On the way to Tzintzuntzan, we passed a store selling wooden products. Vasco de Quiroga, the first bishop of Michoacan, taught the indigenous people how to make crafts, with each village making one type of craft. The system that he set up survives to this day.

In another village, stone work.

More stone work. Other villages were set up to produce guitars, copper products, and woven woolens among other products.

The village of Tzintzuntzan.

Gate to the Atrium of Olive Trees, decorated in orange marigolds for Day of the Dead.

A cross in the atrium.

Centuries-old olive trees brought from Spain and planted by Bishop Vasco de Quiroga.

The Church of La Soledad, part of the monastery complex of San Francisco founded in the 16th century. It was the first foundation of the Franciscan Order in New Spain and was created for the conversion of the indigenous to Christianity.

The Church of La Soledad.

Inside the church.

Inside the church.

Inside the church.

Inside the church.

Santo Entierro--a wax figure of Christ is displayed in a glass coffin.

More of the church.

Frescoes on a wall.

The Church of San Francisco. Bishop Vasco de Quiroga founded a hospital here for the well being of the indigenous people.

The church had two open chapels. I think this is one of them.

Close-up.

Inside the Church of San Francisco.

Close-up.

Close-up.

The ceiling.

The baptismal font.

An open chapel.

When I was walking to one of the churches, the little girl in the green jacket approached me and asked me something in Spanish which I didn't understand. I figured out later that she was asking if I wanted a tour of the church. Actually, the one who would be giving the tour was the girl in the white shirt.

The family: the scout, the tour guide, the little and bigger brothers, and the older girl to supervise. One of my tour mates who spoke Spanish did take the church tour from the little girl. She said that she was an excellent guide and knew everything about the church. The children go to school in the afternoon so this was a morning job.

Day of the Dead decorations.

Close-up.

Entrance to a cemetery.

The cemetery was beautifully decorated for Day of the Dead.

Cemetery decorations.

Cemetery decorations.

Cemetery decorations.

Closer-up.

Cemetery decorations.

Cemetery decorations.

Cemetery decorations.

Cemetery decorations.

This town specialized in straw products.

Made from straw.

Made from straw.

Made from straw.

Made from straw.

One vendor here was selling these embroideries. I had not seen them anywhere else so far and did not see them again later on. I bought both and the green one underneath the two.

Tzintzuntzan was the ceremonial center of the pre-Columbian Tarascan state, with its power at its height in the mid-15th century. Its emperor surrended to the Spanish when they arrived in 1522 so to avoid bloodshed. Still remaining of their culture are five rounded pyramids called yacatas.

The yacatas.

Closer-up.

On our way to Patzcuaro, we stopped at Muelle San Pedrito.

Here, the fishermen bring in charales, small fish about 4 inches long. They are fried, then eaten as a snack.

Charales, some plain and some with chili on them. They were tasty.

More charales.

The fisherman catch the charales with butterfly nets.

You could have a drink along with the charales. El Tarasco was being offered. It is made from sugarcane and is similar to rum.

You can catch a boat here to take you to the Island of Janita where the indigenous Purepecha people live.

A little girl at Muelle San Pedrito helping her mother wash dishes.