Arbol Grande Morelia

... choice of four different main courses, accompanied by soup, a beverage and tortillas, all for around $2.50. Because I'm blowing my budget with the lessons and the apartment, it's great to be able to eat so well for so little money!
This weekend has been cloudy and cool, so has suited me very well for resting and relaxing in my apartment, updating this blog, studying, and watching TV. I'm hoping on upcoming weekends to take short trips to nearby destinations, and so to make ...

... deceased friends and family.

To experience this unique event we decided to hire a van and drive down to Patzcuaro in Michoacan, home to one of Mexico's biggest celebrations for "El Dia de los Muertos". After picking up our 12 seater van, stocking up on food, blankets and tequila, we set off on Halloween for a three day roadtrip. It was nice to feel the freedom of the road again having spent nearly a month since last leaving Guadalajara. Everyone was in a great mood as we ...

... a good way to relieve the hangover but once we got out it was absolutely freezing due to the high altitude. Probably the first and only time I've actually felt cold since being in this country.

That evening we returned to have a fiesta in the big house we were staying in. A brief powercut meant that it was a candlelit party for sometime, but the power soon returned and the festivities continued. As it was the only common language between all the different nationalities, I think ...

Well, I finally got my pictures up and got caught up to last Saturday. I donīt have any more pictures to add (see previous entry for explanation!), but hereīs the rest of the story up to today.

Last Sunday I went to a different church for mass, then did some shopping and museum hopping. I was quite excited to discover that even though my speaking is still slow and laborious, I could read the explanations in the museums (Natural History, and Casa Natal de Morelos ...

Just had a very nice pechuga of chicken (fillet??) and a mariachi
band. The band played about 6 or 7 songs for the table next to me
and it was terrific. We were sitting outside on a little square and
there were a whole bunch of mariachis hanging around waiting to be
asked to play. So after about 5 songs one of the other bands struck up
about 3 tables away in the other direction. Charles Ives would have
loved ...

... with fine looking white adobe homes and the local indigenous folk all wonder the streets wearing traditional dress.
I spent my first evening looking around the heavily overpriced arts, crafts and antique shops before getting held up in Plaza Vasco de Quiroga (the town's main plaza). There was plenty going on here with three different groups of street entertainers all performing to a different beat and all were enjoyable to watch.

Patzcuaro, Central Mexico and Gulf Coast, Mexico amazingjourneys

... really liked. So I tried to find the change rooms but everything was in Spanish. I walked up to this lady who worked there. I asked her where the change rooms were. She didn't know what I said so she pretended to put on pants and a t-shirt. So I said Yes then she gave my more directions in Spanish. I swear we really need Spanish lessons we know a little but need more vocabulary.

... he would say "Amigas, Amigos, a question..." which would be followed by an intellectual inquiry into what was the science behind he way things were. He is the Mexican, Dr. Bill Karasov. I learned quite a bit about the countryside, but it got particularly interesting when we got off the highways and went through the small towns. Some houses looked like they were barely standing up, stray dogs on the streets, chickens and other livestock wandering around ...

... one pair of shiny sparkly bling bling tacky earrings yet! Most of the clothes I have with me are black so thereīs just no fun in matching up! We took a boat out to a little island in the middle of lake called Janitzio where there was a massive statue of Jose Maria Morelos, a native of Morelia and a key player in their war for independence. I climbed to the top of the statue and it has to be said that I had major jitters by the end (Collins, the King ...

... next day sight-seeing around town at places such as the old aqueduct, the candy museum (Morelia is known for its candy, especially the aptly titled Morelianas which I can best describe as (and God please forgive me) cajeta (like caramel) in between two layers of the holy communion round thingies. I'm going to burn in hell now for that last comment...We went to a couple other museums and churches and the state-run crafts ...