Welcome to Lake Patzcuaro!

Over at the YAHOO group Life-In-Mexico I saw this piece about Patzcuaro:

A friend wanted to know the most important things a visitor to Patzcuaro must do.   She was spending the day and after much consideration, I thought of three things every visitor must do first. 

The top three things to do in Patzcuaro are in descending order and I begin with the THIRD:  Visit El Estribo and see most of Lake Patzcuaro from the highest point around the Lake.  Enjoy a gran vista of the Lake, along with the islands of Janitzio, Yunuen, Pacanda and most of the landmarks.  Not shown are the villages of Tzintzuntzan, on the other side of the land mass to the right, and the famous artist colony, on the left bank of Lake Patzcuaro, Erongaricuaro, “Eronga,” behind the landmass on the left.  Take Ponce de Leon from the Plaza Grande and head west! Straight up!  It's a nice walk. 

As for the number two thing to do in Patzcuaro, unfortunately there is a tie.  However, since it involves food, a tie is not the worse thing in the world.  Tarascan Soup is a specialty of this area and should be eaten with every meal.  While the only thing Tarascan is the name, the recipe was created by a local cook, using regional products and native ingredients.  Every restaurant offers it, every restaurant is different and every bowl is good to the last drop.   I was taught to never lick the bowl clean, at least in public.  

Some chefs use the beanie broth, while others use the corn-meal, mesa broth, but all have creamy slices of avocado, the crunchy snap of the crisp tortillas, the stringy cheese running down your chin, and the dark-roasted, mild, poblano peppers combine with a fiesta of flavors, textures, colors and sensory overload. 

Now that you have over-dosed on soup, for the next part of Number Two, stagger over to the Plaza Grande, crawl up to one of the portable ice cream stands and say one word: “Pasta!”  If you have a craving for macaroni flavored ice cream, you are at the wrong place. Here in Patzcuaro, the Tied-for-Number-Two-Award goes to the creamy ice cream mixture of ground almonds, cream and cinnamon, called “Pasta.” Order a small cup, so you can have seconds.

Be exuberant with your next selection of ice cream, preferably a fruit flavor. This area of Michoacan is known for giant zarzamoras, so try the Blackberry flavor next. The strawberries are now in season. My favorite.  Or, clear your palate with fresh lime sorbet and prepare for the main entree: CHOCOLATE, a Mesoamerican treat since 1900 BC.    

Now that you are getting used to Patzcuaro, you might as well relax with a cup of vanilla ice cream, from our own native Mexican vanilla beans. Remember, in many parts of the world, the word for “ice cream” is Michoacana. 

Now that you have seen Lake Patzcuaro, now that you have tasted the flavors of Patzcuaro, NOW it is time to understand Patzcuaro.

The very first, most important thing to do in Patzcuaro is:

#1 VISIT THE FOLK ART MUSEUM.   The history of Lake Patzcuaro is told in America’s first University, built with pre-Hispanic stones.  The story of its people is told in the crafts they created.  The Museo de Artes Populares is located at the corner of Arciga and Alcantarilla streets, one block south of the Basilica.  (Remember, in Patzcuaro, the Lake is to the north.)  The original building in Patzcuaro has been transformed into the Folk Art Museum and offers a concise history of the local Purepecha people in the Tarascan area of Michoacan. See the history of their work, their arts and their crafts. 

Follow the rooms through a story of the indigenous locals, showing their lives, from what they gathered and grew, to what they made.  See antique ceramics from Tzintzuntzan, Capula and Patamban. View the Tarascan art of Feather-craft, candle carving, antique musical instruments and priceless clothing and jewelry. Notice the many different Michoacan handicrafts made from wood, textiles, wheat, tule (a local reed), quarried stone, cane dough, wax, silver, copper, tin and iron.


Don’t miss the archaeological ruins in the back of the building, with an authentic “troje”, a typical building style used in the mountains of Michoacan. I know I got a little serious on you, but seriously,  don’t miss visiting this museum!

Whether you are first time visitors or thousandth-time, full-timers, here is Lake Patzcuaro in three easy steps:  See, taste and understand.   See the area from the highest Mirador on the Lake, taste local treats not found anywhere else and understand the people, their culture, their crafts and their lives through our museum. 

Feliz viaje, David 

David is David Haun who blogs at his wonderful and informative website Lake Patzvuaro.