Ah!
Chapala, you have the magic of a story book, stories of sunsets and earthenware,
of romantic moonlit nights and oh so peaceful.
Chapala, your lake is a romantic bride, like none other.
Chapala, embedded in the central part of Jalisco, is "a place of flower vases of
fragrant clay and small earthenware pots", known also as "The Wet or Soaked
Place" or "A Place for Ducking into the Water" - this is the town after which
Mexico's most important lake was named. In the beginning, Chapala, or
"Chapalean" was a pre-Hispanic settlement dating back to sometime in the XII
century A.D., when a migrating tribe of náhuatl indians, originating from the
northwestern section of the country, settled here and found the northern shore
of the lake already quite populated, as was described by Friar Antonio Tello, a
Franciscan historian. Four centuries later, in the year 1524, once they
amalgamated with the Coca and Cazcano indians who inhabited the shore from
Poncitlán to Jocotepec, including Ajijic and Cosalá, together with Friar Juan de
Padilla and a soldier, Alonso de Avalos, the domain of Chapalean was recognized
as part of the New World.
The benefits of the evangelization by the Franciscan Fathers Friar Miguel de
Bolonia, friar Martín de Jesús, or the Coruña, and Friar Juan de Amolón, were
the construction of Axixic (Ajijic) convent, in 1531, and the Tlayacapan Church
of San Antonio, the Chapala convent having been built in 1584. Of the three
aforementioned, only the tower or steeple of the original san Antonio Tlayacapan
church still remains. The parish churches of Chapala and Ajijic were started in
the XVIII century with the secularization of religious buildings for the
Franciscan Missionaries. From the XVI to the XVIII centuries Chapala was only
partially commissioned by the Spanish Crown, being inhabited mainly by indians,
in spite of the fact that the process of European colonization had started back
in the XVI century.
In addition to the first European colonization in the XVI century, the period
1895 to the decade of the '30s of the present century, Chapala gave shelter
among its population to a good number of foreigners of diverse nationalities, as
well as to those of our fellow countrymen who began promoting tourism along the
lakeside. Thus, the appearance of this" small fisherman's village", as described
by Father Jesús T. Orozco, the town's parish priest at the beginning of the
century, was transformed by the first summer residences of neoclassic
Mediterranean style, such as the "Casa Braniff" (now the Cazadores Restaurant),
the building located at the corner of Degollado and Zaragoza streets ("Calvary"
and "Fishing" streets until 1913), the building of the old Hotel Palmera and
Hotel Niza, presently known as the Hotel Nido, and also the residences which can
be seen along the boardwalk that leads to Francisco Madero Avenue (Beer Garden)
where the Arzapalo Hotel, inaugurated in 1895, was located, as well as the
Telegraph and Post Office building, to name but a few.
The Town Hall (Palacio Municipal) and the old Railroad Station were built
between 1913 and 1930. This railroad was the first and only service there was
connecting Chapala with Guadalajara and on to the north of the country, and by
way of Mexico City, to the rest of the world. This building represents the
beginning of the "Grand Epoque" of the Chapala lakeside when Guadalajara high
society spent their weekends here and came especially during Holy Week and the
Christmas Holiday.
With the introduction of the railroad, better alternatives were offered for the
economic growth of the region, besides providing "a pleasure trip instead of a
sacrifice", as the railroad was more comfortable than the stage coaches which
took up to 12 hours to make the trip, or the "Wichita" buses with big solid
rubber tires, which also took a minimum of 5 hours to cover the same distance
that the railroad did in 3 hours from Guadalajara to the charming resort of
Chapala."
At present, access to any point in the country is easy and fast, by land or by
air. Chapala and the lakeside are only 20 minutes away from the Guadalajara
International Airport. Also, the Guadalajara-Chapala highway connects with those
that lead to Mexico City and the northern part of the country, as well as with
the highway to Puerto Vallarta and the southern part of Jalisco and also with
the highway to Michoacan, and to the south along the Pacific coast.
As for the tourist accommodations, its hotel infrastructure offers alternatives
ranging from 2 to 5 star hotels, as well as a good number of bars and
restaurants where you can enjoy delicious Mexican and international cuisine;
also cafeterias, banking facilities and currency exchange houses.
Recreation possibilities are many... water skiing, triathlon contests, sailing,
and regattas organized by the local Yacht Club. There are two islands in the
lake, the largest is the Isle of Scorpions directly in front of the town of
Chapala, where, besides the beautiful natural scenery, one can enjoy delicious
Mexican cuisine. The other is the Island of Mezcala, facing the town of the same
name, eastwards from Chapala, and where the ruins can still be seen of a fort
taken over by the movement of the Mexican Independence, between 1812 and 1816,
and which constitutes one of the four Spanish forts which to this day still
exist; the San Juan de Ulúa Fort in Veracruz, the San Diego Fort in Acapulco and
Chapultepec Castle in Mexico City.
Among the local important festivities is the Carnival, most often in February,
which is very popular and begins with the traditional "burial of Bad Humor", the
beautiful floats, costumed and masked groups, followed by "serenades" to the
Carnival Queen and the crowning of "The Ugly King" in the Main Plaza. An
established custom - after participating in the masked groups and attending the
bull fights, the people go around cracking egg shells filled with aniline, and
offering carnations to all the girls.
Another eye-catching aspect are the beautiful fireworks which become a real
competition to see who creates the "best castle" (fireworks scaffold) or the
"best little bull". Sports events, Mexican rodeo stunts, donkey races, the
waiters' races, the masked group contest, the floats and the masquerade balls,
all make this an outstanding and colorful festivity.
The Patron Saint of Chapala is Saint Francis of Assisi, and between the end of
September and the first days of October, festivities in his honor begin with a
novena, ending October 4th. The entire community takes part in the solemn
processions organized by the different sections of the town, all terminating at
the church atrium. Here too, beautiful fireworks as well as popular evening
festivities take place in the Main Plaza.
As from 1995, the month of November has been designated as the period for the
Fiestas Commemorating the Beginnings and Historical aspects of Chapala,
featuring outstanding cultural events for the whole family and for all choices,
making this the town's most important celebration.
In addition to all the above mentioned attractions, our lakeside community
invites you to come and enjoy wonderful natural scenery and the interesting and
contrasting architecture.
Chapala, always near to you!
Historian and Chronicler:
Bernardo Sandy Ramirez