Morning Thoughts

News Flash, the exchange rate this morning is 19.01 pesos to the American dollar. This lowers my rent since I pay in pesos. It is now 131 dollars a month. And everything I do is less expensive. The prediction is for the peso to go to 20 to the dollar. It is on the way there now. I should open an account in a local bank. They give you the exchange rate it is on the day you open the account. But I want to wait until the peso stops it's slide. Risky business.  But if it goes back to 12, I will kick myself for not taking this opportunity to make some money.

Okay, moving on past money. Yesterday I was planning on going out to the IMSS clinic in Jocotopec to sign up for a doctor. They have some English speaking doctors out there. (I have heard that but I have heard many many things about the health care system here that aren't true.) Fortunately, I made a few phone calls first. If I had gone out there I couldn't have signed up because I didn't have a Jocotopec address and they have to have proof of your address. So I went to Chapala instead. One more thing I have heard but I do not know if it is true or not, is that if you do not have a booklet and a doctor assigned to you then if you have an emergency and go to the IMSS hospital they will send you away. This is the reason I went to get a doctor. 

I coudn't have done it without a Spanish speaking helper and I will have to pay him next week too when I go to see the doctor. None of them speak English. I decided on IMSS for two reasons. One is that they do more things and have more hospitals than Seguro Popular. If I have a heart attack, Seguro Popular will send me to a private hospital and I would have to pay for it. Even at a discount, that could mean thousands of dollars.  Another reason is that the SP hospitals do not use the Red Cross Ambulances. If you have an emergency you have to wait for their own ambulance to go to your house from Jocotopec. That would take time and could mean the difference between life and death. 

Change of subject again. I went to the Fat Tuesday parade. Here are a few photos. I will write an article about it for Accesslakechapala.com if you want to see more photos, go to that site in a few days and click on blogs... 

It was cold on the parade day. We have had a few cold days but it looks like today will be warm again. I hate cold days. I am so spoiled!  I get to go to the spa again today after the cold weather. 

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Above is a photo of my friend Pam. This is her first Fat Tuesday parade. Looks like she is having fun.