Where did we stay?

I searched the web for places to stay in Mexico specificly in Ajiijic, Chapala area. There is a trait of mine that you should know; sometimes I can be rather frugal (Cheap). So I was looking for an inexpensive place to stay. I found a B&B for a modest sum that served a full breakfast. Breakfast is one of my favorite meals of the day followed by lunch and supper :) So I booked us a room sight unseen.My best friend, Samantha, went with me and she booked the flights to and from Mexico.

We arrived at the Guadalajara airport on time and with our baggage. This being a first for us as when we traveled before our bags went off on a trip of their own, another story to tell. We exchanged some dollars for pesos and as directed took our directions to the taxi booth and purchased our ride to the town of Ajiijic and the B&B.

The taxis at the airport I found out are unionized and there is a strict order of assigning a taxi to a customer. We were directed to our taxi where the driver loaded our bags and us into his vehicle. Then with our Spanish directions in hand he headed off to our destination, I thought. We were headed out of the road from the airport when the driver turned into what looked like an abandoned fast food place. This is where he handed in our ticket we had purchased, I imagine that this is some sort of accounting control of the union or government and we sped off.

Did I say sped off? I live in a very quiet rural area and it had been a long time since I rode in a foreign taxi. Holy Smokes hang on !! We weaved in and out of traffic and charged down the highway flitting in and out of lines of traffic with other vehicles doing the same thing coming at us! I just held on to the strap and hoped for the best, I couldn't say anything; no Spanish words worth a damn would come to mind, the only English words were from a bumper sticker "Buckle UP,Shut Up, and Hold On". Within a relatively short space of time we were in a small Mexican town and pulling up to a sign proclaiming that we had indeed arrived at our B&B. I tipped the driver and we dragged our bags inside the gate of establishment where for the next ten days would be our home away from home.

To our pleasure there was a courtyard with lots of shade trees and plants and within a moment we found our room and a note welcoming us to the B&B. We went to the office and soon were talking with the staff who are also real state agents. We went back to our room did a little unpacking and decided to find a place to eat and see little of the town before dark.

To our surprise it began to lightly rain as we walked about the village. We went into a restaurant and the waiter explained that all the seating was outdoors, in the rain! We looked sorrowful about sitting in the rain and the next thing you know he and others were moving chairs and tables into a room and we were seated with a menu and a cold beer. Great service, wonderful food and the atmosphere was wonderful as we ate, we listened to rain on the roof and watched it splash on the patio and fountain outside our own little dining room.

After dinner we slowly made our way back to our room, walking in the rain passing people on the tiny sidewalks and crossing cobble stoned streets. A nice start to our exploratory trip to Mexico.

The adventure has begun.