Morelia and Patzcuaro: Two Beautiful Places in Mexico

Last week I started experimenting with a video making program and I believe I have discovered a new passion for photograph and video editing. I took the opportunity of going on my old files and rescuing a bunch of old photographs taken in my hometown, Morelia, and the beautiful "Magic Town", Patzcuaro. I'm quite a rookie when it comes to video making, but I was pleased with the result that I would like to share with you.

First video: Morelia, the Beautiful Pink Stone City

Second video: A Glimpse of Patzcuaro

Just another way to show the world some of the amazing cities that can be found in Mexico. I hope you enjoy them and thank you in advance for watching.

I WANT TO RETIRE IN PATZCUARO!

A couple of weeks ago I was having lunch with my mom and one of her friends, an American lady named Jackie who has been living in Mexico for five years. After chatting with her for a while I was surprised to hear me express a phrase I never thought I would actually say: I would love to retire in Patzcuaro!

  

Now, I must confess that even though I consider Patzcuaro to be a beautiful and interesting place to visit, I always thought that it was a little boring to live in. Yes, after almost 30 years of my life I openly admit that I’m a “city girl”. But, don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of facts about Patzcuaro that make it a wonderful place to inhabit.

Patzcuaro is a small city (looks more like a town, actually) with an estimate population of 90,000 people. It is located by the famous lake that carries the same name, “Patzcuaro”. Its beauty and uniqueness made it one of the eight “Magic Towns” of the State of Michoacan.

This Spanish-colonial city is famous for its characteristic streets with red and white painted houses. It is also internationally known for the celebrations of the Day of the Dead which take place there and in the surroundings every year in November.

So, other than being a great place for tourists who like cultural destinies, it is a functional and cosmopolitan city which population is compounded by people with different nationalities and, as I discovered while talking to Jackie, it can be everything but boring.

She was telling me all about her busy days in retirement, how she meets with her book discussion club, her language classes, her yoga classes, and even her weekly meetings with a hiking club. She also told me about parties frequently organized for English speaking people who want to meet with Spanish speakers in order to practice languages. Overall, all her activities sounded awesome!

To sum up, the authentic style of this Mexican city, its traditions and its increasing number of retired people, makes Patzcuaro more and more interesting every year.

If you wish to learn more about Patzcuaro go to: http://www.visitmexico.com/en/magicaltowns/pacific-region/patzcuaro and http://www.patzcuaro.com/.

Photos by: Lilirog

IT'S PHILLY, I'M IN LOVE!!

They call it 'the City of Brotherly Love', and they are not mistaken (in fact, it's the literal meaning of Philadelphia in Greek). I was there 2 weeks ago and, before my trip, I remember reading the adds in the guides and maps saying something like "hello, future Philly lover", and thinking they were exaggerating. I guess I was wrong, because now, after being there for one week, I declare myself a true Philadelphia lover.

Some of my friends give me a weird look when I say this, but I couldn't help comparing Philadelphia to my home in Mexico, Morelia. Both cities are important in the history of their countries, both have something to do with the independence, they have culture all around and they still keep that special charm  from the past in their buildings.

So let's get to some historical facts, shall we? Philadelphia was founded in 1682 by William Penn and 70 years later, it became the most important British port in America. Home of Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and George Washington, the city is mostly known because it was the place where the Founding Fathers discussed and signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and the Constitution of the United States in 1787. Also, it was the Capital of USA for 10 years before it was moved to Washington DC in 1800 (by the way, in those days the yellow fever was killing a lot of people, but nobody knew that it was caused by a mosquito bite, so they just decided to flee the city).

So, you can tell that the city is filled with interesting places to see and things to do for every taste. You can dive into history in the old city, see famous art pieces in the Museum of Art (and the famous stairs from the movie Rocky), take a stroll by the Schuylkill river, see a show in one of the many theaters of  Broad street, visit the first penitentiary or even go on a tour to hear all about spooky legends and ghost stories (there are lots of them).

On top of all, there is one thing that I felt while visiting Philly: the people who live there are very nice. Everywhere there was someone who would ask us where we were from and immediately welcomed us with a warm smile (for the record, I've always felt good and welcomed while visiting the US, but this time there was something else).

To sum up, I strongly recommend everyone to visit Philly, I can assure that you won't regret planning your next vacation to this amazing and beautiful city.

Source: my personal experience. Pics taken by Lilirog.

I ♥ to live in MORELIA

Morelia is a beautiful colonial city, capital of the state of Michoacan, in the southwest part of Mexico. It was founded in 1541 and it played a very important role in the Mexican Independence.

Therefore, its streets, monuments, builings and squares are full of history, and represent a lovely example of the Spanish baroque style.

I have been living here for seven years now, and I must say that I love it. I mean sure, it has problems - like every city nowadays -, but you can find here more pros than cons.

For example, I have seen a lot of Mexican Cathedrals and, in my oppinion, there is not one more beautiful than the one in Morelia -in and outside-. This magnificent pink-coloured construction keeps an enormous organ with 4600 flutes, which is played every year at the International Organ Festival.

Downtown Morelia is, in general, a place worth visiting more than once. Each corner is surrounded by a unique atmosphere. This can be perfectly felt in "La Casa de la Cultura" and in "El Jardín de las Rosas" -two of my favourite places in the city-, were your artistic and bohemian self can revive while painting, writting, reading or simply drinking a cup of coffee with your friends.

.

Another attractive fact about Morelia, is that festivals take place during the whole year. The most important, I think, is the International Film Festival that takes place in October, were movies, actors and directors from all over the world are united in the heart of this colonial capital.

.

So, as you can tell, culture is inhaled in this city. No wonder why this place remains the most visited cultural destination in the whole country. Don't miss the chance to come and see it for yourselves!

img source:
http://vivirmexico.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/catedral-de-morelia-480x640.jpg
http://mexatua.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/img_1219.jpg