There are expats living here who came to the town, fell in love with it, and made a decision to purchase some land or property almost immediately.  This story is common in towns and cities all over Mexico, as people attempt to seize the moment or capitalize upon a particular investment opportunity that they came to know of during their visit.

However, if you want to get a feel for the place before making a longer-term commitment, most towns and cities in Mexico, including Patzcuaro, offer an ample selection of vacation rentals to choose from.

There are advantages and disadvantages to living in provincial Mexican towns, and compromises will need to be made wherever you may choose to settle.   Larger cities offer a wider choice of amenities and services as well as more depth of variety.  Cities are also more cosmopolitan whereas the provinces tend to attract certain types of people with interests specific activities or pastimes; for example, the arts, design, history or some maritime interest.  Smaller Mexican towns are generally quieter, more intimate, and less expensive to live in.

Today, most of the expatriates living in Patzcuaro are people in their mid forties and older, although a small few number of them moved here when they themselves were quite young.  This age pattern appears typical of people who move to Mexico, as younger generations are usually busy kindling careers, developing relationships and raising families in their home country.   There are exceptions to this pattern and the story of Fred and Megan here in Patzcuaro is one.

The matter of schooling is a key consideration for families with school-age children.   Bigger cities offer private schools that teach, principally, in English, although they are relatively expensive.  Smaller towns, and even some of the mid-sized cities, do not offer private schooling facilities, so if you moved to one of them, your children would need to undertake their studies in one of the local Mexican state schools – in Spanish – or commute to the nearest large town or city each day.

To get a deeper understanding of Patzcuaro – or any other place in Mexico you may be considering for living, working or retirement – it’s worthwhile moving there for a defined period of time, perhaps even for extended stays over different periods of the year.   If you are looking for a full-time location to retire to, knowing a town or city throughout the year’s changing seasons will also help you to manage your expectations of the location.   You can acquire this type of knowledge by returning to the place several times, or by living there for a month – possibly two or three – and engaging with local people and other expats who have already made the move to draw upon their experiences.

Not long ago, Patzcuaro was a town that most expats would never have heard of nor considered as a potential place for living and retirement.   Similar places include Merida, San Cristobal de las Casas, Campeche, Manzanillo, Mazatlan and San Felipe; locations hitherto considered ‘off the beaten track’ and too remote for comfort and practical purposes.

The development of roads, airports and modern communications across Mexico’s provincial regions is changing the demographic landscape of many towns across the country – Patzcuaro is a prime example – attracting people, investment, new infrastructure and, in the process, breathing new life into hitherto ‘backwater’ towns and cities as Mexicans and foreign expats alike bring their talents and capital to these places.

For people who want to live, work or retire in Mexico, Patzcuaro and other places like it offer the opportunity to live well amid an authentic Mexican setting, enjoy good standards of living with affordable rents, property prices and living costs, eat and drink healthily with locally-produced fresh foods available daily from the markets, and take an opportunity to live more simply in Mexico.

Patzcuaro’s real estate market has experienced a considerable renaissance over recent years.  The town’s property fortunes have been transformed by foreign investors buying homes in Mexico as well as affluent Mexicans seeking second homes in the countryside.

Most of the homes which have been purchased by foreigners here are properties which had been left in disrepair (or ruin) after years of being uninhabited, neglected by the owners or heirs of same, or a combination of both.   Land values are still relatively low in this region of Mexico and construction costs are inexpensive by US-standards; however land costs have risen as the town gains popularity and demand rises.

The best value real estate in Mexico is always that which you build or restore yourself.  However, not everyone has the time, patience nor the inclination to embark upon a build or restoration project.   Fortunately, the market in Patzcuaro is diverse enough to satisfy those who want to build or restore an old colonial property as well as those who want a finished house, ready to move into and transform into a comfortable home.

If you decide that you do want to fix-up an old property in Mexico, be prepared for a steep learning curve; come armed with at least some Spanish language abilities, plenty of negotiating skills and know that you will have to dig deeper into your personal tenacity bank, if not your fiscal one, than you may have anticipated at the outset.  Try not to rush your purchase and undertake your homework diligently in regard to land prices and construction costs.  The best way to get a feel for the market and develop some friendships and contacts which will help you to secure best value, is to rent locally for a time and get yourself known and trusted locally. Wandering around the historic center, it seems that there remains a reasonable quantity of old houses in need of restoration; some are openly advertised for sale; others look abandoned and probably need inquiring about on a case-by-case basis.

The most expensive real estate in Patzcuaro is that which is situated within about two to three blocks of town’s main squares: the Plaza Grande and the Plaza Chica and more expensive still if the property has been fully restored and ‘ready to move in’.  Other factors which make the center attractive is that the topography is largely flat, access to all of the town’s services and amenities is within a stone’s throw, and the historic center of town offers the most picturesque backdrop for your home.

Land and property further up the hill/mountain may be lower priced, although it’s beginning to get more expensive; especially land which offers views across the valley and over Lake Patzcuaro.   Further out of town, in the nearby villages, local expats talk of land prices at very low prices with beautiful countryside views. However, you’ll need do your research before committing to such rural lands.  For example, ensure that permission to build a home on the land exists or may be obtained with certainty; you’ll need a car to get around properly, or be prepared to make extensive use of the local mini-buses and taxis.  These lands may not be served by utilities so you’ll have to arrange (pay) for these to be installed.  Talk with a local architect and lawyer and/or Notary Public about such matters before you commit to any transactions.

Since the start of the financial crunch that began around August 2007, Patzcuaro’s property sales market has lost a considerable amount of its buoyancy.   People who were planning to sell homes overseas have had their plans delayed by a fall in market values and the knock-on effects of those delays are being felt in places like Patzcuaro which hitherto have enjoyed a mini property boom due, in good part, to the influx of foreign investment.

However, there is a sector of the property market which continues to enjoy a good deal of movement here: vacation home rentals.  There continues to be a vigorous demand for short and medium term rentals of homes ‘ready to live in’ in Patzcuaro, especially well-appointed properties within easy reach of the town center.

Casa Espejo is an example of the kind of house that’s popular for vacation rentals in Patzcuaro.   The house is situated just two or three blocks (or about a five minute walk) from Patzcuaro’s main square, so it’s perfectly situated for access to all of the local services and amenities needed for your stay.   The homes are fully fitted-out with all of the furniture and home wares you need to arrive with suitcases, unpack, and start living comfortably in Patzcuaro.

Like most other vacation rentals in Patzcuaro, these two homes were purchased by non-resident foreign owners who invested in old colonial properties and had them beautifully restored into modern, comfortable, homes.

Turning your home into a vacation rental is a way to own property in Mexico when you can’t be here full-time to look after it.  The property needs to be marketed and you’ll need a house manager to take care of things locally.   Once all the costs and fees are paid, you may not turn a significant profit, but you will cover all of your costs, property taxes and maintenance, and you’ll have ‘free’ use of the house when you visit Mexico.   Renting out your home is also a good way to improve the security of your Mexican home while you’re away.

For extended visits to Patzcuaro, the ready-supply of vacation rentals provides an opportunity to set up a base here and explore the town, the area, and the region.   Whether you may be planning to live in Patzcuaro or anywhere else in Mexico, taking the time to explore before you commit to a location is a wise approach.

During the late fall, winter and early spring, you’ll need to book your vacation rental in advance, as this is a popular nesting ground for ‘snowbirds’ who flee the cold climates in their home countries and some owners, too, make personal use their homes during this time.

There are three other times of year when vacation rentals will be harder to come by if you have not booked well in advance: Easter Week (exact dates vary), Day of Dead (week leading up to and including the 1st and 2nd of November) and the period over Christmas and New Year.

Continued: A Month in Patzcuaro – Conclusion

Michelle Roos is from the United States; she has lived in Mexico for three years and made Patzcuaro her full-time home for two of those three.  Michelle is the founder and creator of ecomexico.org, which fronts a company she established to enable people to get to know Patzcuaro and its Lakeside Villages, with particular attention given to the matter of sustainable tourism.   Her website is a most excellent resource for people interested in Patzcuaro, as it covers eco and leisure travel and also purveys local knowledge and useful gateways for people who want to rent or buy property in the town.   Her direct experience of living, working and investing in Patzcuaro is reflected in the information published on her website: Michelle purchased a property here in Patzcuaro a couple of years ago; an old ruin near the center of town that has now been transformed into a beautiful and very comfortable colonial home.   As a direct result of her exceptional talents, which instinctively connect people with opportunities, coupled with the sheer hard work and efforts she has made to promote this town she holds so dear, Michelle is widely known and highly regarded in Patzcuaro by the expat community as well as many local businesses involved in travel and real estate.  She is a sterling example of a foreigner who came to Mexico and made a real contribution to the community where she chose to settle.   Life situations change, and Michelle is moving back to the States to be with and marry her fiancée.

Fred, Megan and their two children, are one of Patzcuaro’s longest-standing expatriate families living in Patzcuaro.   They arrived from the USA together with a baby and young toddler, to setup a company which designs, manufactures and exports very fine, top-of-the-range furniture.  Fifteen years on, their thriving business, Copper Instincts, a manufacturing enterprise that sources all its raw materials from around Patzcuaro, continues to thrive and demonstrates how Mexico’s rich natural resources, coupled with foreign expertise and contacts – and a huge amount of tenacity – can be combined to create a productive and fruitful work-life in Mexico.  Their two children, now fourteen and eighteen years old, are fully-bilingual as they grew up and studied in the local schools here.  Their parent’s entrepreneurial endeavors bequeathed them a unique and culturally diverse childhood experience; their eldest son is returning to the States to begin a university course next year.

Many of the expats connected with this town are artists, writers or in some way connected with the art world.

Patzcuaro’s finest art exhibition, which is on permanent display, is also Patzcuaro’s finest hotel.  Gemma Macouzet and Didier Dorval are fine artists and musicians with roots and connections in Canada and France.   The couple arrived in Patzcuaro one day, with the intention of purchasing some some textiles, before moving to Paris.  They instantly fell in love with this ancient highland town, and instead of going to Paris, they purchased a property which is also a national monument: Casa de la Real Aduana.  The property, which was in an advanced state of disrepair, took over two years to restore working with a team of thirteen full-time workers on-site.   The outcome is nothing short of magnificent; the attention to precise detail is clearly evident and exquisite; and although the couple created an impressive website to show off the space, the property must be visited to be truly appreciated.  Today, Casa de la Real Aduana is one of Mexico’s finest boutique hotels; small and intimate offering just five uniquely defined rooms: the beautifully restored and decorated chambers offer the utmost of luxury, convenience and comfort and each one is complimented with original works of fine art and antique furniture.   Using their artistic and musical connections, the owners often host concerts at the property; this last weekend two of Russia’s finest musicians: the cellist Tania Anisimva and Lydia Frumkin, a fine pianist and acclaimed piano professor, performed a breath-taking concert in the presence of a small, intimate, audience of around forty people.   Gemma and Didier are passionate about their art, their music, and Patzcuaro.  Their unequivocal commitment is a leading example of how talented expatriates, attracted by Patzcuaro’s character and charm, are helping to develop and transform this highland town.

Dan and Becky Brawner are Americans living and working between Nashville and Patzcuaro.  Dan is a professor of art and Becky is a freelance graphic designer.   They discovered Patzcuaro a small few years ago and decided to purchase and restore a property which they now enjoy for part of the year, and offer as a vacation rental at other times.  The home in Patzcuaro, which was once an old, run-down workshop, is situated amidst an authentic Mexican neighborhood just three blocks from the center of town.  Beautifully designed, built, and decorated, the property reflects the owners’ artistic passions as well as strengths in their professional fields.   Like many expats living here part-time, Dan and Becky would love to make Patzcuaro their principal home, although their lives and work commitments in the States prevent them, for now, from a full-time move to Mexico.

Bart Hrast, a surfer and photographer, is a relatively new expat resident in Patzcuaro and has opened an art gallery at #5 Buena Vista street, less than a block away from the basilica.  His gallery features a diverse range of artworks and photographic prints, providing an outlet and focal point for local and expatriate artists to exhibit, promote and sell their art.  If you come to visit Patzcuaro for a while, you will soon be presented with an opportunity to attend an art exhibition at Bart’s gallery, the local cultural center, or Mistongo, a gallery and restaurant-bar, situated at #4 Dr Coss street, around the corner from the Plaza Grande.  The art-related events which take place regularly here provide you with an opportunity to meet other expats and local artists, to socialize, and to browse the artwork on offer.

One of the key challenges for foreigners who are not retired but who have a desire to live in a town like Patzcuaro, is the question about how to earn a living in Mexico.  Fred and Megan brought their expertise and started a company that harnesses local resources and exports an exceptionally high-quality, hand-crafted, product to customers overseas; their business model tapped into a perennial issue that faces Mexico now: the country does not lack natural resources, but it reveals a gaping – and constant – expertise gap, which they bridged in their chosen work space.  However, most expatriates who come to live and work in Mexico will end up earning their crust by working in some kind of ‘knowledge’ field: working freelance in Mexico under contract to firms which may be based here in Mexico, but more often overseas, or as employees of their own ‘knowledge-economy’ company.

Some of the younger expats who have settled in Patzcuaro are making an investment with a view to full-time retirement in Mexico.  For now, they enjoy living in Patzcuaro part-time, while renting out their homes when they cannot be here.  Patzcuaro also attracts a significant number of ‘snow birds’: people who flee from harsh winter climates to more temperate environments here in Mexico, usually for three to six months of the year.  If you want to rent a house in Patzcuaro, or similar towns popular with people who overwinter in Mexico, you’ll need to make your plans ahead of time as the homes, like Casa Espejo which your writer is occupying for his month’s stay, book up quickly and you’re less likely to find a ‘last minute’ rental here between November and April.

Continued: A Month in Patzcuaro – Property

Patzcuaro offers an ample range of shops and markets – including an abundance of fresh food purveyors – without the need to travel long distances.  Because the town is protected and regulated architecturally, all of the stores must paint their name on a white background using a particular type-face; the first letter of each word is red and the subsequent letters are black.  There are no neon signs, no glowing logos on poles or walls with advertisements or signs protruding from the premises.   It all looks a bit olde-worlde, and somewhat deceiving because, although the modern look and feel is missing, many of the stores are the same chain stores you may see elsewhere in Mexico, offering the same sorts of goods once you step inside.

There are no billboards in Patzcuaro’s center.  Contrast that with Mexico City, which is so full-up with billboards, that the natural landscape is obscured by them in many places; indeed, you cannot go anywhere in the capital without being surrounded by a constant saturation of advertising noise: Patzcuaro, and other towns like it in Mexico, offer a respite.  However, Patzcuaro is not an ad-free oasis: not be out-done by the rules, local businesses employ cars or trucks to drive around town and the local neighborhoods with loud-speakers strapped to their roofs: a recorded message beams out, imploring ‘housewives’ and others to buy certain goods from certain stores; to fill your home’s gas tank using a particular local supplier; to take up current local supermarket offers; and there are even mobile voice-ads offering the counsel of a local ‘fortune teller’ in matters of money, luck, love and relationship.  These mobile ad-machines operate between about seven o’clock each morning, and cease their neighborhood rounds by dusk.

If you like eating fresh, wholesome, food you’ll love Michoacán.  The climate and rich, arable, land in this region provides an abundance of good food to choose from.  The state is the “avocado capital of the world” – if you have ever bought an avocado abroad that is of Mexican origin, it was most probably grown around here.   Local, open-air, markets set-up daily proffering a wide range of fresh foods and condiments: nothing is flown-in, what you see in the local market is in season and was grown here.  Right now, in December, you may enjoy delicious mandarins, juicy sweet oranges, strawberries and guava.  Later in the year, for example, mangos will appear, too.   The local markets offer an eye-popping display of color and variety; the scent as you wander through them is one of fresh, ripe, food that is begging to be consumed.

There are some small supermarkets in the center of town, the best-established is “Super Codallos”, on Codallos street, about a block west of the Plaza Grande.  It’s owned and operated by a family who has lived here for generations, offering a decent range of everyday items and also a good deli counter where hams, cheeses, sausages and other condiments are sold by weight.  It’s interesting to note that the supermarket does not stock or sell any fresh produce at all – because right outside is an open-air market, selling everything fresh and often directly from the fields it was grown in.

On the same street, you’ll find a bakery which bakes deliciously fresh bolillos and other breads all day long – including Sundays – as well as a small range of doughnuts, cream cakes and other sweet bread.   A couple of doors down is a wine and liquor merchant (a larger wine cellar may be found around the corner on Romero street) and within a stone’s throw is a local butcher, who proffers any cut of meat you may desire. Nearby, you’ll also find the local chicken merchant (polleria), who also sells eggs and other produce which compliment poultry.

You can find “tienditas” everywhere in Patzcuaro – small local stores offering a range of basic comestibles, home wares, confectionery, sodas, beers and liquor; some also have a small deli selection in addition to a limited range of dried pulses, chiles and spices as well as the most-frequently used fruits and vegetables such an onions, tomatoes and limes.

Earlier this year, Soriana, one of Mexico’s leading super-market chains opened a supermarket here in Patzcuaro, situated on the libramiento (by-pass road), about four big blocks east of the town center.   In addition to a range of comestibles, confectionery, sodas, beer and liquor, Soriana sells home-electrical goods, some hardware, music and DVDs, some audio and visual entertainment systems, a limited range of tents and camping gear, a small selection of toys and stationery, limited ranges of men’s and women’s clothing, a good range of personal care items, a pharmacy and some limited computer equipment and computer peripherals.

Although Patzcuaro’s relatively-new Soriana store proffers a small number of items which you cannot source elsewhere in Patzcuaro; notably, its extensive delicatessen counter, some specialty foods, some high-end imported liquors, and its extended range of personal care products like toothpastes and toothbrushes, you can actually procure nearly everything Soriana sells somewhere in Patzcuaro’s center, albeit from different stores.  For example, Elektra, a nation-wide store selling home electrical goods, white goods and home furnishings, has a branch store in town; local pharmacies offer most medicines and a reasonable range of personal care items and, although Soriana sells a small range of mountain bikes, you’ll get a better selection, better service and even repair help at the local bicycle shop on Ibarra street in town.   Whether Soriana’s presence is a good thing is currently a moot point, locally.  Some say that it takes trade away from the local shops, while others argue that Soriana provides good jobs and encourages local traders to raise their game.

Patzcuaro also offers a number of other commercial amenities.  MultiPack and Estafeta, Mexico’s principal courier companies, have branches situated on the libramiento, and they are also agents for FedEx/DHL.

There are various local car work-shops which offer tune-ups, repairs, body-work and so on, although each workshop appears to specialize, so if you need your brakes and radiator fixed, you’ll need to take the vehicle to two different places.

Plenty of outlets in Patzcuaro offer over-the-counter foreign currency exchange, but they deal exclusively in US Dollars.  If you want to negotiate Euros, Pounds, Canadian or Australian Dollars, et al, you’ll need to do that in Morelia.   However, Mexico’s big banks all have branches in Patzcuaro: Banamex, Bancomer, HSBC, Santander – they’re all here and their ATMs will dish out pesos all day and most of the night.

Oxxo stores, Mexico’s equivalent (and in many cities, competitors to) Seven-11 and Circle-K, have two stores in Patzcuaro; one on the south side of the Plaza Grande and one at the eastern corner of the Plaza Chica.  These convenience stores are open extended hours offering a range of fast-foods, snacks, sodas, coffee, confectionery and other goods.

Patzcuaro’s shopping also extends to an ample range of boutiques and curio shops selling good quality textiles, shoes, sportswear, locally produced arts and crafts, gifts, pottery, musical instruments (especially guitars made nearby in the village of Paracho), cell phone shops, internet cafes, home wares, kitchen wares, and more besides…

For socializing, Patzcuaro provides a good choice of cafes and restaurants, most of which are situated in or around the center of town.  Some of the better hotels, like Mansion de los Sueños and Mansion Iturbe, also offer good restaurants open to the public.

Patzcuaro is a small, highland, town and so ultimately the choice and variety of goods and services on offer here will be limited by its geographical size and location.  However, the colonial city of Morelia, just a forty minute drive by car (about an hour’s journey by bus) offers you access to most of Mexico’s ‘big brand’ stores like Liverpool, Costco, Wal-Mart, Superama, and also American franchises like Starbucks Coffee without having to travel to Guadalajara or Mexico City.

Talking with expats living here, they report that almost everything they need on a day-to-day basis they can procure locally in Patzcuaro; monthly (and in some cases quarterly) trips into Morelia enable them to stock up on items which they like to consume but which cannot be purchased locally, and to buy specialty or gourmet foods (e.g. tofu), to buy clothes or shoes, or to select from wider range of imported foods or goods from the USA and elsewhere.

Continued: A Month in Patzcuaro – Expatriates

Most places within six-to-eight blocks of the center are within an easy walk of each other.  The central areas immediately off the main square are relatively flat; however walk just two of three blocks south, east or west and the topography changes as Patzcuaro begins to ascend the mountains it is settled between.   West of the center, a walk up El Estribo (the stirrup), which includes a section with four hundred steps built-in to the hillside, offers beautiful panoramic views across the valley, Lake Patzcuaro and the islands including Janitizio.   A similar but less steep walk on the east side, will lead you up into a wooded mountain and, with well-trodden trails throughout, offers excellent morning or evening walks: it gets hot in the day so early or late treks are advisable.

Patzcuaro’s public transport system includes a network of mini-buses which carry passengers from the center of town to the various areas and neighborhoods around town, as well as further out to the many villages dotted around the lakeside.  There are at least a couple of radio-cab companies to choose from.  Monarca is the one best-spoken of by locals.  Taxis are plentiful; you may hail them off the street, from a taxi-rank, or phone to have one come and meet you.  They are not metered, so agree your price beforehand.  It’s useful to have a car in Pátzcuaro if you plan to travel around the area quite frequently.  However, if your travels out of town will be intermittent, it will help your personal economy, the local ecology and be more convenient to take a local bus or hire a cab when you need one.   If you need a car in town, for example, to take your groceries home, cabs are plentiful and very inexpensive; a cab ride anywhere within Patzcuaro charges $20 pesos (US$1.50).

The colonial city of Morelia, the capital of the state of Michoacán, is about a forty minute road trip from Patzcuaro by car.  Buses traverse the route frequently and the journey time is about an hour.  Alternatively, you can hire a cab which will cost you about $200 pesos (US$15).  Most day-to-day items may be procured in Patzcuaro; however, Morelia offers access to most of Mexico’s ‘top brand’ shops including a shopping mall with department stores and American outlets like Costco, Wal-Mart and Starbucks Coffee.

The region’s principal airport is about a thirty-minute drive north-east of Morelia.  Flying to Mexico City is relatively expensive from there: round-trip fares can cost up to US$400; compare that to a round-trip, very comfortable, executive bus ride costing US$49.  However, the airport does offer international connections to various cities in the USA, and rates on international routes are more competitive.  Alternative cities nearby with international airports are Guadalajara and Mexico City – both of these places are virtually equidistant from Morelia, and take around a four-hour road trip to reach.   Local resident expats who have experimented with different ‘routes’ from Patzcuaro to the USA and back, all report that the premium charged for flying from Morelia out-weighs the lower flight fares from Guadalajara or Mexico City, once the additional road journey costs and travel times are taken into account.

Pátzcuaro’s main church, the Basilica de Nuestra Señora de la Salud, is about a block east from the Plaza Chica.  This month, the town celebrated one of its most important festivals, Dia de Nuestra Señora de la Salud, the town’s Patron Saint.   At five in the morning on December 8th, many of the townsfolk gathered at the basilica to hold mass, which begins with a Mariachi band playing Las Mañanitas, Mexico’s traditional birthday song.  Following mass, firework displays are set-off throughout most of the day and, in the evening, a town-wide party ensues, with the Plaza Grande, the Plaza Chica and the area immediately surrounding the Basilica filled with market stalls, fairground rides and other attractions.   Locals from all of the surrounding lakeside villages arrive to pay homage to Patzucaro’s Patron Saint in hope of being granted good health and tidings in the year ahead.

The other festivals celebrated at-large in Patzcuaro during December are Christmas, which is hailed by the famous Posadas Navideñas, beginning December 12th: local neighborhood Christmas parties which re-enact the story of Mary and Joseph searching for an inn; and New Year’s Eve.

The setting here is semi-rural but it’s not a place that feels remote and disconnected.   There is plenty of activity going on around the town during the weekdays, and weekends are even livelier as visitors arrive for a break in Patzcuaro: foreigners who are touring the region or using Patzcuaro as a base to explore the area, as well as Mexicans – especially chilangos from Mexico City, easily spotted by their accents and ‘foreign’ car number plates – here for respite from the congestion, noise and complexity of the capital.

It’s no wonder that artists, writers and artisans love Patzcuaro.  It has an authentic bohemian feel to it.  Its old-world charm and modern-day amenities blend well together.  It’s a town which continues to exude civility; demonstrated, for example, as car drivers pause on their journey to allow pedestrians a right of way, and neighbors who knock on your writer’s the door to say that there’s a small street party happening tonight, please excuse the noise, and please feel free to attend.

Continued: A Month in Patzcuaro – Commerce

Pátzcuaro is a rural town exhibiting a mixture of colonial and indigenous architectural styles, situated at some 7,200 feet above sea level in the forested mountains west of Mexico City.  It’s a town in the state of Michoacán, known as the ‘land of lakes and forests’; rich in history, art, culture, and blessed with outstanding natural beauty and a temperate climate.

It’s a very pleasant four-hour road journey from the capital’s western bus terminal to the colonial city of Morelia and, from there, a forty minute cab ride to the center of Pátzcuaro.  The cab ride from Morelia’s bus station is priced at around US$20.   Driving a private car to Pátzcuaro is quicker – the 205-mile journey from Mexico City may be completed in less than four hours.   If you’re flying here, Morelia has an international airport with connections from various cities across Mexico as well as flight hub cities in the USA.  As quaint and as rural as Pátzcuaro certainly is, it’s quite well connected and accessible.

Casual observation of this mountain town might mislead you into thinking that the location is an ultra-provincial backwater with not much doing.  However, delve under the surface and Pátzcuaro comes alive in a good many ways – which will be revealed in the lines published here over the next weeks.

Pátzcuaro has an ample supply of comfortable hotels which are ideal for shorter visits, although for this longer stay, your writer is renting Casa Espejo, a beautifully-restored and decorated colonial home just two main blocks from the Plaza Grande (Main Square) and featuring every modern facility and comfort you would find in a house in any big city.  The property is owned by an American couple and is let as a fully-serviced vacation rental for periods ranging from a week to a month or more.

It’s December, and so the weather in Pátzcuaro is ranging from near-freezing overnight to 25C (80F) in the day.  Both the cold and the heat are “dry”, so the cold doesn’t eat into your bones and the heat is not exhausting.  Days are characterized by crystal-clear azure-blue skies.  The rainy season (May-September) is well-past, and so you can expect dry and bright weather on most days this time of year.  Even during the rainy season, the days are warm and the afternoon thunderstorms provide welcome refreshment to the heat as well as a mesmerizing display of nature’s forces.

The Pacific ocean is just a three-hour drive south west from here, and a luxury bus line connects the destinations with frequent runs daily.  The resort-town of Ixtapa and the picturesque colonial town (once a fishing village) of Zihuatanejo offer an easily-accesible weekend break by the waves.   That said, inland Michoacán is not short of water: some of the world’s highest lakes are located here and Lake Pátzcuaro and its artisan villages – on the doorstep – is one of the most frequently-visited lakes in Mexico.

The Monarch Butterflies have recently arrived, after migrating from the northern reaches of Canada, to winter in Mexico between November and March.  They arrive in the mountains of Michoacán and their presence here offers a unique nature experience for visitors.

December is also an important month for festivities in Pátzcuaro and environs.  The town’s Patron Saint — La Virgen de la Salud — is celebrated on December 8th with a local fair and processions; Christmas and New Year are major events here – if you want to see Pátzcuaro in these times you absolutely must book ahead to secure your accommodation.

This serialized blog article will cover all of the town’s events during the month ahead as well as bring you local knowledge about the location and relate real-life stories about some foreign residents who have already made the move to Pátzcuaro and call this town their home, full or part-time.

Continued: A Month in Patzcuaro – Bearings