We arrived in the city of Zitacuaro on Saturday afternoon and ended up walking around and checking out the interesting markets (pigs, chickens, cabeza tacos, etc.). A very Mexican town with no gringos or tourist information. No one knew about the newest Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary open to the public, listed in our guidebook (Cerro Pelon), they only knew about the bigger, more popular ones about 1.5 hours north. So we decided to just follow the directions in the Lonely Planet guidebook to head to the new sanctuary called El Capulin. We caught the blue collectivo outside the bus station to 'Aputzio' as indicated in the guidebook and then got off at Piedras stop and then hailed a taxi to Cerro Pelon and El Capulin Sanctuary. All told, it was 45 minutes southeast of Zitacuaro and actuall
y in Mexico State, not Michoacan. When we arrived we had the option of a 2 hour steep climb up to a high mountain valley at about 9000 ft ASL or take horses and guide for about $35 total. We decided to just hire a guide for about $12 and walk. It was a really steep hike at altitude and took over two hours. Our guide was Salvador, a 65 year old, who didn´t bring water or food, just chewed on leaves and other plants he found along the way, a tough customer he was. We could see the butterflies flying down through a ravine as we hiked up. When we reached the top, they were hanging from the trees, flying in the air, on the ground, everywhere. They hang from the fir trees and the trees look orange there is so many of them. It was an amazing site. They migrate from the Great Lakes and it takes 3-5 generations to compete a round trip journey from Canada to Mexico and back. The sanctuaries here are all threatened by illegal logging. They are only here from about December to March. They descend down the mountain as it gets closer to northward migration time.
We ended up not doing anything for New Years Eve, it was Sunday and everything was closed down, so we just stayed in and watched American movies on cable TV and read books. The next day was Monday and we caught the bus into Mexico City. The bus ride from Michoacan into Mexico State was pretty amazing, with pine forests, mountain streams, goat herders and the whole 9 yards. Mexico City is at an elevation of about 7000 ft ASL and in a valley or bowl. As we decended into the bowl, the pollution was incredible, like being in Fairbanks in the fire season!
We checked into our hotel, Hotel Juarez, for $15 US per night. Great deal, great location, quiet and decent rooms. Last night we went to the Zocolo (the city square surrounded by the Cathedral, the president's palace and a buttload of other old buildings. It was packed with people, vendors, Christmas lights, etc. Luke thought the atmosphere was like a mix of the parking lot at a Greatful Dead show(except with more families and no open drug use) and the food stalls at a state fair. We tried ponche (a tasty hot drink made with different fruits, although we think they stole the wrassel reciepe from our friend Heather), tamales, sincronizadas (like quesadillas with ham and cheese), and corn. It was really fun. Today we are catching up on emails, blogs, looking for a newspaper, going to the art museum, etc. We will probably stay here through Saturday or so. We plan to visit Teotehuacan (an aztec ruin), Frida museum, markets, Anthopology museum, and look at the giant murals in the government buildings while here.
y in Mexico State, not Michoacan. When we arrived we had the option of a 2 hour steep climb up to a high mountain valley at about 9000 ft ASL or take horses and guide for about $35 total. We decided to just hire a guide for about $12 and walk. It was a really steep hike at altitude and took over two hours. Our guide was Salvador, a 65 year old, who didn´t bring water or food, just chewed on leaves and other plants he found along the way, a tough customer he was. We could see the butterflies flying down through a ravine as we hiked up. When we reached the top, they were hanging from the trees, flying in the air, on the ground, everywhere. They hang from the fir trees and the trees look orange there is so many of them. It was an amazing site. They migrate from the Great Lakes and it takes 3-5 generations to compete a round trip journey from Canada to Mexico and back. The sanctuaries here are all threatened by illegal logging. They are only here from about December to March. They descend down the mountain as it gets closer to northward migration time.
We ended up not doing anything for New Years Eve, it was Sunday and everything was closed down, so we just stayed in and watched American movies on cable TV and read books. The next day was Monday and we caught the bus into Mexico City. The bus ride from Michoacan into Mexico State was pretty amazing, with pine forests, mountain streams, goat herders and the whole 9 yards. Mexico City is at an elevation of about 7000 ft ASL and in a valley or bowl. As we decended into the bowl, the pollution was incredible, like being in Fairbanks in the fire season!We checked into our hotel, Hotel Juarez, for $15 US per night. Great deal, great location, quiet and decent rooms. Last night we went to the Zocolo (the city square surrounded by the Cathedral, the president's palace and a buttload of other old buildings. It was packed with people, vendors, Christmas lights, etc. Luke thought the atmosphere was like a mix of the parking lot at a Greatful Dead show(except with more families and no open drug use) and the food stalls at a state fair. We tried ponche (a tasty hot drink made with different fruits, although we think they stole the wrassel reciepe from our friend Heather), tamales, sincronizadas (like quesadillas with ham and cheese), and corn. It was really fun. Today we are catching up on emails, blogs, looking for a newspaper, going to the art museum, etc. We will probably stay here through Saturday or so. We plan to visit Teotehuacan (an aztec ruin), Frida museum, markets, Anthopology museum, and look at the giant murals in the government buildings while here.
2 comments:
My mom and i spent New Year's Eve at the Zocalo. Like kids we would use sticks to chase the flying streams of cotton candy as the street vendors were winding them onto sticks to sell. We also tried the hot drinks that were peddled in the area (since Mexico City is much colder) but i cannot remember the name.
Ponche was the hot drink made with fruit and sugar cane. I have the recipe but it calls for fruits we wont be able to get in Alaska! bummer!
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