Yesterday we made the trek to Guadalajara. I wanted to go to Costco, the mall, Ford dealership to look at my car to give an estimate etc and then we were returning home to go to dinner with Sandra and Henri, our neighbours.
We got up early enough and headed out. Our first arrival (we went in order of finding the places) was Walmart to see if they had any bedding that Kristen liked. She has a twin bed and only has queen sheets for them - so it doesn't work well and here in Ajijic we currently only have Soriana for sheets and you can only get 180 thread counts. Walmart had nothing that she liked and the shoes didnt fit her either so we left.
We found Ford next and they appraised the damage on the car from my accident and said even if the parts were available in Mexico (but they aren't) it would cost almost $26,000 pesos. Too much. I will talk to our insurance next week.
We asked them to hook up the car to a diagnotic to tell us why the car kept stalling. They wouldn't have the computer tool until Monday and they suggested that we get it done in Ajijic.
So we headed off to Costco. The computer file back up I want is too expensive here so I will have Andre bring one down at Christmas and they had no twin sheet sets only Queen and King, so other than getting to see what Costco had and getting a new stainless steel cannister set, Costco was a bust too.
We headed across the street to the Galleria Mall and off to Sears - yes Sears is here too. Their bedding department is much smaller than north of border and hideously expensive, 850 pesos for twin set of sheets with 150 thread count. Not for me. So that wasn't a great time saver either.
So we left there to go to the outlet mall on the outskirts of town to see if they had bedding for her bed otherwise we decided she could wait until Christmas. And turning left onto our street, the car stalled and refused to restart. You have to let it wait until it is ready to restart but in the middle of a busy 6 lane road was not an ideal place for it to happen. I had visions of the Federales coming to move us because of all the cars honking at us, asking for our import papers and them taking the car from me because I still can't find them. Thankfully the car started before my worst nightmare happened.
We arrived at the outlet mall and there was a bedding store with tons of sheets, duvet covers and bed in a bag, which is what I wanted. And we settled on a brown, blue and green set with circles. It is really cool looking and we are all happy.
I do not think I will venture out as far as Guad again until the car is in my name and Jalisco plated (which is how we have decided to proceed). The stress is just not worth it.
But dinner and our company was a perfect way to end such a day. We had an awesome time.
Showing posts with label driving in ajijic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label driving in ajijic. Show all posts
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Pick up Trucks in Ajijic Mexico
My daughter said it best when she said that in Canada pick up trucks carry stuff. In Mexico pick up trucks carry stuff and people in the back.
Our garbage pickup is done in a pick up truck 4 times a week. They have a crew of 3 people. One drives the truck, the other picks up the trash and the final job has a man in the bed of the pick up truck, ripping open the garbage bags and sorting the garbage based on its contents. I often wonder wouldn't it be easier and nicer if we did the sorting before it was picked up? Personally I would prefer to do the job of driving than sorting. I wonder if the sorter gets paid more? Hmmm
You see pick up trucks on the road so overloaded with their stuff that you wonder just how it doesn't tip over. They have even devised huge tarping systems to tarp large loads that need protection from the elements.
Families are often seen in the back of the trucks and it actually looks like fun. But when I see people riding in the back of pickups sitting on plastic lawn chairs, I wonder how they manage to not get hurt.
My ABSOLUTE favourite though, is the police. Whole crews of police ride in the back of pickup trucks sitting on the sides, while holding their rifles. The last police truck I saw, there were 6 officers riding like that in the back.
But when they see a foreign plated car, like mine, they drive alongside to ensure that we are wearing our seat belts. If that is not a contradiction, I don't know what is.
But I have been told numerous times, it is much easier to love Mexico than it is to understand it. So I will refrain from trying to understand but instead will just observe and appreciate.
Our garbage pickup is done in a pick up truck 4 times a week. They have a crew of 3 people. One drives the truck, the other picks up the trash and the final job has a man in the bed of the pick up truck, ripping open the garbage bags and sorting the garbage based on its contents. I often wonder wouldn't it be easier and nicer if we did the sorting before it was picked up? Personally I would prefer to do the job of driving than sorting. I wonder if the sorter gets paid more? Hmmm
You see pick up trucks on the road so overloaded with their stuff that you wonder just how it doesn't tip over. They have even devised huge tarping systems to tarp large loads that need protection from the elements.
Families are often seen in the back of the trucks and it actually looks like fun. But when I see people riding in the back of pickups sitting on plastic lawn chairs, I wonder how they manage to not get hurt.
My ABSOLUTE favourite though, is the police. Whole crews of police ride in the back of pickup trucks sitting on the sides, while holding their rifles. The last police truck I saw, there were 6 officers riding like that in the back.
But when they see a foreign plated car, like mine, they drive alongside to ensure that we are wearing our seat belts. If that is not a contradiction, I don't know what is.
But I have been told numerous times, it is much easier to love Mexico than it is to understand it. So I will refrain from trying to understand but instead will just observe and appreciate.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Driving in Ajijic Mexico
Driving in Ajijic is similar to driving anywhere in some ways but so different in others. Today, I want to share my observations as a newcomer to Ajijic. For those who don't know the terrain here let me try to give you a visual. Ajijic is sandwiched between the mountains on the north and Lake Chapala to the south. Ajijic resides in the narrow place between the two, so the major roads run east and west.
How driving is different in Ajijic than Toronto:
1. Instead of seeing construction signs on the road, the warning signs are for cows. You will see cows grazing on the grasses beside the highway as a way of cheaply feeding the animals. At night beware when driving on the highways for dead cows or worse yet a live one in the middle of the highway.
2. Because this system works so well for the cow farmers, the horse owners have adopted it as well, when you drive along the road, try to count how many horses are tied up and grazing along the road.
3. Drivers use common sense. It's shocking. If the oncoming traffic has someone trying to make a left, you let them in to let the rest of traffic flow, regardless of the rules or traffic lights.
4. When driving in the village where the roads are cobblestoned and very narrow, if it is a two way street, ensure that you drive slow enough to watch for not only children but dogs, roosters and horses on road. They have the right of way.
5. When driving on a road that is too narrow, the right of way is given to the one who has the hardest time of making way. To explain if there are cars parked on the southbound side of the road and you are driving south and an oncoming car is approaching, then you would yield to the oncoming traffic and pull over to let them pass because it the easiest.
Driving in Ajijic is easy and fun as everyone waves and smiles but you have to find your way to blend in and not try to drive with the same habits and attitudes that seem to be necessary north of the border.
Next post I will talk about the vehicles and what is acceptable on the roads.
How driving is different in Ajijic than Toronto:
1. Instead of seeing construction signs on the road, the warning signs are for cows. You will see cows grazing on the grasses beside the highway as a way of cheaply feeding the animals. At night beware when driving on the highways for dead cows or worse yet a live one in the middle of the highway.
2. Because this system works so well for the cow farmers, the horse owners have adopted it as well, when you drive along the road, try to count how many horses are tied up and grazing along the road.
3. Drivers use common sense. It's shocking. If the oncoming traffic has someone trying to make a left, you let them in to let the rest of traffic flow, regardless of the rules or traffic lights.
4. When driving in the village where the roads are cobblestoned and very narrow, if it is a two way street, ensure that you drive slow enough to watch for not only children but dogs, roosters and horses on road. They have the right of way.
5. When driving on a road that is too narrow, the right of way is given to the one who has the hardest time of making way. To explain if there are cars parked on the southbound side of the road and you are driving south and an oncoming car is approaching, then you would yield to the oncoming traffic and pull over to let them pass because it the easiest.
Driving in Ajijic is easy and fun as everyone waves and smiles but you have to find your way to blend in and not try to drive with the same habits and attitudes that seem to be necessary north of the border.
Next post I will talk about the vehicles and what is acceptable on the roads.
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