Tzintzuntzan and Patzcuaro, Michoacan, Mexico (December 2023)

 

After we made a stop at Guanajuato, we headed to Morelia, Michoacan to the west. Before we explored the City of Morelia, we visited two towns: Tzintzuntzan and Patzcuaro. Until this time, I had never heard of these two places. Both towns are located in the State of Michoacan and these names were written in the language of Purepecha which used to be a strong empire in the past fighting against the Aztec people. 

Tzintzuntzan means a Place of Hummingbirds and the name was originated from the sound of hummingbird. We did not see any hummingbirds, but apparently there used to be a lot of them. In this town, you could see the ruins of the Purepecha Empire. 

The town of Tzintzuntzan had many merchants which were selling unique ornaments and souvenirs. 

Patzcuaro was the first settlement for the Spaniards when they advanced to the current Michoacan region. But, due to the heat and moisture coming from Lake Patzcuaro, they ended up moving its settlement to the current Morelia. The 50-peso bill shows General Morelos and fish and water that symbolize the importance of fishing to the State of Michoacan. The Zocalo or Main Plaza of Patzcuaro was quite large and we were told that it is the fourth largest in Mexico. Because of the holiday season, the Zocalo or Main Plaza was packed with merchants and people. 

At the Main Plaza were Christmas decorations and performers. Also, many merchants were selling many goodies such as fine wooden products, Pasta Ice cream, a unique flavor, Fruit Bread that was collecting bees because of the honey on their skins.   

Also, there were Patzcuaro Cathedral, 

a Monastery...

and a Convent for nuns... This particular one we visited had 11 courtyards and the view from the second floor was beautiful. Reportedly, there were many of these where young girls were dedicated to God.

We also visited another monastery and a church. One of our tour group members was tripped and fell on the ground, injuring herself. She ended up getting about seven stiches around her eye, but she appeared fine after the stitches and kept going on with the tour.

In the garden were a dozen hundreds of years old olive trees that once died but have been resurrected thanks to modern technology. Young branches were growing on old trunks. What a mysterious secret of life!

During our free time, we found a small restaurant called La Casa de Don Vosco where we had coffee with guacamole. The garden was so cute and pretty, we felt very happy to spend an hour. 

It was enlightening to visit new places that I had never heard of. Particularly, I enjoyed Patzcuaro. - Jeffrey