From Mexico City to Morelia
April 2007
Leaving the massive expanse of Mexico City we drove south and west towards Cuernavaca. When we got turned around and slightly lost at one point we were stopped by a state police officer who wanted to fine us for not having a state permit for our “cargo”. Using our extensive experience with shady police officers, we talked to this nice gentleman, explaining that we had no cargo other than personal items and he finally let us go without paying a peso. It is in moments like this that we realize how far our Spanish language skills and ability to work with people have come. When we arrived in the city of Cuernavaca we were a bit disappointed. We had hoped we would be out of the city but found ourselves in yet another vehicle laden metropolis. Luckily, we found a very mellow place to camp on the far outskirts of Cuernavaca. The campground made a nice base for exploring the famous silver town of Taxco and the astounding Grutas de Cacahuamilpa. Desperate to see the ocean and surf after almost three months out of the water, we continued our journey driving from the Cuernavaca area to the Pacific coast and Zihuatanejo. With three days to go before Sarah’s Mom’s arrival we camped at La Saladita and to our surprise were able to get back in the water and surf the perfect waves. It is amazing how out of shape you can get when you don’t surf for three months. Meeting Sarah’s Mom at the airport was great. We experienced the same excitement we have felt each and every time family and friends have come to pay us a visit. We spent our first night with Mary Jo in La Saladita so that she could see the beautiful beach and some surfing first hand.
We all piled in the van the next morning and drove the four hour drive up to the Patzcuaro area where we had made reservations at a nice B&B called Posada Espiritu Libre in the small village of Tzintzuntzan on the shore of Lake Patzcuaro. Our host Didi went to work making us feel right at home as well as feeding us each morning and most evenings. Didi is an excellent cook and her peaceful B&B was the perfect location for us to spend quality time with Mary Jo. Knowing we were going to be in the area for ten days, we decided to drive into Morelia so we could order our replacement tire at the Costco in Morelia. With the tire ordered, we thought we were pretty much set until five days later we noticed another MAJOR tire problem with our other rear tire. An eight inch long crack somehow developed on the inside wall of the tire and sent shivers down Eric’s spine when he first saw it, knowing we had to at least drive on it back to the B&B. We spent many hours on the phone with Costco and BFGoodrich to find out what the deal was and Didi lent a hand in the at times difficult communication process. As it turned out BOTH tires were determined to be manufacturer defects, so when it was all said and done we got two new tires free of charge. The only catch was that we would have to make another trip into Morelia after taking Mary Jo to Zihuatanejo to catch her flight. The good news was that we got to push back Mary Jo’s departure by one day and enjoy her company for just a little bit longer.
The time with Mary Jo was wonderful. We hit most all of the local attractions and did some shopping as the Patzcuaro/Morelia area is famous for its unique regional arts and crafts. Eric’s favorite was the Dia De Los Muertos skeleton figures called Catrinas. Sarah and Mary Jo’s favorite items were the copper wares in the town of Santa Clara Del Cobre: hand-hammered copper sinks, vases, and even bathtubs. We wanted to get one but forced to decide between throwing Mary Jo and Bruce out of the van to make room for a copper bathtub……well let’s just say we think we made the right decision choosing family over cargo and we settled for a small vase instead of the larger items. The weather couldn’t have been better and it became a running joke that Mary Jo said at least four times a day “The temperature is just so perfect”. We were so sad to see her go that we almost made her miss her flight, arriving with only minutes to spare. Thanks to Sarah’s Spanish skills, Mary Jo made it to the front of the line and on the plane without a problem. Thanks for the visit Mom!