"The Place Where the Water Springs Forth" In 1522, the Spanish Olid Expedition reached the eastern shores of what is today called Lake Chapala. When it arrived, its leader, Captain Avalos, met with little resistance. A royal grant from the king of Spain gave joint ownership of the area to Avalos, who was a cousin of Hernan Cortez. Soon other cousins arrived, and one of them by the name...
"OF MANY WARM SPRINGS" In 1523, Spanish Conquistador Captain Alonso de Avalos arrived in Cutzalan. Chief Xitomatl, who now controlled the area from Ajijic to San Luis, surrendered peacefully, and was baptized by Fray Martin de Jesus. He was given the new name of Juan Bautista de Cosala. Saint John then became the patron saint of the village, which was henceforth known as San Juan...
"PLACE OF THE OFFERINGS TO MEN" Long before the Spaniards arrived, the Cazcanes and the Cocas lived in what is now known as San Antonio Tlayacapan, and both were dedicated to agriculture and hunting. In 1523, Cortez sent men to control the area. By 1539, both tribes had surrendered to the Spaniards, who then built monasteries as refuges for the natives. Thus, the first Catholic church in...
"Hill of Guavas" "Hill of Acid Fruits" - Nahua Perhaps as early as 100 BC, nomadic bands of Indians passed through the Lake Chapala Valley. Some moved on, others settled on the shore. Jocotepec, once Xuxutepeque, a small fishing village at the western end of the Lake, became a permanent home for the Nahua Indians in 1361. They built a temple to their god, Iztlacateotl, and practiced human...
"Ixtlahuacan of the Quince Fruit" In 1522, the Spanish Olid Expedition reached the eastern shores of what is today called Lake Chapala. When it arrived, its leader, Captain Avalos, met with little resistance. A royal grant from the king of Spain gave joint ownership of the area to Avalos, who was a cousin of Hernan Cortez. Franciscan fathers then proceded with conversion of the natives. Old Indian...
The creativity, color and beauty of the crafts of the Lakeside...
15 Activities to Enjoy in Lake Chapala Those who can call La Ribera de Chapala (Lakeside) home, definitely don’t lack of activities to make them happy and keep them busy. The natural scenery and the environment offer a wonderful opportunity to participate in physical activities, whether it’s group sports or individual activities. There are also numerous gatherings amongst locals that...
Ajijic is a town of artists with great creativity. In this video you can admire some of these beautiful...
42 years of this festival in Ajijic, Mexico. This is the most important annual fund-raising event at...
For the people of Ajijic, the New Year's parade (January 1) in the Guadalupe neighborhood has already become a tradition that is carried out by groups of people from “las 6 esquinas” and “La Villa”. Ajijic is joyful by nature and this parade is a great representation of that...