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The upsides and downsides of Lakeside. IMO


Eric Blair

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These are my takes of the top of my head, feel free to add your thoughts.

Each element has its own weight that you give it.

For me, the upsides weigh much greater than the downsides, especially since I can always, one way or the other, compensate for/adjust to most of the downsides.

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Upsides:

Some infrastructure improvements including roads and now the highway out of Chapala (maybe some day to the airport).

Upgrade to the malacons in both Ajijic & Chapala

Having street vendors clean up their areas and not block sidewalks.

Much more relaxed lifestyle (less stress) than NOB.

Upgrades to computers and procedures at Motor Vehicles (at least in Chapala) making things move quicker.

Change in Chapala (maybe Ajijic also) of the police force. This seems to have reduced unwarranted traffic stops and having to pay a bribe.

Walmart (some may argue, but as I said, IMO)

More choices and "upgrades" in Medical/dental/health providers and facilities.

For the most part, the Mexican people, who are warm, friendly, helpful, hard working  and honest.

Downsides:

Increased traffic congestion and lack of parking.

People who bring down oversized SUVs and drive them on on narrow streets, sometimes causing damage to other cars.

Power outages; sometimes for needed  work but with no warning to users.

The lack of any meaningful process of redress if you are seriously hurt money-wise by a builder, mechanic, anyone.

Across the board increase in prices disproportionate to the overall cost of living increase (especially in areas such as L.P. gas and gasoline where there is little if any second options) . All prices go up, so this is a generalization.

In many restaurants and bakeries, size of portion/item is smaller and price is higher.

The number of stray, abused and abandoned dogs and the indifference of the government to it.

Loss of older businesses such as Salvador's where you got good quality and good prices.

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My main rub is the crime (not on your list) and the inability to curb it due to lack of law enforcement. Justice system which will always favour Mexican national or the one with deeper pockets. Corruption within the whole system and the fact that narcos are running  all of it with their brutal tactics. Including the local business and government.

My biggest plus is the weather (not on your list) . The area is very pretty with lovely views.

I agree on the friendliness of general Mexican population. It is one of the big pluses. Except for inconsistency of their services which one have to learn how to deal with .

Because we do not live in the area full time, the rest of points seems to me trivial and petty.

As for  prices....it is always set up to the level that population can bear. Gringos in Ajijic raised it to the new levels. Go 20 miles outside of Gringolandia and situation will be different. Very different. It got to the point that except for taxes and maybe solar power the prices are not that different in Ajijc area then ours up North. That includes restaurants. If you come from California, New York or Vancouver you might disagree.

Gringos accept the prices as they are presented. Same as back home. They take it or leave it.  Learn little bit of language and learn how to haggle.... Mexican friendly way.  Much more useful to take Spanish classes  than debating the sex issues or the other issues listed in OP previous post.

Send your maid to do the shopping for you where she shop for her family. She is not going to go to Wal-Mart . But seems like newer generation of gringos in Ajijic cannot live without their brand names products.  They are imported and therefore expensive. For example,  a can of Bush's beans is triple the price  in Superlake than the price of same beans on the shelf in the grocery store north of the border.

Life is easier to live in Mexico the Mexican way.

JMHO

 

 

 

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You are thinking too linearly Eric. At this stage of the game, you are not the village elder looking for a new location for the family compound, but rather peace, joy and simplicity. You can go on the malecons in the mornings and fret seeing disrepair, dog doodies, and trash - but the point is to notice the beautiful sunrise, coming over the mountains and mist, big birds waking up to their day, take a deep breath of the oxygen green air, and thank god you are alive. If you don't feel alive, you haven't found the right spot yet.

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I don't fret about much here and I certainly look to enjoy the positive. Sometimes though, we can't/shouldn't close our eyes to the negatives if they are impacting out daily happiness.

When I have to go NOB, I can't wait to get back here, even when the airlines are screwing passengers really bad. But no viable second choice.

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