greetings from patzcuaro

We arrived before noon after an easy drive from SMA to Morelia and then on to this delightful colonial city. At 7,000 elevation, this plana is even more alta than San Miguel. We drove right to our favorite hotel and got a room, unpacked, tried the TV, it didn't work, went into another open room and tried that TV, it worked so we packed up again and changed rooms. We are not easily deterred guests. Then we took a drive to Tzintzutzan to see if any vendors were set up in the church square. No, not until tomorrow. So we returned and I began the great cybercafe hunt. Found one just across the square from the hotel. Very handy.

The city is as I remember it except more crowded. We came here first in 2002 and it was instant enchantment. We returned in 2006 for another few days. The area is famous for several craft-type things; fabrics, wood carving, stone masonry, pottery and leather working. The governor of Michoacan, Senor Queroga, made sure that each village became self-sufficient in some craft and these skills have been handed down through the generations. Tzintzuntzan is known for a special kind of pottery that I hope to find tomorrow. The paint jobs on the buildings are still the same; red on the bottom, white on the top and although one might find it boring after the explosion of color in SMA, it's really quite beautiful. When I find the camera in among the tiles I will take some shots.

So tomorrow it's back to the tiangues on the great pottery hunt. We are looking for a carved wooden frame for a mirror, too. I'll report what I might find. On Sunday there is a pottery mart in one of the jardins near the hotel. I'll undoubtedly check that out, too. An of course we are always on the hunt for the perfect fountain for the back yard. But how we would get it home is another problem. They are mostly carved stone or cast cement. What we need is some sort of "add water and shake" product that automatically turns into a gorgeous fountain and only weighs 2 lbs. in powder form. Ever heard of such a thing?