EXPLORING CHAPALA

Jul

17

     

SIGHT SEEING

EXPLORING CHAPALA

It has now been three months since we moved to Mexico and we are finely settling in while enjoying the peace and serenity that surrounds us.

 

 

Today Dan and I were accompanied by a friend of ours; Marco. We set out to get Dan’s discount card, because he is now both a resident and a senior citizen. We had to go to the city of Chapala to get what is called the DIF card. The building was not very far from its downtown plaza. Dan had to provide them with two copies of his passport picture, two copies of his residential card, a letter showing his blood type, four small pictures of himself, and proof of residency.

While getting ready to speak to someone, Marco translated to us that the residential card had to be a copy of its original size while showing both front and back. Dan had brought a telephone bill and per the woman that Marco was speaking to it needed to be either a power bill or a water bill. Dan was very disappointed for he wanted this to be taken care of right then and now. Oh well, we have to go back Monday for they only give out DIF cards on Monday’s and Tuesday’s.

But all was not lost; Marco was gracious to show us around town. Chapala is a city and municipality in the central Mexican state of Jalisco, located on the north shore of Lake Chapala, Mexico's largest freshwater lake. According to the 2005 census, its population is 43,345 for the municipality.

Although there are several theories as to the origin of the city's name, the most likely is that it comes from Chapalac, the name of the last chief of the Nahuatl-speaking indigenous people of the region. Chapala became an official municipality on September 10, 1864, by decree of the Jalisco State Congress.

I really did not know too much of the history until Marco took the time to show us around. The first stop was this restaurant that has been around since 1963. It has been known to have some of the best food in Chapala .After breakfast we walked down the street until we came upon this historic old hotel called Villa San Francisco. It reminded me of the home and garden magazines. To explain it would not do it justice, so here are some pictures of the hotel.

 

 

We then continued to some other sites along the water way to the downtown area. There were all kinds of history throughout the town displayed in areas that if Marco was not showing us the sites, Dan and I probably would not have seen. I would like to thank Marco for being there and showing us all those sites.

Enjoy the pictures.