This is Lake Zirahuén, about 15 miles from our Lake Pátzcuaro. It is smaller, prettier and far cleaner than Lake Pátzcuaro.

The photo was taken from a mountainside restaurant.

The spacious and delightful plaza of Tzurumútaro. Alas, it stays mostly unused.

The morning sun arrives in Tzurumútaro. Photo was shot from our upstairs terraza. This is a typical morning except during the rainy season, which runs from mid-June through September.

But, even in the rainy season we get these sunrises on occasion.

The plaza, including this kiosk, was totally renovated in 2005. New sidewalks, lightposts, benches, etc.

The east side of Lake Pátzcuaro.

The old church and connecting museum on the plaza in Tzurumútaro. Our pueblo once was a separate village. However, we now are just a neighborhood of Pátzcuaro, even though we have the requisite plaza and church of a separate town.

We are prisoners of Pátzcuaro, which sounds like the title of an opera.

Building abutting the plaza of Tzurumútaro. Nothing much happens on the plaza here, except occasional ear-splitting concerts that run late into the night. Recently arrived, on this very corner, is a school that gives degrees in such disciplines as business administration. Lots of young people mill around this corner in the mornings to early afternoon.

This is a weekend photo, obviously.

A busy day in downtown Tzurumútaro. This is less than two blocks from our Ranchito.

View of Tzurumútaro from our roof. Our pueblo sits at 7,200 feet above the seas. There are Sierra Madre peaks in these parts that obviously were volcanoes in the long-gone past.

View from our Ranchito´s roof in the other direction. On a clear day, you can see forever!