Howard Johnson Morelia

... to the bus around 5am and barely mustered an uncomfortable two hours sleep before driving on to the nearby town of Patzcuaro. <br><br>Like Morelia, Patzcuaro was somewhere I had visited on my previous trip to Michoacan. But while it had been quiet before, it was now completely transformed by the masses of foreign and domestic tourists who flock here each year to celebrate Mexico's most macabre festival. There was a huge market selling local produce such as "pan de los muertos ...

... spoke more Spanish that night than ever before in my life. I've definitely felt some improvement in recent weeks, after feeling like I made no progress at all during the first month of travelling.<br><br>On the Sunday we visited a traditional local town before begining the long journey home. We probably spent more time on the bus than off it over the course of the weekend, and I soon learnt to expect at least double the time when a Mexican tells you how long something will take ...

... so I´ll be able to join in! (By the way, it was free - as is everything here!)<br><br>Tonight I´m going to hear the state orchestra of Michoacán playing Sibelius and Wagner - also free! We in the US and UK could do with taking a leaf out of Mexico´s book on the availability of the arts to the public! <br><br>Tomorrow, off to a volcano - Paricutin. Hope to have more pictures later - I´ve borrowed a camera from my family.<br><br>Love to all. Waiting for lots of replies!

... picturesque town square. The achitecture is similar to New Mexico because NM was inhabited by people from this area and they took their achitectural style with them.<br><br>Tzintzuntzán - In the days before the conquistadors Tz. was the place where the priests (sacerdotes) of the P'urépecha Empire lived. Outside of the town they built pyramids for use in sacred ceremonies. The P'urépechas were monotheistic unlike the Aztecs. They did perform human ...

... very organized and has the meal ready to heat up. She{s a very good cook, and I{m enjoying the meals! If I avoid biting right into something bright green then I can avoid anything too spicy! The fruit is amazing - fresh papaya, mango (which I learned how to eat with a special mango implement - very cool, I{ll have to buy one), pineapple,y mucho mas! And the avocados are much tastier than the ones at home. How our local mexicanos must miss these!<br><br>The school is ...

... with the exception of two that is. There are many pricier Hotels which you will find with a quick Google search. <br>While in the centre of town I was fortunate to stumble across the immaculately kept Hotel Posada San Pablo, Antes Industria No. 15, Tel: 01 (434) 342-0667. This small family run guest house with only nine rooms was kept in pristine condition and is not featured in any of the guide books, YET. All the en-suite rooms ...

... have relatives in the US most having been smuggled across the border. We also learned that a new vehicle here costs as much as buying a descent home but people go for the car instead of the house. I think because the vehicle is more a status symbol. Raymond is at the store trying to buy enough food for the 28 hour bus ride to Cancun tomorrow. I am sure we will survive. See you in Cancun!

... nous dirigeons vers l'aqueduc et ensuite vers le plus haut point de la ville où nous pouvons observer la ville dans toute sa splendeur la nuit (à la nocés). L'aqueduc, datant du XVIIIe, siècle distribuait l'eau aux 30 fontaines publiques et 150 points d'eau privés de la ville. Il était alimenté par un puit distant de 8km. La dernière section comprend 253 arches, certaines ont une hauteur de 10m. Ce réseau est toujours en opération aujourd'hui.

You can reach Morelia over the highway 37 in 3 hours from Lazaro Cardenas. The way was amazing that's the real Mexico how you can see it in every movie. Many cactus's near the street, the landscape is beautiful and a lot of lakes in the dryness. I just thought, that's the real Mexico. We have seen this place in our travel guide since that time it was ...

... beautiful wrought iron and wood doors and windows. We even got a couple suggestions for our own ranch-style mini hacienda back in the OC. We had dinner at this great restaurant which had the coolest rustic/colonial furnishings inlcuding a rusted iron candil (chandelier) that had these balls at the end with amazing burst of colors. I'm sure I'm not describing it accurately, but suffice to say that the lamps names is "Medusa ...