Getting Organic at the Biker Bar

The Mercado at Patzcuaro is a magical place. People, colors, as many fruits and vegetables that you don’t know the name of , as there are that you recognize. But this week there is something new. A small co-op of producers have put together a number of things that are hard, if not impossible to find, elsewhere.

Hidden Behind This Facade is Buen Provecho Mercado

Right now this new venture is open every Friday from 11-4, but they hope they will have enough demand to open more. The adventure starts with trying to find them. I will give some detailed directions for those of you in the area, looking to find it. If you are at the glorieta in front of the new Bodega Aurrera store, you head towards El Centro on Lazero Cardenas. On the right hand side, as you head into town, you will find a half of a motorcycle sticking out of the wall, and a bid sign that says “Mr. Gray”, this is your destination.

Yes, you are looking for an ex biker bar. Inside you will find them . Don't forget to check out the Swiss baker there!

A selection of some of our booty! Arhgggg

We bought leeks, turnips, tomatoes, a variety of exotic salad greens, funky fruits and a 6 grain bread.
They also had fresh duck, and eggs and a few other things I didn’t even get to. That large yellow grapefruit sized thing is a lemon, an actual lemon. I have 3 or 4 lemon trees here on the grounds, but have yet to have a harvest. This year we do have some baby lemons growing so I am hopeful. Until then, I think these will do quite nicely.

Dragon Fruit

Something rather unique there was a call a pitaya, or dragonfruit, which is a cactus fruit. Dramatic enough on the outside, its flamboyant purple interior almost makes it surreal. Light and tasty, the flavor is not as overpowering as the color, thankfully. I think we will have to go back next Friday to see what else we can find.

Confession time, I think I spent more time on the pictures for this post than the writing. I really like how the picture below came out. I have included it even though it isn’t from Buen Provecho. If you come across these peppers, beware they are VERY hot. These were found at Patzcuaro’s regular market

Do You Know the Name of These Peppers?

Day of the Dead Market 2007 Video

In 2007 I did a post on the day of the dead market here in Patzcuaro.
It was a sort of photo tour of the market and talked about the crafts from the different areas.

If you like you can have a look at it here.
Patzcuaro Day of the Dead Market - 2007

It has actually been one of my most viewed postings.
At the same time I did a sort of slideshow/movie and posted it to youtube, but the quality didnt realy seem to be there, after the upload it just seemed a blocky and jumpy.

Well, I came across the file while cleaning up my hard drive the other day. After changing the format, so it would compress better, I tried uploading it again, and this time, it looks clean and crisp.

So, finally here it is! If your bandwidth is a little slow, you may need to pause to let the video load in a bit.

So enjoy, and hopefully you will be so impressed you will come visit and support these amazing crafts people, and you wont have to wait till day of the dead!

Cuitzeo, Another Pueblo Magico

We headed out to the other side of Lago Cuitzeo, north of Morelia. What's there? Well, what we were going to see were 2 things. First the ruins at Huandacareo and then, the village of Cuitzeo.

But on arrival to Huandacareo, we find the ruins closed. Closed, hmmm, perhaps for renovations. What we did find were Balnearios. It seems like the village is water park central. Here is an aerial view of what appears to be pool central, and I get the impression that there are a couple more in the area. We wandered around one, and it even had a swim up bar!

View Larger Map Wanna Go For A Dip?

So, after a peek at the water parks we head towards Cuitzeo. It is a Pueblo Magico, like here in Patzcuaro. A couple of other Pueblo Magicos you may have seen on my blog are Tlalpujahua and Bernal.

We were familiar with Cuitzeo from before the Salamanca cuota was put in. It used to route you through the village, but the face of Cuitzeo that you saw, was rather plain and uninteresting. It’s VERY clean, very very clean, without 100 wires overhead meeting up in junctions that resemble birds nests. Almost a “Stepford Wives” version of a Mexican village.

Too Clean?

As we continue into the center of town we find the personality and the charm that it has been shy in showing to the outside world. Peeking into a crowded cafe, we realize it is time for a little something to eat. After picking up a tasty combination of fruit, yogurt and granola, we wonder over to the plaza principal to eat and to watch.

The plaza is where she lets her hair down! Our shy little wall flower becomes the prom queen. A charming bandstand set in the midst of hand hewn stone and vibrant greenery. Light and laughter dance here where it won’t be wasted on those who think that Cuitzeo is only a speed bump on the road from A to B.

Who knew? I guess it is like very many Mexican homes, what you see behind closed doors can be very different than the view on the street.

Benches Waiting Patiently For Couples To Come Courting.

After our snack break we continue on to the main attraction today, the Ex Convent of Saint Mary Magdalene. After 4 years of work, the convent had recently been restored to what it once was. Photo ops await!

Built 1550, Restored, Last Thursday.

Entering the edifice you wander through ancient corridors. In many places you will see what seems to be carvings in the stone above the arches and on distant walls.

Centuries of Atmosphere Soak These Stones

As you approach you realize that they are all painted on. Murals are sprinkled throughout the convent, and in some rooms, you are hard pressed to find a surface not covered with scenes or painted accents.

As you wander through the rooms, you come across a strange dichotomy, museum exhibits, in a building from 1550, lit by halogen lights on electronic timers triggered by ultrasonic motion detectors. While the rooms have all been restored, exhibits have yet to be put in many of them, giving you glimpses of doorways through doorways with the light growing as you approach the courtyard.

Looking Back Almost 500 Years

When I say all the rooms have been restored, I mean all, even the ancient bathrooms. They are basically a row of outhouses on the second floor, I always thought the most important thing about an outhouse was that they are outside, hence the name. Sadly these are not out, they are in. I would not want to live on the first floor.
Yes I took a picture. No , I am not going to post it. You know what an outhouse looks like.

As we approach the end of our tour, a young gentleman beckons us with a medieval looking key. An ancient door opens onto a timeworn pipe organ, then as we enter we realize he has taken us into the balcony that overlooks the main church.

Here is Where a Picture IS Worth a Thousand Words.

As we turn to leave, we see Mary Magdalene, the Ex Convents namesake, immortalized in stained glass.

www.Wow-Nice-House.com

Come To Patzcuaro, Buy My House!

Wanna Buy My House? www.Wow-Nice-House.com

Yes, I am a glutton for punishment! After finally getting all the finishing touches done, and the landscaping completed we are putting it up for sale. For those of you who have built a home in Mexico you know how challenging it can be, how everything takes WAY longer than expected and how important it is to stay on top of things.

You really have to stay on top of things, double and triple check everything, and still Murphy's Law, will do its best to intervene! I remember one time we went to Texas for a week during construction, when we came back, the garage foundation had been put in. Wow, fast work, but….. it had been put in the middle of the back yard garden!! Hmmm, plus there was a wall in the house where a big picture window was suppose to be. You see, we like it bright, bright and fresh.

So, now we that have had some time to relax, I think we might be getting cabin fever. So let’s do this again! Hmmm, maybe this time we will do a fixer-upper. That should make it even more of a challenge, because you never know what you might find behind that wall, or under that floor. I guess we are the sort of people that always have to have a project or 4 to keep us busy.

So, if you, or someone you know is interested in buying a house, send them this blog posting or give them the URL to my house website, I made it easy to remember! Now, I think I will go have a soak in the Jacuzzi with a book while I still have it!

www.Wow-Nice-House.com

PS, the book I am starting is “God and Mr. Gomez”, written by LA Times columnist about his adventures of building a home in Mexico.

PPS, A special thanks to Steve at same life -- new location for telling his readers about my house here in Patzcuaro! Thanks Steve!

Yacatas and a Walk in Tzintzuntzan

 

About 17 kilometres from here, as the crow flies, is the village of Tzintzunzan. Overlooking the village are the ruins referred to as Las Yacatas.

 

Museum

As you enter and pay your fee, you are in a tiny museum, with a variety of items. The petroglyphs particularly caught my eye. I remember my grandmother showing native Indian petroglyphs in the Fraser Canyon of the Pacific northwest when I was a kid. I always wondered about the person who carved the images into the stone. That wonder stays with me today.

 

Hurry Up,  Company’s Coming!

When you get a chance to wander around the ruins, also keep an eye peeled for more petroglyphs, they are salted throughout the ruins.  While we were there, they were doing some cleaning on the front of the ruins, and some additional restoration in the back. Nice to see that things are coming along.

 

WOW!

The view from the end of the ruins towards the lake I found quite striking! I can only imagine what it was originally like. When the Spaniards came, they tore down many of these structures to build churches in the area.

 

      The Mercado

Leaving the ruins, we go for a stroll to the Mercado, full of bright coloured pottery and an explosion of reed and straw woven items. It looks like Christmas all year round here.

Christmas Year Round?

We proceed into the Olive Atrium on the grounds of the former monastery of St. Francis. These trees are well over 400 years old.  We are heading for the far right corner.

450 Year Old Olive Trees!

Templo de la Soledad

As we near the corner, we stop to have a quick peak into the Templo de la Soledad, as we are approaching our final destination.

 

Capilla Albierta

Just before you get to Templo da la Soledad, there is a gateway. Entering you come into the Capilla Albierta.  The skies have clouded over, just in time to add some drama to the vista.

As you look around, you see 16th century painting on the walls. Ahhh, and there is what we came for. We weren't just wandering aimlessly were we? You knew I was bringing you here for a reason, right? There set in the wall, are a number of stones that seem familiar. Petroglyphs, yes these stones came from the ruins. Recycling is not a new idea here

Petroglyphs Again!

Thanks for taking a walk with me today. Hey, if you are interested in more info on the The Former Monastery of St. Francis of Assisi, check out this great post by Cristina Potters of Mexico Cooks!

El Ex-Convento de San Francisco de Asís,Tzintzuntzan, Michoacán

My Dusty Love Note

Four Roses, No Thorns

I have just recently spent a week with a group of young ladies from Mexico City. They live together there in an Orphanage run by two nuns. Once a year they get to escape to spend a week camping and playing at a charming little spot just south east of Morelia. So out at “Camp Connie” (sorry Connie, couldn’t resist) they get the chance to camp out in tents or cabanas and enjoy the great outdoors. Actually quite often it was both, one night a spider was found in a cabana, and everyone piles outside to join their friends in the tents, or the next night, an ant in a tent reverses the migration.

Luisa Made A New Friend.

With their primary care in Mexico City coming from two nuns, they get a lot of love, but due to staffing limits, their day to day life can seem quite regimented, as 30 girls from 4-18 can keep you quite busy. So at camp, by having a number of volunteers to do various activities with them, they get a chance to do pretty much what they want , when they want to, in a safe and fun way.

I’m Going Swimming!

I have to admit, I was not sure what to expect. Perhaps they had learned not to trust people, not to get too close, perhaps a certain melancholy fatalism. What I found was an energetic, animated, thoughtful and caring group of girls. No one was an orphan, they were a family, they were all sisters. They had a week to have fun and they were not going to waste a minute of it.

The Three Musketeers

I forgot how much energy you have at that age. Lots of activities! Long walks just chatting even seemed to be a hit!. Perhaps my Spanish is better than I think it is, as there was never a communication problem. Swimming or kayaking in the lake was always popular. A hike to the waterfall, for some splashing and pictures. I think I may have walk a hundred miles leading a horse with a fresh faced girl on the back. A few magic tricks to add a little wonderment into the day. The days were full.

Sisters

I learned new card games. I learned clapping games. I learned how popular the Jonas Brother are. I learned how last week the Jonas Brother are. I learned who was planning on marrying Enrique Iglesias. I learned that these girls have never had anyone show them how to skip a rock. I learned how much fun it is to teach someone to skip a rock. I learned how much love there is in a spontaneous laugh and a ready smile. I learned how lucky I was to spend some time with these girls.

The road beside the lake had been quite dusty, as it can get here at this time of year. At the beginning of the week the old Ford was a shiny black, but by the end it was a dirty brown. Like a blank canvas, it drew the girls. On the last day it became a way for the girls to write notes to me, to let me know how they felt. Right now my dusty truck is covered with notes of affection, not one spot left blank. I am not sure it I will ever wash it again.

A few kind people, spearheaded by an amazing lady by the name of Connie, hope to be able to share with you ways that you too can touch these girls lives. There is a website in the works and many adventures ahead, so please stay tuned!

If you would like to see a little more of the girls, I put a set of photos on flickr.com.

The Girls of Esperanza.

Canna Lilies and Catching Up!

Man! Have we been busy.

Just spent the last few weeks touring our son and his fiancé around Mexico. Alexander has been living is Australia for about 3 years, and that is the amount of time it has been since we have seen him. As this was their first visit to Mexico we covered a lot of ground! Mexico city, San Miguel (Sorry to miss hooking up with my San Miguel buddies, but we were only there for 24 hours) Patzcuaro, Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo!

Then I spent a week with a group of orphans from Mexico city, such fun! Blog posting on that coming up.
Hopefully tomorrow!

Junior?

One of the things that struck me when we got back home is how exuberantly everything in the yard is blooming.
Oh no, gotta thin out the peaches on the trees, before the branches start breaking. Neat thing about peach season, is the the police seem to patrol this area much more often once the peaches are ready. Who would have thought a few peach trees could be considered a security feature!

 

Daddy?

 

I have a variety of plants and flowers below the peach trees to add colour to the yard, some of my favourites are the calla lilies and the canna lilies. Below one tree in the yard I have pretty orange cannas, below another  I have yellow cannas with orange speckles. This year there are new cannas under the tree that seem to be a cross between the two. I think mother nature has been dancing in our yard.

Mommy?

So just a quick note to let you know I am back, and have lots of posts to catch up on!!!
Hopefully I will make it worth the wait.

PS: This is the first post I have made using some new software. I am giving Windows Live Writer a try. Let’s see how it goes.

Feather Art in Patzcuaro!

The other day, I was poking my head into Ex Convento Jesuita De Patzcuaro (one block east of Plaza Grande) , if you love masks as much as I do, they have an outstanding mask exhibit on permanent display.

I also noticed some new exhibits. Ceramics in the courtyard, a variety of bas-relief paintings but most striking of all is a display of feather mosaics, "paintings" that use hummingbird feathers instead of paint to create an image.

This picture is made from FEATHERS!

I first heard about this art form when I was talking to Babs about Tlalpujahua. Apparently there is a very talented artist there that works in this medium. The form dates back to 500 BC!


But I wonder, where they get their feathers, are there some naked birds walking around somewhere????

Sadly I am guessing the answer to that question is not as charming as the pictures are.

Details in the feather mosaic.

Janitzio Boat Trip

The Iconic Janitzio Island

We have had our friend, Sharlene visiting with us for a short time. While playing tour guide I have had a chance to take lots of picture I can share with you over the next week or so.


Sharlene also has a blog of her trip.
Shar's Excellent Adventure


So for this excursion we are off to the Island of Janitzio.

To get to the island you need to hop on a boat down at the docks (40 pesos return) and off you go. Usually on this boat you will have vendors selling treats to the tourist and some live music to serenade you.

Yummmm, Pulgar Sabor

On the ride over, the young lady seated next to me found me very interesting. Perhaps I was the first gringo she saw, but I seemed to be endlessly fascinating to her. Sadly I have come to a point in my life where it's noteworthy when young ladies pay any attention to me. When did that happen?

As you approach the island there is a small display put on to demonstrate the traditional fishing with the butterfly nets. Sadly I was on the wrong side of the boat to get any good pictures of that, but they did come around to our side to collect tips though.

Propina?

Now, Janitzio is neither the most cultural nor the most representative of destinations in the area. It is more of a cheesie/Kitschie sort of stop. Hand made ceramics on the shelf next to the booby mugs.

Going Up!

Now you get to put all that time on the StairMaster to good use. There is a steep trek up to the top of the island to where the Statue of José Morelos stands tall. You can climb the interior of the monument to get a rather striking view of the area. Also, if it is the weekend you get a chance to watch the tradition "dance of the little old men"

"Him, a Mayan prince, her a slave girl. He could own her, but never have her!"

Hand stitched embroideries next to soft core art work that looks like it should be on the cover of a Mexican version of Harlequin Romance. That said, I never seem to make it into the little museum there, so shame on me.

We made it to the top!

After making it to the top and back, we return to the dock for the boat ride home. Now this was clearly the party boat we ended up on this time. 4 piece band going full blast, and within 5 minutes the entire boat was dancing and before we knew it we were pulled into a conga line!

Party Boat!
click on this picture for more detail!

The group that got the party going on the boat, ended up hiring the band to go with them when they hit the dock.

Next stop the Yacatas!

At the Mercado and a trip to FLICKR

Wow, another year over!

Last year one of my goals was to post to the blog more often.
So, let's check the numbers.

2007 - 12 posts~ ouch!
2008 - 40 posts~ yippee!

So I think I did well there, so this year I aim to have 52 posts up by the end of the year. 12 more than last year. I think that is doable.

I will also be trying to focus on my photography. I finally got around to setting up a FLICKR account. So, if you are so inclined, check it out and feel free to leave comments on the pictures. Your feedback will help me improve.

Also check out the FLICKR widget I have added on the right. Only have about a dozen pictures there right now but will be adding on a regular basis.

Allow me to leave you with a picture.

Saturday Morning, at the Mercado

Basketball Anyone?

Rainy season is over, the next rain will be in June. Many fields that were green are now brown. It's fun to take an afternoon and explore an area by the lake that I haven't had a chance to yet. Dirt roads abound in the little villages around the lake. It is on these roads you find the oddest things.

Basketball Anyone?...... Anyone......
(Click the picture for a better view)

Whilst on one such drive, toodling down a dirt road between a village and the lake, between farmers fields and and assorted livestock I come across an unusual sight. In the middle of no-where I find a basketball court. Now, once in a while you come across a ghost town somewhere. A little more often you come across an abandoned Pemex station, usually abandoned so that they could build a new one across the street. But this is the first time I have come across a basketball court.

Now when we moved down to Mexico, I expected to find soccer fields everywhere, but not basketball, but every school has at least one, and we have even seen a monastery or two with basketball courts.
I guess they take up a lot less space, and you do not have to cut the grass, water and fertilize them.

The Bulls vs......??

I grabbed a quick picture then and there, it gives you an idea of what the setting was like. On my way back home, later that day, I drove past the court again, and grabbed a much moodier picture as dusk was approaching.

If you look carefully you can see that the Bulls have played on that court, and I don't mean the NBA team.

A Bridge Too Far!

The view from the ruins towards Cucuchucho and Janitzio
(Click on the picture for a larger view)

Have a look at this picture. I took it a short time ago but saved it for today's post.

Here you see the ruins at Ihuatzio in the foreground and the island of Janizio in the background. Now the way the shot is taken it almost looks like the land is connected, but that is not so. In actuality the island is about a bit less than a kilometer from the shore.

Janizio is a very popular tourist destination for the area, especially for day of the dead. Which has lead to an interesting announcement.

Department of Infrastructure Advancement (D.I.A.) representative Santos Inocentes has announced that by December 28th of next year there will be a bridge put in place to increase tourist access and also to speed up access to emergency services for those on the island.

Sadly progress marches on.

Merry Christmas from "El Corazon"

Just wanted to wish all a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
And that's from the heart.

Now that's a Christmas Cactus!

If I had more time I would do a better picture of it, but we have to get ready for Christmas dinner!

The Church at Tupataro

Today we go exploring. Driving along a back road between Corazon and Cuanajo, know for its hand made furniture, we continue on to the little village of Tupataro.

The Quaint Plaza

Across from the small town plaza is the Church, with a stone cross at the entrance. Wandering in past the austere entrance, the church is very dark. Shortly, your eyes adjust to the dark and the first thing you notice is the retablo against the back wall, that's not real gold is it?

Templo del Señor Santiago

Then as your eyes travel up the wall you realize the ceiling is covered with paintings. Saints and sinners, Angels and demons, Last supper and maybe even a brunch or two.

Ceiling Detail

You will notice going in a sign that says photography is not permitted. But the caretaker is a very kind man, and if you ask nicely he will allow one picture, no flash, no tripod.



Now, what little I have come across on the internet and books talks about the church being from the 17 hundreds, but the caretaker was telling me the building dates back to the 15 hundreds, but all the artwork dates from the latter date. The federal institute for anthropology and history arranged for the ceiling to be restore in the 80's and 90's by local artist Enrique Luft.