Back in Mexico 2018

Plaza Grande in Patzcuaro

I arrived back in Patzcuaro on December 2nd and got settled into the nice little casita I'm renting behind the Galeria del Arcangel, in the same neighborhood near the basilica where I was last winter.

The living room, with a fireplace on the right, a wall of glass looking into the courtyard on the left and the stairway up to the sun room and bedrooms against the back wall

The cozy sun room, which warms up nicely after the cold nights.

My bedroom, with its own bathroom and a view out the window over the rooftops of Patzcuaro and also down into the neighbor's courtyard garden.

The guest bedroom has a double bed, its own bathroom and these views out the window:

The neighbor's garden

View over the rooftops to the Sanctuary of the Virgin of Guadalupe

I enter my little house through the gallery, which is separated from my place by a little courtyard:

Gallery to the left, my place on the right.

As many of you already know, Patzcuaro is a lovely little city, with a well-preserved colonial center.  Here are a couple of scenes in this Pueblo Magico (Magic Town, an official designation):

The 16th-century El Sagrario church

Calle Ahumada, which leads to the Plaza Grande, decorated with piñatas for the holidays

The Plaza Grande is now festively decorated for the holidays, with an enormous nativity scene and other splashes of color:

At night, a smaller tree of lighted woven globes - with the big tree under golden lights

In the fountain at the feet  of Bishop Quiroga float canoes filled with poinsettias.

Scatted around the plaza are the giant figures of the nativity scene, some traditional, others adding local flavor:

Figures with masks and headdresses

Wise man with camel

Wise man with elephant

Of course, soon after I arrived I had to get out hiking!  The first full day was spent settling in and stocking the pantry and fridge, but the next day I was climbing El Estribo, the small volcano on the edge of town:

View down to the island of Janitzio in Lake Patzcuaro

Having just arrived at this higher elevation - Patzcuaro is at about 7,000 feet above sea level - I didn't take the 417 steps up to the rim of the crater, but instead I followed the dirt road around the upper reaches of the volcano:

A view from the road.

The next day it was wonderful to meet up with my friends  Henriette and  Basil and go for a loop hike through Mal Pais, the forest that was covered in lava from erupting twin volcanoes over 400 years ago. I like to go soon after I arrive to catch the blooming of the last of the orchids.

I did get to see several clumps of blooming orchids, which seemed to be of 2 different species:

On Thursday the 6th I took a bus to the state capital, Morelia, and spent the night at the home of my friends Pat and Kim.  In the evening we went to a pop-up cantina, enjoying drinks and eating delicious little snacks prepared by Fermin, a chef and fellow hiker and the owner of Tata Mezcaleria, Trip Advisor’s #2-rated restaurant in Morelia. And I ate my first roasted crickets!

Selfie by Fermin, with me, Dolf, Pat and Kim.

The next day I joined Pat, Dolf, Maria and Fermin for a lovely hike in the mountains above Morelia. The group has changed since last winter, with some very nice younger people joining - but the pace of the hiking has picked up. I'm fine with longer and more challenging hikes, but I like to be able to take my time and stop to enjoy the views, examine interesting things I spot along the way, and of course take photos. So I'll have to see how hiking with this group works out for me this year.

Pat, Fermin, Maria and Dolf in the heights

Mistletoe flowers. They're usually gone by by the time I arrive, but the rains have continued longer than usual this year and have kept things greener and more colorful

Hiking through a field of little red flowers.

On Sunday the 9th I took a combi out to Arócutin and had a nice visit with my friend Francis and her husband Rodolfo. Plans were made for hikes! Then I walked over to the wetlands on the road out to Jaracuaro for some bird-watching, but not many were around; I'll need to go back another time earlier in the day.

My favorite view by the bridge to Jaracuaro - a canal with dramatic mountains in the background

Tree dahlias, so-called because they grow on a tall shrub, but they're not true dahlias.

While recently looking up El Estribo (the volcano I frequently climb) on Google Maps, I saw a reference to El Estribo Chico. located on the lower slopes of Cerro Blanco - so I had to go investigate.  A short walk up a cobbled road leads to a beautiful look-out with a pavilion:

View between the pillars of the pavilion to the island of Janitzio.

Mexican silverspot butterfly along the road.

On Sunday the 11th, after a nice hike, Basil, Henriette and I

ate at El Marino, a new seafood restaurant, where the food was delicious and reasonably priced. And then the friendly Mexican family at the next table had the waiter bring us a huge pan of food and 6 beers! We thanked them profusely and each drank a beer and ate what we could - but we felt bad that we were so full we couldn't possible finish it all!

Basil and I with the beers and food (Photo by Henriette)

On the 18th,  Basil, Henriette and I took a nice 12.5-mile hike from Eronga to Zarzamora and back on dirt roads, grassy lanes and a stretch of pavement.

View up on the plateau

View from Zarzamora of Lake Patzcuaro

On the 19th I joined the exploratory hike and enjoyed the views:

Over the wall near the beginning.

Wishing Happy Holidays to one and all!