Sunday Stroll Through Ajijic

People often say that ‘beauty is in the eye of the beholder’, and I say that the most liberating thing about beauty is realizing that you are the beholder.  This empowers us to find beauty in places where others have not dared to look, including inside ourselves.        ~ Salma Hayek ~

Yesterday we ventured out to get some exercise and experience another part of Ajijic that was beckoning to us.  This village is a feast for the eyes, no matter where one turns.  Given that the rainy season seems to be ending, I wanted Terry to take some photos of the brilliantly colored flowers before they disappeared for the season.  What began as an adventure to do just that became so much more, as can always be the case if we just open ourselves to the beauty around us.

Flowers grow in such abundance here and many times several varieties become entwined, as if they have realized that they need each other’s company to thrive.

As we winded our way up and down streets in search of unusual plants and interesting doorways, of which there is a plethora, we came upon a couple of local girls, one carrying a small bouquet of flowers.  They looked like little cherubs, with their round smiling faces, and Terry tried to communicate with them that he would like to take their picture.  They happily agreed and struck a pose.

Faces beamed when they saw their photo and I gave them each a few pesos for allowing us the opportunity. As they turned to leave, I was presented with their floral bouquet, which consisted of a few flowers, leaves, and a white feather.

With pesos in hand, they immediately headed to the corner tienda for snacks.  I continued to carry the flowers with me until they began to fall apart, at which time I set them aside.  No sooner had I done this than we encountered the two amigas again, with their younger sisters in tow.  I felt bad that I no longer had the flowers with me and they immediately saw that this was the case so I was presented with a flor blanca (white geranium), which they asked Terry to pick for them, and a marble.  We all said adios and parted ways.  I secretly wondered if their generosity was due to the pesos presented earlier on, with the hope for more to come.  Nonetheless, it was a beautiful gesture on their part and kept me smiling for quite some time.

As we continued, we discovered some beautiful doorways, of which an entire book could and probably has been dedicated.  Here is just a taste of what one can see around every corner in this village.

All walls in Ajijic seem to be available as canvases for budding artists and pop up as frequently as many of the lovely flores do with the mixture of sunshine and tropical temperatures.  They are varied and all tell a story, I am sure, although some not as obvious to newcomers such as us.  We discovered many of these murals coming to life with the approach of Mexico’s Independence Day and continue to see them as we explore neighborhoods throughout the village.

Who knows what awaits our next foray?  Until then, adios!