Morelia, Mexico (December 2023)

Morelia is the capital city of the State of Michoacan. We stayed in Morelia for two nights. We visited Tzintzuntzan and Patzcuaro for the first day and we explored Morelia for the second day. Morelia was a bustling city with a population of one million inhabitants.  

The most iconic landmark of Morelia is the Morelia Cathedral. This was originally meant for Mexico City, but its soft soil could not withstand the weight and was built in Morelia instead. I was able to take day and night photos of it from different angles. 

In the surrounding area of the Cathedral were many restaurants and cafes. Also, tour buses were departing and ending their tours at Alameda Park next to the Cathedral. We saw the statue of Benito Juarez who led the Mexican Reform Movement.

In the surrounding area, I saw a statue of Cervantes, the author of Don Quixote. 

We stopped by a local market where we tasted various candies. Morelia is well known for its leather products along with the regional garment products.

One thing I also learned was that monarch butterflies migrate from the north to Michoacan area every year. There is a reserve called Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve that was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. They return to the north in the spring. While we were moving in the bus, I saw a group of monarch butterflies flying over us. It was too quick to take a photo, but here is one borrowed from Google. They fly up to 3,000 miles each way and that is amazing! Indeed, the power of life is strong and resilient. 

Our short stay in Morelia was pleasant and gave us a good memory. 

Our next destination is Guadalajara. - Jeffrey

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