MARGARET & MAZAMITLA

We were so happy to welcome my dearest friend of 20+ years to our home last week. She came a long way – from St. Thomas, Virgin Islands – to visit us and see our new home. It felt so good to pick up right where we left off when we saw each other 2 years ago. We did our best to show her the routine things and some of the highlights of our life here in Mexico. Friends, markets, the Malecón, Chapala, restaurants, and an overnight visit to Mazamitla. So come along as I recap our visit.

After resting up from a 3-legged flight with numerous delays, we took Margaret to the Wednesday tianguis (market) then met friends at Go Bistro! for dinner. Lovely place with nice atmosphere and yummy food.

Next day we were off to show her Chapala, our nearby town of about 35-40,000 residents, with a strong Mexican flavor and a beautiful malecón. A weekend destination for Guadalajarans, Chapala was once a short term home for Tennessee Williams while writing A Streetcar Named Desire. Recent rains brought in fields of lyria, land-locking small fishing boats for weeks. The market in Chapala is open daily, stocked with meat, vegetables, cheese, candies, fruit, etc. as well as several outdoor eateries, a great spot for authentic food and people watching.

In an effort to find another source of authentic Mexican food – Ajijic more often caters to gringo tastes – we found our way to Viva México Restaurante, where the food and service are always top notch. A new place opened in Ajijic recently and we found it pretty tasty! El Sombrero, former furniture display room, with an owner from the Yucatan, now serving to please!

Driving toward Mazamitla we traveled past the berry growing town of Jocotepec on the west end of Lake Chapala, with beautiful views of the mountains and lake. Once we arrived at our destination we quickly figured out that the “sleepy mountain town” isn’t so sleepy on Sundays. But we enjoyed our little cabins and walks to town, nonetheless, especially on Monday when the crowds had cleared.

Mazamitla (Nahuatl for “place where deer are hunted with arrows”) is a mountain town in the state of Michoacán, established in 1165 by the Aztecs. The evergreen and deciduous forests contribute to its architecture which includes wooden beams, doorways, stair rails, and balconies, atypical for México. This “get away” town is mostly known for its unusual cathedral, built around the mid-20th century and believed to have been influenced by Chinese architecture. The sanctuary was packed when we visited on Sunday so we didn’t go inside but outside by the entrance I found a heart-shaped container for depositing bottle caps for charities.

Wandering through el Centro there was much to see. Street vendors and the town market caught our attention most. Colors, colors, everywhere, inside and out. Neat and orderly store shelves packed with kitchen items, candy, garden supplies, you name it. And food, always food. La Troje Restaurante is highly rated for its food and service. It’s a busy place where the walls are covered with pictures of movie stars. It’s popular with visiting Mexicans and gringos alike.

Heading home on a gorgeous Monday. We saw this little village on our way up the mountain and decided to check it out on the way back. “The apple of peace” is a sweet and friendly little village, mostly quiet with few people milling about. We’ll go back sometime and stick around a bit.

A sweet ride home. Beautiful scenery with little traffic. The clouds lie on the mountaintops nearly every day, in incredible formations. We’ve craved quiet lately with construction going on on 3 sides. We’re searching for our next dwelling. For a few minutes I thought I saw it…here on the other side of the lake, with only the sound of a gentle breeze.

• 

• 

It was hard to tell Margaret good-bye, we so rarely see each other. It’s been 2 years and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever was rearing its ugly head last time we were together, unbeknownst to me (until after she left). Two friends, close as sisters, bumping into each other every year or two, picking up where we left off each time. We both chose life “outside the box”, in far away places. Neither of us content with the status quo. We’ve both experienced a lot, learned a lot. And I hope it will always be that way, picking up the threads each time we meet. Adios, mi hermana! Hasta luego! Thank you for coming.