article from March 15, 2011
By Jamie Douglas
Now that we are past the debauchery of all the various carnivals
celebrated throughout the hemisphere and elsewhere, we have a few weeks to
prepare for Easter – which leads me to the first question: Who the hell came up
with the Easter Bunny? You can probably Google that.
But since we are a few weeks away from that grand celebration, may I
suggest an incredible destination?
Pátzcuaro, a
relatively small city on the shores of a lake with an island in the middle that
features the statue of Morelos, one of Mexico’s many heroes. You can climb up
to the top of it (ladies, wear trousers – the voyeurs will be disappointed),
which will give you a great view of the entire surrounding area.
Located 45 minutes from the capital city of Morelia, Pátzcuaro is one
of the most scenic and colonial of Mexican cities, occupied by mainly Purépecha
“Indians,” the original inhabitants of what today is the state of Michoacán, and
Semana Santa is celebrated there in grand
style.
Hundreds of artisans congregate around the two main plazas, and there
are several solemn parades where the faithful carry statues of the local saints
as well as Jesus, himself, in a glass coffin, though the streets. Up by the Basilica,
there is a carnival, with street vendors selling all kinds of goodies, from
great little tidbits cooked on the spot to plastic items and house wares. The amount
of noise is typically Mexican, and so is the potential for pickpockets. But it
is a weeklong celebration that one must experience, especially when it
culminates with the full moon rising over the Plaza Grande while the
processions are in full swing.
It seems that a large portion of Mexico congregates there for the
celebrations, and accommodations are hard to come by, so my recommendation is
to contact Monica Gray, the daughter of an American expat who arrived there in
the 1940s, at deptosvicki@hotmail.com. She has a large assortment of apartments available within walking distance of
the center of town that come fully furnished with kitchens and bedrooms, large
parking areas, and vistas over town, a settlement that has been around since
pre-Columbian times, and the magnificent architecture reflects this.
Go to Departamentos VICKI on Facebook for more.
While in Pátzcuaro, you are likely to fall in love with the place and
consider it for retirement or as a second home. Real estate prices have never
been better, and houses in the center of town, which have 300-500 year histories,
are always available for reasonable prices, but as always, use a reliable local
real estate attorney or agent to assist you in your quest. Monica Gray, being
native born there, knows everybody and will be able to hook you up with
whatever needs you have. (She is neither an attorney nor a real estate agent.)
Lake Pátzcuaro is a haven for artists, having hosted John Steinbeck, Judith Deim,
and many others. Today, the region is home to many writers and painters,
including my good friend Vatche K. Geuvdjelian, a world-renowned
artist whose expat experience had him cover half of the planet before finally
settling in Pátzcuaro.
The local artisans produce a large selection of handicrafts that
includes jewelry, pottery, furniture, and lacquered fineries. Copper goods are
made in a neighboring town of Santa Clara del Cobre. Many of these artisan
goods are all available in the Casa de los Once Patios, a Dominican convent that
has been turned into a cultural center, where you can actually watch the
artisans at work as they produce their superb crafts. Weaving is also very
prevalent, with blankets, tablecloths and other textiles.
There is so much to do and see in Pátzcuaro that it is a blessing that
it is an early town – by 10 pm, everything is pretty much closed and the
streets are empty. Some of the main attractions are the many convents and churches.
Not to be missed is the Basilica de Nuestra Señora de la Salud, which, after
almost 500 years, is still unfinished and probably never will be finished
according to its original design. But the interior is something to behold,
whether you are Catholic or atheist. It is always a mysterious place, where
many Purépechas come to be healed, and during Semana Santa, they have the
monopoly on setting up their stands to sell everything from milagros, to handicrafts, to made-in-China
toys, to food.
I highly recommend that you contact your travel agent and make bookings
to fly to Morelia, the nearest international airport, located on the very far
side of Morelia from Pátzcuaro. You can hire a taxi to take you to Pátzcuaro, a
good option, as it will save you the confusion of finding your way through
Morelia, the large capitol city of the state of Michoacán. Or you can be adventurous,
rent a car and try it on your own. You don’t really need a car in Pátzcuaro.
Taxis and buses are very inexpensive and tours to the surrounding countryside
are easily available.
So go for the colonial adventure, see Patzcuaro and fall in love!
Jamie Douglas
Patagonia
Patagonia
[Image via Wikipedia]
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