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pybi

Jan 25, 2003, 1:18 PM

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Visit to Michoacan

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My wife and I are planning to visit Michoacan for seven or eight days the third week of March. We plan on staying at the Hacienda Mariposas for five days, using it as homebase to visit Patzcuaro for a day, Ururapan for a day, then a mix of the villages specializing in certain arts and crafts the remaining days. We are leaning toward using a combination of taxis, buses and tours rather than renting a car. We have spoken to Rene Ocana and he seems the perfect B&B host.

The last two days we plan to spend in Morelia, staying at the Casa Camelinas.

We would appreciate any comments or recommendations concerning our plans. We are people who love B&B's, native folk-art, conviviality and Mexican cuisine and avoiding upscale tourism and night-life.

Thanks in advance,

Mike Pybas

jennifer rose

Jan 25, 2003, 2:57 PM

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Re: [pybi] Visit to Michoacan

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Well, start with reading the articles compiled at the Michoacan Index http://www.mexconnect.com/.../michoacanindex.html.

From Hacienda Mariposas, Santa Clara de Cobre is only about 5 minutes away. It's one of my favorite craft towns in Michoacan. For lunch, there is no better spot that the Camino Real, located at the hotel of the same name. (In fact, I drove clear over there from Morelia last Sunday, just for the comida, the state's best bargain at $40 M.N.). The copper museum is closed on Mondays, and Mondays are the artisans' traditional day of rest, so be sure to go to Santa Clara on a non-Monday.

You haven't revealed what arts and crafts you're interested in, but that doesn't stop me from making some suggestions.

In Uruapan, Fabrica San Pedro should rank high on your list of must-sees.

Spend one day heading over to Tocuaro (Tony Terra's woodcarving and Juan Orta's masks) and then over to Erongaricuaro (mfa/Eronga's furniture factory and Celia Aviles' textiles).

My favorite tour guide in that area is Francisco Francisco Castilleja ("Kiko"), who speaks Spanish, English and French, can be reached in Erongaricuaro at (434) 344-0167, or at the Mansion Iturbe at 10 a.m. daily except Sunday. francis_eronga@hotmail.com http://www.mexonline.com/erongaricuaro.htm

A trip to Tzintzuntzan isn't complete without a stop at the taller of potter Manuel Morales, and then you should think about heading over on your way back to Ihuatzio for the chuspata.

On your way back to Morelia from Hacienda Mariposas, be sure to stop at Tupataro to enjoy Mexico's version of the Sistene Chapel. A few kilometers beyond is Cuanajo, famed for its carpentry.

A Morelia-based tour guide whom I reommend is Luis Miguel Lopez, whose website can be found at http://www.mmg.com.mx/ Luis Miguel knows the state of Michoacan very well, and he's a tour guide's tour guide.