Uruapan, Mexico

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We decided to go to Uruapan, just a short bus ride from Patzcuaro.  Uruapan is a semi-tropical, mountainous agricultural region founded in 1540. It is the second largest city in the State of Michoacán. Uruapan means “place of eternal formation and fertility”. They are known worldwide for their high quality avocados that are grown here, which has earned them the title of “World Capital of the Avocado”.   You will also find macadamia nuts, which are not as oily as their Hawaiian counterpart is.
We did not spend a lot of time in the city itself except to go to the plaza and have dinner there.  All of our time was spent in the Parque Nacional Barranca del Cupatitzio.  The Cupatitzio River runs underground except for approximately two miles of it where it comes up in Uruapan and then back underground. The town has taken advantage of this and created a park that has waterfalls and pure crystalline streams that wind through thick lush vegetation.  Along some of the pathways are the usual vendors plying their wares and some brave young men who for a few pesos will leap off a tree or rock into what appears to be shallow waters.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words so I will leave you with some photos of our trek through this wonderful park

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

fish farm where you can ‘catch’ your dinner and take it around the corner to have it cooked

 

this is where the river comes out of the ground
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Around Patzcuaro, Mexico

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Today we spent wandering around Patzcuaro.  There is so much to see here that we are realizing we will not have enough time to see and do it all.
Patzcuaro has worked to keep its traditional colonial-indigenous look.  Houses in Pátzcuaro are made of adobe and/or wood and generally have tiled roofs. Pátzcuaro is the market hub of the region, with smaller villages bringing in their own specialized crafts such as copperware, black pottery, musical instruments, baskets etc.  Pátzcuaro is a UNESCO Heritage City.  It is also one of Mexico’s “pueblos Mágicos” (Magic Towns).

 

The town centre is called the Plaza Vasco de Quiroga or the Plaza Grande. The Plaza Grande was dedicated to Vasco de Quiroga in 1964, when a fountain containing a bronze statue of the bishop was placed in the centre. Unlike most other towns and cities in Mexico, the main church does not face the plaza.
One block to the north of the Vasco Plaza is the Plaza Gertrudis Bocanegra, also called the Plaza Chica. We found many vendors selling their crafts and food.  It is a great place to find some local dishes if you do not mind sitting in the middle of the market. One favourite seems to be sweet potatoes. There are vendors selling hot sweet potatoes and if I got the translation correct, they will ask if you want it with cream.  We did not try it but will on the next trip.

 
 
 
 
 
 

Two blocks east of the Plaza Chica is the Basilica of Nuestra Señora de la Salud (Our Lady of Health) Her image is made with corn-stalk paste and honey and was created in the 16th century. Vasco de Quiroga built this church over a pre-Hispanic ceremonial site to function as the Cathedral of Michoacán. The remains of Vasco de Quiroga are interred here.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Museo de Artes e Industrias Populares (Museum of Popular Arts and Industries) is located just south of the Basilica. The building was originally constructed as the College of San Nicolás in the 16th by Vasco de Quiroga to prepare young men for the priesthood and to teach Indian youth to read and write. The College was moved to Morelia in 1580, the building was then turned over to the Jesuits to found the College of Santa Catarina, which functioned as a primary school.  It now contains one of the largest collections of lacquered items, models, and other crafts. Looking at the exhibits is like taking a walk back in history. Even the floors hold a surprise: cattle vertebrae are laid in-between the floor tiles at the doorways. These serve as a ‘rug’ to wipe your shoes. In the back yard is a troje (a wooden cabin typical of the region) and the base of what once was a Purépecha ceremonial centre.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cattle vertabrae

 

The Casa de los Once Patios (House of Eleven Courtyards) was constructed in 1742 for the Dominican nuns of the order of Santa Catarina de Sena. They gradually expanded the initial building by buying adjacent houses, which is why the complex once had eleven courtyards, but now that is down to only five. In the 1960’s, the complex was restored and since then has functioned as workshops and stores for local crafts. I bought an intricate piece of needlework from a young woman who said she belonged to a sewing group called 60 women. On the wall of her store is a certificate from the college stating that she had completed the course in needlework.  The other stores in the 11 Patios also have equally high quality crafts.
 
 
one of the five patios

 

 

another patio with mural

 

 

Tocuaro, Mexico, Mask makers

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So many pleasant surprises have been happening to us that we eagerly set off on today’s journey. We were not to be disappointed.
The first town was Tocuaro, a small village of 656 inhabitants but home to a few famous mask makers. We met two of them.
Mask making has been a tradition in Mexico for centuries. During pre-Hispanic times, American natives used masks as part of their religious ceremonies. Later, Christian traditions were incorporated into celebrations and today mask are still an important feature of many fiestas. They are worn in ritual dances to represent persons or animals in the telling of a story.
Masks are usually made of wood with embellishments of leather, bone and often-genuine hair and teeth. They may be fashioned from other materials, such as animal shells and tin, and they can be painted, lacquered, or left in a natural state.  Devils and duality masks are among the fascinating representations created.
We met Felipe Horta who not only had a wonderful mask collection for sale but also showed us his own private collection of masks from around the world.  We bought a wonderful little mask, little gruesome but not as much as other masks.
Each mask is made from one piece of wood with the exception of the horns and some of the larger teeth. this is done so they can be removed for shipping.
signing our masks
Our next stop was to the home of Modesto and Manuel Castillo, sons of Juan Orta Castillo (1940 – 2006), who was one of the finest traditional mask artists in Mexico. They continue in the family tradition of mask making.  Our friends were thrilled to see some of Juan Castillo’s original masks, although unfortunately the artist had not signed them.

 

 

 

left, completed mask, right the beginning of another masterpiece

 

 

Erongaricuaro was the next town on our tour.  Erongaricuaro means “Place of the Watchtower” or “Place of Waiting”.  In 1440, it functioned as a military port in order to control the west of Lake Patzcuaro.
During the Second World War, a group of French surrealists found refuge in Erongaricuaro. One of those surrealists apparently was Andre Breton who designed, according to legend the white painted wrought iron cross in the courtyard of the monastery.  We wandered around the monastery and inadvertently wandered into the private garden of the priests. One of the priests found us and kindly allowed us into the monastery gardens that overlooked the lake.  We were asked to be very quiet.  Near the back of the garden was a traditional Purépecha troja house.

 

Purpecha troje house
We stopped for lunch at Pizza Testerelli.  The Italian-Argentine grandson of pizza purveyors in Argentina and his wife run this café.  The pizza is delicious and authentic Italian style.
After lunch, we made a brief stop in Jaracuaro. This town is renowned for its straw hats.  We were fortunate to be able to see the whole process in hat making by one of the family’s.  They kindly invited us into their home and workshop.  Both my friend and I bought hats – how could we resist!  After seeing how they are made, I will never look at another straw hat in the same way.
This Purpecha woman had such a beautiful face that we just couldn’t resist asking her if we had her permission to take her picture.  She agreed but was surprised that we thought she looked beautiful.

 

The husband is sewing the straw braids together to form a hat

 

This machine forms the hat.

The machine is heated by propane. The iron hat form is very, very heavy. The men tried to lift it but it was not easy.

The wife made it look quite easy.  She explained to us that if she left it on longer, then it would take on a darker colour.

 

Our happy purchases

 

Church to left of the convent
Tzintzuntzan means “Place of Hummingbirds”.  It was the capital of the Tarascan people.  Now, it is known for its archeological site and other historical sites in and around the town along with a weekly market highlighting the town’s crafts.
Inside church
church to the right of the convent – you can see the convent on the left
As we walked along the path to the 16th century Franciscan convent, you could see the olive trees, which were purportedly planted by Don Vasco de Quiroga and considered the oldest olive trees in the Americas.
 Also, along each side are stone ‘stations’ that during religious holidays, the faithful will stop at each station with a prayer until they reach the church. There is a church on either side of the convent.  One was built for the indigenous people and the other for the Spaniards.
Olive trees and the stone stations

 

 Behind the church is Ceramica Tzintzuntzan, the ceramic studio of Manual Morales, a fifth generation potter. His studio is a converted missionary hospital.  On one of the outside walls, they x-rayed the wall and uncovered original carvings in the stone that were taken from the pyramids.

Casa de la Santa Muerte and Capula, Mexico

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We met our driver Homar Cruz, who was to become, after getting to know him, a special person to us. If you are ever in Patzcuaro, you can reach him at homarcruz1@yahoo.com or phone him at 044 434 1089752 or late night 434 3427858.

 

We started heading towards Capula when Homar wanted to know if we would be interested in seeing something very different.  He said he did not believe in this place but thought we might find it interesting.  He was right.  The place is Casa de la Santa Muerte.
According to Wikipedia: ‘Santa Muerte or Holy Death is a cult figure in Mexico, which receives petitions for love, affection, luck, money, and protection, as well as malicious requests for harm to others by their faithful. However, several churches such as Catholic, Baptist, Presbyterian, Methodist, among others, reject and condemn their worship, considering it diabolical.
At times, this cult is linked to different types of crime such as drug trafficking, muggers and people from different social strata engaged in informal trade such as street vendors. However, it is a mistake to think that the cult of Santa Muerte is only practiced by individuals or criminal groups, as the cult of death, comes from the pre-Hispanic period.
We found the place eerily fascinating.  The whole place was dedicated to people who had died. There were shrines everywhere with offerings.  The figurines were decorated with items that the deceased wore such as dresses, baseball caps and any other items that I suspect were favourites of the deceased.   If there were time to research before we saw the place, we probably would have viewed the whole thing a little differently, noting perhaps what items were placed around each ‘shrine.’

 

note the sign “waiting for the perfect man.”

 

 

 

Our next stop was a little town called Capula.  This town is known for its Catrina’s and is home to the famous Mexican artist Juan Torres.  In 1982 sculptor and painter, Juan Torres reproduced La Catrina in clay for the first time. People from Capula soon learned from the painter, and so they created a folk art style that has been imitated in many other pottery centers in the country.
According to Peggy Stein, of Mexico, La Catrina was one of many images created by Mexican engraver José Guadalupe Posada. His images, accompanied by witty social commentary in rhyming verse, were printed in newspapers and reached the farthest corners of the Mexican Republic.  The images are not invoking death but are mocking the living – their defects, weaknesses, and vices.  The Catrina, an upper-class woman of the turn-of-the-century, is depicted in her broad-brimmed hat and is Posada’s comment on the “wannabes” in Mexico at the time who aspired to be everything French. The idea is that the rich may put on airs and wear their fancy clothes, but underneath they are just like you and me. In other words, death is the great equalizer as we are all mortal.
Juan Torres’ wife on the left

We met his wife and two other artists who were busy making the Catrinas.  The detail and quality in each of the pieces were awe-inspiring.  I truly wanted one of the Catrina’s on horseback, but they had been sold. Our driver, Homar tried his best to convince them to sell one of them but to no avail.

Walking around the grounds of the hacienda was a delight and surprise everywhere you turned. Juan Torres had made sculptures, which he placed, all over the grounds of the hacienda, each one different and unique.

The church has been turned into an art gallery where you can view his paintings.

We returned to the workshop/gallery where we were pleasantly surprised by Juan’s arrival.  He kindly asked us to view his art studio.  What an amazing space for him to create his masterpieces.  After viewing all his work, he then invited us to his home.  Each room had a differently decorated fireplace, and one room housed a grand piano and nothing else.  We wished we could have taken pictures, but it would have been extremely rude to do so.  We felt very fortunate to have been invited into his studio and home and realized that if we had been with a tour (40 people) that this would never have happened.

old church which is now an art gallery
front of the church
inside gallery
view of the workshop at the front of the property
Juan Torres’ studio
artist at right with his self-portrait and another painting

Our next stop was the town of Capula where we had a nice lunch at the only place in town to eat, a taco stand.  It was good food.  We shopped for a bit and found a Catrina that I liked but it was not the same quality as the artist’s.

Our last stop was to the town of Quiroga.  It is a larger town and did not have as much appeal for us. We spent an hour shopping, and we got a deal on a leather backpack for 160 pesos (14.00 cdn).

Isla de Janitizio, Mexico

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The State of Michoacán is known for its beautiful scenery historic buildings, traditions and culture.  The area we are visiting is known as the La Ruta de Don Vasco (the Don Vasco route).  Don Vasco de Quiroga was educated as a lawyer and was sent by Spain to govern the colony. He was so well loved that the Catholic church appointed him as a bishop even though he was not a priest. He founded hospitals in Tzintzuntzan, Patzcuaro, Ururapan and Cuitzeo Acambaro.  He taught the Purepecha  about religion, crafts and the fundamentals of self-government. He was greatly loved by his people and became known to them as ‘Tata Vasco’ (father Vasco). The skills he implanted among Purepecha have been passed down to their descendants, who are today considered among the most skilled crafts persons in Mexico.  We wanted to see all the crafts that are famous in this area.  Each town has its own unique craft.


Because Patzcuaro is 2100 meters above sea level, it will take us a few days to adjust to the change. We are finding that it takes more effort to climb hills and stairs.Day two of our trip started with breakfast at the hotel trying to salvage what we could because of our ‘no show’ guide.  Fortunately, we met Chris, who was on a buying trip for his two stores in the States. He told us of places we should see and suggested we use his taxi driver, Homar, who spoke very good English.  Homar was busy with Chris that day but we arranged to hire him for the next two days to visit some of the small towns around Lago de Patzcuaro.  He charged 140 pesos per hour (12.00 cdn) and so we split the cost with the other couple.
Isla de Janitzio
Because we had another ‘free’ day, we decided to go to Isla de Janitzio. We took a taxi to the dock where we boarded one of the pangas for 45 pesos (4.00 cdn) for a return trip. There are five islands on the lake but Isla de Janitzio is the most important.
inside the panga
graveyard where people meet on the Day of the Dead

There are several meanings to Isla de Janitzio: ‘the place where it rains’; ‘hair of corn’ and ‘fishing location’.  The indigenous community of the village has retained much of the authenticity of their customs like the Purepecha language, clothing and the vigil of the dead, a ceremony that attracts visitors from around the world on November 1st and 2nd.  At night, it is customary to bring offerings to the dead.  There is a procession with candles and animated with religious chants. The whole island is resplendent with lights and torches.

At the top of the hill is a 40-meter monument with right arm raised and hand clenched.  This monument is in memory of Don Jose Maria Morelos y Pavon, a national hero of the revolution for independence. Inside the monument are murals, depicting the hero’s biography and painted by Ramon Alva de la Canal.

looking up onto the walkways
There is a walkway going around the inside to the top of the monument and if you are brave, you can walk to the top of the clenched hand.  Once inside the hand, you have a panoramic view of the area. We all walked up but once at the top, it was a tiny room and I got a little claustrophobic and had to return to the ground but it was worth the few moments spent up there.
outside of restaurant

On our way down the hill, we decided to stop for a bebida (drink). I had a drink called Jarros Locos made with orange, lime, Fresca, salt and a type of chili powder that was not hot.  The drink was different and delicious.

making my special drink
After resting, we decided to walk around the perimeter of the island.  The women went along the shoreline and the men took ‘the high road’.  We saw the way they lived instead of just the tourist area. Very enlightening.

Back at the pangas, we boarded the next one out and ended up sharing the panga with a tour group from Denmark. We had an interesting chat with the tour leader who is a retired pilot and working as a freelance guide for his friend’s company.  He just moved to Spain from Denmark and continues to work as a tour guide for his friend.

Once on land, we were trying to decide if we should take the bus or a taxi back to town when the tour guide asked us to join the group on the bus and they would take us at least part way to town. On the bus, we were pleasantly surprised when the group decided to sing for us.  The song they chose – in Danish – was Auld Lang Syne.  Then they sang another song for us – no idea what it was but what a nice thing for them to do.  We told them we would visit them all in Denmark!

After a lovely dinner at the hotel, we were delighted to find out that the hotel had arranged entertainment.   A group of four performed the El Baile de Los Veijitos or dance of the old men. The men wore muslin white pants and shirts embroidered at the legs and arms with a sash. They also wore a mask looking like an old European (pink face and white hair). This was a chance to mock the Spanish ruling class by doing a dance hunched over like old men with a cane.  It was a hoot.

self portrait of my husband!
End of day two.

Patzcuaro, Mexico

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We decided for this side trip that we and another couple were going to forgo the packaged tours and go on our own.  What we discovered may well change the way we see Mexico in the future. Our journey began with travel arrangements on Mexico’s bus system.
The bus system in Mexico is like a well-oiled machine.  At one time, approximately 80% of the Mexican population used the bus as their main source of transportation. The quality of the buses varies from the “chicken” bus that serves the local towns to the premier buses that travel longer distances.
 ready to hand out the sandwiches & beverages before you board the bus
On our trip to Patzcuaro, we paid 65 pesos each, selected our seats and boarded Primera Plus to Manzanillo.  This bus is a definite step up from Greyhound.  Before you board, they offer you a snack if it is a short distance plus a beverage or for longer distances, they offer you a sandwich, fruit and beverage.  While selecting our seats we mentioned that our friends Barra de Navidad would be joining us on this trip. Fortunately, we did because the bus was unusually late and they were just going to bypass Barra to make up time.  Unknown to us, the travel agent at Melaque phoned the office in Barra and our friends were asked if they were friends of ours.  Once confirmed, the bus did go to Barra to pick them up.
ETN bus
We arrived in Manzanillo and an hour later at 10:00 pm we boarded the ETN bus. We paid 650 pesos (60.00 cdn) each.  Now, if the Primera Plus is a step up from Greyhound, then the ETN is a step above Primera Plus.  We were given the usual sandwich, snack and beverage before boarding.  The seating on this bus is two seats on one side and one on the other side.  The seats are spacious and have a leg rest that feels like you are sitting in a recliner. There is lots of room in front of you so that when the person in front reclines all the way you still have plenty of room. The bus also has two washrooms.  There is coffee and tea at the back, which you can have at any time. Movies are also shown for the first hour or two only as this is an overnight bus.  There is also free Wi Fi
double decker bus
We arrived in Morelia at 5:30 a.m., caught a local bus to Patzcuaro for 32 pesos (3.00 cdn).  From the bus depot, we got a taxi to Patzcuaro Centro.
We searched for a good hotel and found Hotel
Casa de Refugio.  The going rate was 1,000 pesos (80.00 cdn) per night but we got our rooms for 400 pesos (35.00 cdn), quite a savings.  When we came back to the hotel with our luggage, we were informed that one of the rooms would not be available for a couple of days on the weekend.  They showed us other rooms and we were instantly upgraded to a suite for the same price.
Lobby

 

lobby

 

our room number
We had previously arranged for a guide to show us around Lake Patzcuaro which has numerous towns, each specializing in a different craft.  We were to meet him that day to go over our arrangements but he never showed.  We spent the rest of the day walking around Patzcuaro.
 One of the places that we found interesting was the library.  The library was formally a church and you can still see some of the original designs on the walls.  At the back of the library is this lovely mural depicting the history of Mexico.  The mural was completed in February 1942.

Market Day

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Every Wednesday in Villa Obregon (Melaque) between 7:00 and 8:00 a.m., you can hear the sounds of pegs being hammered into the ground and the clanking of aluminum poles being put together to hold the tarps. These tarps will provide shade as the day wears on. It is market day.
The market stretches for several blocks. Plastic wares, parts for blenders, clothing, and vendors selling the usual tourist trinkets, anything you can imagine are sold here.

 

Of course there are the many silver vendors and knowing who is honest is paramount

 

There are nuts that are roasted in a special sugar base, yummy. The vendor assures you, with a smile, that there are no calories in these treats!
 Then there is the padded bra section. I do not know why, but it is very difficult to find a bra that is not padded, no matter what size you are.

Last, but not least, the market would not be complete without a pregnant Barbie

 

 

The market is the place to meet up with friends and acquaintances. Our routine is to go to Ava’s for a drink after (according to hubby) a long and gruelling hour or two of shopping. Another Wednesday has ended with treasures bought, friends met and wonderful memories for all.

mexican-tourists

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Two weeks ago, you could roll a bowling ball down the middle of the main street and not hit anyone.  The beach was virtually empty except for the few Mexicans and even fewer “gringos.”

This week, the Mexican tourists have arrived by the busload for their winter holidays. The restaurants, stores, streets, and beaches are full.  Buses line the streets of Melaque. The drivers sleep down below along with having their office there as well.

Mexican tourists rented two bungalows in our complex.   In those two units, there were nine people.  There is only one queen size bed in each unit.  Those people left the next day and another family of 11 came.  I think they are only renting the one unit but we noticed in the morning that two people were sleeping in the hammocks on the roof, under the palapa.  It is amazing how different our cultures are and yet how similar in some aspects.

This influx of people is good for the local merchants after hurricane Jova on October 12th, 2011, devastated the area.  Water and mud rose as high as 4 feet and higher in some areas. Some people lost all their belongings.  Our landlords had just put in a pool and it filled with mud and water.  The lower bungalows filled to about 3 feet with mud and water.  They were scrambling trying to save as much as they could in the bungalows plus look after their own homes.  As one of the daughters put it, “it was ugly.”  By the time we arrived, you would never know that the town had suffered through a hurricane.  Pictures sent to us during and after the storm showed everyone cleaning up, all with smiles on their faces.  When asked how they were doing they replied that all was well, no one had died in Melaque so they were thankful.  No drama here.  The army was on standby and once the storm had subsided, began clearing the mud and debris from the roads and bridges and rebuilding them as necessary.  The electric power company sent approximately 20 trucks before the storm hit and the men slept in their trucks so that they would be here immediately after the storm to restore power.  FEMA could learn a thing or two.

For New Year’s Eve, we spent a wonderful evening with friends at a local restaurant. The food was wonderful, and the entertainer had a beautiful voice. His ten-year-old son also sang a few songs to the delight of the crowd.  The dinner, entertainment, three drinks cost less than $50.00 cdn for two.
You can purchase fireworks from any merchant here.  There are not any restrictions like in Canada and I wonder why no one seems to get hurt.  The fireworks start before Christmas and with any luck will end soon.
After the New Year celebrations are over, everything will settle down, the Mexican tourists will head home and then the influx of gringos begin.

La Taza Negra

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My husband and I love exploring so upon arrival in Melaque we walked around some of the area to see what had changed, what has remained the same and of course, what is new.

 

The first new discovery has been La Taza Negra (The Black Cup).  It is a delightful coffee shop owned by Ben and Alex Boynt and run with help from their friends Kyle and Rae.  They roast the coffee beans at their shop. The customers are always assured of getting freshly roasted coffee and of course, they can buy the beans.

 

Not only do they have incredible coffee, but also Alexa and Rae make mouth-watering desserts; sticky buns, berry coffee cakes and assorted pies like key lime, just to name a few.  I have only succumbed to the biscotti and key lime pie. The chi apple coffee cake this morning just about got me. The smell was heavenly and the customers who did order it were obviously enjoying the cake immensely.

 

I asked Ben how he got started with the coffee business and he responded by saying, “It all began with an idea for a coffee shop in their home as a gathering place for students. We bought roasted coffee beans until our friend Kyle, who has experience in roasting, suggested we try roasting our own beans. Therefore, we did, with an air popcorn popper.  We could only roast 3 ounces at a time and mainly made the coffee for family and friends.  We gradually worked up to the roaster we have now which we purchased in Guanajuato and refurbished it. “
“Why Melaque?” I asked
“My wife’s family were missionaries in Guanajuato and vacationed in Melaque. When I married Alexa, I fell into the family vacation. Once our son, Ayden was born, we wanted to be near family, found this place to rent and it all fell into place.”
Going to La Taza Negra each morning is like going to a friend’s home for coffee, comfortable and inviting with the added bonus of incredible coffee and desserts.

“And the living is easy

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We have been in Melaque for two weeks now and are getting settled in nicely.  There has been so much to do, buying staples, unpacking, lounging by the pool, visiting friends and discovering new places.  More on that in another post.

Today I bought 1 L of milk
1 loaf bread
6 frozen potato patties
1 lb cheddar cheese
6 slices of ham – large
1 dozen eggs
8 bananas
2 lbs. sugar
TOTAL:  $12.16 Cdn
Food is very inexpensive here.

We have calculated that we save over 400.00 per month being here.  We suspend our cable, most of the internet fees except for email,  car insurance except for storage, don’t buy gas (150.00 per month), lower the heat, and of course do not use the hot water nor as much electricity.

Our rent here is 530.00 Canadian for a 1 bedroom apartment with pool.  We figure we save the rest of the rent with buying groceries here.

One of our favourite places to shop for vegetables.  Notice that there is not a cash register in sight.