Monarchs are genuinely fascinating creatures and here's a book that really does justice to their story. The travel accomplished by Monarchs is simply mind-boggling. They fly forty miles a day on average but sometimes - depending on winds and weather - they can manage up to 200 miles between dawn and dusk. Those born to the East of the Rockies usually go to Mexico. Those born to the West mostly go to California. All flying is done in daylight - never at night. read more

Stating what it means to be Mexican is not an easy topic to define, but the rural education system helps in forming a sense of being Mexico for many young people in Michoacán’s rural areas. The hist... read more

In this recipe, the rice is good first and then combined with the other ingredients, making it a good way to use leftover cooked rice. Ingredients: 2 tablespoons vegetable oil ¼ cup chopp... read more

Interactive map of Michoacán, Mexico read more

Table of Contents RETHINKING AIRPORT LOCATION FLORIDA-YUCATAN CARR FERRY AUTOMOTIVE FACTORY FOR THE WORLD? ... read more

Semana Santa in Morelia means a vacation at home for me. For one thing, I don't want to become a statistic by hitting the open road, and for another, I don't like crowds. But most importantly, I bask in those times when the help are gone and it's just me and my Doberboys.

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Clickable interactive map of Pacific Coast beaches: Jalisco, Nayarit, Colima, Michoacan, Mexico read more

A street map of of the city Pátzcuaro read more

The town had been sort of a laughing stock, ignored by outsiders,one of those dusty lonely little burgs where no one seemed particularly interested in much beyond survival. Like sad and decrepit towns ... read more

This useful volume is back in a new and updated edition and it’s still as essential as ever. Whether you’re making a brief visit as a tourist, or escaping the northern winter for a few months or checking out the area more extensively as a place to spend one’s retirement years, this is one item you should have in your survival kit. It’s a nice blend of guidebook, travelogue and history text with lots of local color and some ecological notes sprinkled throughout. read more

It all started when I took Molly to one of the downtown parks here in Morelia, a park crammed with pretty flowers, spraying fountains and Jacarandas in full bloom. We soon found ourselves enjoying a qu... read more

Bitter are the fruits they eat in Michoacán, black oval fruits the size of an olive, borne in the summer on the capelin tree. Bitter is the story told to me in a mountain pueblo in the northeast corne... read more

The area around Apatzingan is famous for its pork. The flavor of this dish is somewhat reminiscent of the carnitas for which Michoacán is famous. Unlike carnitas, the pork is baked in the oven instead of fried in lard, and the seasoning ingredients make serving a salsa unnecessary.

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This dessert is so popular in Mexico that it comes in cans, but nothing beats home made. Chongo is the Spanish word for a chignon, which the curds resemble when they separate from the whey. This dessert should be prepared in an earthenware pot such as a Mexican clay cazuela.

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They call it "the place where the flowers bloom," this steamy edge of subtropical landscape, as rich in history as it is in surprise and beauty where superlatives and contrasts abound.

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The Fiesta de Cristo Rey has become as famous as many of the Day of the Dead rites in other communities around Mexico. It's the peak of the flower growing season in Michoacán and the residents not only gather the flowers to decorate the streets but they also paint the streets with incredible and startling floral designs. read more

I always knew I’d end up in Mexico, but I didn’t know where. Mexico City holds world-class fascination, but there’s a reason even the idle rich have second homes elsewhere. Chapala had just too m... read more

A short kilometer from Santa Clara de Cobre, on the way to Ario de Rosales, a bust of a young Lazaro Cardenas nods toward Zirahuen. "I'm sort of proud of this road, now that it has been improved," I re... read more

HACIENDA MARIPOSAS We weren't sure what to expect as we wheeled into Hacienda Mariposa's entrance, greeted by German Shepherds. Of course, we'd visited the website, http://www.haciendamariposas.c... read more

James Metcalf, Stephen and Maureen Rosenthal and Vasco de Quiroga have a lot in common. Each was a foreigner who came to Michoacan's hills and dales surrounding Lake Patzcuaro, married art with commerc... read more

I’d like to share a few thoughts having just returned from a brief visit to Pátzcuaro, made for the purpose of sizing it up as a possible retirement venue. Let me start by saying that Pátzcuaro is unquestionably one of the greatest places to visit that exist in Mexico. As a travel destination, it’s difficult to beat, with great hotels and restaurants, a lively upbeat zócalo, the lake, and more crafts than you could take in during a six month stay. read more