Usually I'm the one striking up conversations with strangers on trips, but I got caught slipping trying to decide on my favorite ice cream flavor. Strolling through the market along the malecon someone tapped me on the back and asked if I was American. I laughed and said "How'd you guess?"
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| La Buena Nieve de Garrafa in Chapala I think I sampled nearly every flavor! |
He replied, "Because there are around six Black people here and I know all them." Just my kind of humor! He of course wanted to know what I was doing there with the motley crew of a group I was with. When I told him we were travel professionals, he was surprised.
"Great more people should come down. I love it here!" Let's call my new buddy 'Charles'. I chatted with him for the entire time it took me to finish my Nieve de garrafa ( a sorbet-y cup of deliciousness we got at the market).
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| My inquisitive little buddy |
It turns out 'Charles' has lived in Lake Chapala for 25 years. He had retired to Mexico from Michigan 25 years ago and hasn't looked back. After trying a few cities, he settled in Chapala because of the perfect climate and close-knit community of expats. There are so many Americans and Canadians here and in nearby Ajijic that many of the signs and menus are in English. There was a free English newspaper, every other guest in our hotel spoke English and there was even mashed potatoes and chicken-fried steak on the menu there. Lake Chapala is a haven for American and Canadian retirees, just about an hour from Guadalajara. It's well known for retirees, but still off the beaten path for tourists. I'm hoping to change that so next time 'Charles' will have a harder time picking me out of the crowd. =)
