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

Playa Azul

Michoacan is not just the Colonial cities in the highlands or the indigenous arts and crafts of the Patzcuaro area. It also has a long, rugged and beautiful coast line. Playa Azul is in southern Michoacan just north of Lazaro Cardenas and down highway 37 from Uruapan.

This was my second time in Playa Azul and I'm a little more impressed than I was last summer. In the winter there are people there, more businesses are open and they keep the town clean. Last summer it looked abandoned. The beach is long and flat with no protection from the open ocean. We watched a number of fishing pangas struggling to get out over the waves. Had a nice sunset but can't recommend a beach restaurant since our dinner was very average. The food stands in the center of town are good for juice and coffee in the morning.

Main beach intersection

Sunset over hammocks

Fishing boat going out at sunset
Scene downtown Playa Azul