Earlier in the year, I talked to my former sister-in-law (but still friend) Kathy about a trip within Mexico. Kathy lives in Asheville, NC and is a teacher. She’s thinking of spending some time in Mexico after her retirement and wanted to check out a few places.
We decided on Patzcuaro, Michoacan and Guanajuato. I told my friend Jeanie, who lives in nearby La Penita, about the trip and she decided to join us.
Jeanie and I took the bus to Guadalajara, arriving early afternoon. We stayed at the Hotel Tonala. It has a good location right in the center of Tonala. We spent the afternoon looking around the shops. Since we didn’t know what we might find on the trip we held off buying anything. Kathy flew into Guadalajara later that evening and met us at the hotel.
Early the next morning we caught a bus for Morelia. The scenery isn’t very impressive along the way. We did pass one very large lake near Morelia. From Morelia we took another bus to Patzcuaro.
Our hotel, the Casa del Refugio, was an excellent choice. It is right on the smaller plaza in central Patzcuaro. Our room was on the second floor. The hotel is built around a central courtyard and is very nice. We ate breakfast there a couple days. The staff at the hotel was exceptionally nice and friendly. When we wanted to take a tour around the lake, the desk clerk made several calls for prices for us and even took messages for us and helped us decide which tour would work best for us. Mainly in Patzcuaro we shopped for crafts. There are many little shops and we wandered around town looking. We also stopped for a cold drink once in a while and did some sight-seeing.
The weather was nice during the day. It was sunny and warm. At night it cooled off quite a bit, and the evenings it rained it was sort-of chilly.
There is not much “night life” in Patzcuaro. We expected more activity, well, any activity, in the plazas in the evening. No taco stands or other vendors at all in the evening.
One day we hired a taxi driver to take us around Lake Patzcuaro to the various towns which each have their own craft specialty.
We went to some ruins near Patzcuaro first. There are many, many rock walls and some remains of structures. We mainly liked it because it was so quiet and peaceful!
One area we passed through had several cantera stone carving places. There were so many statues, pots, fountains and things. Most of them were different from the others, no mass-produced things here. We wanted to buy plenty, but really, can you bring a 200 pound statue home on the bus? Jeanie and I both said we’d like to return there and buy some things for the house.
The village of Tzintzuntzan is the village where many straw things are made. There were lots of Christmas decorations and many baskets. We also visited a very old church with 400-year-old olive trees in the yard. We only went to a couple shops, it would have been interesting to see more of the town.
Quiroga is somewhat of a regional center for crafts. It also has an area with a whole row of carnitas vendors. It is funny that there are about 10 stands right in a row, all selling the same thing. We ate some carnitas and then wandered around town. We found some really pretty flower posts in one shop on a side street.
I can’t really remember which other villages we visited. The mask-making village was one we were looking forward to, but it was disappointing. Many people weren’t working due to a fiesta, and we only visited a couple mask workshops and didn’t find anything we liked.
The next day we took a boat to the island of Janitizio in Lake Patzcuaro. It is the site of a big Day of the Dead celebration. The boat ride was fun. Once on the island, we walked up to the top to the statue of Morelos. There are many shops lining the walk up there. We passed the cemetery and wondered how a large Day of the Dead festivity could take place in such a small cemetery. Once at the top, we went in the statue and saw the view from the top.
We were told that the only people allowed to live on Janitizio were people who were originally from there. It is a very crowded little island. We walked back down, visiting more shops and then took the boat back to Patzcuaro.
Near the boat dock was a row of wood-working shops. We each purchased something hand made to take home. Again, there were many things I would have considered getting, but didn’t want to carry them home.
We left Patzcuaro to go to Guanajuato. Kathy later commented she felt like we were on The Great Race. We took a local bus to Morelia. The bus was delayed because of a wreck with overturned tanker trucks. No fire or leaks, but traffic was slow while the trucks were being cleared off the road.
We got to the Morelia bus station and had to figure out how to get to Guanajuato. We were told to take the bus to Irapuato then on to Guanajuato. The bus was leaving in 5 minutes. We bought our tickets then off we went. Once we got to Irapuato we had a choice between a first or second class bus. The second class was leaving right then, so off we went. Looking back, we should have taken the more comfortable and air-conditioned first class.
In Guanajuato we got a cab to our hotel. We were amazed to go through one of the underground streets for several miles. The tunnels are pretty narrow and seemed to be unmarked. We got to our hotel, the Posada Santa Fe. It is on the Jardin Union , a very busy plaza in the center of town. After we checked in, we walked around the area. The central area is very well maintained to have the traditional feel and look. There are no signs except the ones on the front of the stores, which are very unobtrusive. There are no traffic lights or neon signs.
Both nights we were there, there were many people in the plaza. We saw a parade, students getting ready for graduation, and many people just enjoying the area.
We went on a city tour that included going to the Mummy Museum. These aren’t the kind of mummies like in Egypt. Apparently a combination of the soil and air conditions caused the bodies to dry out and mummify before they could decompose. Very weird to see! We also went to a silver mine, a very pretty church in Valencia, and to a museum of replicas of torture devices from the Inquisition. On the bus tour was a Mexican family with grandma, grandpa, various aunts, uncles and grandkids. It was obvious that Grandma was the Queen of the Family. We had fun watching the family, except when we had to wait a long time for them to shop at one stop.
The tour also included some great panoramic views of the city. It is built on many hills and the houses are very colorful. It is a very scenic and picturesque town.
We walked many places each day and all enjoyed the feel of the town.
We did visit the Don Quixote museum, which was the inspiration for the annual Cervantes Festival. There are many churches right in the centro area, too.
Jeanie and I took the bus back to Puerto Vallarta from Guanajuato. We ended up having to take the bus to Guadalajara and then change buses for PV, even though the first bus was also going to PV. It was full, so we had to get a later bus which was OK since it wasn’t full.
The trip was really fun. I would recommend Guanajuato to anyone, it is so scenic, historic, clean and interesting. I also liked Patzcuaro a lot, and if you want to shop for crafts stuff, you’ll love it!
We decided on Patzcuaro, Michoacan and Guanajuato. I told my friend Jeanie, who lives in nearby La Penita, about the trip and she decided to join us.
Jeanie and I took the bus to Guadalajara, arriving early afternoon. We stayed at the Hotel Tonala. It has a good location right in the center of Tonala. We spent the afternoon looking around the shops. Since we didn’t know what we might find on the trip we held off buying anything. Kathy flew into Guadalajara later that evening and met us at the hotel.
Early the next morning we caught a bus for Morelia. The scenery isn’t very impressive along the way. We did pass one very large lake near Morelia. From Morelia we took another bus to Patzcuaro.
Our hotel, the Casa del Refugio, was an excellent choice. It is right on the smaller plaza in central Patzcuaro. Our room was on the second floor. The hotel is built around a central courtyard and is very nice. We ate breakfast there a couple days. The staff at the hotel was exceptionally nice and friendly. When we wanted to take a tour around the lake, the desk clerk made several calls for prices for us and even took messages for us and helped us decide which tour would work best for us. Mainly in Patzcuaro we shopped for crafts. There are many little shops and we wandered around town looking. We also stopped for a cold drink once in a while and did some sight-seeing.
The weather was nice during the day. It was sunny and warm. At night it cooled off quite a bit, and the evenings it rained it was sort-of chilly.
There is not much “night life” in Patzcuaro. We expected more activity, well, any activity, in the plazas in the evening. No taco stands or other vendors at all in the evening.
One day we hired a taxi driver to take us around Lake Patzcuaro to the various towns which each have their own craft specialty.
We went to some ruins near Patzcuaro first. There are many, many rock walls and some remains of structures. We mainly liked it because it was so quiet and peaceful!
One area we passed through had several cantera stone carving places. There were so many statues, pots, fountains and things. Most of them were different from the others, no mass-produced things here. We wanted to buy plenty, but really, can you bring a 200 pound statue home on the bus? Jeanie and I both said we’d like to return there and buy some things for the house.
The village of Tzintzuntzan is the village where many straw things are made. There were lots of Christmas decorations and many baskets. We also visited a very old church with 400-year-old olive trees in the yard. We only went to a couple shops, it would have been interesting to see more of the town.
Quiroga is somewhat of a regional center for crafts. It also has an area with a whole row of carnitas vendors. It is funny that there are about 10 stands right in a row, all selling the same thing. We ate some carnitas and then wandered around town. We found some really pretty flower posts in one shop on a side street.
I can’t really remember which other villages we visited. The mask-making village was one we were looking forward to, but it was disappointing. Many people weren’t working due to a fiesta, and we only visited a couple mask workshops and didn’t find anything we liked.
The next day we took a boat to the island of Janitizio in Lake Patzcuaro. It is the site of a big Day of the Dead celebration. The boat ride was fun. Once on the island, we walked up to the top to the statue of Morelos. There are many shops lining the walk up there. We passed the cemetery and wondered how a large Day of the Dead festivity could take place in such a small cemetery. Once at the top, we went in the statue and saw the view from the top.
We were told that the only people allowed to live on Janitizio were people who were originally from there. It is a very crowded little island. We walked back down, visiting more shops and then took the boat back to Patzcuaro.
Near the boat dock was a row of wood-working shops. We each purchased something hand made to take home. Again, there were many things I would have considered getting, but didn’t want to carry them home.
We left Patzcuaro to go to Guanajuato. Kathy later commented she felt like we were on The Great Race. We took a local bus to Morelia. The bus was delayed because of a wreck with overturned tanker trucks. No fire or leaks, but traffic was slow while the trucks were being cleared off the road.
We got to the Morelia bus station and had to figure out how to get to Guanajuato. We were told to take the bus to Irapuato then on to Guanajuato. The bus was leaving in 5 minutes. We bought our tickets then off we went. Once we got to Irapuato we had a choice between a first or second class bus. The second class was leaving right then, so off we went. Looking back, we should have taken the more comfortable and air-conditioned first class.
In Guanajuato we got a cab to our hotel. We were amazed to go through one of the underground streets for several miles. The tunnels are pretty narrow and seemed to be unmarked. We got to our hotel, the Posada Santa Fe. It is on the Jardin Union , a very busy plaza in the center of town. After we checked in, we walked around the area. The central area is very well maintained to have the traditional feel and look. There are no signs except the ones on the front of the stores, which are very unobtrusive. There are no traffic lights or neon signs.
Both nights we were there, there were many people in the plaza. We saw a parade, students getting ready for graduation, and many people just enjoying the area.
We went on a city tour that included going to the Mummy Museum. These aren’t the kind of mummies like in Egypt. Apparently a combination of the soil and air conditions caused the bodies to dry out and mummify before they could decompose. Very weird to see! We also went to a silver mine, a very pretty church in Valencia, and to a museum of replicas of torture devices from the Inquisition. On the bus tour was a Mexican family with grandma, grandpa, various aunts, uncles and grandkids. It was obvious that Grandma was the Queen of the Family. We had fun watching the family, except when we had to wait a long time for them to shop at one stop.
The tour also included some great panoramic views of the city. It is built on many hills and the houses are very colorful. It is a very scenic and picturesque town.
We walked many places each day and all enjoyed the feel of the town.
We did visit the Don Quixote museum, which was the inspiration for the annual Cervantes Festival. There are many churches right in the centro area, too.
Jeanie and I took the bus back to Puerto Vallarta from Guanajuato. We ended up having to take the bus to Guadalajara and then change buses for PV, even though the first bus was also going to PV. It was full, so we had to get a later bus which was OK since it wasn’t full.
The trip was really fun. I would recommend Guanajuato to anyone, it is so scenic, historic, clean and interesting. I also liked Patzcuaro a lot, and if you want to shop for crafts stuff, you’ll love it!
