By Liliana Elena Gonzalez

@mexatua

In the process of selling, we get thousands of questions about the weather in certain area. I always ask the owners to reply to that question. So I am sharing with you the answer by Espiritu Libre Cabin´s owner to: How´s the weather like in Tzintzuntzan?

The weather in general….in the winter, daytime temperatures are usually in the mid 70′s F. It is very rare for the temperature to be less than 70, and when it is, it is in the 60′s. This is only a few days out of the winter, mostly it is sunny and in the 70′s. At night, in winter, it is usually around 40, on the coldest mornings it may be 35, but that is also rare, it is almost alway around 40 and then warms usually to 75.

In the spring, the night and morning temperature is usually around 50 to 60 degress, and it will warm into the 80′s. It is rare that daytime temperatures would be higher than 85, it is never as hot as Morelia for example. More typical, like today, the temperature in the spring time is about 80 to 85.

In the summer, the nights and mornings are the same as spring, usually around 60 degress, and the daytime is usually a little cooler than spring, in the high 70′s, like 78 to 80 degrees F. It is rarely warmer than that because the rains cool things off. During the rainy season, from June to October, it will usually rain for about an hour or two and then is sunny the rest of the day. Humidity is a little higher in the summer because of the rains, but never hot and humid like the coast.

In the fall, the weather is very much like summer, but with less rain. Sometimes it is even a little warmer, but in late October and November the late night/early morning temperatures start dropping, first to 50, then by december to 40. When the rains stop, usually October, there is less humidity, but again, it is never too dry.

The humidity is is never too high and never too low. It is usually between 40 and 70 percent, sometimes a little more and sometimes a little less. It does not get hot and humid together like down on the coast. And it is never dry like San Miguel de Allende. When the humidity is too low, my nose gets very very dry, and when it is high, my hair gets very frizzy…this NEVER happens here in Tzintzuntzan. WE have a very moderate humidity, and it is one of the things I love about this area.

See properties for sale in Tzintzuntzan.

By Liliana Elena Gonzalez

@mexatua

After I show you some numbers, you are going to fight for this property.

But, before I tell you more about it, I want you to answer some questions:

Have you ever dreamed about…

… admiring the lake and mountains every morning while you eat breakfast in your porch?

… retire in a small picturesque and Colonial Mexican Village ?

… having a private dock, so you can use your canoe or sailboat as you please?

… listening and watching birds in your garden every day for the rest of your life?

… being inmerse in the Mexican Culture and enjoy all of their tradition & festivities?

If you are a very active person, how about having a successful:

… B&B business?
… language school?
… travel guide business?

Let´s talk about hobbies, do you enjoy…

… bird watching?
… bicking?
… hicking?

I could go on and on, but to make it short, this home location is perfect for all those activities & business and much more.

This property is nestled in Tzintzuntzan (Did you know it means hummingbird?).

This is a Fixer upper Cabin & Studio at Lake Patzcuaro´s Shore. I have made an estimate in the actual condition:

ACTUAL PRICE IS $1,500,000.00 PESOS = $118,000.00 USD

Therefore, even if you tear down the actual construction, you will still be paying less than the actual value of the land.

So, HURRY UP! before the owner reads this post and changes her mind.

Learn about Tzintzuntzan.

See the property ad with lots of photos and info.

See the property´s album at flickr.

By Liliana Elena Rodríguez

It was a very nice Sunday morning when we arrived to the hotel Fiesta Inn in Morelia. There we met a lively realtor’s group which was very excited to visit and learn about Michoacan’s culture. I knew we would get along well right away.

We started the day by going around the streets of Morelia, and as their tour guide, I pointed out all the interesting facts about the city. It was great to see that they were very interested about the facts of the colonial capital.

After having breakfast in a nice downtown house, we headed towards Zirahuen. On our way there, everybody was amazed by the beautiful landscape of the highway, and I loved that.

When we arrived to Zirahuen, the weather was cold, but the chalet we visited had a very warm and welcoming atmosphere. And I must say that the view of the lake from that place was absolutely wonderful.

The next place we visited was Patzcuaro, were we saw the beautiful main plaza and the basilica. Later, we had a delicious lunch in a beautiful house there.

I really enjoyed being able to show this magic town to the group, it truly is a place worth visiting.

The last stop in our tour was Tzintzuntzan. In there, we made a visit inside the church complex and everyone was happy and interested to learn about the Purepechas and Vasco de Quiroga.

In the end of the tour, I felt really great and pleased because all the people in the group were satisfied and happy. Also, I had the opportunity to show everyone some of the beautiful and interesting places I love of Michoacan.

By John Glaab

“A Glimpse of Michoacan” was an added attraction to the Annual Conference of the Mexican Association of Real Estate Professions. (AMPI).

The event was a real estate tour of the area surrounding Morelia, the capital of Michoacan. It brought together a group of Realtors®, mainly from the Texas Association of Realtors (TAR), but also from Manzanillo, Colima, Chapala/Ajijic, Jalisco and Morelia and Uruapan, both in Michoacan. John Gormley led the Texas contingent. He is Director of Communications for TAR. The tour was organized by Mexatua Realty of Morelia along with The Settlement Company® and Linda Neil Properties.

Early Sunday morning, October 11th, members of the tour assembled at Morelia’s, Hotel Fiesta Inn. Next stop would be a continental breakfast at a painstakingly restored colonial home in downtown Morelia. Many positive comments were made about the architect and the crafts people who did the work.

Next would be a brief tour of the “ Centro Historico” of this sixteenth century jewel followed by a trip along the ancient aqueduct built by the Spanish, ending up at a lookout high above the city in the area above what the Santa Maria barrio.

Leaving Morelia, the bus headed down a highway lined by tall pine trees and at one point, Lake Patzcuaro was seen. A coffee break was held at a chalet in the village of Zirahuen. The building is on acreage and overlooks the lake which is the deepest in Mexico. It is fed by spring water without any rivers leading into it.

Patzcuaro is a picturesque village which has become home to many artists and writers from outside of Mexico. It is also renowned for its special type of ice cream and shops selling the various crafts from the surrounding villages. We had lunch, typical Mexican fare at a restored home with a large back yard and a casita. The owner has purchased several homes for restoration and is building new ones. After lunch we viewed audio visual presentations about several others nearby developments.

Then we were off to a very special place, Tzintzuntzan. This was the Capital of the Imperial Purepecha Empire, during the pre-Hispanic era. The ruins of its ceremonial site is important to Mexican archeology. The former convent Santa Ana de Tzintzuntzan is the first convent built by the Franciscans in Michoacan, during the sixteenth century. Noches de Muertos (Day of the Dead) on November 1st is a mixture of Purepecha and Christian traditions. The local cemetery is one of the favourite places for tourists to be.

Members of our tour took advantage of the myriad of handi crafts in the local market. Among the most popular purchases were Christmas decorations woven from tule grown on the banks of Lake Patzcuaro.

At almost 7 p.m., the bus arrived back at the hotel. Time to download cameras. (I have two web sites created by people who traveled with us. When asked about the tour and Michoacan, Barbara Boyd an Austin Broker exclaimed, “ Michoacan- we’ve got it and you can quote me on that.” Ward Arendt created a web site. (As he had for the TAR Trade Mission to Guadalajara, last year. On his site he wrote,” Spectacular properties and countryside were seen. Surprising to us was the high altitude of above 7,200 feet. Pine and oak forests along with beautiful lakes dot the region.

By Linda Neil

Tour agenda:

DEPARTURE TIME: 8:00 a.m. Lobby, Hotel Fiesta Inn, Morelia.

We will travel ten to fifteen minutes to a home in the historic center of Morelia where we will enjoy coffee and sweet rolls.

After a brief tour of historic Morelia where we will hear about history, land values and living style. Then we will travel to the village of Zirahuen, next to a lovely alpine lake where many foreigners are beginning to discover a fascinating lifestyle. There, we will have refreshments at a home with breathtaking views.

On to Patzcuaro where you will observe the Purepecha Indians, the lake and Janitzio Island. Mexican lunch (comida) will be served about 2:00 p.m. at the home of an expatriot who will share her living experiences with you.

After lunch we will travel on to Tzintzuntzan ancient capital of the Purepecha Indians and major center for handcrafts and culture. This is an area where there is much growth and potential.

We will have a guide on board and will also share our own photos, music and personal experiences. We are scheduled to arrive back at the Hotel Fiesta Inn about 6:00 p.m., hopefully with a bus full of happy Michoacan visitors!

Want to see where you are going?  Check out a map of the area.

Clothing: The mornings and afternoons can be cool. Be casual and comfortable for you may want to walk a bit and do bring a sweater!

Registration and Payment: $35.00 USD, cost recovery only. You may wish to pay on-line.

SPACE AVAILABLE! We still have a few seats available! Please let your friends and colleagues know about this special event!

By Liliana Elena Gonzalez

@mexatua

Join Linda Neil and me in the one day tour & realtors®  networking session Glimpse of Michoacán, the Real México!

Why is Michoacán unique and why should a broker be interested? John Glaab (Linda´s husband) has sent me the following list:

• Michoacán, the world’s avocado capital  abounds with agricultural richness
• Rich in culture and crafts, taught by the Spanish clergyman Don Vasco
• Great Year Round, Livable Climate
• Morelia, the capital is less than a five hour drive from Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo
• The state has a network of auto pistes ( high speed highways)
• International flights serve Uruapan and  Morelia
• The only olive trees in Mexico are  found on the grounds of the former convent at Zintzintzun
• Morelia is the place for  many cultural events and festivals
• The meseta Purepecha is rich in tradition and indigenes culture
• Lake Zirahuen is the deepest lake in Mexico
• Lake Patzcuaro has an Island with a statue of Morelos a Mexican patriot, that is taller than the Statue of Liberty
• The coast of Michoacán reminds one of Big Sur
• At night Morelia is a city of lights with its  spectacular XVIth century buildings lit up
• Morelia is named after the great Mexican patriot, Morelos, one of the leaders of the revolution
• The state has the  first hospital for Indians in the new world and the oldest music school
• On the coast, the port of Lazero Cardenas is quickly outpacing L.A. and Long Beach
• Michoacan has its own special Mexican cuisine
• The village of Paracho produces world class guitars and violins
• Paricutin is the volcano that erupted in 1943
• There are more than 6,000 extinct volcanoes in Michoacán
• Unlike some of the beach areas, there are many affordable properties for sale

Don´t miss this realtors networking while enjoying Michoacan’s  culture & beauty.

Reserve Now!    Limited Capacity!

As October comes to a close, the little pueblo of Tzintzuntzan begins it’s preparations for one of its biggest festivals – Noche de los Muertos. Everyone in town is busy, flowers are fixed to the archway leading to the cemetery, large orange marigolds and red cockscomb appear in every corner of the village. Some people are busy with the street fair, but most of the townsfolk are in the cemetery, building fantastic ofrendas (memorials) to their dearly departed loved ones.

Noche de los Muertos (night of the dead, AKA day of the dead) has been celebrated in these lands for centuries, traditions laid down long before the arrival of the conquistadores. It was a major celebration for the Purhepecha, the indigenous people of the region, and used to be celebrated in the month of August. The celebrations lasted the entire month.

The catholic church attempted to incorporate this tradition, moving the date to November 1 to coincide with all saints day. Where the church succeeded in melding other indigenous celebrations into their liturgy, Noche de los Muertos lived on, in the hearts and minds of the people, as the one tradition they could not subvert.

People prepare for days, acquiring the flowers and designing their ofrendas. It is an outpouring of love by the living for the dead. Most people believe in the holiday, and that they do commune with their departed relatives on those days.

The magic begins at sundown on the night of October 31. As people finish their ofrendas, and begin to light the candles, an eerie glow begins to descend on the cemetery as the candlelight overcomes the darkness. Families gather at the gravesides, cooking meals on open fires, and bundling up against the cold. The first night is the parade of the little angels. It is said that on this night, the children and the unmarried are the first to return, starting at midnight, November 1. The second night is when the adults return.

The ofrendas are amazing, with pictures of the loved ones, and plates of their favorite foods, and their favorite beverages, sometimes even cigarettes and candy are left for those who return. One year there was a larger than life representation of the Virgin of Guadalupe, made of flowers on a wood frame. Most people will spend the night at graveside. It is both eerie and amazing.

Properties for sell or rent in Tzintzuntzan.

Tzintzuntzan is located in the North Shore of Lake Patzcuaro

Beautiful Mexican country home located in exclusive zone of waterfront properties in Tzintzuntzan. Here you can enjoy the peace and quiet of lakeside living, only 5 minutes from Quiroga, 15 from Patzcuaro and 45 from Morelia.The original house designed is based on a rustic Purhepecha troje, and has been modernize for your comfort. A modern addition made of stone and adobe was built for passive solar heating and lighting.

The house has 4 bedrooms, three of which have their own closets, and there are three full bathrooms, two downstairs, and one up. The second floor has a large master bedroom, smaller bedroom, sitting room with view of the lake and cerro Zirate, a full bathroom and dressing room. The first floor has a bedroom with en-suite bathroom and closet, a second bedroom with closet, and another full bath. There is a lovely living room with custom designed fireplace. There is a small camp kitchen in the original house.

The new wing has a larger modern kitchen with indoor grill and open floor plan. The large new dinning room/living room is designed with passive solar features, in floor heat, and custom woodwork. Large custom made double pane glass windows invite in the gorgeous views of the gardens and cerro Yahuarato into the room.

This property is a gardener’s delight, with extensive ornamental and vegetable gardens. There is an irrigation system to keep the gardens and lawn green and thriving year round. Water is supplied from our own well. City water is also available.

This wonderful country home is located in a fenced and gated community consisting of ten properties, with a common access gate and road, community grounds including a blackberry patch, large storage bodega, a well, boat launch and play area for children.

See details in the listing page and wonderful pictures in my flickr gallery.

By John K. Glaab, CIPS

Michoacan is a picturesque and culturally diverse, Mexican state. It has tall pine trees and mountains to the east and a Pacific coastline, parts of which are in appearance, similar to the Big Sur coast of California. Morelia, the state capital is known for its many cultural festivals. Among them International organ, cinema, music, cinema and mariachi festivals. It is also know for its magnificent 16th century architecture.

Michoacan and Oaxaca are probably the top two states producing artisans and diverse crafts. Patzcuaro has become a home for many artists from other parts of the world. Recently, I was a member of a group of journalists who toured several; communities near Patzcuaro. The purpose was to see properties and investment opportunities in the region. For me, it was much more. It was a chance to take a look at the areas rich culture.

The tour was organized by Liliana Gonzalez a Mexican attorney and real estate Broker.

On day one, we arrived at the Hostal Xandesti (the name is from the Purepechan language, and means Peaceful Place in Front of the Lake) The rustic hotel with modern facilities is a treasure. It is situated on the road to a major tourist lookout, El Estribo). There are four suites with kitchens, dining areas bedrooms and private baths. The hotel also has a two level apartment, a restaurant and a bar that looks out for ever. Also on the property are four Trojes. This is the Purepachan name for wooden buildings and thousands of these special dwellings can be seen as one travels through Michoacan. The property looks across a deep valley to the Island of Janitzio on Lake Patzcuaro. In the middle of the island is a monument to the Mexican patriot, Jose Maria Morelas. This structure is taller than the Statue of Liberty. Next, we set out for Rancho La Mesa for our afternoon meal. It is situated about six kilometers from Patzcuaro. In addition to the restaurant, the complex includes cabins and salons for meetings. On the grounds there are many pine, willow and oyamel trees. The latter is considered a sacred tree and the favourite for the Monarch butterflies that make their annual trek to Michoacan. The restaurant has an excellent view of the lake.

Day two we travelled to Lake Zirahuen. The lake is located barely 12 kilometers from Patzcuaro It is extremely deep and surrounded by towering pine trees. We took a launch to cross the lake and visit the Zirahuen Forest and Resort. In additional to eight rental A frame buildings there are also two large cottages. The main activities at the lake include hiking, bicycling and canoe and kayak paddling. Other than the authorized launches, motor boats are prohibited on the lake. Construction has started on a medium size convention center and a cobble stone road around the lake. Lunch on Day 2, was hosted the owner of a chalet Cerrito Colorado. It consisted of yummy cheese quesadillas and chicken mole with handmade tortillas. As we say in Spanish, ?muy rico.?

Overlooking Lake Zirahuen the two level chalet has a large fire place two bed rooms and two baths. The lot is 53,800 square feet and can park ten cars. It is for sale for $ 220,000. What a bargain.

We visited two single family residences, before stopping at a new retreat and meditation center. We were given a tour of the project, still under construction. It features the use of large ?gold? stones and wooden beams. Te retreat is deep in the woods and quite secluded. When finished, the project will feature individual cabins for retreat attendees.

Day Three. Highlights of day three included a visit to a new GREEN retirement community with all that green in a project signifies and a visit to village of Santa Clara del Cobre.

The project is billed as Green Retirement Community. It is being constructed with all of the normal ecological features, including storm water collection, grey water treatment and passive solar energy utilization. There will also be wide streets and walking and hiking trails.

Next stop was a cultural treat. We visited the well know Mexican sculptor Jim Metcalfe and his wife Ana Pellicer. One of Jim?s better known works was the creation for the torch for the Olympic Games held in Mexico in 1968. Jim has had exhibitions in far flung places such as Paris, London and at the Seattle world?s fair.

Metcalfe came to Santa Clara del Cobre in 1967 to investigate the early, pre Columbian techniques taught to the villagers by Michoacan?s first Bishop, Don Vasco de Quiroga. He is the person who taught the Indians in the pueblos on the shore of Lake Patzcuaro, many crafts. In fact recently a tourist attraction called, : The Don Vasco Route, has been created. It consists of eleven routes through which the tourist will get to know the towns and villages, where Don Vasco de Quiroga left his influence. In the XVIth Century, they crafted, El Cazo de Don Vasco. And other very simple works. El Cazo, is a copper pot still used for cooking on the central plateau. Ana Pellicer came to Metcalf as a student and later they would marry. The pair started a school La Casa del Artesano in 1973. They went on to teach the locals how to create more designs for a more sophisticated collector?s market. The techniques were passed on to apprentices who are now the town?s senior generation. Santa Clara is a must see village. A major work created by Ana is a seven foot tall, very detailed copper replica of the Statue of Liberty. In Santa Clara, you can even visit forges and see work in progress.

Day Four: It started with a visit to the Templo de Santiago in Tupatero. It was built in 1775. Indian artists painted the wooden ceiling with images from the life and death of Jesus. (A similar church in Zacan, Michoacan has a painted wooden ceiling. It is said the Spanish used the paintings to teach the catechism to the Tarascan Indians Leaving the village, we travelled to the first capital of the ancient Tarsacan Empire. This is Tzintzuntzan. There we toured the, ?ex Convento Franciscano.? This imposing stricture was built at the end of the XVIth Century and later fell into disrepair. It is being restored under the ?Adopt a Work? society. Two interesting notes are that a group of sixty young people are being taught how to work on the restoration of historically important buildings and the olive trees on the grounds. The trees came from Spain at a time when the Spanish prohibited the export of the trees. (The only other place in Mexico where I have seen olive trees is at the home of former President Rodriguez, near Ensenada in Baja Norte.)

The last property that we toured was Casa Espiritu Libre. (Free Spirit.) It is a delightful home with great vies of the lake. The owner hosted a luncheon with the Mayor of Tzintzuntzan as one of the guests. He and his aides explained the work that is improving the infrastructure of the village preparatory to applying for the status Pueblo Magico. This is classification awarded by the Mexican department of Tourism. The Pueblo Magico with which I am most familiar is the charming village of Todos Santos in Baja California Sur. During our discussion the Mayor stated that foreign investors would be welcomed into a friendly environment.

Well it was described as a real estate tour. For me, having lived in Michoacan for seventeen years, it was a cultural adventure, well worth the time. I encourage you to visit this part of our country.

An interesting aside: the large grounds have many olive trees that are very old, having been imported from Spain at the time the convent was built.

By Lucille Arneson

Visit to Templo de Santiago in Tupataro On our last day of the tour, after finishing our Continental breakfasts at the hotel, we found ourselves on the way to the town of Tzintzuntzan, which in the Perepechan language means place of humming birds. First, though, we stopped at the little town of  Tupataro to view the very old Temple de Santiago. This is one of the most interesting old structures in the area around Pátzcuaro.

It was built in 1775. Indian artists painted the entire ceiling of wood plank with scenes from the life and death of Jesus, the Christ, and the Virgin Mary. The altarpiece, (retablo) shows Santiago (St. James) in the center with the ?Eternal Father? above him. The dove of peace crowns the painting.

The floors are of wooden planks and cover the places where important people were buried. The portions that cover the tombs are cut and fitted in with the main floor, so they may be lifted. The church, including the painted ceiling, was restored in 1994 by the National Institute of Anthropology, which oversees its maintenance.

This is another place you will want to put on your itinerary, when visiting this area.

Visit to Ex Convento franciscano in Tzintzuntzan

Next, we stopped at the Ex Convento franciscano in Tzintzuntzan, which is being restored and in some parts, reconstructed. An imposing structure, it was built at the end of the 16th century and early 17th, and fell into major disrepair in the ensuing years. There were steps to begin restoration in the 1980s, but the plan hit major roadblocks and the project halted until 2002, when Adopt a Work took over the project.

The central patio is surrounded by arched corridors of pillars, which are awaiting restoration. The inside walls have been mostly restored and they were able save some of the original painted walls, which have been placed over the new plaster to create a most pleasing effect, as they give us a glimpse of what the inside wall looked like when first built.

An interesting aside: the large grounds have many olive trees that are very old, having been imported from Spain at the time the convent was built. I understand they are the only olive trees in Mexico, as Spain decided they didn?t want any competition in the production of olives!

This is definitely another site that you do not want to miss when visiting the area.

Casa Espíritu Libre

The last property on the list for sale was Casa Espíritu Libre in Tzintzuntzan. This is a delightful country home in a delightful setting within a private fenced and gated community with private access to Lake Pátzcuaro. There are views of the lake and the tallest mountain around the lake, Cerro Zirate. There are ten properties in the group and are spread over a five acre area. In the common areas are a boat launch, bodega, residence for a gardner, well for irrigation. All services are provided.

On the first floor is a kitchen, dining area, living room with fire place, two bedrooms and two baths. On the second floor is a lovely sitting room overlooking the lake and mountains, a large bedroom with private bath and dressing room, a small bedroom or large walk-in closet. There is an outdoor grill and Jacuzzi.

The house is built mainly of wood and brick, some areas were reinforced with steel and concrete supports. All windows have double pane 6 mm glass.

This being our last tour on the trip, we were pleasantly surprised to have the owner serve us a wonderful lunch of pozole with all the condiments and then some.

You would have to look far and wide for a better deal!

(This article was first published in October 2008 in my old website).