More from Semana Santa Mexico 09

Today, like all other days, in the Villa Patzcuaro RV park there is an alpine quiet. The air is crisp with pine trees standing at attention. The only chatter we hear is from the birds and the occasional passing car. There are 7 rigs camped hooked up and five of us know each other from Sayulita. Ron and Jill are still with us. They surprised us in Melaque and the four of us plus poochies have been cruising the Michoacan coast and inland towns for the past two weeks. People are starting to move north and the notion is that peace and quiet will reign.

We have seen, experienced and eaten so much it's impossible to relate it all. The beach scene was beautiful on the drive south. We popped in to most of the surfing spots on the way towards Lazero Cardenas but opted to camp in more organized RV spots. The Rancho Buganvilla is a new camp ground about a mile south of La Placita. The owners are from Southern California and it is a clean friendly place to camp. The draw back, and it is a big one, it is a 5 to 10 minute walk down through the jungle to the beach. It's worth the hike though, the beach is long, clean and deserted. Farther down the coast we pulled into a government owned campground. Tizupan is an oasis on the highway. Swimming pool, ocean, bungalows on the beach, 10 back in full hook ups for RV's and a palapa restaurant are literally situated right on the Mex 200. It was a wacky but wonderful place to hang for a couple of nights. Kind of like a McDonalds play land on a major interstate.

Winding our way through the mountains as we hugged the coast our next stop was Las Penas. Spent a night at a very funky place over looking the ocean, again it was a trek down to the beach but the reward was one of the best mariscos meals we've eaten in Mexico. Enramada Gonzales is the first shack on the left as you enter the beach. The four of us and pups sat at a table sipping refrescos, chatting and watching the full moon on the water while waiting for our two appetizers. There was more then enough camerones with all the fixings plus civiche to create delicious tostadas and leave us all rubbing our tummies as we sauntered back up the hill and into the hammocks that are hung on the terrace.

Critical mass hit on Thursday; we witnessed in Playa Azul a continues stream of traffic coming down from the mountains and spilling onto the sand faster then you could say Semana Santa. It was time to head for the hills. We drove a beautiful toll road up to Uruapan, set up camp in the parking lot of an upscale resort, let the dogs run for a while and then got a taxi and hit the town. The main square was set up with an artisan crafts fair that only takes place during Easter. I love it there; strolling and looking at all the wares, the variety of food and the mix of people is a welcome change.

On Easter we took the truck and the four of us drove up to Patzcauro; a bit like lake Tahoe but only tropical, It sits at 7,000 ft above sea level and is a colonial town much like Carmel or Santa Barbara but with out the high prices and tourists. We had a lovely walk around the small square where we found a street side cafe. Sipping a latte and nibbling on a cookie we all agreed that Patzcauro is a tranquil place. When we returned to Uruapan the canons were still going off in honor of Easter and there was a huge party in the hotel with music that could be heard all the way to Mexico City. Snap decision, we packed it up and high tailed it back to Patzcauro and into a simple little RV park outside of town which is now our home for a night or a week. There is lots to see, laid out like any European city with quaint streets leading to big public spaces, cobble stone alleys that open onto a garden or patio with little shops we are keeping very entertained. The big open mercado, cafes and a mix of people make for a wonderful change of pace from bathing suits and flip flops.

Ron and JT have both made mention how nice it would be to wake up on the beach. I feel there is change in the air and we will be driving down the mountain and back to the sea very soon.

We will be in the Patzcuaro area another night or two which means we have wi-fi with pretty decent connection then it's hit and miss until we're back on the beach.

The last photo is of Frida B and me taking a siesta.

From Semana Santa Mexico 09

It feels like we will be driving back to the beach in a day or two. I am ambivalent about moving back down to the ocean. It will be easier on the dogs; having endless sand and surf to run on is much nicer then a leash walk and then a long lead tied to a pine tree. Our skin will soften, nasal passages will clear and no more shortage of breath when we walk up a long street. The waves will once again lull us to sleep and we will have a lot more living space.

On the other hand, there is something about a southern interior Pueblo that for me is quintessential Mexico. Narrow cobblestone calles with white washed buildings, low hung red tile roofs supported with large wood beams is ubiquitous with Mexican colonial architecture. Set against the Spanish city scape are the indigenous peoples. The men, though physically different from the European stock, wear western garb and blend with the Spanish Mexican men. It's the woman; still caring their babies in the traditional blue and black striped rebozo's, swaying in their wide pleated skirts, with pink, orange and deep blue ribbons tied in their long braided hair that add color to the scene. They dawn their white blouses that have vibrant roses or other flowers hand stitched along the collar and sleeves easy, not like us ex-pats who wish to look the part but fall short. There are a few gringos a foot but not as many as in Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan or San Miguel Allende. It is a purer Mexico, set up for the wealthy tourist from Morellia more then for the gringo from Montreal.

Dinning on any square or zocalo, is an open invitation to continual intrusion; hawkers try to chum you into buying everything from a hand forged machetes to chicalets. JT and I have bought both the saber and gum and much of what is in between. The mercados are a feast for the eyes, ears and nose. Mango's, 2 lbs for a dollar. Handmade tamales, tortillas, pastries, nuts, seeds and unidentifiable things are artfully displayed. Row after row of chili's in varying hues look like the perfect composition for a Zuberan or Vemeer. I want photograph it all and capture the faces and colors but I'm too busy eying the wares, trying to pick up the dialogue between the old man selling woven bags and the mama with her baby yammering for something across the aisle, and skirting the guy running through the narrow stalls with a hind quarter of beef on his shoulder.

The handmade crafts range from pure unadulterated schlock to a blouse or shawl that is a cross stitched work of art. The prices are shocking considering the time that has gone into some of the items. Many things would sell for hundreds of dollars back in the US and here they're asking $20.00. We knew we lost our minds when JT pulled out his tape measure and started taking down dimensions for a hand made double copper sink for our kitchen. No, we came to our sense's, but to dream is to enjoy what the mountain towns have to offer. Hand carved furniture, tin and tile mirrors, table clothes and pottery until it's coming out of your ears are interwoven into the towns store fronts and spill out onto the streets.


This is in the market square in Uruapan. It is known as the Mercado Antejitos or food court

This is one of many shops in Tzintzuntzan, a village outside Patzcauro that is known for it's wood furniture.

One of the larger streets in Patzcauro.

So, that's about it from here. Our little pop up is loaded down with all our new treasures and my camera as well as our bellies are full. Guess IT IS time to return to Sayulita.

Written since sitting in the mountains:

We left the high mountains on Sunday, not sure were we would lay out heads that night; end up south west of Guadalajara in the little oasis village of Villa Corona. VC is known for it's thermal water parks. Chemulco rv & agua parque is located on a beautiful lake and there are three of us camping here. The park is open to the public from 9 to 6 and then the place is all ours. JT and I got up this morning and were the only ones to take a soak in the clean pool. Yesterday was one of the busiest days for this area. It was the last weekend of the Easter holiday and the crowds in the park were staggering, note the photos above.

After two wonderful days in Villa Corona we are back in Melaque and on the beach. All is well and the pups are over joyed with sand and endless freedom. Tonight it's a short walk into the main square for some tacos and then to bed early, ahhh the sound of the surf. There's nothing like it.