Back to Ajijic, Mexico

Eleven months on the road, 28 individual plane rides, 5 countries, 40 villages, towns and cities, 30 lumpy mattresses, and 693 restaurants later, we decided to return Ajijic, Mexico to settle-in for a few months.

The village has about 8,000 year-round residents and swells to 15,000 when the snow-birds return. Ajijic is located in the highlands of Mexico (elevation approx. 5,000 feet), about 20 minutes south of Guadalajura on Lake Chapala, the largest inland body of water in Mexico.

The village is ablaze with color. We walk everywhere, although the cobbled streets and sidewalks can be challenging!

We have rented a cute little house, three blocks from the lake and six blocks from the center of the village. We awake to the sound of birds and the inevitable Mexican roosters, who have absolutely no sense of time!

Lunch on the back patio and ....

dinner on the front patio.

We have joined the Lake Chapala Society (LCS), a club for retired ex-pats, established some 5o years ago. There are over 2,700 members, mainly from the US and Canada, with some 27 countries represented. There are well-stocked book and DVD libraries and an endless list of activities.

We joined the LCS exercise group which meets three mornings a week in the gazebo. Some of the exercises are seated and performed to the gentle rhythms of Frank Sinatra. Although Lindy has broken a sweat once or twice, Ben has ditched the class in favor of a more rigorous work-out at the local gym!


One of our favorite activities is the weekly market held just a block from our house. The farmers bring in their fresh produce and our weekly fruit and veg bill generally amounts to a whopping $12!


Ben has become a consummate "selector of strawberries".

The fish we buy at the weekly market is brought in from the coast (about 3 hours away) and is quite delicious!

No King Soopers or Safeway here, although there is the inevitable Walmart, which we avoid at all cost. We try to support the local tiendas (small family run shops) which are often less expensive.

Yum, freshly squeezed orange juice - our favorite treat at the market.

We have met some extraordinary people and made some wonderful friends. Ben is golfing and we are both taking intensive Spanish lessons. We exercise nearly every day and volunteer in the community. All and all life in Ajijic (aaa-hee-hick) is pretty darned good! Come visit - you are always welcome, although we must warn you, you may not want to go home!

We'll be taking some side-trips, so will keep you posted.

Ben & Lindy

Family Vacation in San Pedro, Belize

Mid March found us in the town of San Pedro located on Ambergris Caye, the largest and most northern of Belize's islands. We were anxiously awaiting the arrival of Sarah, Brydie and our granddaughter Lyla, who were joining us for a family vacation.

This picture was taken early in the morning before the locals, tourists, golf carts, taxis and bicycles jockeyed for position along the three main streets running parallel to the beach.

Along the beach there were a dozen or more piers, where vendors arranged diving and snorkeling trips, as well as water taxis to nearby islands and the main land.

Here at last! What could be nicer than breakfast on the pier?


Lyla couldn't wait to change into her swim suit to experience the ocean for the first time.

Properly attired, and accessorized, Sarah, Lyla and Brydie head off to "our spot" along the beach.

What more could a girl want than to splash around in the ocean?

Hudut, yum Ben's favorite!

Glad we spotted this sign. We were on the lookout for these little guys from then on.

Sarah, Brydie and Ben are all smiles as they set off for an afternoon of snorkeling.

Belize is well known for diving and snorkeling.

The three snorkeled at Hol Chen, a five square mile underwater park...

home to a large variety of fish, in particular...

magnificent stingrays.

Each afternoon fisherman gutted their catch and the pelicans lined up for tidbits.

All good things must end. The girls returned to Denver and we left at the same time to meet up with friends on Isla Mujeres, Mexico.

Ben & Lindy

Placencia, Belize

Farewell to Panama and hello to Belize. Formerly British Honduras, Belize gained independence in 1981, but remains a member of the British Commonwealth. Odd seeing a young Queen Elizabeth on Belizean currency.

To the north of Belize is Mexico, to the west and south Guatemala, and to the east, the blue, blue Caribbean.

From Belize City we hopped a puddle jumper for 40 minutes and flew tree top level to the small, sleepy fishing village of Placencia, located in the south of Belize.

Baggage was off-loaded in no time.

This picture postcard scene was however, quite deceptive. "Nice from far, but far from nice" - e-mail us for specifics.

No argument there!

The easy life indeed. Reading, relaxing and...

a dip in the ocean. What more could a man ask for?

Each morning we joined the ladies for yoga in this delightful meditation center.

The beach stretched for miles. Running parallel to the beach was the acclaimed longest and narrowest boardwalk in Central America....

with a hodge podge of wooden homes on either side. Many of the houses looked as if a puff of wind could knock them flat.

Placencia was home to a number of Rastafarians, who had their own store selling "Rasta Gears"

One-room school house right on the beach.

What could be nicer - a hammock, a sea breeze and a good book?

Next stop, the Belizean island of Ambergris Caye, where Sarah, Brydie and Lyla will be joining us for a week.

Ben & Lindy

Two faces of Panama

We just happened to be in Panama City during carnival, a four day non-stop party. The whole country comes to a standstill to celebrate - and oh how they celebrate!

Our apartment was eight blocks from the center of the activities. From 10am until the wee hours we were part of the experience - live music, fireworks and lots of revelry.

The floats were quite spectacular.

Queen of the Carnival.

Miss Panama 2010.

We set off for a day of adventure from the urban jungle to the real thing. We had a wonderful guide who took us for an hour long ride in a genuine dug out canoe, across the Gutan Lake, and up the Chagras River, to visit an Embera Indian village.

There were about 100 people in this particular village, living much as they did since the Spanish explorer, Vasco Nunez de Balboa, first set foot in Panama in the early 1500's.

The children greeted us with music. There is a strong sense of community among the villagers, and the children have a deep respect for their elders.


The women entertained us with the "Flower Dance". This particular village sees very few tourists and they were extremely gracious and hospitable.

The women prepared a wonderful lunch of fresh fruit, fish and plantains served in a banana leaf - it was delicious!




Happy Embera baby. The villagers decorate their bodies with a natural fruit dye called Jagua, which acts as an insect repellent and protects their skin from the sun.

The Embera are skilled wood carvers and basket weavers. We bought this beautiful basket from Aniela, who was taught by her mother how to harvest and dye the materials from plants found in the jungle. The designs are never sketched, rather they evolve as the pieces are woven and carved.

The village Shaman took us on a tour of his "pharmacy" identifying plants and their medicinal uses.

The Embera version of Viagra.

"Hot Lips" is used for stomach ailments.

We were thrilled to get up close and personal with this guy, a sloth who ambled into the village. We are what we eat apparently - this happy chappy lives on plants which have the same effect as marijuana.

We felt privileged to have spent the day with these gentle, friendly people who enjoy the simple pleasures of life.

Farewell to Panama and hello Belize...

Ben & Lindy