Expat in Mexico... the journey continues!

 After a lovely week in Antigua, enjoying both my heavenly Airbnb and the fabulous town itself, I took a shuttle on a windy-but-scenic, three-hour ride through the countryside to the neighboring, famous area of Lake Atitlan. I had heard it was as beautiful as Antigua, but in a different way... I was not disappointed! The first day there was a bit hazy and didn't lend itself to great photos, but the second day cleared up and was a photographer's dream! I have divided my two days at Lake Atitlan into two different posts, precisely because I want to include a mess of photos without overwhelming you, my faithful reader! If I did not SO love my sweet home in Oaxaca, I would seriously consider moving to one of the delightful pueblos that are situated around the enormous lake. I only had time to see two--one each day--but have heard that there are many more worth exploring, so I know I will simply have to return there one day!  These two adorable "chicos" were hanging out on...

 Whether or not to leave Mexico after 180 days of touring and/or residing in the country...that is one of the most hotly debated questions here in Oaxaca amongst us expats. 6 months ago, the Mexican government was offering extensions on visas because of the pandemic; apparently, that was too much trouble for them, so they subsequently put an end to that possibility. (It isn't EXACTLY a "visa" per se, but rather a tourist permit..but for the sake of ease, we all refer to it as a visa.)  There are basically 3 schools of thought: 1) get a Mexican lawyer to deal with the bureaucratic nightmare of applying for a special, immigrant status; 2) leave the country (despite presumed health risks because of the pandemic) as would normally always be done; 3) overstay the visa and pay a fine upon exiting the country, which may or may not be seen as unfavorable by the government here, possibly making re-entry more restricted, if not prohibited.  I opted for the normal, legal route mysel...