Morelia

Guess I forgot to mention Morelia.
From Patzcuaro I drove to that great capital, but did not stay. Did not even drive into the historic center. Noted that, like every large city these days, it had just a bit of air pollution.
In Patzcuzaro I had noted that a rear shock on the Astro was hanging loose and figured I'd have it repaired in Morelia. Spotted a likely place and pulled in. The shock was soon well taken care of at a cost of P100. The arbitrage person dealing with the mechanics was a woman in her late twenties or early thirties. Another woman of the same age range handled customers and billing. Between these two the place was well run with happy mechanics and customers.
Job might have cost me $60 in the States.
Drove my good shocks to Ciudad Hidalgo.

Who in the world is Melchor Ocampo?

I can avoid telling about the 'disaster' a while longer. It´s just a matter of poor judgement and old age any way.

I believe that I've already mentioned my stay in Patzcuaro. Tell Bridget that I did,t climb the hill on the island this time. From the hotel in which I stayed, however, I could see the lake and the island as well as the tops of the buildings around Patzcuaro´s two main plazas. The Patzcuaro area was home to, at least, two important pre-columbian civilizations.

Morelia is a great city. Like every great city it has evidence of air polution. I stayed only long enough to have some work done on the Astro. It is running well, but is beginning to look as old as I am. I have pushed it and myself a bit hard. I´d say the Astro is holding up better.

Falsely blamed a housekeeping girl at a hotel of poorly making my bed. Promptly made complete amends.

Some brief time before my arrival in Michoacan I began to note signs of an intestinal infection. I took a fecal sample to the lab today. Usual remedies have failed me this time.

Back to the trip. From Erendida, by round-about roads, I arrived in Maravatio de Ocampo. I did not visit its famous theater or the hot baths there. I did check into an attractive hotel and got a very nice little room for P200. I had a good conversation with the lady owner. She was about my my age and still very attractive. She was an interesting conversationalist.
There was wi-fi available and a young woman from across the hall and I were on my bed trying set up my laptop. We really hadn't been introduced so I said in what I intended to be a light friendly way, 'Who are you anyway?' She may have taken it badly because she did not answer and began slamming the metal door of her room and doing great damage to my nervous system.

So began the 'disaster.'

Bells

I am in Patzcuaro, Michoacan. Guess this is my third visit here, but it still feels like the first time.

Arrived tired, yesterday afternoon, after a day and night of nearly nonstop driving. Did stop at a hotel at Tocomen for nearly four hours, but found it too noisy for sleep. I seem to not only to be growing old, but dumb too. Arrived here with my tail dragging, one shock too. Slept well, but awoke a couple of times with a charlyhorse in my right calf. Twenty hours at the accelerator, it seems, was too much for it.

Church bells are still important to people all over Mexico. Their weight, tone, age are important. The strength it takes to toll them is too. As an aid to mindfulness of God and history is also import. There is comfort in hearing and having heard a given bell for 10 or 20 years, or 30 or 50.
One may become well attuned to a give bell after 80 or 90 years.

Memorable on this trip so far is my stay in the old suites on the Malecon in Guaymas, My stay at the French couples place in Tuito, and here, now. The hotel is poorly set up and run, but I like its looks. And, it was quiet last night. I am very grateful for that quiet. The crow of the cocks and the toll of bells this morning were just fine.

I will probably stay here in Patzcuaro in hopes of another night of quiet. Tomorrow I can head for Morelia and look for a decent mechanic and a quiet place to stay. There has been so much tourism here for so long that it is difficult to find decent food. There are Christian and non Christian pilgrimages here to. Pilgrims seem as ignorant of excellence as are tourists. Still, both are often willing to pay well.