, don't say it. You have no idea who you may be hurting. Wear a mask, it won't kill you. It just might save somebody else's life.

I've lived in six locations on the north side; lake front in Ajijic (2), mountain side Ajijic, Ajijic village, San Antonio, and upper Chula Vista, as well as Jocotepec over eight plus years, and now living (happily) lake front near San Luis. Telmex does have phone and internet here, IF, you can get an available line. I've been on the waiting list for something like six months. I don't know the local speed for Telmex, but they commonly offer only a fractional upload speed, compared to the download speed (10Mb dn/perhaps 0.5Mb up). Spyderweb offers internet in many locations here (needs line of sight from their towers and uses wifi frequencies to a local modem) but their prices are quite high comparatively. However, you can choose your up and download speeds, to a point... I used them in Joco and here in San Luis, but they aren't exactly a customer oriented company, more like a buyer beware, and I haven't experienced a steady, reliable signal from them. Ilox has been here (south shore) for years. Currently, they say they will only install to "businesses", but the definition is not clear, might be that telling them you have a business is enough. Yet, I have a neighbor who's had their residential service for a couple of years. He reported there were some outages from time to time, and, you pay a year in advance. Speeds can be much higher than Telmex. When it's working, it's a good service. Ilox's system was installed at Roca Azul (rv park in Joco) around a year ago, and the residents there report continued, frequent outages of the internet (as well as with the electricity and water) and, it's only provides a 20Mb service for the ALL the RVs, which can number as high as 35 to 40 units when a caravan come in. One full-timer there uses Spyderweb and generally reports a reasonably steady service, but not without occasional calls to fix problems. The new options from both AT&T cellular and Telcel, are cell system based internet modems (essentially Hot Spots) are providing much better speed and reliability (so far). (AT&T less so while they are solving a problem, which might be from overselling their system. I have a modem from both companies. Each offers a choice between 5 and 10Mb speeds, same prices, and both throttle speeds down after passing certain monthly bandwidth usage. These will only work well ( i think), if you are close enough to a cell tower to pick up the 4g service and don't have many buildings between you and the cell tower. The AT&T office in Joco is buried in the downtown buildings and there he seldom gets much speed from his modem. For non-imported groceries, you can find a lot in Jocotepec, as well as a number of restaurants, but, they aren't the gringo oriented ones as in Ajijic. You can also get basic groceries (vegies, breads and meats) in any of the villages. The need for speaking Spanish is most relevant to how you live. If you are spending lots of time interacting with the locals (south shore), you'll need more Spanish but, MANY speak at least a little and others speak a lot of English. At the government offices, less so. Can't offer much about boat docking. I plan a boat in the future, but it won't be until I can build a secure boat house, or long (perhaps) rail based access down to the water. Leaving a nice boat unprotected on the shore is probably a precursor to giving your boat to someone else... However, if you bought something like one of the old fishing boats here, might be less threat of loss. (Like having a rusty old bicycle or rust-bucket car that nobody would want to steal.) One could easily have a trailer sized boat, stored at your home and just get it wet when needed, but if you aren't going to have a car at all, that's more complicated. NOT having a car over also offers complications. Walmart (as a point of reference) is 25 miles by road (8 to 10 miles by water) and can sometimes be driven in 40 minutes, if you drive fast where possible, but will normally take an hour, unless you are east of San Luis. The closet hospital I know of is east of Joco, about 25 minutes by car. Travel time to Costco (in Guad) is no longer, maybe a little faster than from Ajijic, about 50 minutes (+/_). You might want to have a plan in place if you need sudden transportation, such as an unplanned trip to the doctor. And, if you choose east of San Luis, you will learn to hate the road "through" San luis. It's about 1 1/2 miles of narrow two lane, with cars randomly parked on the side causing a one lane event with countless car and trucks (and backhoes/farm equipment) trying to get through. The highway is busy much of the day and night, thus, of you live close to it, means traffic noise, mostly from the countless truck (jake breaks and lost mufflers) and weekend motorcycles (in mass). Otherwise, this side seems quieter to me. And, finally, the view looking north (as compared to looking south from the north shore) is really, quite a lot nicer. One things is seeing the night lights of the far more developed north shore. Another might be just the difference between the mountain ranges on the north and south sides. And in the dark, you see the 'light' of Guadalajara over the mountain top, but you also see lots of stars overhead. Fire trucks will come from Joco, which means you should get your hose turned on while you wait... Real Estate scams and problems can occur anywhere around the lakeside (around Mexico?), caution is obviously needed if you are buying. Still, lots of gringos have purchased properties along the south shore, many have never had any "title" issues at all. A long-term lease would remove those specific concerns. Regarding water and electricity, San Luis appears to pump (pressurize) water (on the west side) three late afternoons each week, Tues., Thur. and Saturday. This water fills your own tanks, and you draw water from them. Of course, some scheduled days they might not pump (it happens), and sometimes the pressure could be lower than other times. If you design a new water storage system here, it might make sense to have a week or more capacity to avoid a possible day or two without water. If renting, buying a second storage tank is easily affordable. Electricity seems normal for Mexico. Voltage (mean voltage target in Mexico is 127v) during the day is commonly lower, and in the evenings/overnight commonly higher. There are occasional brief (a minute or two) outages, and when there's a break in the power line (storms or auto accidents) power can go out for some hours, which isn't significantly different from the other lakeside locations I've lived. However, I have a general inclination for installing a proper voltage regulator (boost/reduce functions). There are many choices and sizes available. You might find voltage Controllers, as well as true Regulators. Iso Solabasic offers both such systems. Both can function with input from about 90 volts to about 147 volts. The output is essentially flat with their regulators, but their Correctors output from 102 to 132v. A 50amp corrector has a retail price around 4,500p and the Regulator is around 8,000p. I've seen them for less in the big Commercial electrical shops in Guad. Lots of Gringos have solar panels and many pay next to nothing each month as a result. Not all include a battery storage system, but having one and a suitably sized inverter can eliminate brown/black outs. In west Ajijic a few years ago I saw voltage as low as 65 and as high as 160. That high isn't normal, but lows aren't uncommon. Also, some will probably have to debate, during the rainy season, I have observed lots more clouds and rain on the north side, then here on the south side. Perhaps I am delusional, as well as decrepit... I prefer being on the south, but, if you think about going out to eat more than, perhaps once a week, or participating in any of the countless groups and activities on the north shore, you'll spend a lot of time on the road and probably tire of it fast. I suggest you consider keeping (or getting) a car, possibly an small economy type, and use it as sparingly as you like, but, have it for when you need it. (trips to Costco?) This side is certainly more peaceful and relaxed and probably represents what the north shore was 30-50 years ago. I expect property values will climb here, but, who is going to live long enough to enjoy that? Last, take all dire warnings about anything posted on this webboard, with a load of sale (or maybe BBQ sauce). There are so many old people here passing on old stories and fears and rumors and guesses, about nearly everything, things can sound a lot worse than they are. If you crossed north by your little boat, getting a ride to shops would be easy by obtaining the local Taxi stand phone numbers (to call ahead), or by learning some of the private driver's numbers or even using Uber. In your 40's, walking might be desirable. If you were ready to motor back south across the lake, and see a big storm, there are plenty of places you could wait it out, possibly with a nice beer or music or just enjoying an art gallery. And if the wind happened to come up when you are half way back across, it's only four or five miles more which might be 10 minutes travel time, even a modest motor boat will likely get you to shore before any real trouble. I expect you're an adult and can make reasonable decisions on the fly... Renting first is one of the best bits of advice for anyone coming here to buy. It's easy be enamored with this or that location/community or house, but taking the time to learn how close that house is to an Eventos or how many dogs live next door or on the roof, or which house has parties till tomorrow all weekend long, will greatly improve your happiness. Unless you're deaf, in which case, who cares? In hunting for a house, be it to purchase or rent, get out of the car and walk and talk to everybody. You speak Spanish. Ask. Most small communities are going to have at least shop that the proprietor will know everybody and (nearly) every opportunity. Start at the corner grocery and work your way down the street. You've already spent time lakeside, you already know it can be a great place to live!

Huh? I am one of the expats mentioned and am acutely aware of the economic hardship this virus has created, as are many of my fellow expats- you know, those unfeeling folks who have ponied up a portion of their SS checks to support one, or two, or three of the feeding programs in the area. Don't patronize me to promote your own agenda, it won't work. Try harder.

Ok, I'm risking of having hundreds of you slam at me now but this is excessive attention-seeking behavior.

Harry was discreet. You were not. I thought nothing further about his request. You are the one who introduced “the police” and “breaking the news” and telling “someone in a message.” You could have PM’d Harry instead of partially sharing the news on a public board.

Poor you, any other homophobic advice you might have for us? Have you found a new bar complete with hookers for your pleasure?

Did you know some people get enjoyment from watching the chaos they cause when others react to them flinging do-do? They specialize in stirring the pot so they can watch others scramble when it boils over. The best way to handle these "Trolls" is to simply ignore them, as difficult as that may be... They know what buttons to push to get reactions they need to feed their desire for attention! Discussion groups are the bridges these Trolls hide under. Can YOU cross the bridge without feeding the Trolls? Not pointing any fingers, but I'm sure we can all think of some people (plural) who fit the mold. This board is a valuable resource for people seeking useful information, but I left for quite awhile because of the number of discussions that turned into Troll feeding frenzies. When you respond to a post, here or elsewhere, please take a moment to consider whether you might be bait, with somebody laughing their butt off because they managed to push your buttons. And THANKS to all of the wonderful people who do their best to be helpful in their positive posts, comments and moderation. Your value to the community IS recognized, even if it's not stated often enough! 👍

This isn't really a food posting, so that's why it's not in La Cocina. I like to check out the vegetarian/vegan items because it's nice to eat something edible rather than my cooking😁. Anyway, I picked up the usual odds & sods items along with 2 bags of mushrooms in special sauces. Long story short, the codes wouldn't ring up, the young guy who went to look for a price label couldn't find one, and he finally went to ask Pancho. Rather than having me wait, and possibly building up a line, Pancho told him to just give them to me. Result? One previously content customer who will now go out of her way to buy as often as possible from Pancho's. It's a small, relatively unimportant story, but it made my day just a bit brighter. BTW, the checkout girl was super friendly and apologetic for the delay. Again, just a very nice moment in an average day.

At the risk of getting slammed, I would like to suggest it would be better for the expat community, which has proven quite effective in protecting themselves from covid, to let the Mexican community who have to be out there working or are living in larger family groups, to get the first few rounds of vaccinations. Personally speaking I'd also be leery of getting around those large crowds of vaccination seekers.

I don’t understand the point of the majority of your posts. This board is not your personal diary for you to ramble on about your life. Would you please consider using Facebook for that?

And where are people who are stuck here supposed to go? What a nasty thing to say to someone who has suffered such a calamity. Both of you posters should be ashamed. What makes you so self-righteous that you feel you have to post to pile onto someone's misery? Okay, you may feel that way and it is your right,but to post makes me feel sick....this is a time for compassion, not vilification .

In times of stress and anxiety I find an unpleasant side of myself coming to the fore. I become excessively controlling and have the overwhelming need to have things exactly the way I want. I sometimes even become a scold. In order to alleviate these symptoms, please, I ask you people to listen up: Grow up. Please. You are all bickering like children. I am too old to be fond of children. Except for Mexican kids, they're about the cutest people I've ever seen. Please do not challenge me, my thinking process or my facts. No, do not. I know what you're thinking, but no. This is a serious situation, do not make light of it. However, I do like a good joke. If you have one, please tell it in such a way that I do not feel guilty. I want you to tell me how and where to buy my food, what masks I should wear, and when; what personal habits and hobbies I should have; and what personality traits you find most appealing. And yet I do not. I sense some protests coming my way now, but please remember number 2 above. And while we're airing things out, I beg you, some of you people, learn how to spell. And for God's sake, when you're in a grocery store, please wear a mask; but above all do not cough directly on the shelf items! Yeah, gramps, you, talking to you. Thank you for your time, I feel better already.

Initially I was excited to find this forum of locals to help me learn and navigate living in a new community and country. The more I read however, the more discouraged I’ve become. What makes the world an interesting place is that we all come from different backgrounds and have varied life experiences which of course lead us to have different thoughts and opinions. One thing we do have in common is that we’ve chosen to make this community our home. Is it possible for us to share, consider the points of view others and even disagree without resorting to nasty personal attacks on this forum? I may be completely off base in posting here, but with all the craziness in the world right now it seems like the perfect time to practice some care, compassion and camaraderie within this community.

listen guys.... I was 33 when I arrived here in Mexico. I am almost 56 now and as a very young expat, unfortunately I have had to say goodbye to a lot of older Canadian and US friends ( unusual to lose that many friends when you are in your thirties and forties ) and every time it hurt and I never got used to it !! Also, a lot of those people left their pets, which didnt always have the best outcome ! The Mex healthcare system ( like others ) will not be able to cope with this tsunami. Authorities mostly ignore the seriousness and hardly do any testing About myself, yes, I am strong enough to admit that I am scared....but more so ( although at minor risk, I may hope ) to maybe have to leave behind my 15 year old doggie. So, forgive me that I laugh a bit less, when reading the same style and repeated jokes...over and over again. I sincerely wish the best to all of you ( and to myself ! ). No hard feelings. We simply dont have the same sense of humour and a different background Rony

Oh, good god Eric, give it a break. We're all gonna die and thankfully we don't know when or how. Worry is far worse for one's health than all the things one worries about.

This is just a public Thank you and lots of gratitude to the Riberas Pet Store and people like Sue who work tirelessly and have such a big heart for little innocent animals. I found a little street dog whose leg was broken. Doctor Hector will fix her and they will find a home for her. I would have taken her but already have 3 but my heart ached when i saw her. I just want to say that people like Sue make this world a much better place.....and our little town of Riberas is so blessed to have you in it !!!!! Thank you Sue.

It never ceases to amaze me to observe or hear about expats who bitterly complain about these migrants, as the person described in this comment did. The expats here nearly all have vastly more wealth, power, and opportunities than these unfortunate people. The migrants are, in fact, only trying to better their lives and are suffering danger and privation to do it. People like the person described should be ashamed of themselves and, if they are not, then the people around them should shame them.

I'm sure I will get beat up over this entry, but my "advice" would be to hold off on the planned move -- if at all humanly possible -- until after your daughter graduates from high school. My "observation" is that Lakeside is not a place where teenagers are provided ample opportunities and peer role models to thrive. (Of course there will be exceptions.) Teen pregnancy and drug abuse are at alarmingly high levels here.

Peónes are ranch and farm workers. Albañiles are construction workers. Probably they need the larger stones chipped down to a certain custom size like a jigzaw puzzle to make the wall where the rocks fit together tightly with no overabundance of cement mordar which is ugly and poor workmanship. You could have witnessed a stone craftsman working on his project with pride for all you know. Stewart Stafford

This guy showed up around here for a few weeks and became an instant expert. And he isn't just maligning Lakeside, he's attacking Mexico as well. He is extremely negative to the point of going right over the top. He was ignored here which pissed him off. From time to time we get some "burps" of criminal activity. The local population knows where their bread is buttered so they manage to tamp it down pretty quickly. Note that any place that brings relative affluence up against relative poverty is going to have its share of petty theft. This is the kind of stuff you can prevent with simple care, awareness and common sense. We've lived here 11 years and find it no less safe than many places we've lived in the U.S. Here, however, you are more responsible for your own personal and property safety. I don't know anyone who is leaving because of crime. The principal reason people leave is either medical or family too far away or both. That hasn't changed in the time we've been here.

Sometimes you need to admit you need help. That you can’t do something all by yourself. That realization came to me this week and I wanted to share my thoughts. My husband has been ill for several months. The last few weeks he has been getting markedly weaker. Unfortunately he is macho and stubborn and refused to use a walker because by damn he wasn’t an invalid. After falling more than a dozen times in a 5 day period, his back and hips were so sore that he couldn’t get out of bed or sit up. I finally admitted I couldn’t take proper care of him myself. With help from Dr Sam and his wonderful wife Mari, I put my husband in a residence home for a hopefully short period of time. We chose a new facility, Happiness Care Residence in Riberas. He actually listens to the pretty nurses when they tell him to drink liquids. (Me he ignores) He is having a great time flirting and retelling his favorite stories. And his back is getting better. I like the fact that this is a small casual facility where they encourage him to eat when he wants – no breakfast is served from 8 – 9 only – and offer the flexibility we need right now. They offer daily and weekly rates and will help me get him to his doctor appointments. So if a loved-one needs care you are not able to provide, especially short term care, don’t be ashamed to ask for help. Know that there are a variety of options available locally. And if someone is so ignorant as to say, “you put your husband in a nursing home? How awful. I kept my mother at home. I would NEVER put someone in a nursing home.” You have my permission to slap them silly. http://www.happinessresidence.com/

For reasons known only to the administrator and moderators @chapala @moderator5 @moderator-2, BobbyBrown is allowed to post whatever he wants, including "jokingly" calling others nazis and making what he thinks are 'funny' references to nazi atrocities (making people into lampshades). These type of comments would get others banned, but he seems to have carte blanche.

Ok. You're an asshole.

Please feel free to comment or point out errors or suggest comments or oversights How to Die in Mexico While many focus on coming to Mexico to live a relaxed lifestyle, nothing lasts forever and old age and bad fortune can befall us all one day. As Benjamin Franklin said the only two sure things in life are death and taxes. The reality is that the narcos won't get you (loose animals in the road at night are a bigger danger) and the vast majority of the deaths I see are from illness and a few auto accidents. Planning ahead will allow your heirs, whether family, friends or charities to have fewer hassles when administering your estate. Planning ahead means having a will as well as beneficiary clauses for your assets wherever possible and know who will handle things when you are gone as well as have your cremation prepaid and have a good relationship with a doctor who will be able to come and issue the death certificate. Here in Jalisco for real estate people can put a beneficiary clause to avoid probate and make the property transfer easier, the only restrictions are that you can only name as beneficiaries your spouse or parents, grandparents or children and grandchildren. You will have to prove this relationship when you want to change the deed by providing marriage or birth certificates along with apostilles or legalizations depending on where the certificates are from. Other states do not have provisions for beneficiary clauses in property deeds so you will need to leave a will. Most banks allow you to leave your account to beneficiaries if you die. It is a good practice when designating beneficiaries to name replacements as things happen and you may live a long life, longer than the first person you named as beneficiary. A will serves to dispose of your assets, both assets you have now and others you may later acquire. Also an important part of having a will is the naming of an executor. Many people put off making their will as they say they have beneficiary clauses or have few assets but an important part of a will is the executor who will fight for you when you are gone, as powers of attorney expire upon your death and the will then kicks in. If someone steals your property or embezzles your funds or if your death was related to an auto or other accident, the executor of your estate will be the legal representative to pursue your case with the insurance companies and in the courts. While naming your children as executors may make you feel comfortable, do they speak Spanish and will they be able to travel down to Mexico to properly take care of your affairs if needed and if there is a prolonged legal matter? A Mexican will, to dispose of property that has no beneficiary clause, if done through a Notary Public is registered in the national will registry so nobody can change it after the fact. A few US and Canadian attorneys living in Mexico offer to make wills but they are not registered and suspiciously in many cases the heirs never find the wills and later find out that friends and families of the attorneys now have the deceased's property. A will made in Mexico in front of a Mexican notary is valid in Mexico as well as in other countries. The only requirement may be an apostille and translation although we work with notaries who do dual column wills in both English and Spanish so that way all involved know exactly what each part of the will says. You may choose that your will is only valid in Mexico or worldwide. Generally speaking it is best to have a will in each country where you have property to avoid having to validate a foreign will and it is also better when having to transfer real estate. When naming people as beneficiaries, heirs, leaving them bequeaths or other items or assets, please be sure and check their full legal name to avoid problems when they come to receive the asset. Mexico is very strict with names and Billy Smith is not the same person as Billy James Smith. In wills and property deeds you can place name variations to clarify that a person is one in the same such as Ana Valeria Salas also known as her married name of Ana Valeria Mac Gregor. Also if you wish to leave property to a charity or legal entity, it is best to ask them for their corporate documents to see their exact legal name. Many people know entities by their nicknames or names in English but are ignorant of their true legal registered names in Spanish. Be sure to specify which office or branch will receive the money, merely naming the Red Cross may cause problems as there is the national Red Cross, Mexican Red Cross, Jalisco State Red Cross and one office in Chapala and another in Ajijic. Being specific will avoid disputes later on. After having a will you need to have a personal doctor. This will prevent your being taken to the morgue for an autopsy if you are found dead alone unless foul play is suspected then you will want to call the police. Your doctor can come to where you are found and see if you died from natural causes, avoiding having to make others fill out forms to claim your body. Your doctor should also know your full legal name (best to give him a copy of your birth certificate and passport) as well as your parents names and spouse´s name. This will ensure that there are no errors on the death certificate which are harder to change after the fact and which could cause problems or delays in the probate process. Your doctor will need to do something with your cadaver so best to pay a prepaid cremation plan with one of the funeral homes so that way no person or authority is storing your body until someone comes to claim it and pay the fees to take it to the funeral home. We have seen cases where the family or friends went on vacation and the body went unclaimed for weeks and had to be taken out of refrigeration. A prepaid plan where family, friends and neighbors know about it will make sure the doctor knows where to have the body sent and will not have to pass the collection plate around in order to pay for it. The funeral home will usually coordinate with the doctor, your home country´s consulate and the civil registry for the death certificates and the report of citizen death abroad. As soon as possible after the death the legal representative / executor / family needs to be notified in order to secure the valuables and important papers of the person. Police, "friends", neighbors and others many times feel it is their right to steal property of the deceased or that it is not unethical. Locks should be changed immediately and all property photographed and inventoried and nobody should be left unattended inside the property. It is amazing how many people abscond with property saying oh Joe told me if he dies to take all his jewelry and sell it. Getting it back is harder and if they bring items back, usually things are missing. Make sure nobody is left alone in the home and that it is properly secured and if police or others need to enter the home that it is on a strictly necessary basis and at no times should anybody be left alone in the home. To recap to die properly in Mexico you need to do the following: Prepare: 1) Make sure you have beneficiary clauses on your bank accounts and home (if your legislation permits) 2) Have a properly done will for each country where you have assets naming substitute heirs and executors. 3) Have a family doctor who knows you 4) Have a prepaid arrangement with a funeral home. 5) Have recently issued and apostilled / legalized copies of your birth / marriage certificates / adoption papers as well as those of any biological children who will receive property. 6) Have your executor / family / representative know where a copy of your will and other legal papers are as well as let those close to you know who these people are to notify them immediately. Let them know what you want done with your body or ashes. 7) Register that you are living abroad with your home country´s local consulate so they will have your emergency contact information. Upon your death: 1) Have somebody immediately notify your executor / family / representative / family doctor 2) Have your executor / family / representative notify your attorney and home country consulate 3) Have your executor / family / representative secure your property and assets and bar entry to everyone (except police and MP) to avoid theft of items or claims of possessory / squatters rights. 4) Have your executor / family / representative obtain copies of the death certificate, ashes, certificate of cremation and consular report of death abroad (first 20 copies are free so always request the 20). 5) Have your executor present copies of the death certificate to all banks with a request to freeze all accounts to avoid embezzlement and use of ATM cards, credit cards and checks tied to the accounts. 6) Prepare any probate filings and if necessary ask for a provisional designation of executor to fight legal battles in the courts.

In various areas of Mexico, people are attacking medical workers who they think have been in contact with COVID cases. How do you think they might react to people who have actually been tested and confirmed? Please stop calling for information on the specific patients... those in charge are probably doing as much as they can to trace any contacts, but their options are limited. We should not put people in danger by "outing" them as infected. The best strategy is to assume ANYONE you come in contact with may have been exposed, and may therefore expose you to infection. Take necessary precautions... masks, hand-washing, disinfecting, etc. Stay home if you are concerned or in a high-risk group. The virus IS here, and probably has been for awhile. It will CONTINUE to be here for months or even years. We need to learn to deal with it rationally, without panic, and without treating others as though they're the enemy. Please be kind to those around you, and be considerate of the need for privacy. Digital hugs to all!

I live in the center of Ajijic, and I work. So I am contstantly driving and seeing the carretera, at all times of day. The bike path is used by TONS of people, most of whom are workers going to and from jobs. It was used before the improvements, and now it will be even more. IMO all of the foreigners on this forum who have condemned the project and called it a "bikepath for nobody" are flat clueless, driving occassionally in their cars, and for whatever reason unable to see all the traffic in the bikepath. Go take a look at it during "rush hour".

Now is not the time to let up our vigilance.

Hi Catbird...I lived in Ajijic for about five years (1999-2004) and still visit occasionally. I have lived in Morelia for a total of 8 or 9 years, with a break when I lived for 8 years in Mexico City. I've been back in Morelia for exactly a year. Morelia is home for me. Morelia bears absolutely NO resemblance to Lake Chapala--except that as you mentioned, the weather is similar. It's generally cooler here than there, and can be quite chilly in the winter. Our altitude above sea level is 6400 feet; Lakeside is at 5200 feet. Morelia is a colonial city of 1.2 million people; the English-speaking expatriate community is approximately 300 to 400 people. The city is extremely cultured, with at least 6 major universities, a symphony orchestra, a chamber orchestra, frequent festivals of importance, including the Morelia international film festival in October-November (considered to be the best film festival in Mexico), the international music festival during the last two weeks of November (concerts range from popular music to classical music, many are free to the public), plus annual jazz, organ, classical dance, and other annual festivals. There is no large body of water close to Morelia--Lake Pátzcuaro is about an hour away. We have a small international airport 45 minutes to an hour northeast of the city. We have a long-distance bus terminal about 15 minutes from Morelia's Centro Histórico. We have excellent taxi service and good Uber service. There is no organized community of English-speaking foreigners, no animal rescue group of foreigners (that I am aware of), no ladies' lunch groups, no little theatre (although we have two theatres that often have traveling companies of concerts, dance performances, and Spanish-language plays), no 'bar scene' for foreigners, no restaurants oriented to foreigners. Really, nothing in Morelia is directed to a foreign community. There is quite a bit of national tourism here, and some foreign tourism---but nothing like the level one sees at Lakeside. We treasure and preserve our history, including our culinary traditions. There is a large indigenous presence here, primarily the Pur'epecha community, whose presence is crucial to our ways of thinking and believing. Morelia's Centro Histórico is considered to be the most beautiful in all of Mexico. Our buildings here are made predominately of cantera stone blocks and date to the mid-1500s. This is not the colorful tourist-oriented town that, for example, is Ajijic. We are typically Mexican: conservative and relatively formal in dress, building exteriors, etc. On the other hand, there are many historical families here, many intellectuals, and quite a bit of non-conservative thinking, music, and art. We have a number of fine museums and many, many historical buildings in the city. Unfortunately, the level of narcoviolencia in and around Morelia is substantially higher than that at Lakeside. Unlike the Lake Chapala area, we in Morelia are very little influenced by foreign ideas of what central Mexico is like. If you have more questions, please ask.

My jaw just dropped when I read these comments. The Feria is not a Texas flee market. It is one a marvelous outlet for these artists from all over Mexico that supports their world class art, and two a chance for us to see it and maybe even buy a piece. An 80 pesos entrance fee doesn't come close to covering what it takes to bring these artists and their art right to our doorstep. As for haggling for art.... well I won't go there.

They aren't "expats"- they are refugees. Calling people you don't even know "trash" is despicable. It says much more about you than it does about them. And no, they can't legally work in this country. If they did, you'd probably be ranting about them working without work permits.

I can't believe the crap on this thread. NO ONE was hurt. I was there; spoke with the lady. Yes, she got in the wrong gear, and as bad luck would have it, her brakes repeatedly failed. She has insurance. Pancho has insurance. The woman is incredibly distraught, and Pancho is pretty upset himself... just think of what they are both going through. By the way, she has her driver's license, and the postulation that people come down here and avoid having such a thing is ageist and ridiculous. A gigantic unfounded rumour within a rumour. Shame.

You mean those watching a criminal run a country into the ground?

Pets are pets. Beloved most often, yes. But they are pets, not people. They will not die of loneliness when left at home for a couple of hours. They will not bother anyone when left at home. They will bother many people when brought into a restaurant. Pets stay at home millions of times a day, all around the world. There are reasons for laws forbidding pets in restaurants. Some here seem to believe that Mexican laws are not like real laws, and don't apply to gringos and expats. What BS.

Due to overwhelming demand and the need to educate people on traffic laws, their rights and responsibilities as well as fines and amounts, I have updated my Jalisco Traffic Guide so it is current as of October 19, 2018. Please feel free to read it and download it and let me know if there is anything that should be added / deleted / corrected, etc. 2018 Jalisco Traffic Law Guide Happy Driving!

I'm sorry he has Covid. However, he IS the President and has access to health care and the most promising treatments. HOWEVER, his cavalier attitude may have infected OTHERS who don't have access to that kind of care. He should have listened to experts in science and healthcare and led by example because, obviously, his talismans and faith are worth nothing.

I am a patriotic American and I applaud the way Canada has handled the Covid crisis. No genius just basic common sense. The way the pandemic was handled in the US was criminal and things like that led me to Mexico 20 years ago. Corruption is everywhere;no need to debate it. It is a fact. When they say 80 - 90 % of US deaths could have been adverted and nothing will be done about it I am infuriated and ashamed.

Get your head out of the sand and realize this is not overblown hype. Sitting next to someone at Open Circle who has been exposed to the virus coming from US, UK, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, and many other countries is not particularly safe. It can be spread with no symptoms.

Dichos - the entrance fee does not cover the cost of setting up and running the show. There is a charge for the location, rental of tents, tables and chairs, advertising and so on. The artists do not pay for their booth space, but they do donate two items to the Feria, one of which goes to the raffle, and one of which is sold in the Artists Supporting the Feria booth, the proceeds from that booth go to the operating funds of the show. The artists are housed and fed by local residents. You cannot put on a show of this size without money - how much fund raising would you be prepared to head up in order to have free admission??

Yeah. Because no one should lift a finger to help another human if they would not be able to bring that person to live with them? Do you also tell your residents and their families “the way it is” in the same cold, uncaring way as you do here?

No human being is trash. Even you.

What makes you think the cruel home owner was gringo and what makes you think our very very small population of foreigners should even mess with what has been established as the official standard of wages in this part of México? When a gringo thinks that THEIR maid or gardener deserves to receive a 5 o 6 times increase in wages, more than what is paid to the average worker, how is that really helping things? Paying a local worker US standard pay has the potential to do more harm then good to the other average middle class Mexicans who also need a maid and gardener but can only pay them a fair steady salary by local standards. Some are creating much resentment and boasting where it is not needed. And nor is it fair to the Mexican community as a whole. Think guys, think!

Sue Garn - Why would you care why she wants to know??? That type of comment and attitude are why a lot of folks are reluctant to post questions on this forum!

My pet peeve is misspelled words. Other than that, I walk and drive defensively.