Pátzcuaro and environs

I don´t want to jinx anything, but I *think* I will be able to upload a few pics... It is taking a very long time, so we will see if my patience (and my pesos) will permit. Meanwhile, since you are here reading anyway, I´ll type a bit about my day.

First of all, I should say that Jaime has been a most gracious host. With some warnings about the mosquitos (which have ready access to the "cabaña" via the giant gaps in the structure), he welcomed me into his home and I slept in a spare room for the same price. And I should mention I finally slept through a full night here, to be awoken (rather nicely, actually) but some rooster crowing. I enjoyed an evening chat and a morning breakfast with Jaime and María (a lady who helps him with the house) and really enjoyed the comfortable, homey feel and the chance to talk with them about all manner of things.

This morning after a breakfast of avocado and bread (which I had originally bought for dinner yesterday, but was too stuffed from my huge, delicious lunch to eat last night), I headed out. I took a combi to the muelle (dock) and boarded a lancha (boat) to get to Isla Janitzio in the lake. The lancha embodies the wonderful concept of time that exists in Mexico: you buy your ticket and board the lancha, you wait around until it is full, and then you go. No "scheduled departures", just go when we are ready to go. Tranquilo until then, amigos.

Janitzio itself is a rather small island in Lago Pátzcuaro and has the three-dimensional shape of a gumdrop. It is basically a big hill topped by a towering monument to independence hero José María Morelos. There are no cars on the island and a series of stepped alleyways wind their way through many oddly-angled souvenier shops and restaurants. The island is a rather touristy spot and a mecca during Mexico´s "Día de los Muertos" celebrations. The meandering climb was eye-popping and kitchy and fascinating.

At the summit, I opted to climb the 40+ meter hollow statue of Morelos. I pretty much ignored the 56 interior murals depicting his life as I tried not to lose my marbles fighting my irrational and yet very real fear of heights. I made it up into Morelos´ upwardly thrust wrist (think Lady Liberty), took a deep breath and a few snapshots and made my slow-footed retreat. I enjoyed a bowl of sopa tarasca (think about the best tomato soup you ever had and then add delicious mexican cheese and crispy tortilla bits... this is a mere sketch of this culinary delight) during my return to the muelle. I chose *not* to sample the cupfuls of small fried fish topped with chili sauce.

Back on the mainland, I did a few laps in the wrong directions but managed to eventually find a bus to Tzintzuntzan, a small lakeside village about 15 km to the north. There I saw some fine straw handcrafts. I also visited a former monastary where there are the oldest olive trees in the americas. The town is so small and sleepy that the feel of everything I did in Tzintzuntzan was one of peace. I then (after receiving another series of bad directions) trekked just out of town to visit the ruins of the former capital of the Tarascan empire. The most impressive feature of the site was the circular-bottom pyramidal structures called yácatans. The hilltop archeological site was so serene that I felt almost to be floating.

Since then I have returned to Pátzcuaro, bought a ticket to Guadalaja for tomorrow, ducked out from under a rainstorm, gotten lost (again), and ended up here typing. I *may* try and climb El Estribo tomorrow, but it will have to be very early in the AM as my bus leaves at noon, and I am hearing the voice of that guy I met in the combi saying I probably shouldn´t go there alone. We´ll see.

So I think the photos have successfully uploaded, so please go through and browse some earlier entries and see the pics. View them in the blog, or click on the Shartcast logo to be taken to a larger slideshow at the Sharpcast site (when you get there, click on "slideshow" on the right).

As always, keep the emails and comments coming. I love them!

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