Ken parked "Pepe" the van outside the hotel - there was only one spot as Dr. Miguel Silva Avenue was very narrow and had one way traffic. We finished packing up Pepe. The Hotel's credit card machine would not work as appears to be common in Mexico. We had to walk to another hotel do do the transaction, We drove out passed the aquaduct, again leaving another beautiful Mexican city.
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| From Morelia to Taxco |
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| From Morelia to Taxco |
Once we got to the main highway between Guadalajara and Mexico City we made good time. Government put signs up to display the prices of various commodities.
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| From Morelia to Taxco |
Beautiful, green rolling hills with trees and lakes characterized the countryside.
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| Road construction was everywhere |
Cactus are still part of the equation. Corn growing in the fields.
At Atlacomulco we turned south twards Toluca. "Church's" book warns RVs to say on "laterals" in Toluca. Now do you really know what "laterals" are? They are....., I don't know either. Well, I guess we got off one and we got lost for an instant, pulled over to look at the blue dot on the IPhone. "Transitos" pulled us over and continued to baffle us with Spanish and BS. First he wanted 400 pesos for what Ken thought was a traffic violation (driving on a none main road). Then the guy upped the anti and wanted $400. We then knew it was a "shake down". He expected Ken to place the money in his little book. We both let him know we had no dollars. He went back to the four hundred pesos. Ken planted down the money and we left. After, of course, we realized we could have done things differently. We regained our bearings and were off to Taxco.
We found a great look out to a deep ravine with eagles overhead and turkeys on the ground.
Sunday August 8
We walked to the main road and discovered it was closed to traffic - nice touch.
We wanted to go get "Pepe" out of the parking lot where he had been for the past week. The lot, however, was closed until 8:00 pm. There went our plan to go shopping in the up scale shopping area. Ken was feeling better. I went out to scout out veggies and buns for lunch. Ken did more blog work. After lunch we walked to the main square. Artists were set up showing off their paintings. One particular artist caught my eye. His watercolours were colourful and included "his" Mexico. Wow, I almost purchased one for 700 pesos. While I was deciding I sat on some pink ice cream with my new, light cream coloured skirt. We had to return to the suite so I could change. Ken needed a long rest anyway. It started pouring rain as soon as we returned.
After super Ken revived and he was ok for walking to Mercado di Dulces (candy).
We walked to "Pepe". After sitting for a week he started easily. We packed most of our belongings for a quick morning get away.
Saturday August 7
Today Ken appeared to have the same sickness that I had or continue to have. I however, feel much better, almost "normal". I typed out the blog until I could not type anymore. When I reached that point I decided I'd join Ken and watch movies. Poor guy, he feels so sick! From what I can tell he seems to be sicker than I was yesterday. We think it is travelers flue and since I am almost better today that is the likely culprit.
I typed out two weeks worth of blog. I had to take many breaks.
I was going snakey and needed to get out of the hotel and Ken wanted to stretch his legs. Boy, yesterday I would not have been able to go anywhere except around our little apartment. We walked parallel to the main road, one block north.
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| Morelia, Michoacan |
We walked to Las Rosa a big church. Across the street is a long strip of rose garden, with restaurants facing the church and gardens.
I found a little shop - Artist Popular - which had better, more refined art than most galleries. A bit expensive but the most high quality.
After about an hour Ken had to return to our suite. I walked to the Mercaco for veggies and returned to make Ken a nice stew. Love the light green squash here in Mexico.
Friday August 6
Ken was cheery and bouncy today. He finally got an extended time to work on the blog. He created the yellow sidebar that tells about restaurants and where we stayed. He used html code to make the sidebar.
I, however, was the opposite of cheery and bouncy. My activity level was nest to zero, getting only to walk down the hall. I was not feeling myself, feeling rather ill was an understatement. I made a few discoveries about Mexican televison. It has lots of good English movies playing, it has many of the same shows we do with Spanish sibtitles which appear to be a few years behind us, at least in some cases. Their televison appears to have longer ads but at less frequent intervals, with lots of ads for weight loss or getting in shape. Yes, all I could manage to do was stare at TV. I would have starved today if Ken would not have made me supper - a delicious one, too.
Ken discovered the Municipal Mercado which is about three blocks away from our hotel. It is huge and across the street was a mercado selling clothing. They were a bit too pushy for my liking.
Thursday August 5
We woke up early enough today but did not get going for a while, sort of tired from all the walking we did yesterday. We stretched out and my back feels better. We did work on the blog before heading out.
Once we got out into the city it was lunch time and we were hungry. I actually found a vegetarian restaurant about a block from the hotel. Good food!
Ken sold our iPhone that had decided to quit picking up the internet earlier in our trip. Dante helped translate for Ken and the buyer. I wondered around looking at shoes and jewellery, yes I know such a chore.
We went back to the Indepencia Mercado. I was too exhausted to enjoy the crowds of people and the heat so we moved on. We found a little restaurant in the front of a home. I was enchanted by their dog - like Joan and Kathie's dog Patch, at home. The owner, Maurice, introduced himself and invited us into his home to the his art. Wow, nice home - big wooden doors, art covering the walls along with stone sculptures done by and artist that sells out of Sotheby's. We walked along north of the aqueduct to a large park dedicated to Morelias.
and a beautiful walk way.We saw a photo shot going on.
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| August 2010 |
In the Park was the Museum of Natural History.
And the Museum of Artes Populare.
Wednesday August 4
We sort of slept in this morning then worked on the blog. We were needing some rest. When we checked the weather we decided today would be best for the zoo experience, plus we decided to walk there.
Our walk to the zoo was eventful. To begin with I could not get a handle on the wardrobe matching the weather (required a return trip to our room). We discovered a huge mercado.
We met Rudalpho who wanted to practice his English. Realizing we should have eaten earlier with the big walk, we found a vendor with veggie beans, rice and napole cactus in a tomato sauce. That was lunch, so onward ho! Just about to the zoo Ken realized he was unsure of the location of the zoo entrance.
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| Morelia Zoo Entrance |
We were down a residential street and a big, black dog was barking and growling at us. Ken put himself between me and the dog. Neighbors were even shutting their doors in fear of the crazed animal. Thankfully the owner came out and got the dog. Scary experience and it happened so fast.
I was afraid of the Mexican zoo experience, I am just too pro-animal. It was a great zoo, sort of what our Canadian zoos might have been like a few decades ago. Than animals looked well cared for and it was relatively clean. Most animals had lots of room (never actually enough in any zoo). An amazing variety of animals, some that were not even in the San Diego Zoo. The great part was you could safely get closer to the animals, not all, but most. A hyena wanted a pet, a water buffalo seemed quite interested in Ken. We saw a baby fawn that was close to being newly born. You could see some animals from the road as you drove by. We walked home and got caught in the rain.
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| From Morelia zoo |
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| Putting the Giraffes to bed |
Tuesday August 3
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| From Morelia |
We got up when we felt like it today - ah, holidays! We slept in. The Hotel felt rather luxurious to be able to just walk through a hallway to the bathroom after camping for a week.
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| Hotel de Suites Galeria |
We had a kitchen to prepare breakfast in today. Ken had rambutan for the first time. In case you too are stumped by this word it is a fruit similar to lychee but it has sort of spiny things on the outside.
Once ready and out the door we head toward the aquaduct, our closest Morelia attaction.
We took a few pictures but got distracted by a Mexican garage sale - we could not resist.
The aquaduct is made of stone as are most buildings in centro. There is not much green growth except in central courtyards of the big buildings. We decided our next mission was "coffee". We walked for a long time for just the right coffee place. Now if this was in the States we could have just walked around the corner to find it. The place we found turned out to be noisy, stinky and just plain disappointing.
We just walked the streets occassionally strolling through a store or a mansion.
It was actually fun. Different items to view.
Once we got hungry we returned to Guspacheo's and the cut up fruit. Chili and cheese are put over mango and jimici (sp). I also had watermelon and cantelop on mine. You could see the workers cutting up and preparing the fruit.
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| Traditional, no chile |
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| Fruta with a little chile |
We went to the Casa de las Artesanias.
We were in awe of the quality and carftsmanship of the work displayed. It was fortunate that we were able to take pictures.
A rest was in order around 6:00 but it started to pour rain. That did not deter us from food at an exquiste restaurant in a very old, two story stone home. It was decorated in antiques and art.
The walk home was fresh after the rain.
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| Morelia Michoacan |
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