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Pueblo Mágico impossible?


El Bizco

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I'm confused by talk regarding granting Pueblo Mágico status to Ajijic. To me it seems an impossibility. The PM town of Mascota, for example, conforms with what I've been told: no stores like Oxxo, Fármacia Guadalajara, the new pawn shop, or Pemex; cobblestones only, no paving like the carretera; no traffic lights; no electric signs; no bike lanes; et cetera. So, are enormous exceptions to be granted to Ajijic,  or would PM regulations just apply to a designated area below the carretera? Does anyone know what the actual "rules" are and what exact area is actually being considered? Thanks...

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Here is a Wiki link to the program.  We've been to 13 of them (14 if you count San Miguel de Allende which was removed from the list after it was granted World Heritage status).  Most of them have pavement on one or more of their primary roads and there are indeed farmacias and Pemex stations in almost all of them, as best I recall. 

My guess is the issuing authority focuses on the historic centers (or natural beauty, cultural riches) when considering the designation.  No different than Williamsburg Virginia which has a wonderfully restored area but within its City limits also has strip malls, apartment complexes, etc. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pueblo_Mágico

Here is a link to the MXN Government's page on Pueblos Magico.

https://www.gob.mx/sectur/articulos/pueblos-magicos-herencia-que-impulsan-turismo#agenda 

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4 hours ago, El Bizco said:

I'm confused by talk regarding granting Pueblo Mágico status to Ajijic. To me it seems an impossibility. The PM town of Mascota, for example, conforms with what I've been told: no stores like Oxxo, Fármacia Guadalajara, the new pawn shop, or Pemex; cobblestones only, no paving like the carretera; no traffic lights; no electric signs; no bike lanes; et cetera. So, are enormous exceptions to be granted to Ajijic,  or would PM regulations just apply to a designated area below the carretera? Does anyone know what the actual "rules" are and what exact area is actually being considered? Thanks...

Will the piles of garbage help or hurt in getting that status?. Perhaps they will disappear like magico.

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The only part of ajijic that really looks like a Pueblo magico is half of colon, the plaza (nothing special) and the malecon.The rest of the town needs huge renovations and infrastructure improvements.I hope it happens.

Bike lanes maybe in the future but there are many other things much more more important  to spend money on ,Pueblo magico or not.

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San Cristóbal de las Casas is or was not sure a pueblo magico and it has plenty of oxxos, has a burger king  and many other business. they just have more discreet signs.. of course many of those are in colonial building versus standing on their own.. Also  the centro of a place can be a pueblo mágico  and the rest of the town is just like any other town..

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I can't see Ajijic ever becoming a Pueblo Majico.  The years of absolutely no planning in the village, especially on the Carretera, has, I believe, ruined the chance of P.B. status.  Inside the village, as mentioned above, there is really a little part of Colon that could even be considered a majic place. While most residents here love the Village, including myself, I doubt very much that it will ever be named a Pueblo Majico, unless, of course, there is corruption involved.

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Obviously the carretera would not be included... All they have to do is include certain areas.. Have you seen Comitan, Chiapa de Corzo and many others.. they have plenty of ugliness, granted they have some colonial features but Ajijic has some charm..

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Just now, vista lake said:

Well in Sayulita is pueblo magico only for 1 block!! They have oxxo store!! and the street are ugly around the squeare!!

The only Oxxo I ever saw RIGHT ON the beach.

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Aren't most of the Pueblos Magicos former colonial towns/cities?  Those are the places with the beautiful old traditional architecture which can be lovingly restored.  Ajijic never was a colonial town, but just a simple fishing/farming village with mostly poor people who evidently can't keep up the maintenance on the sidewalks.  The art scene here used to be quite a draw with frequent crowded art receptions featuring many super talented and productive local artists plus a contingent of foreign artists, many of whom seem to have left the area.  Not so many art receptions now, sad.  

35 minutes ago, bmh said:

Obviously the carretera would not be included... All they have to do is include certain areas.. Have you seen Comitan, Chiapa de Corzo and many others.. they have plenty of ugliness, granted they have some colonial features but Ajijic has some charm..

I've been to those towns in Chiapas and found them quite charming and interesting for a fast visit, did not see anything ugly.  I loved San Cristobal, but did not see much of the rest of the city outside the very clean and fun central area.  All MX towns have poor neighborhoods.

I think all modern areas of any place nowdays tend towards being tacky and/or trashy, without regulations for the exterior decor which is usually found only in upscale locations such as Marin County CA where I used to live, where tacky cheap decor is not allowed.  Probably the same in MX.

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Sayulita is a colonial town?? I do not think so and they are pueblo mágico San Cristóbal is surrounded by slums, they are called the cinturon de pobreza and once you get out of centro it is pretty  much like any other town not particularly attractive.. Same With Comitán and same with Chiapa de Corzo.. As a tourist you stayed in a very small area of those towns and Ajijic can be looked at the same way.. malecón, colon to the plaza and a few streets arounds and it is charming.

Sorry but there are plenty of tacky places in Marin county and way overpriced. as well..

 

 

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6 minutes ago, cedros said:

Why would anyone want Pueblo Mágico status for Ajijic?

(1) so people could say they actually live in a Pueblo Magico to their NOB friends/family?

(2)so that double the tourist business will come, along with higher real estate/rental prices, higher food costs, LOTS more traffic, etc.?

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12 minutes ago, cedros said:

Why would anyone want Pueblo Mágico status for Ajijic?

Local nationals in Ajijic are very proud of where they live.  The impetus to gain this status is quite strong in the Mexican community, and not just with politicians.  It really is a source of pride to them.  

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1 hour ago, HookEmHorns said:

(1) so people could say they actually live in a Pueblo Magico to their NOB friends/family?

(2)so that double the tourist business will come, along with higher real estate/rental prices, higher food costs, LOTS more traffic, etc.?

And that is good?

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54 minutes ago, Bisbee Gal said:

Local nationals in Ajijic are very proud of where they live.  The impetus to gain this status is quite strong in the Mexican community, and not just with politicians.  It really is a source of pride to them.  

It seems rather silly to me.

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11 minutes ago, cedros said:

It seems rather silly to me.

I never felt a sense of community when we lived for 30+ years in the suburbs of DC-Metro.  Post retirement we moved to two small towns in the US.  I almost immediately felt a sense of community and pride.  Both US towns where we lived (and continue to maintain a home in one) are funky, artsy communities; we live/d in the historic areas of both with populations of around 2K.  Like here in Centro Ajijic, we see and talk to the same people every day.  We walk everywhere and greet and are greeted on the streets by neighbors, workers and business people.  It's a nice feeling and I don't think it's silly to feel part of a community and be proud of it.  

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1 hour ago, vista lake said:

They are another one in the center!! I block up from the restaurantes plaza!!

Hahaha yeah but I meant it's the only Oxxo I ever saw where the entrance is from the beach.

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The Wikipedia article says that a town must have a population of at least 20 thousand.  I believe Ajijic's population is just a little over 10 thousand.  But then it's hard for me to believe that Santa Clara del Cobre, Tzintzuntzan, Cuitzeo,mand Tlalpujahua (all in Michoacan) have a population of that size, so maybe it's not  strict requirement.

And Patzcuaro has an OXXO right on the Plaza Grande.

 

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What would the benefits be to the residents of Ajijic and their neighbors? We are strangling with the traffic now, will the carretera become just a parking lot? Will all the back roads have stop and go traffic, with all the noise and pollution? I personally do not see anything good about this. 

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1 hour ago, Bisbee Gal said:

I never felt a sense of community when we lived for 30+ years in the suburbs of DC-Metro.  Post retirement we moved to two small towns in the US.  I almost immediately felt a sense of community and pride.  Both US towns where we lived (and continue to maintain a home in one) are funky, artsy communities; we live/d in the historic areas of both with populations of around 2K.  Like here in Centro Ajijic, we see and talk to the same people every day.  We walk everywhere and greet and are greeted on the streets by neighbors, workers and business people.  It's a nice feeling and I don't think it's silly to feel part of a community and be proud of it.  

Nothing silly about feeling part of the community. Lets face it Ajijic is a rather ugly,  nondescript town. The only things of beauty and interest are the lake, malecon and mountains. The Pueblos Magicos that I've seen aren't like that.

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19 minutes ago, luvsdawgs said:

What would the benefits be to the residents of Ajijic and their neighbors? We are strangling with the traffic now, will the carretera become just a parking lot? Will all the back roads have stop and go traffic, with all the noise and pollution? I personally do not see anything good about this. 

We live in Centro Ajijic.  We walk to tianguis, stores, restaurants, dollar store, farmacias.   If I had to live without a car here, I could.  People who choose to live outside of Centro (be it Ajijic or Chapala or SAT), contribute to the traffic and suffer the consequences.  If more tourists come here, the upside would be more stores, restaurants, events, activities and most importantly, more jobs for locals.  Our US home is in a small town that holds almost weekly events that attract residents of a large nearby city.  The money spent by tourists increases the tax basis (local sales tax) and those monies helped buy a trolley that runs for free; it takes tourists from satellite parking areas to the historic downtown where the eateries and events are.  I can see Ajijic doing something similar for daytrippers on weekends.  

 

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Pueblo Magico used to be a designation of honor given to special towns.  There were few designated each year.  It was very special.  That changed radically and now there are many called Pueblo Magico.  Only one block long that is a joke.  That is not what this was supposed to be.  It is political so Ajijic has a chance because the presidente of chapala is PRI even though he did not have a clean win he could get it.  There is a good bit of money involved given to the community to make improvements. I won't touch that.

Right now we can't even get a light bulb put into a street lamp that has been out for three months but  we recently got  more gardeners on the malecon but so far the broken benches,  a broken water pipe wasting water, dangerous disintegrating bridges and collapsing low walls are being ignored and the malecon is also  in great need of painting the walls.  It is rapidly losing its charm.

The caraterra if the bike path goes through it will create bigger traffic jams as the roadway narrows and the traffic increases with no place to park.  It is a big problem on quiet days.  Weekends when the tapatios descend and the snow birds are here will be catastrophic.  It oftimes is already.

Up until 2003 Ajijic was a charming village.  AARP  wrote an article about its charm  and low cost of living and the death knell of charm was sounded.  Every piece of land was built on using poor construction.  Cows, horses and burros were no longer as visible.  The Mexican culture was and is being overwhelmed by the people who moved here from the north and wanted to live as they did "back home".

I am not addressing the rights and wrongs and goods and bads of what has happened to Ajijic, but in my mind it  no longer qualifies as a true Pueblo Magico.

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The answer to the question of "what would the status bring to the town", besides more tourism?  The fact is, all kinds of state and federal money, and that would go into the coffers of the current presidente, and that is the only reason he keeps trying this. If he cared a whit about the towns, then instead of floating foolish and expensive projects like "the bike path" with money "he" doesn't have... he would FIX the roads and infrastructure here.

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