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Posted by lee lee on January 19, 1997Patzcuaro - What about this city? My mother will be going in April with other artists to paint for a week. Has anybody been there? Talk to me.!
Posted by Gaudy Dins more de Lopez on January 20, 1997
Patzcuaro is a beautiful colonial-style town about 45 minutes from Morally, the capital of the state of Michoacan. It is located in the Meseta Purhepecha on the banks of Lake Patzcuaro. The buildings are mostly white with about a meter of deep red paint from the street level up and they have red tile roofs.
The pace of life in Patzcuaro is slow and comfortable. There are many outdoor cafes lining the large Plaza de Don Vasco (Quiroga) including a couple of rather upscale spots as well that have opened in the last few months. The smaller plaza, Plaza Gertrudis Bocanegra, leads to the market and is the place to find the very low budget hotels as well as delicious atole de grand(corn soup flavored with anis)on the corner at a little stand after 5PM.
Patzcuaro is a beautiful spot for your mother to paint. She will be safe, have great food available (try a restaurant called "El Sotano" on the street going from the Plaza Don Vasco up toward the Basilica de la Salud on the left side of the street. Excellent food at very reasonable prices.), and she will be in one of the most picturesque areas of Mexico, bursting with high quality handicrafts and friendly people.
Posted by Mike Warshauer on January 20, 1997
About Patzcuaro: Ah! Yes, a delightful and slow-paced place. The food is some of the most interesting in Mexico. It helps if you are a brave gastronome. Check out the stands early in the AM at the Market, for Tacos de rostra de res con consume. SÌ, it's beef head tacos with the quintessential steaming broth from their cooking. It's delicious.
Explore the baker's vendors stands under the portables of Plaza Bocanegra; from late afternoon, until late night,there is a large selection. Some is very good, others look interesting but taste boring. It's inexpensive, so you can hardly go wrong. There's a pastry case on the SW corner (left side as you look at the portales that offers outstanding goods.The Atole de Grano, available in the evenings, we were able to enjoy at a park bench at Plaza Don Vasco. A quiet, sweet woman sold it. There was something spiritually restful about the experience.
A trip to Santa Clara de Cobre is nice, if you are interested in coppersmith arts.
Your mother will have a great time! Saludos, Mike
Posted by jennifer j. rose on February 08, 1997
Patzcuaro's one of the most delightful towns in all of Mexico. Even in April, it gets very, very chilly there at night. Silk long Johns and flannel nightwear will make your mother's trip much more comfortable.
At the entrance of Once Patios is a new cafe selling homemade bagels and scones. On that same block is a mini-mall of small shops, nothing fancy, but definitely worth exploring: minatures, paper flowers. Street vendors sell the world's best palmers.
On the road leading to Tzintzuntzun, next to the Pemex station, is a very simple road food restaurant Camino Real, which is always full and for good reason. The comida corrida runs about 21 pesos...and the pescado blanco about 50.
In Tzintzuntzun (I know I'm misspelling this), she should visit the studio of the potter Manuel Morales, located on the church grounds to the north in what appears to be one of the outbuildings. Manuel's matte-finish, almost Oriental glazes are in distinct contrast to the traditional white glaze popularized by his late father, Manuel Morales.
I'm not sure when your mother will have time to paint...since she'll also need to make a day trip to Zirhuen, Santa Clara de Cobre, Erongaricuaro, Tocuaro....