One Foot in the Grave

"One foot in the grave" takes on new meaning.

Click here: A Small Funeral

Birding in Pátzcuaro

El Jilguero - The endemic Brown-Backed Solitaire of plaintive song that, for me, evokes Pátzcuaro.

We have long been interested birding and because of some fortuitous circumstances and good birding, I have decided to systematize and record our birding activities in Michoacan in one place:

Birding in Pátzcuaro & Michoacán, Mexico (and more?)

http://birdpatzcuaro.blogspot.com/

This Pátzcuaro birding weblog includes a checklist of the birds to be found in this region and will include posts on what birds we find, where we find them, and other birding information.

We are back Patzcuareando...

Our plane arrives over two hours late at the Morelia airport and at 10:00 PM we start the drive to Pátzcuaro in light rain. We arrive at La Jacaranda and when we unlock and open our portón the myriad and tiny blossoms of the huele-de-noche (Night Jessamine - Cestrum nocturnum) that stands as a tall sentinel just inside the gate drench us in their heavy perfume. Scents act upon a primitive part of the brain to conjure up vivid visions, emotions and memories. This exotic night scent is the perfect welcome back.

We sleep heavily and awake in the morning to fresh temperatures of 58F outside and 68F inside in this high mountain climate.We breakfast at El Patio on the Plaza Grande--a tradition when we arrive and have yet to reprovision our kitchen with fresh produce. The owners of El Patio, as always, greet us warmly. We enjoy many familiar faces.

Then we go to purchase the bounty of fresh fruits and vegetables available in this region. Eggs are sold loose and by weight. I forgot to bring my egg carton to transport them and so carry them gingerly.

After the afternoon comida I walk to Ribepan in the Centro. I float through a cloud of rich aromas to select freshly baked breads.

That is all for today, folks.

A Fine Spring Day in Patzcuaro

It was a good day to stroll to and around Plaza Vasco de Quiroga (Plaza Grande) in Patzcuaro. The temperature was perfect to lunch in the courtyard at Cha Cha Cha and listen to the fountain prattle. Then it was time for an after-comida coffee at Liliane's, to watch all the people see and be seen.

For a slide show at Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tracyzeye/sets/72157604314903385/

Calling a Cell Phone Number in Mexico

Do you want to call someone with a Mexico cell phone number? This may not be for the faint of heart. Here goes:


From the U.S.
To a cell phone in Mexico, you must insert a "1" between the country code and the area (lada) code:
011-52-1-888-888-8888

In Mexico

From a land line phone to a cell phone with a different area code:
Dial 045 before the area code and number - 045-888-888-8888

From a land line phone to a cell phone with the same area code:
Dial 044 before the area code and number - 044-888-888-8888


From cell phone to cell phone:
Simply dial the area code and number - 888-888-8888

Telephone numbers are usually broken into two-digit segments in Mexico. The U.S. convention of 434-342-8888 would be expressed as 43-43-42-88-88, but sometimes as 434-3-42-88-88. The different style of breaking up the numbers equally confuses persons from both sides of the Rio Bravo/Rio Grande.

Patzcuaro: Good Friday / Viernes Santo

Plaza de la Basílica, Patzcuaro

Semana Santa / Holy Week

In the evening on Good Friday, in various neighborhoods of the high mountain pueblo of Pátzcuaro, people participate in and watch the solemn processions of the Crucified Christ.

Purhepecha Corn with Piloncillo

Semana Santa / Holy Week
Plazuela San Francisco, Patzcuaro

The Plazuela de San Francisco is blanketed with the smoke of fires in the late afternoon and evening. Purhepecha women cook tamales and corn with piloncillo (a coarse, flavorful brown sugar) until the corn kernels are plump and tender--the corn is tasty despite its formidable appearance.

Judas in Patzcuaro

Semana Santa / Holy Week

On the Plazuela San Francisco, Patzcuaro

When we went to a reception to see the magnificent woodcut prints by Maestro Francisco Oñate, we were greeted at the door of Zócalo Arte Popular by this giant Judas figure. Next Sunday night, after the Easter Resurrection of Sunday morning, there will be a "celebration" on this plaza--the burning of Judas figures.

Friday of Sorrows - Viernes de Dolores

Our Lady of Sorrows, Nuestra Señora de los Dolores, is celebrated with processions, masses and altars on the final Friday of Lent, just a week before the Crucifixion of Christ on Viernes Santo. This Feast Day is a prelude to Holy Week, and honors the Mother of Christ in her anguish over the Crucifixion. In Patzcuaro a number of altars were built in homes and in businesses around the three plazas in the Centro to condole with Our Lady of Sorrows. Host households open their doors to share their altars and serve special refreshments to all who visit on the Friday of Sorrows. The altars remain on display during all of Holy Week/Semana Santa.

We walked from place to place to visit the altars, and were offered a sweet beverage made from chia seeds. This liquid represents the tears of the Virgin Mary and its sweetness represents her love and compassion.

Tu or Usted?

People often wonder just when they should use tu and when they should use Usted to address a person as “you” in Mexico. For an explanation, see http://culturespan.blogspot.com/.

On Cultural Time

© Tracy Novinger 2008

American culture teaches its members to “save time”... In Mexico one “spends” time…

Go to http://culturespan.blogspot.com

Lift Off

This morning, very early, we fly to Austin.