The Shaman’s Realm

August 2012 - We are traveling in Chiapas, in southern Mexico, searching for fine artisan crafts for Chiripa.  

The global economy is gradually seeping into the remote corners of Mexico, including Chiapas. But much of Chiapas is still a place apart -- a place of mystery and tradition -- a place that speaks of another time and a very different way of life. 

Village Cemetery, San Juan 

de Chamula, Chiapas

In much of Chiapas, corn is planted by hand on impossibly steep hillsides. Women and children collect large bundles of firewood from the forest, and carry the bundles for long distances on their backs. Corn is ground by hand, and mixed with lime to produce tortilla dough.

In a rural kitchen, a woman kneels on a dirt floor and tends an open wood fire. The fire heats a comal on which a woman fries the tortillas that she has formed and pressed. The dark room fills with smoke and the smell of warm tortillas as the rain falls outside. 

Making Tortillas, Chiapas

In Chiapas, things are not always what they seem. As we enter the quaint village church in San Juan de Chamula, we immediately find ourselves in a very unexpected world. No photographs are allowed within this space. The interior is dark and mysterious, and hundreds of candles flicker everywhere. 

Village Church, San Juan de Chamula

From out of the darkness we hear low repetitive chants -- not the usual chants that one might expect in a Catholic church, but deep-throated chants that remind us of Tibet or Mongolia. And then, unexpectedly, we hear the distressed screech of a chicken. 

 

Church Entrance, San Juan de Chamula

As our eyes adjust, we see tables covered with beautiful flowers (from the neighboring village of Zinacatlán, which gets charcoal from Chamula in return). The floor is covered with pine needles. Candles burn everywhere on tables and floor. As they burn down, and the wax runs across the floor, some of the pine needles begin to smolder. No one seems concerned.

Village Church, Zinacatlán

We gradually perceive family groups huddled on the floor (there are no church pews). Each group sits in front of a small makeshift altar of candles, flowers and Coca Cola bottles. Penitents drink Coca Cola to make them burp, because the burping is thought to expel evil spirits (a cynical local acquaintance once told us that the Coca Cola distributor had one of the largest houses in the village).

A shaman holds the wrists of a young girl, trying from her pulse to ascertain the source of her malady. Parents and family members kneel nearby, praying for a cure. A doomed chicken, soon to be sacrificed, is held firmly by its legs and neck. The sacrificial and curative rights will cost family members a large share of their weekly income.

Centuries-old statues of Catholic saints line the church walls, but traditional Catholic doctrine holds little sway here. Catholic priests no longer preside in this sanctuary, and from the village of Chamula many evangelical christians have been expelled. For this is the realm of the shaman, and he rules with a strong hand. -- JM

Night Bus to Chiapas

August, 2012.  We continued our journey through southern Mexico, seeking out fine artisan crafts for Chiripa.

From the City of Oaxaca, we took the regular overnight bus to San Cristóbol de Las Casas, in the green highlands of Chiapas. Chiapas is located in the far south of Mexico, next to Guatemala. It is the ancestral homeland of the Mayan people. Our overnight bus trip from Oaxaca to San Cristóbol took more than 11 hours. The route climbed over rugged mountains, descended into hot lowlands in the Isthmus of Tehuántepec, and then climbed again into misty Chiapas. We didn’t get much sleep during the ride, but in Chiapas we met some wonderful people and found some great crafts for Chiripa!

Chiapas Woman with her Folk Art, 

Traditional Blouse and Heavy

Black Woolen Skirt

We started our journey at nightfall, in a pouring rain, and soon left the City of Oaxaca behind us. The bus wound its way up the steep mountain road in complete darkness. Rock walls, brush, guard rails and black empty space swept to and fro across the headlights as the driver negotiated endless switchbacks – now shifting into low gear, now pumping the brakes.  

Occasionally, a heavily loaded truck emerged from the darkness above and roared past us on the narrow road. Other times, we passed sluggish trucks that were grinding up the mountain ahead of us. The windshield wipers kept up a quiet rhythm, and the bus driver played low salsa music to keep himself awake. 

Morning in San Cristóbol, Chiapas

We dozed fitfully in the dark bus, trying in vain to find restful sleeping positions. In the seats ahead and behind, fellow passengers snored (and maybe we did too – at least in our intermittent moments of sleep). As the bus pushed on through the hot Isthmus of Tehuántepec, we passed humble outdoor cafes (comedors) where clusters of people sat eating and conversing in the cool midnight hours. The dimly lighted scenes came and went, as if in a dream. Then our heads dropped and our eyes closed again.

Lunch on the Street, San Cristóbol

Dawn was breaking when we pulled into San Cristóbol. The mountain air was cool and fresh as we stepped down from the bus. Our backs were stiff and our knees were cramped, but a good cup of hot black Chiapas coffee would soon put us in shape for the craft hunt.        - JM

Woman with Braids, San Cristóbol

True Collectors' Items

August, 2012. We are traveling in the state of Oaxaca, in southern Mexico, in search of fine artisan crafts for Chiripa.

In the world of Mexican indigenous crafts, Jacobo and María Angeles are rock stars. In their colorful workshop, on a dirt-and-cobble lane in the far corner of the small Zapotec village of San Martín Tilcajete, they carve and paint the most beautiful alebrijes on the planet. Jacobo and María were born in the village, and have known each other since they were children. Jacobo learned wood carving from his father, who died when Jacobo was just 12 years old.

Jacobo and Maria Angeles

In the hands of Jacobo and Maria (and their small group of artists), alebrijes are not just carved and painted wooden animals. They are not just common craft objects, or figures slavishly copied from nature. The figures live in a spirit world, at once whimsical and real. They seem to have their own hidden thoughts. They have a timeless quality, at once ancient and stunningly modern. They are elegant and mysterious, and they draw you in. 

Dog alebrije

Skilled hands carve the figures from copal wood. The figures are then carefully dried, and painted with colors made from natural local materials. The artists use fine-tipped brushes to execute minutely detailed, traditional Zapotec patterns. Everything is done with painstaking care and patience, under the exacting eyes of Jacobo and Maria. A single piece takes months to create (one specially-commissioned 4-ft. coyote took over two years!). These works of art come in a variety of sizes, and are sought by knowledgeable collectors throughout the world. 

Carver at Work

During our recent visit, María Angeles told us that they can easily sell every piece they make, and that they are having trouble keeping up with a worldwide demand. We were nevertheless able to obtain some brilliant pieces for Chiripa, because we have known Jacobo and Maria for years. Come to Chiripa and see these collectors’ items for yourself!       - JM

Painter with Skunk Alebrije

Breakfast With a Master Weaver

August. 2012.  We are traveling in the state of Oaxaca, in southern Mexico, seeking out fine artisan crafts for Chiripa.

Bulmaro Perez is one of the finest rug weavers in Mexico. He was born and lives in the Zapotec village of Teotitlán del Valle, in the Central Valley of Oaxaca. This is Mexico’s weaving epicenter, and Bulmaro is among the “best of the best.”  Bulmaro is regularly invited to display his work in U.S. museums and galleries. Bulmaro learned the craft from his father, a nationally recognized maestro, and has taken his father’s craft to a new level. 

Bulmaro and His Father

Bulmaro is steeped in the Zapotec weaving tradition, but often puts a new twist on traditional Zapotec designs. His rugs are made of pure wool, and he uses dyes made from natural local materials like cochineal, witch hazel, indigo, marigolds and pomegranate shells.  Cochineal, used to make the color red, is made from an insect that grows on nopal cactus. In colonial times, it was one of Mexico's most important export products (next to gold and silver) because it was so highly valued in Europe. We have watched Bulmaro dye the wool that he uses.

Natural Dye Materials

Bulmaro is a family man and community leader. Like every other adult male in Teotitlán, he devotes a substantial amount of time each year to village administration and service. He is also a very gentle and hospitable man. His home is filled with flowers, including some unusual varieties that he has collected. 

Bulmaro speaks to his wife in soft Zapotec tones. He pads around on bare feet as he shows his woven creations. His eyes dance with delight at the beauty around him. He smiles easily, nods and tilts his head in courtesy. 

Before showing us his rugs, Bulmaro insisted on buying us breakfast at his favorite taco restaurant. The restaurant specializes in tacos made from beef cheeks. We had to quit after three tacos. He ate five, and with gusto, because he didn’t know when he would get lunch. After breakfast we went to Bulmaro’s house, where we selected some beautiful rugs (including lovely Tree of Life and Zapotec Patio patterns). See them for yourself at Chiripa! - JM

Tree of Life

Lizards and Bears!

August, 2012.  We are in the state of Oaxaca, in southern Mexico, looking for brilliant artisan crafts for Chiripa.

At Chiripa, you can spot beautifully carved and painted wooden lizards climbing the walls.  The lizards (and other whimsical alebrijes) are created by the husband-and-wife team of Oscar Carillo and Josefina Morales.  The couple work from their home in the village of Arrazola.  From the village, you can look up to see the heights of Monte Alban – the spectacular Zapotec ruins whose construction began around 500 BC.

Oscar is 43 years old and was born in Arrazola.  Josefina is from the state of Tabasco to the east, along the Gulf of Campeche.  The couple met when she was a passenger in the taxi that he was driving in the city of Oaxaca.  They have been married for about 22 years, and have 2 children.  They started producing and selling alebrijes shortly after they were married, to help support their family.  Business was slow at first, but grew over time as their work became known.

As a child, Oscar was more interested in soccer (futbol) than woodcarving.  He learned the wood-carving craft later, from his cousins, and found that he had a talent for it.  But it was Josefina who completed the artistic team.  Oscar creates graceful wooden figures, ready for life, and Josefina adds the living spark with her paint brushes.  “Neither of us could do it alone,” Oscar tells us in Spanish.  “Josefina is a very skilled painter, and she works hard at everything she does.”

For many years, only Oscar signed the completed pieces (the traditional practice for husband-and-wife teams in Mexico).  But at Chiripa’s suggestion, Josefina now signs them as well.  Josefina beams as she proudly adds her signature to each completed work.  Oscar beams too.

Josefina proudly signs a completed bear.

Oscar gets his ideas from the wood he carves.  He examines each piece of wood to visualize the animal spirit it holds.  Then he follows his instincts to bring that spirit out.  Each piece is unique. 

The wood comes from the branches of the copal tree.   Some wood can be found near Arrazola, but much of Oscar’s supply comes from the mountains near the rug-weaving village of Teotitlan del Valle, about 15 miles away.  Harvesters never take the whole tree, just the limbs.  That way, the tree can continue to generate new wood.  A tree must be at least 12 years old before harvesting can begin.

About 10 years ago, Oscar planted some copal trees on his own land.  The trees will be ready to harvest in another couple of years.  Oscar says that the first alebrije he carves from his own wood will be a very special piece, and he will not sell it (even to his Chiripa friends). - JM

A Black Pottery Storm

August, 2012 - We are traveling in the state of Oaxaca, in southern Mexico, looking for unique artisan crafts for Chiripa.  August is the rainy season in this mountainous area.

It is late afternoon when the old bus drops us at the village of San Bartolo de Coyotepec.  From the main road we walk to the Doña Rosa pottery workshop.  Doña Rosa, a Zapotec woman, created a special black pottery process for which Oaxaca is world famous.  Although Doña Rosa is long deceased, her pottery tradition lives on.

Dark clouds threaten as we enter the workshop, and thunder rolls through the valley.  The first raindrops splatter tentatively in the dust.  Then the sky gives way, and the rain pounds the earth. 

Rain Falls at the Pottery Workshop

We wander in comfort under the tile roof, sidestepping leaks and listening to the hypnotic splash of water in the courtyard.  We have the place to ourselves, and with the storm raging we are in no hurry to leave.  We take time to select our favorite pieces for Chiripa.  The prices are reasonable, as you will see.  We arrange for packing and shipping, then wait for the rain to relent.  When the storm lets up a bit, we make a run for the bus stop.

We try to jump the muddy stream that is now rolling down the street, but we fall short and go in over our shoes.  A bicyclist pedals downstream, leaving a wake behind him.  By the time we reach the main road we are drenched.  Fortunately, a bus from the villages to the south is just pulling up.  We wave it down, and straggle aboard.  We ask the fare, but the driver just waves us in.  We can pay later, he says.

Pedaling Downstream

Friendly passengers in well-worn clothing nod a greeting as we bump down the aisle.  The driver grinds through the gears, and the bus roars toward the city of Oaxaca.  A crucifix swings from the rearview mirror. - JM

My Wallet is Gone!

August 2012.  We are in southern Mexico, collecting beautiful artisan crafts for Chiripa.

... And then it happens.  Every traveler’s nightmare moment.  You reach into your pocket or purse, and your wallet is missing!  My moment came as we were packing Oaxacan crafts for shipment to Chiripa.  The hotel room was filled with ceramics, textiles, alebrijes and tin, as well as cardboard boxes, newpaper, bubble wrap, marking pens and packing tape.  The hotel checkout deadline was in half an hour.

I had made repeated trips to buy more boxes and packing supplies, and from the last of those trips my wallet had not returned.  I feared and imagined the worst.  But when I asked at the little paper supply store (the one with the portable stairway that is put out on the sidewalk each morning, and taken in at night), the young woman opened a wooden drawer and pulled out a well-worn wallet.  “Is this it?” she smiled.  It was.  Everything was there.  I offered her a reward, but she declined.  “It is a pleasure to help,” she smiled. -JM

Mountains and Rain

August, 2012.  We are traveling in southern Mexico, looking for distinctive artisan crafts for Chiripa.

It is the rainy season in Oaxaca.  In the morning, strands of misty clouds hang from the lovely shoulders of the green mountains, like elegant necklaces.  

Brilliant flowers glitter in the soft air.  

After an afternoon shower, a ray of sunlight breaks through.  It drapes the weathered old cathedral in glory, and crowns it with a rainbow.

In the village of Teotitlan del Valle, weavers listen to the rain and peek out from under dripping tile roofs.  Then they lean into their work once again, crafting elegant wool rugs on wooden pedal looms.  The rugs (tapetes) emerge in glorious patterns and colors from nature.  The variety is endless, put a popular pattern is “Mountains and Rain.” 

 At Chiripa, you can see tapetes from some of the best weavers in Mexico. -JM

Crafty Customer; DIY Nichos

The following information was sent to Chiripa by Melinda O.  Melinda attended the Nicho "show and tell" session hosted at Chiripa on June 21st. I encouraged participants to share any results from the time we spent together. Here's what Melinda sent:

This is one of the Nichos I made following the workshop in June. I painted it blue, dry brushed it with bronze, glued pearlized mosaic tiles to the interior, and then decorated with a collection of angel jewelry and talismans given to me at the time of my hospitalization 9 years ago. I added a few other bits of jewelry and glass drops to round out the composition. I call it “Angels Among Us” and it reminds me of the kindness of others. It brings positive energy with it. It’s no masterwork, but I like it and am happy with it as a first effort.

This is my second nicho. I intend it as a sort of “house blessing” and kept it pretty simple. I didn’t paint it all, just glued mirrored mosaic tiles (small ones), small mirrored glass heart beads, clear glass drops, and a large red glass heart bead into the interior.  It’s not fancy, but it did turn out pretty much the way I hoped it would. -MO

Thank you Melinda for sharing your nicho photos and explanations. I think they are wonderful! "Angels Among Us" IS a masterpiece that comes from the heart.

If others would like to create your own nichos, stop by the shop. We have a good selection of plain tin nichos and an information sheet to help you get started. You can also find a small selection online.

Merecemos Una Cerveza

It's funny how words or phrases become triggers for a person or a group. The trigger from this last trip was Merecemos una cerveza (We deserve a beer.). That phrase has popped into conversation many times since Estela used it in February at her talavera pottery workshop called Liceagui in Dolores Hidalgo, Guanajuato, Mexico.

The whole statement was, Despues de tanto trabajo, merecemos una cerveza. (After so much hard work, we deserve a beer.) We had arrived late in the day on a Saturday. Both Estela and her husband Gerardo were at the workshop. We quickly set to work selecting already-made pieces and ordering other popular pieces to be made for us. As we set about on our quest, Estela started writing the order. She's quite fast (and accurate). But, it still took a long time to hand write the six pages of the invoice.

Estela, Gerardo and their daughter Maria

  

At one point we were looking for a large chicken planter and Estela thought she had one in the adjoining production workshop. We had never been in that building and I trouped over with her to check it out (without my camera). There we found the sought-for planter amid piles of rocks and molds and fired pottery. A small machine was in constant motion. Estela explained that the rocks (see photo below) were being agitated to create the clay that is used to form the pottery. It would take at least a couple hours to turn the rock into usable clay. We marveled at the many hours of manual and machine labor needed to produce the colorful pieces we sell at Chiripa.

The rock that gets agitated and dissolved to form the clay for the pottery.

It was evening by the time we finished our selection and Estela was totaling the pages and the final invoice. She then offered us a beverage and said, Despues de tanto trabajo, merecemos una cerveza. Who could refuse! -kl

New Artist: Gregorio Juarez Sanchez

Thoughts and photos from the February 2012 Chiripa buying trip to Mexico.

Chiripa: a happy accident. We often say that that is how we meet our artists. This time, it was a little more complex, but, also a CHIRIPA. I asked folks in our monthly newsletter for ideas for our upcoming buying trip to Mexico. Someone posted the message on a San Miguel de Allende message board and I got an email from an expat living in San Miguel who is neighbors with Gregorio Juarez Sanchez. She sent enough information and a photo to make me want to track down Gregorio.

We wandered around some neighborhoods until we found his address, and Chiripa! he was at home!

Gregorio began his career as a craftsman at the age of fourteen, working as an apprentice to Juan Bautista until his mentor's death. Gregorio's work is finely crafted and painted metal sculptures of animals and bugs and birds. He is a gracious man who was proud of his work, but, also proud of his other profession as a waiter. He showed us photos and autographs from famous people he's served.

We especially like the whimsical nature of the creatures and the attention to detail. We have Gregorio's work on display at Chiripa now. Stop in to see it.  -kl

Around Lake Patzcuaro-Santa Fe de la Laguna

Photos and thoughts from the February 2012 Chiripa buying trip to Mexico.

We don't often get to the far north side of Lake Patzcuaro. But, in the small village of Santa Fe de la Laguna one can find some of the most beautiful and contemporary-looking lead-free pottery. It is the work of Nicholas Fabian and his wife Maria del Rosario. On this trip we arrived to find no one home. And then, a Chiripa (happy accident): Maria came walking down the street and welcomed us into their home. 

 Maria wearing a traditional Purépecha rebozo 

in front of a wall of newly made pottery.

After we had selected the new product for Chiripa I asked Maria to step into their courtyard for another photo. To me, she projects pride and honor. She and Nicolas were part of the first group of potters in that area that recognized the need to switch to lead-free production techniques. She is a proud of their indigenous heritage and confident in their art. She is the one that makes the forms and Nicholas is the one who etches the designs. They are a partnership and both names are etched on the bottom of all pieces.

We were sad to miss Nicolas on this trip, but we learned that he now has access to email when he goes into town. Next time, we'll plan ahead.

A true team: Maria del Rosario and Nicholas Fabian photographed in 2008.

-kl

Around Lake Patzcuaro-Manuel Morales

Thoughts and photos from the February 2012 Chiripa buying trip to Mexico.

Some of our most amazing and memorable experiences traveling in Mexico come from visiting workshops in small villages. The artists are in their natural element.

Master potter Manuel Morales lives and works in Tzintzuntzan, Michoacan, Mexico. Using pre-columbian themes and geometrical designs, he has managed to combine images from his indigenous Purepecha heritage and influences from the greater world of art history. His workshop is the building that was the first hospital in that area. Manuel's work has won numerous national prizes and is coveted in the U.S. and Europe. Chiripa feels fortunate to have several new pieces on the way.

Our current (4/12) remaining piece can be found on the Chiripa website.

We first met Manuel when visiting his mother, also a potter. Ofelia Gamez died about a year ago; a great loss to the community and Chiripa.

We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of the new shipment from Mexico. Sign up for the Chiripa mailing list (lower right corner of homepage) if you would like email notifications. -kl

How We Bring Beauty to You-Part 2

Photos and thoughts from the 2012 Chiripa buying trip to Mexico.

Continued from the last post. . .
We eventually regrouped, gulped down some liquid yogurt for lunch, used the baño, and hailed a cab on the street. We told the cab driver we wanted to go to the village of Capula, a center of indigenous ceramic craft. The driver whistled, scrunched up his face and calculated: “Pues, es muy lejos...” (translation: “it’s very far” -- i.e., “it’s going to cost you a bundle”). We agreed on an estimated fare, jumped into the cab and headed out. On the way we passed miles of stone fences, laboriously constructed over the centuries – each stone lifted and set by strong brown hands. The fences looked like they had always been there.
 
In Capula, after bumping down many wrong streets and asking many puzzled bystanders, we finally rediscovered the home of the Juan Rosas family (whom we had not seen for 2 years).  Their son Juan (“Chino”), a brilliant ceramic painter who has won national awards, opened the door. Chino recognized us immediately and sent word to his father, who was in the market. Juan ran the entire distance, and leaned against a wall to catch his breath before he could speak to us. His wife Lourdes joined us later:  “Qué Milagro!” (“What a Miracle”) she said. “We have been thinking about you, and wondering why you hadn’t been back. But now here you are!” Her beautiful smile spread from ear to ear.

 Lourdes with her three sons: 
Brian (Koby), Juan Jr (Chino) and Misael (translator and accountant)

We bought some fine ceramics from the Juan Rosas family, while others gathered around to watch. The family will pack and deliver the ceramics to a stone carver in another village. The stone carver (with whom we had already placed an order), will carry the stone and ceramic pieces to Guadalajara in a pickup truck (we hope they get there). In Guadalajara, crafts from our many other Mexican stops will be consolidated in similar fashion for export to Chiripa.  The daisy chain process takes months.

In Capula, we also bought some delicate ceramic Catrinas from other sellers. These had to be wound in toilet paper and bubble wrap, carefully placed in a box, and carried with us to Patzcuaro. It was getting late in the afternoon, and the taxi driver was getting nervous.  Finally, we were ready. 

The stone carvings in Tzintzuntzan seem to grow up from the ground.

On the way back to Patzcuaro, we stopped to see the stone carver and tell him about the ceramics shipment that would be coming his way. He was eating a light meal with friends, at a makeshift outdoor table under a shade tree. At sunset, the taxi driver finally dropped us at our hotel and we give him a handsome tip (“Muy bién,” he beamed).
 

We left the box of delicate Catrinas in our room and used the baño.  After a long and hard day’s work, we decided that we deserved supper and a beer (“merecemos una cerveza”) at Lupita (photo of patio seating on the left), a new favorite restaurant up near the Basilica.  But first, we had to visit the artisans selling woven linens and milagro hearts....   -JKM

How We Bring Beauty to You--part 1

Thoughts and photos from the Feb 2012 Chiripa buying trip to Mexico.

 

How do we bring the finest handmade crafts from remote Mexican villages to you? With a lot of love and hard work!  

 Corn platter by Nicolas Fabian, Santa Fe de la Laguana, Michoacan, Mexico.

Chiripa is hoping to have more in stock soon.

We personally visit dedicated Mexican artisans in their homes and family workshops. We hand-select works that have a human story to tell. We buy directly from the artisans, so they get the best possible return for their work. We pay in advance, and trust the artisans to deliver. They have never disappointed us. We have found sublime beauty in humble places, and made many wonderful friends. That more than compensates for the extra work. 

On our latest trip to Mexico, we visited the old colonial towns of Guanajuato, Dolores Hidalgo and San Miguel de Allende, as well as Patzcuaro in the highlands of Michoacán. We especially love Patzcuaro, which is within striking distance of a number of indigenous villages producing elegant crafts. On our latest trip, a typical day in Patzcuaro went like this: 

 

We threw off woolen blankets after a cold night, and took (brief) lukewarm showers. Donning sweaters, we went out for hot coffee and breakfast. Joggers were taking gentle morning turns around the sweet old plaza. The soft light filtered through the tall trees and warmed the adobe walls. After breakfast, we jettisoned our sweaters and put on baseball caps. Then to work!

We plunged into the labyrinthine public market to find the tiny stall belonging to Salvador Farran, one of just two remaining practitioners of the traditional Purepecha silver jewelry craft.

You should not expect to find Señor Farfan’s jewelry stall without an expert guide; but, if you want to try, you should look near the large collection of butcher stalls that have unrefrigerated beef sides, pig heads and strings of spicy red and green chorizo prominently on offer.

With a little luck, we found Señor Farfan. To the sound of hacking meat cleavers, we purchased some delicate hand-wrought traditional jewelry for Chiripa. 

We squinted as we emerged from the dark warren of the market. To save time, we divided our forces: some went to the basilica market to buy pine needle baskets, bracelets, weavings and carvings from the indigenous vendors. Others, drawing the short straw, went to the bank to exchange traveler’s checks for cash (artisans in remote villages do not accept credit cards, wire transfers or like forms of payment). The bank never cashes traveler’s checks with undue haste, so there was time to shop most of the basilica market. -JKM

The day in Patzcuaro will continue . . .

The San Miguel de Allende Flea Market

Thoughts and photos from the February 2012 Chiripa buying trip to Mexico.

Markets are everywhere in Mexico. We were introduced to the Tuesday Flea Market in San Miguel de Allende. Located just outside of town, it has a circus atmosphere. Booth tarps rise from the ground with ropes and are tied together at large posts. The vendors move on to different cities in the area for the other days of the week. What a lot of work! You can find anything you need from clothes to tools to music to antiques, but, my photos seem to concentrate on the FOOD! Surprise.

The Mexican version of a Friday night Wisconsin Fish Fry!

 The best gorditas at the market!

 This is how to get kids to eat vegetables!

 Bushels of beans and anything else you can think of.

Jim M serenades our guide, Cherie. Jim L totes the bag of baskets I found.

A fun morning break. Then back to "real" shopping.  -kl