Thursday, September 30, 2010

Weather Permits Play

JOY or for JOY! Regardless of the BEAUTIFUL mild temps in Chapala - Babs is looking forward to her THANKSGIVING 2010 VISIT! The Guadalajara Reporter on September 24, 2010 stated that Chapala’s main tourist beaches gradually reduced in size, but that children and their families continue to PLAY ~ the sounds of laughter and music ABOUND! Ajijic’s waterfront "Parque de la Amistad" were saved by the construction of the Malecon boardwalk. Chapala's malecon remains a BUZZ with music and laughter! The high water has done little to deter local tourism. Even with the summer holidays and long Independence Day weekend behind, visitors continue to stream into the north shore area to witness Mexico’s largest lake in all its glory. The estimated water volume is 6.5 billion cubic meters, hitting 96.58 on the elevation scale, a 79-centimeter increase compared to 2009. Huzzah ~ JUST on month and 2 weeks till Thanksgiving! PLAYFUL hummingbirds flutter contentedly because Florence Merrifield, "Flossie" moved to Ajijic 20 years ago from Yakima, Washington. She turned her home patio into a virtual hummingbird refuge. Flossie keeps 16 feeders numbered, cleaned regularly and filled with the simple syrup that the tiny visitors adore. Currently, there are about 200 mouths feeding at what she calls “Flossie’s Fast Food Fly Through.” My plans also include a visit to The Christ Church Angelican Parrish in Ajijic to THANK GOD for all He has provided ~ with the new Reverend Danny Borkowski. A native of Dallas, Texas, Borkowski has a long educational pedigree that includes a Doctorate of Ministry in Ecumenical Studies from the Graduate Theological Foundation. He was ordained in the Holy Orthodox Church in 1980 and the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East, Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf in 1998. Borkowski holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Mathematics from the University of Dallas and a Masters in Mathematics from the University of Houston. Time to PRAY and PLAY in Chapala! The scenery on the roads around Lake Chapala catches the eye, with its lush green hills and flowering trees offering stunning vistas across the water. Driving on HIghway 104 on the North Shore of the lake, you MUST keep your eyes fixed firmly on the road! As anyone who lives in Vista del Lago knows, the potholes are deep, plentiful and, in some spots, cover the whole width of the road. Try to keep your RENTAL car from busting a tire, losing a muffler or suffering other undercarriage or steering damage is difficult. The real danger lies in the curves, where oncoming drivers may decide not to slow down to negotiate the ripped up pavement on their side. THEREFORE take a BUS!