Michoacan Mexico Is Enchanting
While the majority of vacationers to Mexico flock to the beaches of Cancun or Pacific
Coast resorts such as Acapulco and Puerto Vallarta, some of the countrys most marvelous sights are found in the interior. Certainly this is true of Michoacan. Just a four-hour drive west of Mexico City, Michoacan is a state with lush, rolling landscapes, scenic lakes and waterfalls and a unique cultural history.
While traveling through modern-day Michoacan, there are constant reminders of its rich past, from monasteries and colonial palaces to pre-Hispanic ruins and ever-present memorials to Michoacans two illustrious heroes, Vasco de Quiroga and Jose Maria Morelos.
Vasco de Quiroga, the first bishop of Michoacan, arrived from Spain in 1530, bringing a kindness towards the indigenous people that was seldom exhibited in the first decade after the conquest. Quiroga established churches, hospitals and homes for orphans and the elderly. Michoacanos still affectionately refer to Quiroga by the grandfatherly name, Tata Vasco.
Jose Maria Morelos, a leader of the Mexican struggle for independence, was born and raised in Valladolid, Michoacan (now known as Morelia). His heroic campaign against the royalists ended when he was captured and executed by a firing squad in 1815. Nevertheless, the contribution of Morelos to Mexicos constitution and to the eventual independence of Mexico in 1821 is still recognized, especially in Michoacan.
Michoacans capital, Morelia, is perhaps the most colonial of all of Mexicos cities. It features a labyrinth of narrow streets and classic buildings with rose-colored stone facades and stylish ironwork. A vast array of fountains, parks, churches and a 253-arch aqueduct, accentuate the colonial atmosphere.
Morelia is centered by an imposing cathedral that many consider to be the most magnificent in Mexico. Requiring more than a century to construct before its completion in 1744, the cathedral features twin 70-meter towers and a massive three-storey pipe organ.
Beside the cathedral is the Plaza de Armas (also known as the Plaza of the Martyrs), with a bandstand for Sunday concerts and relaxing, tree-lined pathways that provide a refuge in the heart of the city.
Opposite the plaza is the Palacio Municipal and the College of San Nicolas with vibrant murals painted on their interior walls. Within walking distance there is a host of colonial churches, palaces, museums, music conservatory and arts center.
The cloister of the San Francisco Convent is the site of the Casa de las Artesanias with its museum displaying the craftsmanship and skill of artisans from throughout the state of Michoacan. Some of these craftsmen and women can actually be viewed as they toil away on-site and their finished crafts can also be purchased here.
Other places to buy crafts in Morelia include some open air markets. A unique Morelia market is the Mercado de Dulces or Candy Market which offers a wide selection of the sweets for which Michoacan is renowned. Morelias municipal market is also well worth a visit.
Within an hour or two of the capital city, via Michoacans excellent highway system, are a number of interesting towns and villages, each with their own craft specialty. These towns, such as those surrounding Lake Patzcuaro, are populated by descendants of the Tarascans, one of the few cultures never to be conquered by the Aztec kingdom, which dominated Mexico prior to the arrival of the Spaniards. The Purepecha as these skilled people prefer to be called, speak a unique language similar to quechua. This distinguishes them from Mexicos other indigenous cultures. Another distinguishing characteristic are the blue and black rebozos (or shawls) worn by the women.
Villages near and alongside Michoacans lakes such as Santa Fe de la Laguna, Quiroga, Santa Clara del Cobre and Zirahuen feature special crafts made of wood, copper and cloth.
Off the shores of Lake Patzcuaro lies the tiny island of Janitzio, distinguished by its prominent statue of Morelos. Boats can be commandeered to the island from a nearby pier. Along with the town of Tzintzuntzan this island is best known for its annual Day of the Dead celebrations on the first and second days of November each year.
Ruins that represent the remnants of the Tarascan civilizations last great city loom over Tzintzuntzan. A substantial ceremonial platform measuring 466 feet in length and vestiges of unusual circular-type pyramids called yacatas can still be visited along with a museum displaying artifacts recovered from the site.
Sharing its name with the lake is the largest town in the region, Patzcuaro, which offers a quaint combination of cobblestone streets and white stucco buildings. Daily rains freshen the verdant fields and pine-covered mountain slopes surrounding the town. Within the heart of Patzcuaro, artesans works are displayed in arcades adjacent to a pair of plazas, Bocanegra and Quiroga. The Casa de los Once Patios, a former convent from the 18th century contains several shops with crafts from throughout the region.
Other places of interest in Michoacan include a national park with decorative fountains and cascades in the avocado growing region of Uruapan and the 40-square-kilometer lava field beneath the Paricutin volcano, which can be reached by hiking or on horseback from the town of Angahuan. Still visible in the midst of this lunar-like landscape is one complete tower and other remnants of the old San Juan village church, which was buried when the volcano suddenly emerged from a corn field when it erupted in 1943.
Of course if you visit Michoacan from November up until the end of February you can view a spectacular display of nature at the butterfly sanctuaries in the eastern region of the state where monarch butterflies gather after their annual migration from northern climes.
This is just a sampling of what Michoacan has to offer. To truly experience the history, the culture, the beauty, the tastes, the aromas, the textures and the warmth of this wonderful land, you must personally visit this captivating region of Mexico.
by: Peter Knight
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