One of the big attractions of Patzcuaro is Lake Patzcuaro, a large shallow body of fresh water. The Purepecha people, indiginous to the area believe that the lake is the place where the barrier between life and death is the thinnest. The lake is 7,200 feet (2,200 m) above sea level making it Mexico's highest lake. The water is cloudy with silt and surrounded by flat marsh land that suport luxurious growths of reeds and willows. From anywhere on the lake shore one can see distant volcanic mountains slumbering in the distant blue haze. The major attraction on Lake Patzcuaro is the island of Janitzio, a small steep island a short boat ride from the shore near Patzcuraro. Crowning Janitzio is a collosal statue of Generalísimo Don José Maria Morelos y Pavón, Mexico’s reveared Father Morelos who was a martyr in the War of Independence. Morelos’ statue is much like our Statue of Liberty in intent and size. Father Morelos raises his fist in a defiant stance declaring freedom for all the people of Mexico. You can go inside and climb a ramp up to Morelos’ head where you pass outside into the raised arm and climb a tiny spiral staircase to a viewing chamber at the place between his cuff and clenched fist. From there you can see a panoramic view the lake area. The inside of the monument is painted with murals by Ramon Alva de la Canal from 1932 – 35. Canal’s murals are in the 30’s style of Mexican political murals that were official commisions of the government intending to memorialize Morelos and instruct future generations about the hard won War of Independence and the brutal opposition of the Spanish.



 


The trip to Janitzio is aboard one of the many colorful long ferry boats leaving on frequent trips across the lake. On board are mostly Mexican tourists going to pay their respects to Father Morelos. The local Purepecha people who live and work on the island use the ferries as convenient transport back and forth to their island. This being Mexico a five-man band traveled with us and launched into a full repertory of popular and rousing ballads.






The line-up of passengers aboard the ferry is diverse representing the different peoples that compose the Mexican population.






As we approach closer to Janitzio you can begin to see Father Morelos raising his defiant fist, proclaiming freedom for his people.






The views from the top of Morelos’ arm are breathtaking with pleasant villages along the lake shore surrounded by mountains that seem to catch the clouds. At this vantage 7,000 plus feet about sea level I had to walk slowly respecting the effects of altitude.



 
Inside the Morelos statue a walking ramp passes many large murals depicting the life of the hero from birth to his tragic execution. The story is moving and dramatic with many graphic scenes of battles and conflicts that faced the revolutionaries.






There is a pleasant park surrounding the base of the monument at the top of Janitzio Island. The views from this level are good also. Note the fountain at the center of the formal park and two band stands for relief from the intense sun.






This is another view of the inside of the Morelos statue where you can sense the distinctly cubistic or Deco feeling of the design. At the top can be glimpsed the flame from the torch of freedom.






You can get a feel for the size of Lake Patzcuaro from this picture taken at the top of the monument. In the middle distance just past the beige colored fields is a village surrounded by marshy flatlands.






This is a pleasant portrait of our guide, Leticia, who drove us around to a couple of the surrounding towns and archeological sites. We were introduced to Leticia through Michelle Roos at the Eco Hotel,  . Michelle is an engaging member of the hospitable staff of that hotel which enjoys a spectacular location above the lake. The beautiful Eco Hotel forms a complex of traditionally designed adobe buildings that are situated in pleasant gardens. It is also next door to Ignacio Máximo a very talented and licensed massage therapist, phone: (004-434-5328) I had an appointment with Ignacio and enjoyed it so much I took Leo back on another day. I came across Michelle and Ignacio on my walk in the forest, and this is how that came about. I asked Don Alfredo at Meson de San Antonio where I could go for a walk in the open country at the edge of Patzcuaro. After initial hesitation and some consultation with their daughter, Edaín, they recommended the Estribo Grande. Estribo means stirrup and that is just what the destination on the mountain above town looks like, a step in the steep profile of that peak where there is a rustic belvedere over-looking the lake. Don Alfredo and Edain gave me a map and off I went. It turned out that the Estribo has a road leading to it paved with irregular stones and lined with tall cedar trees that could easily been 50 to a 100 years old. The road which is mostly pedestrian with a few men on burrows follows a ridge and is fairly steep but because it is shaded all the way, it is pleasantly cool, especially with the breezes rising off the lake. Almost at the beginning of the trail at the edge of the neighborhood where the town of Pátzcuaro ends is the Eco Hotel. I stopped by to take a look and Michelle, an attractive young woman with the most heavenly green eyes, showed me the beautiful hotel and confirmed that yes, Ignacio was the man to see about a massage. She also runs tours for visitors and she hooked us up with Leticia.






Driving with Leticia we enjoyed a safe comfortable and leisurely ride frequently stopping to view the scenery and for me to take photographs. This is a typical landscape where the rich eluvial soil is carefully tended between ancient stone walls and graceful trees. In the foreground you can see one of the cactus “trees” growing in the hedgerows at the edge of the fields. This specimen was about fifteen feet tall and there are bigger ones too.






It is not every day you come across a tethered bull especially in a sculpture gallery. On both sides of the road going into Tzintzuntzan you pass this seemingly haphazard pile of remarkable sculpture including many mythical beings, fountains, pillars, stone window frames and the like. Amongst the fantastic creatures was this handsome young bull that stood gracefully on the tips of his cloven hooves like a graceful ballet dancer. He had somehow knocked over his feeding trough and was staring at me full of curiosity as if to say, “Now who is this crazy gringo with the camera? Why doesn’t he make himself useful and put my manger upright?” Although I could hear Ferdinand the bull thinking this, I none-the-less gave him a broad breech, not knowing how feisty that critter might be.






Across from Ferdinand the bull was a collection of fantastic beings waiting for somebody to buy them and take them to their home and garden.






While Leo and Leticia and I were examining the roadside sculptures a platoon of kids on their bicycles decorated with colorful balloons whizzed past. They were celebrating the death of Don Vasco de Quiroga (1565) who cared for the welfare of the Purepecha people by introducing them to valuable technologies and industries.






This is the shimmering vista of Lake Pátzcuaro from the archeological site of Tzintzuntzan which was the ancient capital of the Purépecha people.






Here is another one of my questions, what is this tree called? I first saw one of these trees on the road into Pátzcuaro and I was amazed because I thought it was a Poinsettia, when this tree’s blossoms open fully they are a dense cluster of scarlet against the Mexican blue sky and the sight is breathtaking. At the archeological site of Tzintzuntzan I was able to get close and see that this is an entirely different tree. The colors and the shapes of the flower clusters are very beautiful. The tree blooms before it has leaves so you can see the graceful curving shapes of the branches.






Here is another view of the mystery tree. The flowers have a spiky brush formation like elegant tassels decorating the clear sky.






On the right you can see the partially restored temple complex that makes up the archeological site of TzintzuntzanAlthough the stone work looks totally black this is an exaggeration of the camera because the light was so bright. The temples were destroyed by the Spanish and a great deal of the finished stone was taken away to construct the churches and convents on the lower slope of the hill in the modern town of Tzintzuntzan. We toured these churches and the ancient stones can be seen in the masonry there some with glyphs carved into the stones. You can see Lake Patzcuaro in the middle distance of this photo.






This gives you a better idea of the stepped pyramid structures, called yácatas in the Purépecha language, which dominate the archeological site. Some of the platforms are oval or round while some are rectangular or T shaped. When we visited the site we were practically the only people there and I could absorb the quiet and calm of the countryside. The midmorning sun was intense and bright light reflected off the golden grass surrounding the temples.
 





Behind the temple complex facing away from the lake there has not been as much restoration of the yácatas. Broad flat fields divided by stone walls surround the buildings and here and there are a few trees and yucca cactus. There was a peach tree in bloom with delicate pink blossoms contrasting against the polished blue sky.



 


We went down to visit the modern town of Tzintzuntzan and the church complex. The gardens surrounding the church are planted with ancient olive trees, said to be the first olive trees to be planted in the New World. As you can see from this picture of one of these venerable trees, the claim is undoubtedly true. Compare the size of the girl walking on the lower right to the olive tree. The olive orchard is protected by a high wall that encloses a large area and in addition to the olives there are other massive trees making this walled garden an important arboretum and welcomed respite from the bustle of the town.






This is the Franciscan Convent of Santa Ana, a picturesque church surrounded by massive trees and a neat spreading lawn.






The massive wooden gate of the Convent of Santa Ana is supported by a stone and adobe wall and roofed with clay tiles. This side of the church has a pleasant rose garden partially enclosed by ancient buildings of the convent.






This is an isle of the local market. The craft specialties of Tzintzuntzan are woven things of all kinds, made from the reeds and grasses of the region. Each of these booths is draped with long garlands of decorative woven straw. Many have a Christmas theme or colored balls. Note how clean the place is with an immaculate gleaming floor. Mexico in general is well swept and kept remarkably clean. Because a lot of the country is semi-arid and produces a lot of dust there is an imperative for constant maintenance and the most typical sound heard around the entire country is that of a broom sweeping.






The next town around Lake Patzcuaro is Quiroga where we stopped for a pleasant lunch of Carnitas, delicious barbequed pork. In the center of town is a delightful plaza with a very pleasant flower garden. At the center of the plaza, named after Belisario Dominguez, stands a tall column supporting this unusual statue which is a monument to America, symbolizing the struggle of the Quiroga people.



 


This is another view of the Plaza, Belisario Dominguez. In a country rich with beautiful plazas this is one of the most charming. The base of the column miraculously spouts jets of water that splash into a large tiled pool creating the calming sound of falling water. As these arcs of water catch the bright light of the mid-day sun they sparkle, animating the stone fountain. In the foreground is yet another handsome fountain and all the green spaces between the fountains are planted with a variety of colorful blossoming plants. The bandstand in the background has graceful iron pillars and scrolling brackets.
 





A dad suddenly grabs his young daughter and flings her up to his shoulders while both of them laugh with pure delight.





The Parish church of San Diego de Alcalá built in the XVII century near Plaza Belisario Dominguez at the center of Quiroga has been lovingly restored and the entire wooden vaulted ceiling has been recently painted with bright colorful paintings about 6 feet square and there are about fifty paintings so you know the church is large. The choir loft at the end opposite the high altar holds an antique pipe organ and the ceiling there is painted with episodes recounting the miracle of Juan Diego and his vision of the Virgin of Guadalupe. This picture is one of that series of eight wherein the Virgin gives Juan Diego Castilian roses that he eagerly gathers in his poncho.