Recently, I joined about a dozen retirees on a six-hour hike above Mexico’s Lake Chapala.
John Burnett was one of them. He had moved here from Dallas to retire, so I asked him why. “My friends back home ask me that all the time,” he said. “And I wish I could just bring them here. They would see how great it is.”
The Lake Chapala area includes a cluster of towns. Ajijic is the most popular for Americans. A sign on the main road lists its population at roughly 10,000. The Lake Chapala Society, located in central Ajijic, has nearly 3000 members. Most of them are foreigners.
Since arriving here two weeks ago, I’ve asked dozens of retirees the same question. What brought you here? Most cite the weather. At 5000 feet above sea level, it’s never too hot. And it’s never too cold. The year-round temperature averages 72 degrees.
The locals are welcoming. It’s safe. And it’s cheap.
