La Ticla

LA TICLA

Text and photos: Pedro Silva Glass / CANAL235.COM

The hills of the Sierra de Coalcoman and Rio Ostula line the beach of La Ticla, where "surfers" and tourists arrive from around the world to enjoy the waves and the setting of this famous tourist eco hostel. 

La Ticla is located between the ports of Manzanillo, Colima and Lazaro Cardenas, Michoacan, in the coastal zone of Aquila, a few minutes from La Placita and Duin, traveling from the state of Colima. 

You can get a bus leaving from Manzanillo and Tecoman, or private car. Going down highway 200, a battered dirt road leads to the lodge located at the end of the village, inhabited by just a couple of hundred Nahua Indians, mestizos and a minority of foreigners, who are accustomed to the presence of "tourist".

On the beach some huts have been built, and excellent "palapas" that become perfect camping areas for the hundreds of visitors who come each season to participate or enjoy the spectacular surfing tournaments and other activities related to the sea and scenery. 

Nice palapas on the beach

Usually pretty good surf

A river mouth but not always open

La Ticla or the Ostula lagoon

My 2007 visit to La Ticla

Original article in Spanish

Festival del Dia del Payaso

Festival del Dia del Payaso

Festival del Dia del Payaso

Patzcuaro

December 9, 2014

11am - Parade of Clowns in Centro Historic of Patzcuaro

12pm - Teatro Emperador - Presentación de los payasos

Ballet Folklórico at Plaza Valladolid

Ballet Folklórico at Plaza Valladolid

Todos invitados!!

Ballet Folklórico de México " Amalia Hernandez".. 

12 de diciembre Plaza Valladolid en Morelia 19:00 Hrs .

No se lo pierdan!

Textiles and embroidery of Michoacan

This doily, purchased in the market of Patzcuaro , shows a traditional embroidery Mazahua from Michoacan.

In indigenous communities in Mexico, she is responsible for developing the clothing and other textiles necessary in everyday life of the community. Almost always is responsible for the entire process. The materials used are wool and cotton and the process starts with harvest, through the spinning, dyeing and warping, up to the development of the garment on a backstrap loom, loom pedal Hispanic origin.

Traditional embroideries are not accidental. The Mazahua woman is typing in their tissues history of its people, their ancestors and their environment using scenes of everyday life, deer, flowers, birds and other animals. The knowledge passed from mother to daughter through observation and practice. This women become repositories of wisdom that is centuries old.

Unfortunately, globalization and loss of identity and customs which it originates, has had negative consequences in these ancient embroidery. Celia Carmona Roma says in his book "Traditional Embroidery Mazahua from Michoacan " : "As a child I saw Mazahua and Otomi women with their colorful costumes, a full head of hair combs and barrettes, braids adorned with colored ribbons and her bare feet; is unfortunate that young people who come to study or work in Zitacuaro not wear their traditional clothes, maybe not to feel slighted, because they think that using other clothes take on a different status or unfortunately rather be like everyone else ".

Textiles y bordados de Michoacán

National Guitar Festival in Paracho - 2014

The Paracho Guitar Festival is actually a national music festival held once a year. Dates for 2014 are August 2nd through August 10th, starting on Saturday.

Dozens of guitar shops line the main plaza and side streets of Paracho, where you can buy a guitar from the person who made it. Every August Paracho comes alive as it hosts the Mexican National Guitar Festival. The festival features classical guitar concerts, parades, mariachi and Purepecha folk performances and competitions for guitarists and guitar makers. But ultimately, it is the town that emerges as the main character in a spirited display of tradition and community pride.

Seminar of Herbal Medicine

INICIATIVA “LAS CANOAS ALTAS” A.C -- Erongarícuaro

SEMINARIO DE MEDICINA HERBOLARIA PARA ADULTOS
TALLERES PARA NIÑOS MAYORES DE 5 AÑOS
Sábado 23 y Domingo 24 de Agosto 2014

A Grande Dame Branches Out

The day of reckoning came on a recent Tuesday for the tacos, enchiladas verdes, cactus salad and pork posole served at Tortilleria Nixtamal in Corona, Queens.

Diana Kennedy, the 91-year-old author of 11 groundbreaking cookbooks on Mexico’s many regional cuisines, had just ordered those items for lunch.

Nixtamal is highly regarded as the first New York City outfit to make true masa, what Mexicans call dough made of ground corn, and use it to make tortillas, tamales and many other things. For Ms. Kennedy, never one to mince words, that is not enough to earn the place a free pass.

“Don’t forget that American corn is never as tasty,” said Ms. Kennedy, who grows her own at the three-acre almost-off-the-grid “ecological” homestead called Quinta Diana she maintains in Michoacán in Mexico.

NYT - A Grande Dame Branches Out

Templarios luxury at a cost to Michoacan

When you take and take till there's very little left ... it's bound to catch up with you. That is what has happened to the Caballeros Templarios in most of the Western part of Michoacan State. The Federal Government finally took over the port of Lazaro Cardenas to better control the flow of drugs into the country and the flow of illegal materials leaving.

The latest move to take back control of businesses , homes and their lives has come from the people. Civilian vigilantes groups known as the "autodefensas" – or self defense squads have taken back many of the towns of Western Michoacan. Led by farmers, shopkeepers, doctors and taxi-drivers, vigilante militias have turned the tables on one of Mexico’s most ruthless cartels, the Knights Templar, a gang that names itself after medieval crusaders to appear brave and righteous even as it traffics crystal meth. The offensive has changed the face of the country’s drug war inspiring optimism that cartels who rule by terror can be defeated when the people rise up against them.

Vigilante fighter "El Love" occupying a cartel house in Nueva Italia

Need a closet

Or a bathroom

Knights Templar leader's indoor pool