CHAPALA ON THE LAKE

 An emergency visit to the vet this past Sunday morning took us to the nearby town of Chapala. Once we knew Tumi was in good hands and most likely had a less serious issue than we’d imagined, we took off to explore a bit.  Chapala has been a favorite of mine since I first visited the area.  It has a small city charm that keeps bringing me back.

It’s interesting that I could never find a population number for the town of Chapala itself, only for the municipality.  That number is over 50,000 (2015) while the number for the nearby village of Ajijic, west of Chapala, is around 11,000.  It is about 5 miles east of Ajijic and about 25 miles south of Guadalajara, sitting on the edge of Lake Chapala, which supplies about 60% of Guadalajara’s water.  This is the largest inland body of water in México, averaging about 4.5 meters deep, 15 miles wide and 33 miles long.

The name “Chapala” has uncertain origins.  Some say it derived from the Nahuatl name of Chief Chapalac. Another theory is that the name means “the place where pots abound”, referring to the primitive indigenous practice of appeasing the gods by throwing clay pots, spotted with blood from earlobes, into the lake.  The Nahuatl language goes as far back as the 7th century CE and brought us the words chocolate, avocado, and tomato, among others.  Around 1000 B.C. native people drifted into the area.  Chapala became a small fishing village that grew into “summer farms” as colonization began in the 17th century..  Between the 16th and 18th centuries the population was mostly indigenous.  

The town of Chapala was founded in 1538 by a Franciscan evangelist.  In 1548 the adobe and grass church “San Francisco de Asís” was built near the lake’s edge.  By 1550 the population consisted of 825 married people and 349 children.

In 1915, after WWI, Norwegian speculators decided to turn Chapala into a resort town complete with a railway and motorized water taxis.  They planned to build a dam that would dry up enough land to allow for luxury homes, a first class hotel, and a casino.  The railway contributed to the town’s growth until 1926 when the lake flooded the tracks.  After years of abandoned disrepair, a wealthy family bought the old train station, donating it to the municipality in 1991.  The beautiful old building now serves as a museum and small art school. An old train car sits out front but the tracks are long gone.

Beside the renovated museum is an artist’s plant and architectural “remnants” store, full of native plants and unusual treasures.   Down the street is the municipal park with swimming pools, tennis and volleyball courts, and an amphitheater.

The town proper is bustling with activity.  Here you’ll find the central plaza and market, restaurants, small grocery stores, furniture stores, and other businesses found in most small towns.  I’m told that on Niños Heroes you’ll find the well-known Fabrica De Dulces Chapala, a small candy factory that’s been in business for over 80 years.  Old buildings mix with new.  Many have seen famous painters and authors over the years.  DH Lawrence wrote The Plumed Serpent here.  His old house now serves as a B & B.  Find out more on https://lakechapalaartists.com/?p=9528

Near the old church the malecón sprawls along the lake’s edge, filled with craft booths, visitors from near and far, and small boats that tour the lake or take you to nearby Scorpion Island (no, it’s not covered with them; just shaped like one).  Vendors wander the malecón with their famous ice cream and twirling voladares spin upside down from a 60′ pole to mysterious flute music.

Further east past the malecón is the Chapala Yacht Club with tennis courts, soccer fields, a small bullring, and health clubs.  This is the sight of the annual Feria  Maestros del Arte, where a selection of the best crafts men and women in México are invited to attend each November to sell their carefully constructed wares.  For many the Feria provides most of their annual income.  Buyers and collectors come from all over the world to attend this fabulous event.  Hopefully online sales will help some of these wonderful artisans survive without the Feria this year.  Check it out at http://feriamaestros2.com

After lunch I headed for the public bathroom behind the mercado (market).  Not my favorite place but…when you gotta go, you gotta go.  Last time I was there the baño was closed for repairs.  Now it’s unisex!  (And I thought México was behind!)  As I started for the door a Mexicano was coming out.  Was I in the wrong place?  But there on the stall doors were hand-written signs, one for Hombres, one for Mujeres.  I laid my 5 peso coin on the counter and saw a little Mexican boy, maybe 9 or 10, holding paper towels.  With a big smile he picked up my coin, ran outside the open doorway, and returned with a stack of folded toilet paper.  Right.  As I stepped toward the sink he smiled and raised the lever for water.  “Como se llama?” I asked him.  “Fernando”, he said.  “Mucho gusto, Fernando.  Y muchas gracias!”  And that’s Chapala.

Let me add that I have truly struggled with the format of this post thanks to the latest WordPress update. There is much more to the story of Chapala but I’ve struggled long enough. Unless I can wade through it or find help sorting it out, it will be awhile before you hear from me again. Thanks for your loyalty! Wish me luck!