Descending from the mountains, the original (non-toll) Pátzcuaro-Uruapan highway enters avocado-growing country at Tingambato. South of the present-day village of Tingambato is the major archaeological site of Tinganio, one of the few sites in Western Mexico where there are genuine pyramids. The site was excavated in 1978 and 1979 by one of Mexico’s top archaeologists, […]
Continue Reading
Teotihuacan (pronounced teh-oh-tee-wah-KAHN or teh-oh-tee-WAH-kan — experts differ on which is correct) is an archaeological site some 50 kilometers north of downtown Mexico City but still in the Valle de Mexico (the bowl surrounded by mountains in which Mexico City is on the southwest side). To get here go to the northern bus station from […]
Continue ReadingTepoztlan reputed to be the birthplace of deified Quetzalcoatl lies about 80 km southeast of Mexico City and about 30 km northeast of Cuernavaca. The Ex-Convento Dominico de la Navidad and Piramide Tepozteco are fairly well touristed here. While I was there the zocalo was being upgraded. The colorful tented restaurant/market area between the zocalo and church is an experience […]
Continue ReadingWhen you first arrive in Pátzcuaro you notice that there are large, mature pine trees everywhere with their bases painted white presumably for the benefit of night traffic. This immediately sets the mood for the town with calming and cooling effect. Among Pátzcuaro advantages are: It is a relatively small city of about 40,000 people. […]
Continue ReadingCuernavaca is one of the most interesting cities in Mexico. The dozens of pictures here only scratches the surface of attractions. Commanding the high ground above an agriculturally productive state and on an important land route the location has been prized since Aztec times. Cortes and his family made a base here after the conquest […]
Continue Reading
The State of Tlaxcala is the smallest in Mexico. Map of Tlazcala Tlaxcala (city), the state capital Tlaxcala, whose capital city is also called Tlaxcala, is a smallest state in the country of Mexico. The Tlaxcaltecas were never conquered by the Aztecs. After a fierce battle against Cortes’ army, they decided to join forces with […]
Continue Reading
The city of Tlaxcala (pronounced tlas-kala) is the capital of the State of Tlaxcala. Its small town atmosphere belies a listed population of 69,000. Indeed it is a sharp contrast to the activity of Puebla just 30 km south. The city has a population of about 70,000 and is at 7,382 ft. asl. (Pictures taken […]
Continue Reading
If you are coming from Patzcuaro, a city of about 40,000, when you arrive in Uruapan you will find that this city of over 200,000 is pretty much like a circus. If you come from stately and subdued Morelia, you will find it vibrant and much more active. It is the hub of the agricultural dynamo of […]
Continue Readingoriginally – galleries/247 – with no article Paricutin is a famous volcano that popped up in a farmer’s field in 1943 and continued to grow until 1952 to form a large cinder cone. Collateral flowing lava covered the valley and inundated adjacent villages of San Salvador and San Juan. The flow was slow enough so no […]
Continue Reading
Santa Clara is the town that produces copperware and copper crafts of all kinds. For 5 pesos from the Patzcuaro bus station it is an easy part of the day trip. There are many shops that sell copper products and if you walk to the rear you can watch items being manufactured. Although you have to […]
Continue Reading