Friday afternoon at the Ajijic Plaza

On Friday I went into town with a friend to go to the little dollar store. It isn't a dollar store, everything is more txpensive than a dollar, but the expats call it that because they have the same things as the dollar store in the United States. We sat on a bench in the plaza for awhile and discovered a small Mexican style restaurant directly across the street from the ice cream store in the plaza. It has been there about one year but I had never been in it. The food was very good and inexpensive. It only cost 45 and 50 pesos for our meals. There is a sweet dog that must belong to the owner, a very nice Mexican woman. We even bought an extra meal each to take home for later. Here are some photos.

The plaza wasn't crowded on Friday. We went back on Saturday and it was like an adult Disneyland. So many expats are in town now. The carretera is so crowded that it takes a long time to get into the main part of town and I feel like I am risking my life every time I try crossing it. This is the middle of the high season. I have a friend who wants to find a different , quieter, apartment in town. She can't find anything. Everything is filled up.  

The head waiter, welcoming us into the restaurant...bow wow

This wonderful salsa and chips came with the meal.

Above is my meal. A breaded chicken

Above is my friend's chili relleno. 

I like this restaurant. I will go there often. 

Morning Thoughts

This is my favorite time of the year here. The weather is perfect for my taste, warm by early afternoon but not too hot. Like spring. I bought a flower and it bloomed almost immediately after I put it on my counter. Below is a photo of it. 

Hyacinth

It has a sweet fragrance and my room is scented with it. Below are some photos of plants in my small patio. The palms are growing so quickly that they are hiding all the mess of the barrier that my landlord made to keep that pit bull out. So far, so good. 

If you do not live here and if you ever consider visiting here, this is the time of year to come. After all the noise and crowds of the Christmas holiday and before more holidays arrive. It will start getting hot in a few weeks and then the rainy season will be upon us. Then another Christmas holiday. I hope to get out every day and enjoy this beautiful time of the year, before the beginning of the hot season and before the rains. 

One more photo. Olive in my window, enjoying the sunshine.

Check out the view. They have built another story on the house across the alley and now all I can see is that brick wall.  But Olive doesn't seem to mind. 

My morning at the hot springs pool

I arrived at the pool this morning at ten forty five. It was cold. The workers were walking around in their jackets, scarves and hats but the water was hot. Nice. I love having the pool to myself. I feel like I am a millionaire, without all the problems of maintaining a pool. Just swim, rest and go home. 

It is rarely empty here. I guess the cold air kept everyone away but look at the next photo. I took it after doing my laps. I swim for an hour. 

The pool at eleven forty five. The temperature of the air can go up by ten degrees between ten forty five and eleven forty five. But it was still cool in the shade. Because we are at about five thousand feet above sea level, the air is thin and that makes a big difference between being in the sun or the shade. Maybe that is also why the temperature rises so quickly. If you want to do laps, best to get there early, before the crowds arrive. The price of admission just went up.  It goes up twenty pesos at the beginning of every year. Now it is 280 pesos for an adult and 140 pesos for a child. It is not cheap, especially for big families. I guess that is why they have an ATM machine at the entrance and one inside. 

Lunch with a friend at Min Wah restaurant in Ajijic

We shared War Won Ton Soup.

Chico walk around the plaza and home