Pie de la Sierra Hotel Uruapan

... of stalls aimed exclusively at tourists, making you wonder what happens here on the other 364 days of the year when the place is not overwhelmed with visitors. Fortunately we visited the cementary before the masses arrived, and then made our way up the hill to a giant statue of Morelos, a hero of the revolution. At the top we were rewarded with a spectacular view of the lake and the city lights of Patzcuaro on the opposite shore.

As the sun went down more people began to ...

... us two options for climbing and we chose the easiest, although everything is very relative! Initially we had to climb up and down over large volcanic rocks, until we reached a smaller volcano, complete with steam coming out of cracks in the rocks. Then we had to climb over small loose stones almost straight up. Because we were at an altitude of more than 3000 meters (9900 feet) the air was pretty thin - or at least that was my excuse for being so out ...

... restored so you can get an idea of how big they were. They carved inscriptions on the stone, and you can still see these inscriptions on the pyramids and also in the buildings built by the Spanish! (see photos!)

After the pyramids we went to the town below and visited the monastery and church where Vasco de Quiroga lived. He was the one who set up the system in the 16th century (that still survives today) of each village of indidigenous people ...

... were water falls and cool plants. We even saw several signs next to plants that said PLANTA TOXICA...which means they were poisonous. While in the forest a boy offered to jump out of a tree into the rushing water below, so we took him up on it! It was incredible how high he dove from! We then of course paid him for risking his life...it was fun. He was very excited. So...Im back in Irapuato now ready to start helping out with the ...

... water flow in all directions. I really liked how water was always by our side. You can spend some wonderful hours in the park, not thinking of being in a city at all. The last thing you should take advantage of when you are in the city is the cheap fruit. We bought blackberries for 4 pesos (20 Euro CENTS!!) and ½ kg strawberries for 7 pesos (35 Euro CENTS!!). Isn't that crazy? Park and berries and you are all set for this place!

Patzcuaro, on the other hand, yet another Pueblo magico, was a colonial gem - beautiful buildings, windy cobbled streets & spectacular setting close to a lake. Sadly, as with many of these places, no hostels and few cheap hotels - ended up in some dive where the teenager looking after it seemed shocked that I wanted a key for my ...

... nicely tiled with cable TV and looked to have been recently refurbished. Their advertised rates were 280, 320, 380 and 420 Peso for 1, 2, 3 or 4 persons but without any problems they dropped the single rate to 220 Peso. The Hotel is located one block from the Plaza Gertrudis Bocanegra, between Alvaro Obregon and Tejerias.

If you are on the tightest of budgets then just around the corner on Tejerias is the friendly owned Posada Janitzio ...

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The best of the other midrange hotels are Hotel Victoria, Hotel Regis and Hotel el Tarasco.

Hotel Victoria, Cupatitzio No. 11, Tel: 01 (452) 5236700, Web: www.hotelvictoriaupn.com.mx . This well run hotel had a nice set up, spacious rooms and most other things that you would expect for this standard of hotel. Their current rates were 450, 600, 650 + 700 Peso for ...

... I'd seen in the market Quiroga, stood outside artisans' workshops. Passing the cemetery, large elaborate gravestones, topped with miniature replicas of colonial church towers, caught my eye. I turned off the highway and followed a track that curved around the flanks of a long low hill. Partially obscured by trees along the ridgeline lay the ruins of the former Tarascan capital, Tzintzuntzan. The Tarascan League had successfully kept the Aztecs at bay for many years but ...

... drive on the streets and overnight a hundred tiendas (outdoor tortilla vendors) spring up everywhere. Yep, it'll be time to go by then I think! I'm expecting to get back to Kelowna by Saturday or Sunday at the latest, and likely exhausted after a 4 or 5 day, 13-hour-a-day drive. So, after a day or two of rest and unpacking I'd love to hear from all of you and how your winter was! So telephone, email or just drop in and we'll go for coffee!!! Hope to see you Soon!