dichosalocura

There is a small group of indigenous Mexicans in Chiapas who have recently converted to Islam. They haven't been Moslems for long and neither have the evangelicals nor any of the many other new groups coming to Mexico looking for new converts. And of course México can be anything you want it to be and Mexicans can also be anything they want to be. But I think Ezpz was referring to the well established fact that México has historically and traditionally been a Catholic country for nearly the past 500 years and they have developed many beautiful and treasured local traditions interwoven between Catholicism and more ancient indigenous traditions. These are highly cherished among the majority of Mexicans and should be respected. But on a side not Halloween is becoming rather popular in Chapala where hundreds of children will dress up and go door to door trick-or-treating. But also we don't do La Virgen del Rosario procession in Chapala either, which could be seen as unwanted competition on traditions.

Stevia is used as a glucose free sweetener, be extra careful when you buy stevia sweeteners in the stores, stevia when it's in its pure state, is kind of herby tasting and not the greatest tasting thing to sweeten stuff, so when you buy stevia extract powders in the stores they usually change it and dilute it and add horrible stuff like chemical slenda and such to improve upon the taste. For those looking for a sugar alternative that is completely healthy and tastes just like sugar, look up Monk Sugar, it is a glucose free sugar alternative that is completely natural and comes from the Monk Fruit which comes from Asia. It is the closest sugar alternative that tastes the closest to real natural sugar and it is kind of expensive but we have been able to order it on Amazon and have it shipped down. When on the Keto diet, it does wonders and you can use it to make cakes and cookies just like you would use real sugar. Stevia is not the best tasting sugar alternative. Gosh, now that I am thinking about it, I bet we could even grow a Monk Fruit plant here, now that I need to research a bit more, where to find one, hmmmm........

Don't you guys remember about 6 months ago or so there was a thread about them flying tourists back and forth from Chapala to Jocotepec? It only lasted a weekend or two at the most, then it stopped. I know they were taking off from parque de la Cristianía. I doubt that this will be a permanent fixture here, too darn expensive.

I hope it ain't tequila because tequila certainly does not need to be in the plural and I'm not referring to grammar either.

Try Mercado Libre if you can't find them locally. I'm not sure why moringa seeds show up first though. Stevia is further down. https://listado.mercadolibre.com.mx/semillas-stevia#D[A:semillas stevia,L:undefined]

Mrs. Rupert, not all of us expats are here to take advantage of living in the cheap and poor country of México. In fact, what makes you think México is so cheap, the houses here cost about what they cost in North Carolina, from where I´m from, and with a lot more maintenance required yearly and far less acreage or property included. A decent home there will cost you around 100,000 dollars with a good size yard, you can even find older homes selling for 50 to 60 thousand in the country with a real good sized yard. A nice home will cost you 200 thousand and up. Kind of sounds like here almost but with far smaller yards. Gas here is more expensive, electricity is far more expensive. Fruit and veggies and day to day living is much cheaper although. All and all we live cheaper here, I must admit. But México ain't that much cheaper than rural America. If you want cheap, expats should move to Guatemala or Nicaragua. I, along with many other expats live here in Lago de Chapala because we love the weather, the people are awesome, the scenery is gorgeous, and life is more exotic, stimulating and adventurous. And I love living in a relatively small town (Chapala) where I can walk everywhere and shop at small mom and pop stores and get to really know my neighbors and the people on the street. Something, that is becoming more ever so difficult to do in the US of A. I speak fluent Spanish since I was 18, I speak to the locals and I travel all over the country. I don´t get this negative vibe that you do that Mexicans are all living in fear and they are all being neglected and abused by their government. Sure, life in a developing country (note, I said developing, not 3rd world like perhaps Central American countries) is more challenging in some ways and not always as picture perfect and wonderful as American suburban life. Paradises do not exist, life in México is certainly not perfect but for me, I love it here as do so many other people. There are certainly places in México that may add up to what you are describing for the whole country, but they are a small minority of places. Even in the terrible, frightful , horrible city of Culiacán, if you were living there, it would not seem so terrible and dangerous once you get adjusted, it would seem like any normal city, with bouts of violence flaring up every now and then, but on the whole, just a normal city with just normal happy people going about their daily life. And of course, like always, there will be some people that were touched by violence that may be living in fear, but they would certainly not be the majority and certainly not the majority of Mexicans feel that way. If they did, Mexican immigration to the USA would be up, but as we all know, it is down down down. México is slowly turning into a middle class society and most Mexicans have lost the need to sneak across the border. Most Spanish speaking immigrants to the US now are not Mexicans but Salvadoreños, Nicaraguenses, Hondureños and Guatemaltecos. Oh my gosh, Mrs. Rupert, you aren't describing México at all, I think you were describing Honduras, now that is a country that would come closer to your description of a dangerous country with much of its population hovering in fear and feeling abandoned by their government and living lives surrounded by poverty and horrendous daily bouts of violence.

That is the same way I read it More Liana, últimos departamentos and ultimate appartments are not the same thing. They are just the last ones left available.

Floradude said the eggs were libre de jaula, I guess those hens were having some hanky panky while out of their cages. But yeah, that is not a good way to wake up in the morning, and kind of traumatizing.

I believe the OP is not looking for catarinas, she is looking for catrinas in doll or figurine form. For the ladybug, I have always heard them locally referred to as mariquitas.

Computerguy, you are just going to get all the newcomers confused! 😁

For those interested, you can read about it here: http://semanariolaguna.com/46081/

In all honesty, we people at Lakeside are some what pampered and bitchy. If it is a 5 minute drive or 10 minutes or 15. Everything is super close here. What is the argument? Be it 5 or 10 or 15 min max, everything at Lake Chapala is fairly close. People living in the states would laugh their arses off listening to us old boring farts complaining about a 10 or 15 minute streatch of a 2 lane highway with almost zero traffic (the Mezcala Hwy). Life here is wonderful, if you don't believe me, take a trip up North.

happyjillan, could that purro possibly be a churro or as they say in España, una porra? Have fun indulging.

My opinion is and will always be to bring her down, let her spend a month or so in the area, show her how cool and awesome life is down here. Visit the local Preparatory schools, there are many private ones with high school age kids with a good healthy hand full of expat kids attending, go visit the big high school in Chapala. Spend time on the facebook pages for the young people in Chapala. Maybe, she will hate it. Maybe, she will learn to love this area like so many others. There seriously are so many activities to offer down here. You are not moving to a small country town in North Carolina (hey that's where I am from) this area is actually really fun and cool! Who ever said that a teen would die from boredom down here ain't been to rural America before. This area is pretty cool and the big city of Guadalajara is just 45 mins down the road. Every child is different. She will either hate it here and hate you, but will thank you 10 years down the road for bringing here down here or she will love it straight off the bat.

In all honesty, you need to look up the definition of playing the race card, I believe two members of this forum have already beat me to it by blatantly stating that Caucasian girls would not be safe here at Lake Chapala or that they would not feel comfortable here. Go back and reread the previous posts. I just found those comments ridiculous and repulsive to say the least. Even though the güeros may make up only 15 or so percent of the local Mexican population, that still equates to thousands of Caucasian Mexicans living on the North shore and I seriously doubt they feel unsafe and uncomfortable living here. Please, explain this, I didn't quite understand: "Dependable reply when the majority doesn't think the way you do." I think well over half the commentators agreed that it is a swell idea to bring a child or teen down to live and expose them to the wonderful Mexican culture.

I heard that it is now back at its original location across from Soriana finally.

What is up with the racist sounding comments suggesting that caucasian girls would not feel comfortable or be safe at Lakeside? Last time I checked, a good large number of the Mexican children and teens are what I would consider to be caucasian whites with blue eyes to boot. Sure, there aren't many that look Scandinavian, but many are of European ancestry in this part of México. Locally, they are affectionately called güeros and güeras, and they seem to be doing just fine, living comfortably and safely along the lake.

Well, there are plenty of expat kids in the area and a good handful in the Chapala Preparatory School here, my nephew included. The only caveat being that most were brought down when they were younger and were given time to assimilate. There are also plenty of Mexican-American children here who were forced to relocate back to México and also are having to learn Spanish. Also, many Mexican highschool age kids can speak pretty decent English. 16 is a difficult age but I also see the many benefits that a teenager will get from living abroard for several years. And regarding drugs and violence, my opinion is that it is much worse for kids in the States than down here.

Well, in México where things are not well regulated or enforced, all things are possible. Yes, they currently are not issuing reciprocal licenses to foreigners. But those who operate under their US license are doing so under the radar. And so far no repercussions that I have yet to hear of. Even with a giant beam mounted on a tower on the third floor no problem yet. Do what you feel comfortable doing. People drive without a driver license here daily. When you are caught you get fined or you buy them a good lunch. And life goes on. It ain't all perfect, but welcome to México.

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!

Ojalá comes directly from the Arabic Inshallah, may God/Allah grant it. And yes RVGringo, much of Spanish has been influenced more or less by Arabic. In fact, to say Allah in Spanish is Alá, so now you can see how it is pertaining to Allah. An interesting You Tube video that shows a Speaker of Spanish and a speaker of Arabic comparing the two languages is this:

Yeah, the title got to me too. I couldn't figure out why they'd be sending Mexican women to a coop. I was thinking maybe it was un centro de rehabilitación or something similar. That now they were putting them in coops to save money on building materials.

Otis, in all honesty, there is not very much of a gay scene, so to speak of, in this area. But there are lots of gays and gay couples, and many expats here are gay, there are also African American gays here, male and female. Most gays, when they want to go out, they just go to the normal bars where everyone else hangs out at, and the gays just intermingle and are very well tolerated, loved, and accepted around here and in México in general. I seriously doubt you will experience any racism at all here in México, just look on youtube Black in México, you will not have any problems down here. The people, in general, are very awesome! If you need a night out in the city, to perhaps, visit scores of gay bars for a change of scenery, Guadalajara is the place to be and is just an hour down the road and is considered by many as being the San Francisco of México for having the largest and most vibrant gay nightlife. Spend some time in the area, if you find it totally boring and detestable, just head over to Guadalajara or Puerto Vallarta, the gayest beach town in México.

In the last 2 years we have had a considerable wave of immigrants moving to this area. Many of those immigrants are American retirees coming for various reasons. The so called "Mexican Honeymoon" can last around 2 years más o menos. That is when they decide whether they love or hate México. Often, there are many that will conclude that Lakeside is too noisy or congested for their likes. We have not had any major crime wave, nothing like back in 2011 when some left the area in fear. I think people will continue coming to this area, be them Mexicans or expats. I see this area continuing to grow. For the good or the bad.

Were you asking for plumeria or frangipani? I doubt they would know the latter name.